Creating the groups, applications, and operations

About this task

You can create applications by using the ISPF panels.

This section shows you the steps involved in creating the Paymore applications using the HCL Workload Automation for Z panels. You can create all applications and groups by using the APPLICATION DESCRIPTION panel, but simple applications, having only one computer operation and optionally a job setup operation and another manual operation, can be created using the JOB DESCRIPTION panel.

First, create the PAYDAILY job, which is part of an application description of the same name, with three operations, as shown in Grouping of payroll applications. Follow these steps:
  1. From the main menu, enter the fast path 1.4 to display the MAINTAINING APPLICATION DESCRIPTIONS panel (see EQQASUBP- Maintaining application descriptions ).
  2. Select option 2 to display the CREATING AN APPLICATION (EQQACGPP) panel:
    Figure 1. Creating the PAYDAILY application
     EQQACGPP ------------------ CREATING AN APPLICATION ---------------------------
 Command ===>

 Enter/Change data below:
 Enter the RUN command above to select run cycles, the DEP command to select 
 dependencies at application level or the OPER command to select operations.

 Application:
  ID                ===> PAYDAILY________
  TEXT              ===> Daily PAYROLL backup___    Descriptive text
  TYPE              ===> A           A - Application, G - Group definition
 Owner:
  ID                ===> SAMPLE_________
  TEXT              ===> Pay Office______________
                                     Descriptive text of application owner
 PRIORITY           ===> 5           A digit 1 to 9 , 1=low, 8=high, 9=urgent
 VALID FROM         ===> 03/01/29    Date in the format YY/MM/DD
 STATUS             ===> A           A - Active, P - Pending
 AUTHORITY GROUP ID ===> ________    Authorization group ID
 CALENDAR ID        ===> ________________   For calculation of work and free days
 GROUP DEFINITION   ===> ________________   Group definition id
 SMOOTHING FACTOR   ===> ____   LIMIT ===> ____  Deadline Feedback options
  3. Type the fields as shown and press Enter. For more information about each field, see Creating an application and its operations.
  4. To schedule PAYDAILY, enter the RUN command to specify a run cycle. The RUN CYCLES panel, shown in Creating the run cycle for PAYDAILY, is displayed.
    Figure 2. Creating the run cycle for PAYDAILY
    EQQAMRPL ------------------------ RUN CYCLES ----------------  ROW 1 TO 1 OF 1
Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> PAGE

Enter/Change data in the rows, and/or enter any of the following
row commands:
I(nn) - Insert, R(nn),RR(nn) - Repeat, D(nn),DD - Delete
S - Specify run days/Modify rule

Application            : PAYDAILY         daily payroll jobs
     Name of                                In       Out of
Row  period/rule Input Deadline       F day effect   Effect
cmd  Text        HH.MM day HH.MM Type rule  YY/MM/DD YY/MM/DD Variable table
'' RULE01__    12.00 00  16.00 R    4     03/01/29 71/12/31 PAY___________
     Run every working day_____________________________

******************************* BOTTOM OF DATA *******************************
  5. Specify an input arrival time of 12.00. This time has two main purposes:
    1. It identifies the occurrence of the application, differentiating the midday run of PAYDAILY from other runs on the same day.
    2. It tells HCL Workload Automation for Z when to try to start the application, if it is time-dependent. Normally, you need not make applications time-dependent, because they run immediately after their predecessors. But PAYDAILY is an exception, because it is the first payroll job of the day, and is also responsible for triggering the closure of the CICSA payroll data set at midday.
  6. Specify the deadline day and time, which is the latest time that all operations in any occurrence of the application should be completed by. HCL Workload Automation for Z takes various actions if an operation is not started by its deadline time, depending on parameters that you specify. Day 0 and time 16.00 means that the deadline is 16.00 on the same day as the input arrival time.
  7. Type R for a normal rule.
  8. The value of 4 for F day rule (the free-day rule) means that the application is not scheduled on free days in the calendar. This is not so important for PAYDAILY, because avoiding free days is part of the rule definition, but for other rules, such as Last Friday in the Month, it is important because HCL Workload Automation for Z needs to know what to do if Friday is Christmas Day, for example.
  9. Specify the in-effect and out-of-effect dates. If you leave these blank, HCL Workload Automation for Z fills them in with today's date and 71/12/31, 31 December 2071.
  10. Specify the JCL variable table that will be used on the days selected by this run cycle. The PAYDAILY JCL can have variables, promptable or nonpromptable. HCL Workload Automation for Z looks for values to substitute into the JCL in a variable table.
  11. Enter the S row command to specify the days that this rule will select. The MODIFYING A RULE panel, shown in Creating the rule for PAYDAILY, is displayed.
    Figure 3. Creating the rule for PAYDAILY
    EQQRULEP --------------------- MODIFYING A RULE -------------------------------
Command ===>

Enter the GENDAYS command to display the dates generated by this rule
Enter S and user data in the fields below to define a rule

Application   : PAYDAILY                  daily payroll jobs
Rule          : RULE01     Run every working day

