IBM Z Workload Scheduler Small Programming Enhancements released in April 2026

The following features were provided with IBM Z Workload Scheduler small programming enhancements (SPEs) released for Version 10.2, in March 2026 (APAR PH68599).

New Documentation Portal for IBM® Workload Scheduler and IBM Z Workload Scheduler
Effective April 24, 2026, the official documentation for IBM Workload Scheduler and IBM Z Workload Scheduler has moved to a redesigned, dedicated portal. The new portal introduces several major improvements, including:
  • AI‑powered chat to search, navigate, and process information across the documentation set. Available starting from April, 30, 2026.
  • A new documentation template designed to improve clarity, readability, and overall usability.
  • An updated look and feel, offering a more modern, consistent, and intuitive user experience.
Please update your bookmarks for all releases: IBM Workload Automation.
Configuring the communication between a z-centric agent and Z controller through a gateway (RFE ZWS-I-226)
In a simple configuration you configure the z-centric agents to connect directly with the Z controller, while in more complex network topologies you might want to prevent a direct communication (for example, when the agents are behind a firewall and need to communicate through the internet). In this latest case, you can configure one or more z-centric agents to communicate with the controller through a local or remote gateway. This unidirectional, polling-based architecture enables secure deployments in highly restricted or segmented network environments, simplifies firewall configuration, and supports scalable connectivity for multiple agents.

For detailed information, see Configuring the communication with the Z controller. For a description of the possible gateway configurations, see z-Centric agent gateway installation examples.

Resolution of mandatory dependencies in the daily plan and current plan
By setting the MPRESOL parameter of the JTOPTS statement, you can have mandatory dependencies resolved during the daily plan. Moreover, according to the value that you specify, the resolution process searches for a match by also taking into account the completed archived occurrences both in the current plan and daily plan.

For details, see Resolution of mandatory dependencies in the daily plan and Resolution of mandatory dependencies in the current plan.

Intelligent JES2 job selection
With the JES symbol JOBTOKEN, you can now send to JES2 a token generated by the Z controller for each submitted operation, to be used by the Intelligent JES2 Job Selection feature.

For detailed information, see the OPCOPTS initialization statement.

Registering IBM Z Workload Scheduler on the z/OS system
You can now register IBM Z Workload Scheduler through the System Management Facilities (SMF), to collect information about product usage on the z/OS system in the SMF record type 89.
Trigger WLM for a single target job's job chain (RFE ZWS-I-305)
IBM Z Workload Scheduler uses the WLM function to assign extra resource to critical jobs that are running late by promoting them to a higher performance WLM service class. However, you can keep the critical job from being promoted by setting the NOTDEFPROMOTION parameter in the OPCOPTS statement.
Need to be able to customize TdwcGlobalSettings within the zconnector (RFE ZWS-I-308)
In the connectionFactory.xml sample file you can specify the interval of time that the Z connector waits for a response from the z/OS server started task before issuing an error. For details, see the connectionTimeout property in Defining a z/OS engine in the Z connector.
USS Module Traceability Enhancement (RFE ZWS-I-315)
To improve serviceability and diagnostic speed, USS-resident modules (LINKEDITED libraries) now include embedded identification of Version, Date, and PTF or APAR. This enables you to immediately verify the maintenance level following a system ABEND or error.
Add the IP address and port number values to the existing message EQQHT29E (RFE ZWS-I-321)
Message EQQHT29E now also provides you with the IP address and port number of the workstation with which the connection is not established.
Restart/Cleanup functionality with STEPRESCHK(YES) to allow more flexibility at step Restart (RFE ZWS-I-327)
If you specify a DD name in the DDNEVER parameter of the RCLOPTS statement, the related step is never re-executable regardless of the value that is set in the STEPRESCHK parameter of the same statement.