COMMON POWERUp 2026: Full Schedule

Unlock the Power of IBM i at POWERUp 2026!

Join us in New Orleans, Louisiana for POWERUp 2026, the premier conference for IBM i professionals. Whether you’re an experienced expert or just starting your IBM i journey, this event offers unparalleled education, hands-on workshops, and valuable networking opportunities. Stay ahead of the curve with insights from industry leaders, explore the latest innovations, and connect with a thriving community that shares your passion for IBM i. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge, grow your skills, and power up your career!

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8:00am CDT

SYSTOOLS Services

Wednesday April 29, 2026 8:00am - 10:15am CDT

Balcony I-J

Evaluation Survey

With the last releases and technology refreshes IBM provided a bunch of new IBM i and Db2 Services. A lot of these Services provide functionalities that are not directly available in RPG or can only be implemented in RPG by calling complex System APIs and/or by using pointer handling for accessing the data. However, IBM provides new SQL services mostly located in the SYSTOOLS schema that can write data into the IFS, delete old spool files and even transform a spool file into a PDF document. With other services the SQL queries can be executed and the result saved as Excel-Sheets or *.csv files. Even eMails can be easily sent with the aid of an IBM i service. And the best, we can put all together This session will show a sub-set of SQL and IBM Services which can easily be embedded in any programming language that supports SQL and, in this way, can make live much easier.

Learning Objectives:

In this session you’ll learn how specific SQL Services can be implemented with embedded SQL in RPG or Cobol and how the formerly complex source code can be reduced.

Speakers

Birgitta Hauser

ModEdCon

Wednesday April 29, 2026 8:00am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony I-J

RPG, Database, Programming: RPG

3:45pm CDT

Processing JSON with DB2 and RPG

Wednesday April 29, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT

Studio 1-2

Evaluation Survey

Tricks” to make your life easier when you start working with JSON data. After a short discussion of the HTTP functions that have been added to QSYS2 and how they can be used with the JSON_TABLE Function, Jim shows the attendee how to work with the QSYS2.HTTP_GET and JSON_TABLE Functions to consume an API returning a JSON object. If you have tried using these functions many have problems writing the correct SQL/JSON path expressions to extract the data and represent it in a relational table. Jim will help the attendee understand this process with solid examples.

Learning Objectives:

Developers looking for clear examples of SQL/JSON path expressions with DB2. Improve developers’ understanding of SQL/JSON path expressions with DB2 and JSON. Improve developers’ understanding of how to use HTTP functions in QSYS2. Improve developers’ understanding of how to use JSON_TABLE functions.

Speakers

Jim Buck

CEO & Head Instructor, imPower Technologies

Jim Buck’s career in IT has spanned more than 35+ years, primarily in college education, manufacturing, and healthcare industries. Past president (13 years) of the Wisconsin Midrange Computer Professional Association (www.wmcpa.org) and has served on several teams developing IBM... Read More →

Wednesday April 29, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Studio 1-2

RPG, Programmer Tools, Programming: RPG

5:00pm CDT

Supercharging SQL in RPG

Wednesday April 29, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT

Galerie 6

Evaluation Survey

SQL has become an essential tool in the modern RPG developer's toolkit—but are you getting the most out of it? Join Simon as he shares practical, real-world examples to help you supercharge your SQL within RPG programs and procedures. You'll learn how to optimize performance, quickly diagnose feedback from Db2, and leverage Views for even greater efficiency. Simon will also cover high-performance SQL I/O techniques for faster data retrieval and smarter error-handling strategies, so you'll know exactly what happened with your SQL statements—and how to fix it.

Speakers

Simon Hutchinson

Founder & author, RPGPGM.COM

Simon Hutchinson has worked with IBM midrange servers and the RPG programming language since 1988—starting in the U.K. and continuing in the U.S. for over 35 years. He is best known for his long-running blog, RPGPGM.COM, where for more than 12 years he has shared practical insi... Read More →

Wednesday April 29, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Galerie 6

RPG, Database

COMMON POWERUp 2026

8:00am CDT

Birgitta Hauser

3:45pm CDT

Jim Buck

5:00pm CDT

Simon Hutchinson

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