Symbol tables are user-defined tables, each containing a list of symbol names together with their current value. These tables are used during dynamic JCL generation. The benefit of using a symbol table is that it must be created only once, but can be referenced in a huge number of jobs.

You can define any number of symbol tables and use them just by specifying their name in the definition of the appropriate job networks.

Symbols can be defined for prompting during or before a job network activation. The data entered at the user's terminal is then assumed by the JCL to be executed.

Each network activation has its own active copy of the linked symbol table(s). This allows you to schedule networks with different parameter sets, even a long time in advance.

Any occurrence of a symbol name in the JCL or in a script is replaced by its current value from the symbol table. You can use two escape characters to determine whether this replacement should take place at JCL generation time or at job submission time.

There is also a large number of predefined symbols (see the User's Guide) available within Entire Operations.

Symbols are searched for in several tables (like in STEPLIBs) as described in Symbol Table Types and Symbol Search Order (User's Guide). Symbols can contain other symbols recursively; system variables can be used to construct symbol values.

A symbol table belongs to an owner. Any number of symbol tables can be associated with an owner. The user can update all symbol tables of all owners for whom he is authorized.

Symbols can be examined and modified by APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) from any Natural application. Scheduling such a program as part of an Entire Operations job network makes it possible to modify active symbol tables even during the execution of the job network.

For detailed information, see the section Symbol Table and Symbol Maintenance in the User's Guide.