EXPORT Statement

Purpose

The EXPORT statement makes JCL variables (system symbols) available to subsequent jobs within the same execution group. This enables job-to-job communication through shared variables, allowing later jobs to access values created in earlier jobs. The EXPORT statement is particularly useful in multi-job workflows where information needs to be passed along in a processing sequence.

Key Benefit:

EXPORT enables data sharing between related jobs, eliminating the need for intermediate datasets to pass simple values between job steps in a processing chain.

Basic Syntax

Simple EXPORT

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//         EXPORT SYMLIST=*

This form exports all defined system symbols to subsequent jobs.

Export Specific Variables

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//         EXPORT SYMLIST=(VAR1,VAR2,VAR3)

This form exports only the specified variables to subsequent jobs.

No Export

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//         EXPORT SYMLIST=NONE

This form explicitly prevents any variables from being exported from this job.

Complete Example

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//JOB1     JOB (ACCT#),'ADMIN',CLASS=A
//         EXPORT SYMLIST=(TODAY,ENV,STATUS)
//         SET TODAY=&SYSDATE
//         SET ENV='PROD'
//         SET STATUS='NORMAL'
//*
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=PROGRAM1
//INPUT    DD DSN=MY.INPUT.FILE,DISP=SHR
//OUTPUT   DD DSN=MY.OUTPUT.FILE,DISP=(,CATLG),
//            SPACE=(CYL,(10,5)),UNIT=SYSDA
//*
//JOB2     JOB (ACCT#),'ADMIN',CLASS=A
//*        This job can access TODAY, ENV, and STATUS from JOB1
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=PROGRAM2
//DD1      DD DSN=MY.&ENV..&TODAY..FILE,DISP=SHR

In this example, JOB1 exports three variables that JOB2 can then use. Note that JOB2 must be in the same execution group as JOB1.

Usage Details

Execution Order Requirements

Jobs must execute in the same JES execution group
Jobs must execute in sequence - the exporting job must complete before the importing job starts
Variables are available only to jobs within the same execution group
A job cannot pass variables to a previous job (only forward in the execution sequence)

Placement Rules

EXPORT must appear before the first EXEC statement in the job
Multiple EXPORT statements are allowed, but the last one overrides previous ones
EXPORT must follow any SET statements for variables you want to export
EXPORT can be used in conjunction with JCL procedures

Use Cases

Job-to-Job Communication

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//JOB1     JOB (ACCT#),'ADMIN',CLASS=A
//         EXPORT SYMLIST=(RETURNCODE,COUNT)
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=PROCESS
//*        Program sets RETURNCODE and COUNT values
//         SET RETURNCODE=&STEP1.RC
//         SET COUNT=100
//*
//JOB2     JOB (ACCT#),'ADMIN',CLASS=A
//*        This job can access RETURNCODE and COUNT from JOB1
//         IF &RETURNCODE = 0 THEN
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=NORMAL
//         ELSE
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=RECOVERY
//         ENDIF

This example shows how a second job can make processing decisions based on the outcome of the first job.

Multi-Job Processing Pipeline

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//EXTRACT  JOB (ACCT#),'ADMIN',CLASS=A
//         EXPORT SYMLIST=(ROWCOUNT,FILEDATE)
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=EXTRACT
//*        After extract, SET variables based on execution
//         SET ROWCOUNT=1000
//         SET FILEDATE=&SYSDATE
//*
//PROCESS  JOB (ACCT#),'ADMIN',CLASS=A
//         EXPORT SYMLIST=(ROWCOUNT,FILEDATE,PROCSTAT)
//*        Use values from prior job
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=PROCESS,PARM='ROWS=&ROWCOUNT'
//         SET PROCSTAT='COMPLETED'
//*
//REPORT   JOB (ACCT#),'ADMIN',CLASS=A
//*        Use values from both prior jobs
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=REPORT
//SYSOUT   DD SYSOUT=A
//SYSIN    DD *
 REPORT FOR DATA PROCESSED ON &FILEDATE
 ROWS PROCESSED: &ROWCOUNT
 PROCESSING STATUS: &PROCSTAT
/*

This example demonstrates a three-job pipeline where information flows through the jobs.

Dynamic Dataset Names

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//CREATE   JOB (ACCT#),'ADMIN',CLASS=A
//         EXPORT SYMLIST=(DSNAME,DSSIZE)
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=CREATE
//         SET DSNAME='MY.NEW.DATASET'
//         SET DSSIZE=50
//*
//BACKUP   JOB (ACCT#),'ADMIN',CLASS=A
//STEP1    EXEC PGM=BACKUP
//INPUT    DD DSN=&DSNAME,DISP=SHR
//OUTPUT   DD DSN=BACKUP.&DSNAME,DISP=(NEW,CATLG),
//            SPACE=(CYL,(&DSSIZE,10)),UNIT=SYSDA

Here, the BACKUP job uses the dataset name and size determined by the CREATE job.

Security Considerations

Variables exported between jobs may contain sensitive information
Ensure jobs in an execution group have appropriate security classifications
Consider restricting access to JCL that contains EXPORT statements
Avoid exporting passwords or other credentials between jobs
Installation security settings may restrict EXPORT functionality

Best Practices

Export only necessary variables - Use specific variable lists rather than SYMLIST=*
Document exported variables - Add comments explaining what variables are exported and their purpose
Validate imported variables - Check that variables exist before using them in subsequent jobs
Use meaningful variable names - Makes the JCL more understandable when variables are shared
Consider job dependencies - Ensure jobs execute in correct sequence through JES dependencies
Test variable passing - Verify that variables are correctly passed between jobs in test environment
Include default values - Provide fallbacks in case exported variables aren't available

Troubleshooting

Issue	Possible Causes	Solutions
Variables not available in subsequent job	Jobs not in same execution group First job did not complete successfully Variable not included in SYMLIST	Ensure jobs are submitted in same execution group Add job dependencies to guarantee execution order Check SYMLIST includes all needed variables
JCL error on EXPORT statement	Syntax error in SYMLIST specification EXPORT statement after first EXEC Invalid variable names in list	Check syntax of EXPORT statement Move EXPORT before first EXEC statement Verify all variable names are valid
Inconsistent variable values	Variable set after EXPORT statement Variable value changed during job execution Different variable with same name in receiving job	Set variables before EXPORT statement Re-EXPORT after significant value changes Use unique variable names across jobs

Debugging Tips

Use SYMLIST command to display defined symbols in each job
Set MSGLEVEL=(1,1) to see expanded JCL with resolved variables
Add debug steps that write variable values to job log
Check job scheduling to ensure correct execution sequence
Review system log for variable export/import messages

JES2 vs JES3 Considerations

Basic EXPORT functionality works similarly in both JES2 and JES3 environments
JES3 provides additional job dependency options through //*MAIN HOLD statement
JES2 and JES3 may have different rules for job execution groups
Check installation-specific settings for EXPORT limitations

Related Concepts

JCL Variables - System symbols that can be exported between jobs
SET Statement - Defines variables that can be exported
SYMLIST - Specifies which variables to export
Job Dependencies - Ensures correct execution order for exported variables
Execution Groups - Jobs must be in the same group for variable sharing