31% of IBM i users cited that IT & business automation is their priority ~ As per 2025 IBM i Marketplace Survey by Fortra.
Where do you stand in those 31% or the remaining 69%?
6/10 technology leaders we speak to are delaying, deferring, and postponing AS400 automation due to fear of operational disruption, lack of AS400 support, and a capable team of AS400 developers.
Bad News – Delaying automation won’t let you cope with the pace of change and stay relevant with the changing business environment.
Good News – With AS400 automation services you don’t have to worry about operational disruption and the right talent to do the job – they will take care of it.
Today, we’ll explore –
- Top challenges you face without strategic IBM i automation
- How automation helps you cope with mundane workflows
- Real-time case studies for different industries
Without any further ado, let’s get started!
Top Challenges IBM i Users Face Due to Lack of Automation
Do you think IBM i automation is overrated?
Well, it’s not.
Don’t take our word for it – but explore on your own.
Here are the top challenges that your IBM i users are facing due to lack of IBM i automation.
Operational Inefficiencies & Human Errors
Your IBM i processes are the byproduct of years of trial and error, and progressive changes your team incorporated.
You have relied on your IBM i workflows with confidence, and they have delivered consistently.
Your IBM i/AS400 is still the core of your technological ecosystem.
It’s the operational bottlenecks and increasing number of human errors that demand your attention. Your team spending time on repetitive tasks, instead of innovation and growth, needs your attention.
Thinking, “Where’s my team investing most of its time?”
- Executing batch jobs
- Report generation and distribution
- Handling file transfers between systems
- Data entry tasks using green screen consoles
Understand, these are routine tasks – which you can’t avoid but automate with IBM i automation.
Still, thinking, “Should I go with IBM i/AS400 automation or not?”
Realize, unless you automate these mundane tasks, you will have to handle them manually, and, due to their repetitive nature, it’s more prone to human error.
And, you don’t us to tell you that human errors will lead to –
- Unprecidented delays in data availability
- Additional rework and system downtime
- Slowed down service delivery across departments
58% of IBM i professionals flagged “manual intervention” as a key bottleneck in driving efficiency ~ As per 2025 IBM i Marketplace Survey by Fortra.
Thinking, “What changes with IBM i automation?”
By investing in AS400 automation services, you can –
- Automate mundane workflows using job schedulers
- Reduce dependencies and attain high uptime for IBM i workflows
- Eliminate manual intervention with RPA & green screen simulators
Automate Legacy Workflows Without Disruption.
Seamless AS400 automation that fits your existing environment.
Limited Security & Compliance Coverage
For decades, you’ve trusted your IBM i for its robustness & reliability – especially, the ability to safeguard your mission-critical business data and assets.
You still have that trust intact given to the unshakable confidence in IBM i/AS400 systems.
Nothing changes in the way your IBM i protects your data. It’s the evolution of cybersecurity concerns that presents a challenge.
77% IBM i users prioritize cybersecurity this time around ~ As per 2025 IBM i Marketplace Survey by Fortra.
Thinking, “What makes IBM i/AS400 systems more vulnerable to security issues?”
To be precise, the manual governance processes for system access, report generation, and user provisioning.
- It makes traceability hard.
- It makes user log auditing harder.
- It makes establishing security protocols the hardest.
This leads to –
- Consistent gaps in audit trails
- Deviated user activity monitoring
- Unresolved system vulnerabilities
- Incompliance with security standards like PCI, DSS, or HIPAA
Resolution? – Automate system monitoring and audit logging with the help of AS400 automation solution providers.
Surprisingly, about 37% of IBM i users don’t use any antivirus or ransomware protection, leave aside automated security checks or compliance enforcements.
Thinking, “What all can be automated with IBM i /AS400 automation?”
You can automate –
- Real-time trigger alters for unauthorized access
- Provisioning & de-provisioning of resources
- Monitoring of exit points, and audit logs
- Revocation of unused user profiles
- Patch deployment schedule
Integration Roadblocks with Modern Platforms
Your IBM i was built for security, robustness, and performance.
- It was built to safeguard your data & assets.
- It was built to power your mission-critical applications.
- It was built to process thousands of transactions with unwavering performance.
No wonder, we likely miss out on the fact – IBM i was not built for plug and play connectivity. In technical terms, it was not built to integrate with other applications, databases, and ecosystems.