 --- Frequency ---         --- Day ---    --- Cycle Specification ---
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        _ Only          !  _ Day       !  _ Week       _ January    _ July
        S Every         !  _ Free day  !  _ Month      _ February   _ August
                        !  S Work day  !  S Year       _ March      _ September
 _ First     _ Last     !  _ Monday    !               _ April      _ October
 _ Second    _ 2nd Last !  _ Tuesday   !               _ May        _ November
 _ Third     _ 3rd Last !  _ Wednesday !               _ June       _ December
 _ Fourth    _ 4th Last !  _ Thursday  !  Week number  __ __ __ __ __ __
 _ Fifth     _ 5th Last !  _ Friday    !  Period name  ________ ________
   ___ ___     ___ ___  !  _ Saturday  !               ________ ________
   ___ ___     ___ ___  !  _ Sunday    !
   ___ ___     ___ ___  !              !  Shift default origin by  ___ days
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12. Select the fields shown so that HCL Workload Automation for Z schedules PAYDAILY every work day, and then press PF3 (End) to return to the RUN CYCLES panel.
  13. Press PF3 (End) again to return to the CREATING AN APPLICATION panel.
  14. Enter the OPER command. The OPERATIONS panel, shown in Creating operations in PAYDAILY, is displayed.
    Figure 4. Creating operations in PAYDAILY
    EQQAMOPL ------------------------ OPERATIONS ----------------  ROW 1 TO 3 OF 3
Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> PAGE

Enter/Change data in the rows, and/or enter any of the following
row commands:
I(nn) - Insert, R(nn),RR(nn) - Repeat, D(nn),DD - Delete
S - Select operation details, J - Edit JCL
Enter the PRED command above to include predecessors in this list, or,
enter the GRAPH command to view the list graphically.

Application            : PAYDAILY         daily payroll jobs

Row  Oper      Duration Job name  Operation text
cmd  ws   no. HH.MM.SS
'' WTO1 005   00.01.00    PAYDAILY  PAYX CLOSE DATASET______
'' SETP 010   00.05.00    PAYDAILY  setup for PAYDAILY job__
'' CPU1 020   00.05.00    PAYDAILY  pay04 and pay06_________
******************************* BOTTOM OF DATA *******************************

    The first operation, the WTO, causes message EQQW775I to be issued at midday with the operation text (PAYX CLOSE data set) as part of the message, which NetView® can then use as a CICS® transaction.

  15. For each operation, type the workstation (Oper ws), operation number (Oper no.), and, if the workstation is a job setup, computer, or printer workstation, the name of the job or started task that the operation represents.
  16. Specify the estimated duration of each operation, which HCL Workload Automation for Z uses for planning purposes and also to judge whether an operation might finish late. HCL Workload Automation for Z can use the actual run times of PAYDAILY to adjust this estimate.
  17. Specify the job name. For batch and setup operations, HCL Workload Automation for Z uses this to find the JCL in the EQQJBLIB partitioned data set. A setup operation must have the same job name as the successor computer operation. A print operation must have the same job name as its predecessor, because this identifies the spool file that HCL Workload Automation for Z tracks.
  18. Enter the PRED command to specify the internal predecessors (the dependencies within this application). The panel shown in Specifying the predecessors for PAYDAILY operations is displayed.
    Figure 5. Specifying the predecessors for PAYDAILY operations
    EQQAMOSL ------------------------ OPERATIONS ----------------  ROW 1 TO 3 OF 3
Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> PAGE

Enter/Change data in the rows, and/or enter any of the following
row commands:
I(nn) - Insert, R(nn),RR(nn) - Repeat, D(nn),DD - Delete
S - Select operation details, J - Edit JCL
Enter the PRED command above to include predecessors in this list, or,
enter the GRAPH command to view the list graphically.

Application            : PAYDAILY         daily payroll jobs
                                                                                
Row  Oper      Duration  Job name  Internal predecessors           Morepreds   
cmd  ws   no.  MMMM.SS                                             -IntExt-    
'''' WTO1 005  0001.00_  PAYDAILY  ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___   0  0      
'''' SETP 010  0005.00_  PAYDAILY  ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___   0  0      
'''' CPUV 020  0005.00_  PAYDAILY  005 010 ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___   0  0      
******************************* Bottom of data *********************************
  19. Specify the predecessors shown to tell HCL Workload Automation for Z that the setup operation and the WTO must come before the batch PAYDAILY job.

    The batch job, operation 020, also depends on CICSA successfully closing the payroll data set after getting the command from NetView®. This dependency, however, is handled using resources. While CICSA has the data set open, it has exclusive use of the resource PAYROLL.DATABASE. When the PAYX transaction successfully closes the data set, it executes the EQQUSIN subroutine to release the special resource. Then the PAYDAILY job can run as soon as the job preparation team has finished any manual JCL overrides and has completed the SETP operation.

