Formatting ACH file with cnvexp command

Another option is to change the PR160 workdef. See KB article 71213 - "PR160 change to create TAPE with carriage returns at 94".

The only concern we had with this approach is that any patches to the PR160 will probably cause this setting to be changed back. Because of this, we elected not to change the workdef but rather to include a scripted cnvexp command as an automatic part of our ACH process - but that may not be an option for you.

Note that this article is specifically for the payroll ACH (PR160) a similar process would apply to AP ACH. I'm not sure which you were asking about.

I hope this helps.

Kelly

I've used the workdef solution with no problems for the PR ACH. The AP ACH didn't require it in our case... it was already in the 94-byte format. We are LSF 9.0.1.6 MSP3.

...Lance

In an AIX script we run this in a cron job


# convert file to fixed-length 94-byte records
/LSF9/prod/gen/bin/cnvexp -f /LSF9/prod/law/prod/work/PAYROLL/tape 94 > /LSF9/prod/law/prod/work/PAYROLL/tmp1.$$

In an AIX script we run this in a cron job


# convert file to fixed-length 94-byte records
/LSF9/prod/gen/bin/cnvexp -f /LSF9/prod/law/prod/work/PAYROLL/tape 94 > /LSF9/prod/law/prod/work/PAYROLL/tmp1.$$

wonder if making a script for the cnvexp and then making the script the second job step of the PR160 jobdef would work. Anyone try this?

rvaninc: Yes, we have scripts set up like you suggest. Works great!!

In order for them to be available to users, I created a token for them to call and just put the script name in it's path.

From LID, tokendef | select a category, or create one | enter your unique token identifier and description | enter a couple times to save it, then go back to it and do an F6 (Define) on it. Where it says Command put the entire path to your script.

If you want the token to be available in Portal it gets a little bit more involved- Still doable.
pgmdef, create a token name, copy a smaller program and for the PD section all you need is what I've attached.
With the full path to your script in the MOVE statement.

Compile and you should be able to see from Portal.

Has anyone accomplished this tape creation automation and portal linking on a Windows platform and if so are you willing to share the details? I am new to Lawson (and Windows) and appreciate any information you can share.

We do a lot of interfaces to the outside world. For payroll we created a cobol programs that has menu like form with several buttons which iinterfaces they want to sent. This program in turn just call several scripts depending on which button they choose. For tape file to the bank (ACH), the script performs a cnvexp to the tapefile then simply ftp the file to the bank. This is much cleaner than creating tokens for each script.