You can download data from your System i DB2/400 database to a PC using tools such as FTP, Client Access, JDBC, and ODBC. The problem is that your PC may not be able to handle the number of records that can result. It would be nice to have a tool that could summarize the data and let you see the detail behind the summaries.

SEQUEL Provides the Answers

SEQUEL is that tool. SEQUEL offers two easy-to-use options—Sequel Host Tabling and Sequel Client Tabling—that you can use to summarize your transaction data into spreadsheet-like tables.

Figure 1 shows how downloaded transaction data might look as a list in a standard SEQUEL view. Without SEQUEL tabling, this type of request could mean millions of records—too much data to send to a Windows desktop.

Figure 1: This is a SEQUEL data view before tabling. (Click images to enlarge.)

View Spreadsheet-Like Summaries

You can use SEQUEL Host Tabling to automatically summarize DB2 transaction data into spreadsheet-like files with summary rows, columns, totals, rankings, percent of total, and other calculations (see Figure 2). The SEQUEL Host Tabling views organize data into columns for regions, time periods, or other categories. And you can output this summarized data to multiple formats, including XLS, XML, or CSV.

Figure 2: Here's the SEQUEL view data organized using Host Tabling.

Take Your Data on the Road

SEQUEL Client Tabling is an interactive solution for dynamic data mining and analysis. It offers drill-down, reporting, analysis, ranking, and graphing functions help you take your data on the road. First, you can consolidate data from your database into a portable, standalone module. Then, you can use the Client Tabling drag-and-drop features to reorganize the data and view the results instantly without affecting the data in the database.

Figure 3: And here's your SEQUEL view organized using Client Tabling.

See how SEQUEL can stop the data overload on your desktop while making your data easier to use and more portable. Call us at 800.328.1000 to ask for a demo or to try a FREE 30-day trial. Or view an archived presentation on this topic. Check out Help/Systems' other offerings in the MC Showcase Buyer's Guide.

Tom Huntington is Executive Vice President of Technical Solutions at HelpSystems, and has been with the company for nearly 30 years. He works with business alliances, acquisitions and large customer relationships and ensures that the HelpSystems software works with other major software and hardware vendors worldwide.

Tom often speaks on enterprise scheduling, security, automation topics, IBM i technology, and the HelpSystems products, and hosts technical presentations on a variety of automation topics. He is the author of the HelpSystems IBM i Marketplace Survey and has written articles on automated operations, security, cloud computing, and business intelligence for leading trade journals and newsletters. He was named an IBM Champion in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 for over three decades of advocation and thought leadership on the IBM i platform.

Contact Tom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..