The COBOL Divisions

The IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.

1. Identifies the program to the computer system.
2. PROGRAM-ID is the only required entry within the division.
3. A program name can be up to 10 characters and can consist of letters and digits.
4. All other paragraphs and identifying information in this division are optional. They could be included
as comments.
5. Blank lines can be used anywhere in a COBOL program to make the program easier to read.
6. Comments can be included in the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION, as well as in all other divisions, by
specifying an * in position
7. This makes the entire line a comment. A slash (/) in column 7 will cause the subsequent lines to be
printed on the next page of the source listing.
The ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
The ENVIRONMENT DIVISION consists of two sections: CONFIGURATION SECTION and
INPUTOUTPUT SECTION.
The CONFIGURATION SECTION is optional and is usually omitted. It supplies documentation about
the source and object computers being used.
The INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION is also optional but must be included if files are assigned to devices in a
program. Since most programs use files, the INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION is normally included.
The FILE-CONTROL paragraph of the INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION defines the files that are used in the
program.
The SELECT statement is used in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph to assign a file-name to each file used
in the program, and specifies the device where the file is located.
The DATA DIVISION.
Defines and describes the formats of all input, output, and work areas used 1. for processing.
FILE SECTION
Each file-name defined in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION must be described in an FD in the
DATA DIVISION.
Each record format within every file is defined as an 01 entry.
Fields within each record are described with a PICTURE (PIC) clause that specifies the size and
type of data.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
Defines any work areas needed for processing.
An end-of-file indicator is specified in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION; we will refer to this
field as ARE-THERE-MORE-RECORDS. In our examples, the field called ARE-THEREMORERECORDS will contain the value 'YES' when there are input records to process, and a
value of 'NO' when there are no more records.
The PROCEDURE DIVISION.
Is subdivided into paragraphs or modules.
Includes all instructions required to process input and produce output.
All instructions are executed in sequence, but PERFORM transfers control to another paragraph; after a
paragraph is executed with a PERFORM command, control returns to the next instruction, in sequence,
following the PERFORM.
The following are typical entries in the PROCEDURE DIVISION:
Files are designated as INPUT or OUTPUT and activated in a. an OPEN statement.
An initial READ brings the first record into storage.
PERFORM paragraph-name
UNTIL ARE-THERE-MORE-RECORDS='NO'
temporarily transfers control to some processing module that processes a record and then reads
the next record; this processing routine is repeated until there are no more records.
A CLOSE statement deactivates all the files.
STOP RUN terminates processing.
Types of Data
Variable data are data that vary with each run.
Constants and Literals are data that are defined within the program; they are not entered as input to the

system.
A numeric literal is a constant that may be used in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION or
PROCEDURE DIVISION for arithmetic operations.
An alphanumeric (nonnumeric) literal is a constant enclosed in quotation marks that never
changes throughout the execution of the program.
A figurative constant is a reserved word with special significance to the compiler (e.g., ZERO or
ZEROES or ZEROS; SPACE or SPACES).
The FILE SECTION
FD Entries
FD a. is coded in Area A.
The file-name, which is typically coded in Area B, must be the same name as that used in the
SELECT statement.
All clauses in the FD are optional.
After any clauses have been specified, a single period ends the FD.
Record Description Entries
Record-names are coded on the 01 level.
Field-names are coded on levels 0249. Usually, 05, 10, 15, and so on are used to allow for
insertions if they become necessary.
Level 01 is coded in Area A. All other levels are coded in Area B for clarity, although Area A can be
used.
Fields with higher level numbers are considered subordinate to, or contained within, fields with
lower-level numbers. Usually, subordinate fields are indented for the sake of clarity.
Group fields are further divided; elementary fields are not.
Only elementary fields have PICTURE or PIC clauses to describe the data:
X alphanumeric
A alphabetic (not recommended)
9 numeric
V implied decimal position (used only with numeric fields)
A period must follow a PICTURE clause in an elementary field; a period directly follows a group
field name.
Fields must be defined in the DATA DIVISION in the same sequence as they appear in the record
being described.
The WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
1. Used for storing intermediate results, counters, and end-of-file indicators.
2. VALUE clauses may be used to initialize fields.
Printing Output
The BEFORE or AFTER ADVANCING option should be used with each WRITE instruction to indicate
the spacing of the form. BEFORE ADVANCING 1, 2, or 3 lines, for example, will cause zero, one, or two
blank lines, respectively, to appear before the record is written.
Records defining all printed output, including heading and detail lines, should be established in
WORKING-STORAGE so that VALUE clauses can be used. These records must be moved to the print
area defined in the FILE SECTION. A WRITE . . . FROM instruction may be used in place of a MOVE
and a WRITE to print these lines.
Use a printer spacing chart to determine the print positions to be used.
Prior to a detail record being printed, a test for the end of the page should be performed. If the desired
number of lines has been printed, the heading routine should be executed that will print headings on a
new page.
The appropriate editing symbols should be specified in the PIC clauses of report-items within the detail
record.
6. Characters that may be used in a PICTURE clause are as follows:

