TABLE OF CONTENTS:
• Data Management
• Visualizing/Sharing Data
• Data Analysis
• Security
Which tool meets your query needs?
Data access software is a must for taking the temperature of your business. But the features and flexibility of data access software can vary widely.
Query/400 was once the go-to data access tool. However, it's struggled to keep up with advancements in technology and shifts in organizational demands. Sequel Data Access, on the other hand, makes it fast and easy to deliver accurate data in formats anyone can understand.
Use this checklist to determine your data access must-haves—and decide if it's time to move on from Query/400.
| QUERIES | My Must-Haves | Query/400 | Sequel Data Access |
| Query data in IBM i | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Query data from other platforms. Multi-platform database supported for SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and others | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Perform sub-selects in query | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Template Wizard for easy query creation | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Use of SQL for query building for technical level staff | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Prompt for user input for selection criteria (e.g. pop-up calendars, drop-down lists) | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Allow dependent variables to be passed seamlessly | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Format reports | ✗ | ✓ | |
| CVTDATE for date presentation, prompting of calendars, date math | ✗ | ✓ | |
| DATA MANAGEMENT | My Must-Haves | Query/400 | Sequel Data Access |
| Use derived field in join criteria | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Set up automatic file joining | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Conditional logic available in calculations and data filtering | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Easily convert character or numeric date value to date data type for date math and filtering | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Insert, update, and delete functions for programmers (restricted from business users) | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Set up jobs in scheduler to automatically deliver data on a scheduled basis | ✓ | ✓ | |
| VISUALIZING/SHARING DATA | My Must-Haves | Query/400 | Sequel Data Access |
| Dashboard support—display data, graphs, and gauges in a dashboard | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Work with data in live Windows or web interface | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Data decoration (data highlighting for KPI) | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Create graphs on the fly | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Create sub-totals and grand totals, averages, counts on the fly | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Resort data, hide columns on the fly | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Refresh data on-demand or set refresh time on dashboard | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Integration with Excel—output to Excel | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Integration with Excel—Excel Add-in | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Email/FTP results directly as Excel, PDF, HTML, etc. | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Download results directly as Excel, PDF, HTML, etc. | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Download data to remote database tables | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Download data to physical files | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Put menu items (action buttons) in dashboards | ✗ | ✓ | |
| DATA ANALYSIS | My Must-Haves | Query/400 | Sequel Data Access |
| Pivot Tables | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Scripts for multiple-step results | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Drill analysis from summary to detail data | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Drill anywhere dynamic drill down | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Drill down from charts | ✗ | ✓ | |
| SECURITY | My Must-Haves | Query/400 | Sequel Data Access |
| Security: iSeries authority required to run query | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Define library, file, field, and row level security | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Ability to use active directory authentication | ✗ | ✓ | |
Ready to see Sequel in action?
Move on from Query/400 with Sequel Data Access. Plus, count on world-class technical support to answer your questions and advise you on best practices.