11
Fri, Oct
6 New Articles

NGS Releases Enhanced Version of NGS-IQ Business Intelligence Suite

Business Intelligence
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

New Generation Software, Inc. (NGS), a developer of IBM System i business solutions, has announced distribution of Release 6.50 of its NGS-IQ business intelligence solutions. This release, which includes enhancements in both the host and the client modules of the product line, provides NGS-IQ customers with increased flexibility and functionality in responding to the diverse reporting requirements of management and users. At the same time, the company announced it has begun shipping release 4.50 of the NGS Business Performance Dashboard, an integrated module of the NGS-IQ solution

In IQ Server (the native System i query engine for NGS-IQ) results of report break summary and new field calculations are now assigned their own, individual, XML tags when users output to XML. This new capability provides greater flexibility when generating XML files and simplifies the development of dashboards with the NGS Business Performance Dashboard solution.

IQ ServerÆs enhanced ASCII output now gives users the option to indicate whether field names or column headings should be inserted into the first row of the delimited or text output file. This capability makes it much easier for those receiving these files to understand their data.

NGS-IQ Release 6.50 offers more options to work with dates and times. Users can create date new fields from existing date fields, character fields, literal, or system values, and output the date new fields in a variety of formats, including MM/DD/YYYY, YYYY-MM-DD, DD.MM.YYYY, YY/DDD, and more. Forward slashes, hyphens, periods, commas, or blanks can be assigned as the separator in the new field. Users can also create time and timestamp new fields from existing character values inside a character field, literal, or system value.

Spreadsheet users will appreciate an added function in the seamless interface between Microsoft Excel and Qport Access, NGS-IQÆs client module that allows direct data output to MS Office applications. The new enhancement allows users to instruct Qport Access to retain leading zeroes in an alphanumeric field when outputting a NGS-IQ query to Excel. This capability is important for companies that enter zeros at the beginning of account numbers, part numbers, customer ID codes, or other important fields and then need Excel to understand that these values should not be treated as numeric values when output to the spreadsheet.

Release 6.50 of NGS-IQ also provides enhanced security, supporting the use of long and mixed case passwords when connecting from Qport Access to the System i and when attempting to invoke the FTP and Remote Network Output file functions. This enhancement dramatically increases the number of passwords that can be assigned, thereby reducing a companyÆs vulnerability to unauthorized user access.

Release 4.50 of the NGS Business Performance Dashboard includes additional charting features, new presentation and delivery methods, and improved integration with NGS-IQÆs query engine, IQ Server. IQ Server now assigns results of report break summary and new field calculations their own, individual XML tags when users output to XML. This new capability provides greater flexibility when generating XML files and simplifies the development of dashboards.

NGS Business Performance Dashboards can now be exported to Microsoft Word as dynamic and interactive visualizations, and users can export a copy of the original Excel file that had been imported into the visualization. The software, which leverages Adobe Flash Player, continues to support numerous other export formats, including Power Point and HTML. Visualizations can be distributed via e-mail and published on any Web server.

Release 4.50 includes a new panel set component consisting of framing options that enable users to easily navigate between files in a presentation, embed .jpg or .swf files into the frames, and adjust formatting features to customize the look of the component in their visualization. Users can now add animation to their chart components (with the exception of area chart components); so bars expand and shrink and points grow to full size in chart components when the underlying data changes and visualizations are run.

Candlestick and OHLC chart components are now available to display stock data. Line markers on a chart and colors on a candlestick correspond to the open-high-low-close price of the stock. In addition, this release of the NGS Business Performance Dashboard also includes three new skins: graphite, halo, and Windows classic.

The NGS Business Performance Dashboard is a complete information delivery solution that lets managers and users view, present, and interact with live business data in a flexible, graphical format from their Web browser. To facilitate implementation, 150 dashboard templates are standard components of this product. These include KPIÆs in the areas of sales, finance, inventory, production, customer service, customer relationship management, and human resources. Dashboards can be updated as required by using IQ Server to refresh the underlying XML files.

With over 20,000 System i users throughout the world, NGS has been an industry leader since 1982 in developing field-proven software for business intelligence and financial management. Both NGS-IQ and the Concert Series Financial Management System are recognized by IBM as ôServer Proven Solutions.ö NGS is an Advanced Member of IBM PartnerWorld for Developers.

New Generation Software, Inc. (NGS) delivers high performance IBM i (iSeries, System i, AS/400) business software solutions to companies of all sizes and representing virtually all industries. Hundreds of people worldwide rely on NGS’ solutions every day. NGS is an IBM Business Partner and active supporter of the COMMON User Group and numerous regional IBM i user groups. In addition to IBM, NGS has strong business relationships with numerous independent software vendors and IBM solution providers. For more information, visit www.ngsi.com.

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: