“Welcome to COMMON Belgium, the premier IBM Power Systems
(IBM i / AIX / Linux) national user community,
dedicated to harnessing the potential of IBM-based solutions
to advance our members’ businesses, skills and networking”
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Reaching the venue by train is a no brainer – directly there, hassle free, relaxed –
Arrive at Antwerp-Berchem station, go towards platform 1, come out, take the bridge on right, Radisson is at the end.
If at all coming by car, there is a parking in the basement.
Agenda:
11:30-11:50 – IBM Champions Welcome Coffee
11:50-12:50 – IBM Champions open discussion – Moderator Koen Decorte & another Champion
12:50-13:30 – IBM Champions Lunch
13:30-14:20 – General Welcome coffee and laptop setup
14:20-16:00 – Education session 1 – Koen Decorte
16:00-16:20 – Coffee break
16:20-18:00 – Education session 2 – Koen Decorte
18:00-18:30 – Concluding remarks from IBM Champion’s panel
18:30- … – standing drinks for 30 minutes followed by dinner
Abstract:
Come with a healthy skepticism. Come with a program. Leave with a workflow.
You won’t watch a demo. You’ll rewrite a program.
Methodology – Bring your laptop – We’ll work in small groups, share screens, compare rewrites, and be honest about what worked and what didn’t. You’ll build a reusable prompt template calibrated and a validation checklist that separates a rewrite you can ship from one that merely compiles.
On IBM i – Bring an RPG source member (up to ~500 lines)
Every attendee arrives with one RPG source member — the fixed-format monster no one wants to open, the one with fourteen indicators and a comment from 1998 that reads “DO NOT REMOVE.” Over the course of the session, we’ll turn those programs into modern, readable, testable code, working alongside AI (IBM Bob or other) as a pair programmer.
Not on IBM i? Bring what you have.
Already exploring IBM Bob?
Good — bring that too. IBM’s Premium Package for i ships pre-built workflows for exactly the transformations we’ll be doing by hand: fixed-form to free-form, RPG II/III to ILE, DDS to DDL, embedded SQL modernization, all with human approval gates. What it can’t ship is your shop. It doesn’t know that *IN50 means “customer is on credit hold” in half your programs and something else entirely in WSPINV, and it has never met the 2019 decision that explains why the totals are calculated twice. That gap is what this workshop is about, and closing it is the same work whichever assistant you point at the code. Everything you build here — the context file, the prompt template, the validation checklist that separates a shippable rewrite from one that merely compiles — carries straight over.
Along the way we’ll answer three questions you can’t answer from a slide deck:
For IBM i –
For non-IBM i –
Welcome to Benelux Power 2026, the annual flagship event of Common Belgium, Common Netherlands and Common LuxembourgI. Workshops: Monday 23/11/2026 Add to Calendar
Morning: 10:00 – 13:00 hrs – 4 workshops in parallel tracks
Lunch: 13:00 – 14:00 hrs
Afternoon: 14:00 – 17:00 hrs – 4 workshops in parallel tracks
II. Event dinner – Monday 23/11/2026 – 19:00 – 22:00 hrs Add to Calendar
III. Conference and Expo: Tuesday 24/11/2026 Add to Calendar
IV. Call for Presentations for Benelux Power 2026 – Submit your workshops, deep dives, 50 minute presentations or 20 minute Solution Provider sessions (only for Gold and Platinum level sponsors).
We welcome Emerging Technologies, Open Source, AI, Application Development, Db2 and SQL, System Management, Customer case studies or any other topic that interests the IBM i, AIX or Linux community.
https://cfp.common.be/beneluxpower2026/cfp
V. Call for sponsorship for Benelux Power 2026 – Grab this excellent occasion to meet the elite IBM Power and IBM i community on Tuesday 18 November https://beneluxpower.eu/2026/sponsors/
Gold
Bronze
The largest IBM Power IBM i congress in Europe for solutions around IBM Power (IBM i, AIX, Linux) and IBM Storage, in collaboration with Common France, is scheduled on 14-17 June 2025, in Lyon France. It features top IBM and industry speakers sharing their latest knowledge through essential Workshops, Deep Dives, and Education Sessions.