Rules for numeric MOVE, when sending and receiving fields are both numeric:
a. Integer portion.
b. Movement is from right to left.
c. Nonfilled high-order positions are replaced with zeros.
d. Truncation of high-order digits occurs if the receiving field is not large enough to hold the results.
e. Decimal portion.
f. Decimal alignment is maintained.
g. Movement is from left to right, beginning at the decimal point.
h. Nonfilled low-order positions are replaced with zeros.
Rules for alphanumeric MOVE, when receiving field is alphanumeric (non-numeric):
a. Movement is from left to right.
b. Low-order nonfilled positions are replaced with spaces.
c. Truncation of low-order characters occurs if the receiving field is not large enough to hold the
results.
The format of the receiving field determines the type of MOVE operation that is performedeither
numeric or alphanumeric (nonnumeric).
A field-name may be qualified by using OF or IN with the name of a record or group item of which the
field is a part.
The ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, and DIVIDE verbs all have a GIVING format. With this GIVING
format, the receiving field is not part of the arithmetic and can be a report-item.
A COMPUTE statement can be used for performing multiplication, division, addition, subtraction,
exponentiation, or a combination of these.
The COMPUTE can save coding if used in place of the ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, 3. and DIVIDE
verbs.
The COMPUTE statement can use the following operations.
+ Addition
- Subtraction
* Multiplication.
/ Division
** Exponentiation
If several operations are performed with one COMPUTE statement, the order of evaluation is
a. ( ) (parentheses).
b. ** (exponentiation).
c. * or / (in sequence left to right).
d. + or -(in sequence left to right).

The ROUNDED, ON SIZE ERROR, and NOT ON SIZE ERROR options can be used with the four
arithmetic verbs and the COMPUTE.
When using ON SIZE ERROR or NOT ON SIZE ERROR with any arithmetic verb, use a scope
terminator (END-ADD, END-SUBTRACT, END-MULTIPLY, END-DIVIDE, END-COMPUTE).
The simple PERFORM statement
Causes execution of the instructions at the a. named paragraph(s).
Transfers control to the statement directly following the PERFORM after execution of the named
paragraph(s)..
With the PERFORM . . . UNTIL statement
The identifier(s) used in the UNTIL clause must be altered within the paragraph(s) being
performed; otherwise, the paragraphs will be performed indefinitely.
If the condition in the UNTIL clause is met at the time of execution, then the named paragraph(s)
will not be executed at all.
The WITH TEST AFTER clause can be used with the PERFORM statement to test the condition after the
paragraph has been executed at least once.
With the PERFORM . . . TIMES statement, a numeric identifier, integer, or arithmetic expression can
precede the word TIMES.
For the PERFORM . . . VARYING statement
The counter or loop control field must be defined in the DATA DIVISION, typically in
WORKINGSTORAGE.
An initial VALUE for the loop control field is not required.
The PERFORM . . . VARYING automatically
Initializes the counter with the value specified in the FROM clause.
Tests the counter for the condition specified in the UNTIL clause.
Continues with the statement directly following the PERFORM if the condition specified in the
UNTIL clause is satisfied.
Executes the named paragraph(s) if the condition specified in the UNTIL clause is not met.
After execution of the named paragraph(s), increases (or decreases) the counter by the value of
the integer or identifier specified in the VARYING clause.
Additional considerations
The THRU option can be included with all versions of the PERFORM.
PERFORM statements within PERFORM statements are permissible. These are called nested
PERFORMS.
In-line PERFORMS are permitted with all PERFORM options; with in-line PERFORMS it is not.
The COPY statement
Is used to copy entries stored in a source member 1. to a user program.
Can copy ENVIRONMENT, DATA, and PROCEDURE DIVISION entries.
Most often is used for copying standard file and record description entries or modules to be used in the
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
The format is: COPY source-member {OF/IN} library-name-file-name.
The CALL statement
1. Is used to call or reference entire programs stored in a library.
The main program is referred to as the calling program; the program being accessed from the main
program is referred to as the called program or subprogram.
Two types of calls include dynamic program call and static procedure call.
To pass data from the called program to the calling program:
The CALL statement includes a USING clause that lists the names of the fields in the calling
program that are passed to the called program and fields that will be passed back from the called
program.
The PROCEDURE DIVISION statement of the called program also includes a USING clause to
indicate identifiers specified in this called program that will correspond to identifiers in the
calling program.
Identifiers in the called and calling program may be the same or they may be different.
The called program must have a LINKAGE SECTION in which fields to be passed to and from the

