Don't use qw, changes below:

  ...
  my @args = ( 
    '/where/the/program/is/rwcli60',
    "report=$rpt_name",
    'userid=user_id@db',
    'server=my_server',
    'destype=printer',
    "desname=$desname",
    "btch=$btch",
    "record=$record",
    'subbtch=0' );

  my $retval = system( @args );
  die "system failed: $?" unless $retval == 0;
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Note where I used single vs. double quotes -- double quotes must be used if you want to interpolate a variable within a string. Single quotes will not do any interpolation.

Chris
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