Today, you want your IBM i to effectively communicate with your ERPs, CRMs, BI tools and whatnot.
Well, it’s not impossible to integrate IBM i/AS400 systems with the third-party applications or databases. You can achieve that with a reliable AS400 integration services provider.
If not that, you still want your IBM i to communicate with the outside world – it involves manual data handling. And trust us when we say this – it’s time consuming, inefficient, and makes your IBM i ecosystem vulnerable.
This leads to –
- Isolated data sitting in silos
- Missed real-time data synchronization
- Manual extraction & transformation of data
- At last, intricate & tedious integrations that are error-prone
You wouldn’t believe, we’ve had prospects who said, “These errors are part & parcel. If the job is getting done, we won’t change a thing about it.”
Significantly, they were missing out on the negatives –
- Delayed decisions due to scattered data
- Impulsive cost of resources & maintenance
- Dissatisfied users across departments due to siloed insights
The solution? IBM i automation for data pipelines.
As per Fortra’s 2025 report integration with modern tools is one of the top priorities for IBM i users.
With the help of AS400 automation services provider, you can set up an automated data pipeline using APIs and automated connectors.
This enables –
- Secure data transmission
- Real-time data synchronization
- Automated ETL pipeline that connects IBM i with modern platforms
Automate Legacy Workflows Without Disruption.
Seamless AS400 automation that fits your existing environment.
Slower Incident Response & Resolution Times
Your team has been prompt in managing and responding to incidents.
But how far do you think you can continue like this?
Managing the incidents manually?
Well, let’s think about it this way around.
What if something goes wrong – let’s say a batch job fails, or a report is missed, or let’s say a file transfer failed – how quickly can your team respond to it?
Adding another layer – can you leave your IBM i/AS400 unattended? What happens when the team is not around?
As long as you rely on a person to monitor your IBM i environment, nothing changes.
IBM i/AS400 automation can bring an about 360-degree shift.
If not that, then you can continue –
- Missing delivery deadlines
- Dissatisfy users and customers
- Burn heavily on IT support & operational costs
A hefty number of IBM i users still rely on manual log checks and operator-driven alerts – despite having an alternative to automate incident management with AS400 automation services.
If you choose to be reactive and not proactive with incident management, you choose slowed down incident recovery and operational disruption.
With AS400 automation solutions you can –
- Monitor your IBM i environments in real-time
- Schedule triggers & alerts for job failure
- Minimize downtime & operational costs
- Set up fallback workflows for continuity
Next, let’s look at some real-time case studies on how we’ve helped IBM i users from diverse industries alleviate the burden of repetitive tasks.
Automate Legacy Workflows Without Disruption.
Seamless AS400 automation that fits your existing environment.
IBM i Automation – The Integrative Systems Way
We understand that two IBM i/AS400 environments are never alike.
Your domain, team dynamics, and operational challenges determine your IBM i automation needs.
That’s the reason our approach begins with assessing what is slowing your down, developing automation that serves the purpose for you, and makes your IBM i environment better, faster, and smarter.
Read ahead to explore AS400 automation services we offer and how we’ve helped IBM i users from varied industries.
AS400 Process Automation Services
AS400 automation services for process/workflow automation are designed to improvise workflows that involve manual data entries, report & data handoffs across departments, or a tedious approval process prone to errors.
Our team of IBM i automation experts help identify processes that are repetitive and prone to human error and build automations to put you at ease.
Let’s understand this with a case study for a manufacturing company.
A US-based Manufacturing Company was juggling to find the right balance for their manual processes. They had an IBM i powered ERP in place besides a different application for shop-floor operations.
Problem
Their IBM i users had to input the details for job processing at multiple touchpoints – for order creation, shop floor activities and bookkeeping for stocks. This was creating unnecessary delays in processing orders.
Solution
Our team of IBM i/AS400 automation developers assessed their IT environment to understand the bottlenecks.
We helped them deploy a customized AS400 workflow automation to establish a common source of data truth.
This routine would fetch production floor updates and automatically fill up work orders. It would also update the ERP for the material consumption for every order.
Result
As a result, they were able to attain –
- Shortened order cycle by 48 hours
- 80% reduction in manual handoffs & errors
- Real-time visibility in the shop-floor activities
The goal was to enable their manufacturing team to work faster & efficiently and not harder & rigorously!
Automate Legacy Workflows Without Disruption.
Seamless AS400 automation that fits your existing environment.
AS400 Reporting Automation Services
IBM i reporting is as big of concern as cybersecurity and IBM i/AS400 skill gap – it’s just that it’s not glorified enough.
You wouldn’t believe it, or maybe you would – 9/10 technology leaders we speak to cite IBM i reporting as a growing challenge.
Again, it’s not IBM i but the evolving business reporting needs.
Today, you need data on everything.
To make strategic decisions.
To attain high uptime with your IBM i systems.
To keep your applications running with peak performance.
It’s all data – and that’s where the disconnect begins – between legacy reporting and modern-day reporting needs.
Our IBM i automation services for reporting are designed to help you generate, format, and distribute the reports – to the right users at the right time. The focus is on eliminating excessive manual intervention and eliminating human errors from reporting.
Let’s understand this with a case study for a retail chain.
A multinational Retail chain was relying on traditional manual reporting for extracting reports for sales, supplier, and performance data from their AS400 systems – on a weekly basis.
Problem
Pulling data from IBM i/AS400 systems into excel spreadsheets was creating a lag. Their team didn’t have a clear visibility due to no real-time synchronization. This was hampering restocking decisions, adversely.
Solution
Our team of IBM i automation experts assessed their IBM i/AS400 workflows and reporting needs closely.
We helped build a reporting automation routine accustomed to their unique reporting needs.
The scheduled reporting script would execute daily, consolidating individual store-level data, generate summaries, and distribute custom-formatted reports to respective stakeholders, every morning.
Result
As a result, they were able to –
- Attain proactive ordering for individual stores
- Improve stock keeping operations accuracy by 35%
- Eliminate 16 hours of manual reporting burden/week
The goal was to bring data to life without creating IT bottlenecks.
Automate Legacy Workflows Without Disruption.
Seamless AS400 automation that fits your existing environment.
AS400 Batch Job Scheduling
Batch jobs execution demands resilience and patience.
If your team has been executing batch jobs for years, with minimal error percentages – congratulations! You’ve been winning.
But, how long would you prefer to continue like this?
How long would you rely on someone “remembering” when to run a batch job?
What if they forget? What if they run a different job by mistake?
I know things like that must have happened in the past too.
But, today with the increasing competitiveness of business, you simply can’t let these slip-offs happen.
Our AS400 automation services for batch job scheduling are designed to help you build adaptable job scheduling routines – so, you don’t have to rely on human memory to run jobs on time.
Let’s understand this with a case study for a Financial Organization.
A leading Financial Organization was baffled by inconsistencies in the batch job operations.
Problem
High volume transaction processing, end of the day reports, interest calculations and compliances were tanking and delayed. Excessive manual intervention in batch job scheduling and dependencies were creating a bottleneck.
Solution
Our team of IBM i automation experts stepped in and assessed their IBM i/AS400 environment for overnight processing needs, degree of manual intervention, dependencies and volume of transactions.
We helped them –
- Identify interdependencies across transactions, reporting, reconciliation, and compliance modules
- Build custom triggers for event completion & resource availability
- Gain visibility into blind spots to eliminate the risk of downtime
- Integrate batch jobs with a third-party system to ensure cross-platform data accuracy
Result
As a result, they attained –
- 3x faster EOD transaction reconciliation
- Real-time visibility into delays & bottlenecks
- Complete alignment with regulatory compliances
- 98% reduced failures in batch job scheduling operations
The goal was to keep their financial operations running while they were asleep.
AS400 System Monitoring Services
Downtime costs more than just dollars!
Especially, when it’s unplanned!
49% of IBM i users cited high availability and disaster recovery as a top concern ~ As per 2025 IBM i Marketplace Survey by Fortra.
Our AS400 automation services for IBM i/AS400 system monitoring are designed to help you prevent downtime with real time visibility into systems’ health, automated triggers & alerts, and root cause detection to prevent future occurrences.
Let’s understand this with a case study for Logistics Company.
A multinational Logistics Company was observing delays & slowdowns in shipment co-ordination during peak loads.
Problem
The performance issues were often caught after missed deliveries, disrupting the SLAs.
