Creating time-dependent operations

The input arrival time of an operation is usually not the time that HCL Workload Automation for Z will start an operation. HCL Workload Automation for Z seeks to maximize the throughput of work in your system by starting as many operations as quickly as possible on any one day. Some operations cannot be started because the resources they require are not available, they have a predecessor that has not completed, or the workstation they run on is closed. If an operation can run (that is, if all its predecessors are complete and resources are available), HCL Workload Automation for Z will usually start the operation regardless of its input arrival time or the time of day.

For example, when you run jobs on distributed agents, the SUPPRESSPOLICY keyword also affects the actual start time. If you specify the suppress if late option, the value of the SUPPRESSPOLICY keyword also impacts the start of late operations. For more information about the SUPPRESSPOLICY keyword, see the JTOPTS statement.

For most operations, this is exactly what you want. However, you often need to run jobs or started tasks at a particular time of day or at regular intervals throughout the day. To do this, make the job operation time-dependent on the MVS™ JOB OPTIONS panel (EQQAMJBP - Job, WTO, and print options ). The following steps describe what happens when HCL Workload Automation for Z starts a time-dependent operation, and what happens if it is late:

  1. Is the operation time-dependent?
    1. Yes: continue with step 2.
    2. No: HCL Workload Automation for Z starts the operation as soon as it is added to the current plan or as soon as its dependencies are met.
  2. Is it the input arrival time?
    1. Yes: continue with step 3.
    2. No: wait for the input arrival time. Continue at step 2.
  3. Is the operation ready?
    1. Yes: continue with step 4.
    2. No: wait until the operation is ready. Continue at step 3.
  4. Does the operation have the suppress-if-late attribute (see Options that apply to all operations)?
    1. Yes: continue with step 5.
    2. No: HCL Workload Automation for Z starts the operation.
  5. Does the SUPPRESSPOLICY allow more time for this operation?
    1. Yes: HCL Workload Automation for Z starts the operation.
    2. No: give the operation a status according to the SUPPRESSACTION option (C, E, or RL).

An operation with the status RL can be started only after manual intervention. For details of the SUPPRESSPOLICY and SUPPRESSACTION keywords of the JTOPTS statement, see Customization and Tuning.