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

Case Study: Improving performance in RPG programs with SQL

Thursday April 30, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Balcony K

Evaluation Survey

SQL has become an essential tool for modern RPG development, but knowing how to apply it effectively can be a game-changer. In this session, drawn directly from real-world experience, I’ll walk you through how I introduced SQL into my RPG applications, from the thought process behind the changes, to the incremental steps, and finally the results that transformed performance and maintainability. Along the way, you’ll see working examples and take home simple code you can use immediately to compare, test, and fine-tune your own embedded SQL.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the practical steps for introducing SQL into RPG applications. Learn how incremental changes can simplify the adoption of SQL in existing codebases. Discover the performance and maintainability benefits of SQL-driven RPG. Gain access to sample code you can use to experiment with and optimize your own embedded SQL.

Speakers

Gregory Simmons

Software Engineer, PC Richard & Son

Gregory Simmons is a Software Engineer at P.C. Richard & Son. He is a COMMON certified Application Developer – ILE RPG on IBM I on Power. He is also a registered instructor with IBM’s Academic Initiative and an RPG and IBM i instructor at Scott Regional Technology Center, where... Read More →

Thursday April 30, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony K

RPG, Database, Programming: RPG

8:00am CDT

Modern RPG what does that mean?

Thursday April 30, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Studio 1-2

Evaluation Survey

You hear modern RPG but, what does that actually mean? we will look at converting from monolithic programs to modular programming including the use of service program and converting RLA(Record level access) to sql.

Learning Objectives:

Understanding what modern RPG means Understanding of what needs to be done to implement modern RPG.

Speakers

Marina Schwenk

Senior Programmer/Analyst IBM i Admin, Innovative Software Solutions

Thursday April 30, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Studio 1-2

RPG

Track Student

9:15am CDT

Modern RPG Arrays: Best Practices and Real-World Applications

Thursday April 30, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Balcony I-J

Evaluation Survey

Arrays are a powerful but often underutilized feature in modern RPG. This session explores how free-format RPG makes declaring, initializing, and manipulating arrays easier, more efficient, and more readable than ever before. Attendees will see practical examples of dynamic arrays, built-in functions, and real-world scenarios where arrays improve program performance and clarity. From batch calculations to temporary data storage, this session provides actionable techniques RPG developers can apply immediately to modernize existing applications and write cleaner, more efficient code.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to: - Understand modern RPG array syntax and features. - Declare, initialize, and manipulate both static and dynamic arrays. - Apply arrays effectively in real-world RPG programs for improved performance. - Use built-in array functions like %LOOKUP, %SUBARR, and %SORT.

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 →

Thursday April 30, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony I-J

RPG, Programming: RPG

10:45am CDT

Options for Consuming REST APIs from RPG

Thursday April 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Galerie 5

Evaluation Survey

REST APIs have become a major part of business programming. We live in a world where virtually everything is connected to the Internet, and REST APIs are how they communicate with each other. In this session, you will learn how to call (or "consume") REST APIs from good ol' RPG. In addition to showing you the basics of how APIs work, this session explains how to use several free tools to consume them. The tools will be compared so that you can determine which one would work best for you.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the free tools available to consume APIs. 2. Understand how to process JSON documents in RPG. 3. Compare the free methods for consuming APIs

Speakers

Scott Klement

Managing Partner, ORC LLC

Thursday April 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Galerie 5

RPG, Programming: Frameworks, Programming: RPG, Technologies Integrated with IBM i

3:00pm CDT

RPG and the IFS

Thursday April 30, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Balcony K

Evaluation Survey

How to get started using the Integrated File System from your RPG programs. The IFS is typically used for reading and writing "PC-style" (stream) files on the IBM i, and is an important tool for integrating with open source software, other platforms and and business partners. In today's world, it is indispensible.

Learning Objectives:

1. How to open stream files in your RPG program 2. How to read/write data to stream files with and without CCSID translation 3. How to process directory entries

Speakers

Scott Klement

Managing Partner, ORC LLC

Thursday April 30, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Balcony K

RPG, Integrated File System (IFS), Programming: RPG, Technologies Integrated with IBM i

COMMON POWERUp 2026

8:00am CDT

Gregory Simmons

8:00am CDT

Marina Schwenk

9:15am CDT

Simon Hutchinson

10:45am CDT

Scott Klement

3:00pm CDT

Scott Klement

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