Solution
Our team of IBM i automation experts closely monitored their IBM i/AS400 environments for performance bottlenecks, and identified patterns repeated over time.
We helped them deploy a centralized dashboard for real-time visibility into IBM i logs and application performance. We also set up automated alterts for events with designated thresholds based on historical trends.
Result
As a result, they were able to attain –
- Quick interventions with early incident warnings
- 20% improvement with the SLA adherence
- Considerable drop in customer complaints
The goal was to help their logistics team prevent downtime before it happens.
Automate Legacy Workflows Without Disruption.
Seamless AS400 automation that fits your existing environment.
AS400 Green Screen Automation
AS400 green screens still do the job.
But sticking to green screens puts you at a disadvantage.
Repetitive navigation on the green screens takes a dig on productivity.
Limited degree of accessibility presents performance challenges.
User adoption & steep learning curve for new hires worsens it.
Our AS400 green screen automation services are designed to help you eliminate mundane, repetitive navigations – without disrupting the core of your applications & operations.
Let’s understand this with a case study for a Warehouse.
A Warehouse was relying IBM i/AS400 systems with green screens on to manage their inbound and outbound shipments.
Problem
Their operators were navigating through 5 –6 screens on an average per entry they made. This slowed down the overall process and prone to human errors. The real challenge was handling these workflows during the peak.
Solution
Our team of IBM i automation experts assessed their IBM i/AS400 workflows for improvements and opportunities for IBM i automation.
We developed a green screen automation bot for them. The bot would repeat & perform all the monotonous activities including green screen navigation, record validation, and shipment code entries.
Result
As a result, they observed –
- 40% reduction in shipment processing time
- 15% improvement in exception handling
- 33% reduction in manual intervention
The goal was to make their warehouse operations easier, one task at a time.
Looking for a reliable AS400 automation services provider?
Look no further than Integrative Systems!
Automate Legacy Workflows Without Disruption.
Seamless AS400 automation that fits your existing environment.
Integrative Systems – AS400 Automation Services Provider of Your Choice
IBM i automation doesn’t have to complex.
It must be targeted, thoughtful, and tailored to your IBM i/AS400 workflows.
We, at Integrative Systems, are committed to simplifying the mundane for you. Our team spots the workflows creating friction, automates them without making your operations suffer.
Here’s what IBM i automation brings you –
- Faster & efficient IBM i/As400 environments
- Improved overall user satisfaction
- Fortified compliance stature
- Lowered support overheads
- Future-ready workflows
Automate now to futureproof your IBM i environments for tomorrow.
Think we are the AS400 automation solutions provider you have been looking for?
Drop us a line at [email protected] and our team of IBM i automation experts will reach out to you within two business days.
Frequently Asked Questions about IBM i Automation
1. What is IBM i/AS400 automation?
Ans- IBM i/AS400 automation refers to the process of automating mundane IBM i workflows & processes to eliminate delays & human errors. IBM i automation works best for job scheduling, data integration, system monitoring, reporting, and workflow navigation.
2. What services do AS400 automation providers offer?
Ans- AS400 automation services provider offers services like process/workflow automation, automated job scheduling, IBM i system monitoring, and reporting automation. IBM i automation accelerates execution, eliminates delay & human errors.
3. How do I automate AS400 screens?
Ans- You can utilize green screen emulation tools and RPA tools to automate screen navigation. You can use different tools to automate integration with external systems for ETL processes.
4. Can I hire IBM i/AS400 automation developers?
Ans- Yes, you can hire IBM i/AS400 automation developers. You can hire them in-house or as an extension to your team. They bring in specialized expertise with IBM i automation solutions. They will help automate complex workflows with no to low operational disruption.
5. Do you have IBM i/AS400 RPGLE developers specializing in IBM i automation services?
Ans- Yes, we have a full-fledged team of IBM i/AS400 RPGLE developers specializing in IBM i automation. They help identify opportunities for automation & implement solutions based on your unique business needs.
6. Can you help me integrate AS400 automation into my existing processes?
Ans- Yes, we sure can do that. Our team of IBM i automation experts first assesses your processes, spot opportunities for automation, and implements relevant automation solutions without disrupting the process & on-going operations.
Automate Legacy Workflows Without Disruption.
Seamless AS400 automation that fits your existing environment.
