IBM i and PDF Transform Services

July 15th, 2011

We love IBM’s product that allows you to generate PDF documents from your applications rather than Spool Files!  The product is 5770TS1 (V7.1) or 5761TS1 (V6R1).  The product is free and is easy to install and use.  Now you store your output on the IFS in stream files.  This is ideal for both printing and archiving of documents.  The archiving is improved with some tweaks or modifications to your application to name and store the files in meaningful locations. 

A huge advantage exists in that all users know how to manipulate PDF documents.  Not true with spool files.  This eliminates windowing in a spool file, and general viewing struggles.

While we think it is relatively easy to use and implement, call us if you want to know more or see how we have changed even our own internal invoicing system.  For more sophisticated needs, you will need a forms package or document management system.  However, there is a strong argument that no new spool files should be created.