Transform legacy code and automate your IBM i operations, guided by Bob
Do you develop for or administer IBM i systems and want to modernize without risking production? With IBM Bob, see how to speed up code analysis, convert RPG fixed to free format, migrate from RLA to SQL, build modern web interfaces, and automate system administration.
This workshop welcomes Members of Common Belgium, as well as other IBM clients, Business Partners.
Highlights
Quickly understand complex legacy code
Automatically convert RPG fixed to free format
Build modern web interfaces with React and Carbon
Migrate from RLA (Record Level Access) to SQL with performant joins
Automate admin tasks with MCP, Ansible, and custom modes
Test with automatically generated unit tests (RPGUnit)Schedule and Agenda
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At COMMON Belgium, our focus extends beyond borders. COMMON Belgium proudly contributes to the thriving Common Europe community, where like-minded professionals from across the continent converge annually to explore emerging trends, engage with IBM experts, and forge lasting connections. Furthermore, we actively foster collaboration with our European sister user groups, aligning our efforts to create a seamless, transcontinental exchange of insights and expertise. Through these invaluable partnerships, we leverage collective knowledge to shape the future of IBM solutions on a global scale.
Join us to be part of our adventure
By joining COMMON Belgium, you become part of an inspiring journey – one that embraces innovation, fosters collaboration, and empowers you to shape the future of technology. Explore our initiatives, events, and membership benefits at www.common.be, and take your place at the forefront of IBM i driven transformation. Together, we propel a global community united by shared knowledge, collective vision, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Join us to be part of our adventure
Welcome to COMMON Belgium, the premier national user community dedicated to harnessing the potential of IBM based solutions. Our mission is rooted in cultivating a vibrant ecosystem that revolves around networking, knowledge exchange, advanced education, and strategic influence within the realm of IBM i products and solutions. As a non-profit organization, COMMON Belgium unites a diverse community of clients, solution providers, academic institutions and IBMers, all driven by a shared passion for leveraging IBM i technologies to drive innovation and growth.
Join us to be part of our adventure
Our commitment to collaboration extends across the Atlantic as well. As an active participant in COMMON North America, we ensure that our members are seamlessly integrated into an expansive network that transcends geographical boundaries. This partnership opens doors to a wealth of resources, thought leadership, and industry best practices, enriching the experiences and opportunities available to every COMMON Belgium member.
Join us to be part of our adventure
“At ASCO we value our membership of Common Belgium as it provides us a means to stay up to date with IBM i developments and enhancements. Their regular theme based sessions are a means to stay up to date in the ever-changing IBM i and IT landscape. In addition, it provides us contact with other users who tackle problems we face as well and, through other insight or viewpoints, have sometimes handed better solutions than we could (not) have found.“
“Through participation in Common Belgium activities, Howest University students gain access to a wealth of IBM i knowledge and expertise from IBM Business Architects and industry leaders. The presentations, workshops, and seminars offer them insights into the latest trends and technologies within the IBM i ecosystem. This exposure, and networking with business professionals, not only enhances their technical skills but also equips them with a deep understanding of real-world business applications, infrastructure and security.”
“Common Belgium’s education helps Colruyt Group to offer cutting edge IT solutions to our business. Their insightful sessions and workshops empower us with new technologies, enhancing operations. Moreover, the networking advantage of being a member allows us to connect with industry peers and leaders, amplifying our IBM i solutions leverage for ongoing success.”
“Being a member of Common Belgium has been a game-changer for our company. The current education they provide keeps our IT applications sharp, while the networking opportunities have connected us with industry peers and opportunities. Thanks to Common Belgium, we’re confidently steering our business through the ever-changing IT landscape.”