In the decade of the 1970s, the Report Program Generator (RPG) played an important role in business application programming on mainframes and minicomputers. RPG is basically application-oriented rather than procedure-oriented.

This textbook was written for the beginning student with no experience in writing computer programs.

The programs in the textbook were written and tested on an IBM System/360 Model 30 computer. Special forms were used for coding RPG input, calculation, and output specifications. Punched cards were used for computer input. Green-bar paper was used for computer output.