  20. Specify the details of each operation by entering s beside the operation. The OPERATION DETAILS panel is displayed.
  21. Specify option 3 (SPECIAL RES) to specify that the batch job must have exclusive use of the PAYROLL.DATABASE resource (see Creating special resources for details about using resources). Complete the fields shown in Specifying the payroll database as a resource and press PF3 (End).
    Figure 6. Specifying the payroll database as a resource
    EQQAMSRL --------------------- SPECIAL RESOURCES ------------  ROW 1 TO 1 OF 1
Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> PAGE

Enter/Change data in the rows, and/or enter any of the following
row commands:
I(nn) - Insert, R(nn),RR(nn) - Repeat, D(nn),DD - Delete

Operation              : CPU1 020         Runs pay04 and pay06

Row  Special                                      Qty    Shr Keep On
cmd  Resource                                            Ex  Error
'' payroll.database____________________________ 1_____ x   y
******************************* BOTTOM OF DATA *******************************
  22. You never have to select option 2 (WS RES and SERV) for Paymore operations, because they do not use workstation fixed resources, and the default number of parallel servers is one, which is what you need.
  23. You do not need to specify a time for the operation (option 6), because the default is for the operation to take the input arrival time specified for the occurrence, which is what is needed for PAYDAILY. But you must specify that the WTO operation is time-dependent. From the OPERATION DETAILS menu, select option 4 (AUTOMATIC OPTIONS). The JOB, WTO, AND PRINT OPTIONS panel, shown in Specifying that the WTO is time-dependent, is displayed.
    Figure 7. Specifying that the WTO is time-dependent
    EQQAMJBP ---------------- JOB, WTO, AND PRINT OPTIONS -------------------
Command ===>

Enter/Change data below:
Application            : PAYDAILY           
Operation              : WTO1 005           
 JOB CLASS          ===> _            ERROR TRACKING     ===> Y 
 HIGHEST RETURNCODE ===> ____         EXTERNAL MONITOR   ===> N 
 CENTRALIZED SCRIPT ===> N            COND RECOVERY JOB  ===> N 
 CRITICAL           ===> P            POLICY             ===> _ 
 CLASS              ===> _______   
Job release options:                 
 SUBMIT            ===> Y             HOLD/RELEASE      ===> Y 
 TIME DEPENDENT    ===> N             SUPPRESS IF LATE  ===> N 
 NOP               ===> _             MANUALLY HOLD     ===> _
 DEADLINE WTO      ===> N     
WS fail options:
 RESTARTABLE       ===> _             REROUTEABLE       ===> _ 
Print options:
 FORM NUMBER       ===> ________      SYSOUT CLASS      ===> _

    Specify y in the TIME DEPENDENT field. Now HCL Workload Automation for Z will not try to start the WTO operation until 12.00.

  24. Return to the CREATING AN APPLICATION panel by pressing PF3 (End), and press PF3 (End) twice again to save the new application description in the HCL Workload Automation for Z database. It will now be included in the long-term plan when you create it.
You have now created one application and its operations. Continue in a similar manner for the other applications in Grouping of payroll applications, but note especially:
GPAYW and GPAYM
These are groups, so you specify run cycles for these, but no operations. Their applications (PAYW, PAYM1, and PAYM2) have operations, but no run cycles.
Dependencies for PAYBACKP
PAYBACKP must run after all scheduled payroll updates, so give it external dependencies to all of them. PAYBACKP will therefore depend on PAYTAXYR, for example, but the dependency will not take effect on the 364 days of the year when PAYTAXYR is not scheduled.
Opening the CICSA payroll data set
The last operation of PAYBACKP is a WTO that triggers a CICS® transaction to reopen the data set.
Job setup for other operations
There are no job setup operations other than for PAYDAILY. Normally, you do not need job setup, because most JCL variable substitution can be handled automatically with JCL variable tables, and in these cases HCL Workload Automation for Z edits the JCL and submits it when the job becomes ready.
Tracking print operations
Print operations are specified only for the payslip printing jobs, where it is important for HCL Workload Automation for Z to know if and when JES has finished printing. For these jobs, PAYWSLIP and PAYMSLIP, take care to specify the print form number and SYSOUT class when you specify the operation details. HCL Workload Automation for Z uses a key of job name, form number, and SYSOUT class to track the event, and this key must be unique, or HCL Workload Automation for Z might track the wrong spool data set. See Options that apply to print operations.
Rule for the GPAYW run cycle
EVERY THURSDAY of every YEAR. You can find equivalent rules, such as:
  • ONLY THURSDAY in every WEEK
  • EVERY THURSDAY in every WEEK
  • EVERY THURSDAY in every MONTH

Which one you specify does not matter. If you are unsure about the rule, use the GENDAYS command to check the selected days. Note that EVERY FOURTH DAY in every WEEK is not equivalent, because the day selected depends on whether free days are to be counted among the four days (the free day rule).

Rule for the GPAYM run cycle
ONLY THIRD THURSDAY of every MONTH. For this run cycle, as for GPAYW and PAYTAXYR, you need free-day rule 1, so that the occurrence is scheduled on the previous work day if the Thursday is a holiday.
Rule for the PAYTAXYR run cycle
ONLY THIRD THURSDAY of every JULY.
Rules for the on-demand jobs
Do not specify rules for PAYRECOV, CICSA, and PAYQUERY. You can add these to the long-term or current plan when you need them.