BPCS

BPCS stands for Business Planning and Control System.

It is SSA's ERP system.

If you are unfamiliar with ERP Enterprise Resource Planning, here is some info on ERP Life Cycle http://www.itjungle.com/tfh/tfh053105-story03.html for companies that are SUCCESSFUL at implementing ERP, and recognize that there are many failed implementations. The best measures of success are what kinds of standards are achieved by a company using an ERP, such as 100% accurate inventory, 0% past due to customers, or close to such goals.

midrange.com hosts a BPCS-L discussion group for BPCS users.

BPCS Programming languages

Before anyone messes with BPCS software, they had better have a good understanding of BPCS Naming Conventions and BPCS *LIBL Gotchas.

BPCS Programming languages include: RPG CLP DDS SQL UIM AS/SET. Different versions of BPCS use different versions of these languages, such as RPG/400 vs. RPG 4.

Some BPCS sites use IBM Tools that might not strictly be considered programming languages such as PDM Query DFU SDA REXX.

Some BPCS sites may be on ancient versions of BPCS associated with OS that came before OS/400 such as the SSP of S/36 and the programming languages supported there.

We need to be careful with CLP/400 examples not to include any code that came with BPCS since that is copyrighted and licensed.

Also see Query BPCS Tips such as how to calculate BPCS On_Hand.

BPCS Hosts & Versions

BPCS is available and is used in many flavors.

Most companies run it on AS/400 or iSeries as opposed to the alternatives: some UNIX host; Oracle; or Windows.

The Windows hosting only works when whole company has a very small number of seats, and this should not be confused with people using Windows as the GUI means of Client Access to their BPCS data.

Most popular versions appear to be V6 variants then V405CD but this is a moving target.