calling program are defined. This is the last section of the DATA DIVISION.
The called program must end with an EXIT PROGRAM statement.
Three types of report that can be produced are
Detail or transaction reports.
Exception reports.
Summary or group reports.
a control break program, all input records must be in sequence by minor control fields within
intermediate control fields within major control fields. If the records are not already in this order, then
the file must be sequenced into the required order before it can be processed.
Files required for control-break processing can be reorganized into the proper sequence by using logical
files.
Control break routines are executed as follows:
a. Higher-level breaks force lower-level breaks.
b. Appropriate control total line is printed.
c. Appropriate control field is initialized.
d. Appropriate control total field is initialized.
Keyed File Processing
1. ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
a. SELECT clause specifies ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED
ACCESS IS:
1. RANDOM for non-sequential updates, inquiries, and so on.
2. SEQUENTIAL as the default setting when accessing a file sequentially.
3. DYNAMIC for accessing a keyed file both sequentially and randomly in the same program.
RECORD KEY is the key field in each keyed record that is used for establishing the index and for
accessing records.
PROCEDURE DIVISION
Reading sequentially from a keyed file
Same as all sequential processing.
Use READ . . . AT END.
Reading randomly from a keyed file
1. ACCESS IS RANDOM (or DYNAMIC if sequential access is also desired) in SELECT clause.
2. If a keyed record is to be updated, OPEN I-O is used.
3. Transaction key is moved to the RECORD KEY and READ . . . INVALID KEY is used.
4. To write updated records back onto the disk, REWRITE is used.
5. Use START for positioning a keyed file at some point other than the beginning.

Another permissible test that may be used with any arithmetic operation is NOT ON SIZE ERROR.
The LIKE clause allows the attributes of a data item to be defined by copying them from a previously
defined
data item. Two attributes include the PICTURE and USAGE clauses of the existing item.
There are times when you might want to execute a series of steps only if a certain condition does not exist.
The COBOL expression CONTINUE enables you (1) to avoid performing any operation if a condition
exists, and (2) to execute instructions only if the ELSE condition is met.
CONTINUE must be the only clause following a condition, since it indicates that no action is to be
performed.

One function of the SET statement is to set a condition-name to TRUE. Consider the following SET
statement. SET NO-MORE-RECORDS TO TRUE.
PERFORM 220-PARAGRAPH-2 THRU 230-PARAGRAPH-3
PERFORM . . . UNTIL is a type of iteration used for programming a loop, which is a sequence of steps
that is executed repeatedly until a condition exists.
When a series of operations is to be executed a predefined number of times, the PERFORM . . . TIMES
statement is used.
PERFORM 220-WRITE-LABEL-RTN 5 TIMES

Iteration using a PERFORM . . . UNTIL is the same as a Do/While in other languages. With this structure,
a test for the condition is made first, even before the sequence of steps within the PERFORM is executed.
If the condition is not met initially, the instructions are PERFORMed once. If the condition is met
initially, the instructions being PERFORMed are not executed at all.
Most languages also have an iteration structure (Do/Until) that executes the instructions to be
PERFORMed
even before the test is made. This ensures that the sequence of steps being performed is executed at least
once.
A PERFORM . . . UNTIL can be made equivalent to a DO . . . UNTIL with the use of a WITH TEST AFTER
clause. This means we instruct the program to test for the condition in the PERFORM . . . UNTIL after the
instructions are executed.
To connect comparisons together, simply leave a space in position 17 of the DDS. Then, all the
comparisons that are connected in this fashion must be met before the record is selected or omitted. That
is, the comparisons are ANDed together.
JDFTVAL: File-level keyword that indicates that the system will provide default values for secondary file
fields
when a secondary record does not exist. Unless the DFT keyword is used in the physical file, the default
value
is blanks for character fields and zeros for numeric fields. The JDFTVAL keyword has no parameters.
JDUPSEQ: Record-level keyword that indicates a secondary file field-name used to sort records when
duplicate
join field values exist. By default, the sort order is ascending; descending can be specified. The format is
JDUPSEQ(sequencing-field-name *DESCEND).
JFILE: Record level keyword that identifies the files to be included in the join. The format is
JFILE(library-name/physical-file-name {..32}).
The first file-name specified is considered the primary file.
JFLD: Join-level keyword that indicates which fields are used to join the files. At least one JFLD keyword
must

be used on each join specification. The format is

JFLD(from-file-field-name to-file-field-name).
JOIN: Join-level keyword that identifies which pair of files is joined. The format is
JOIN(from-file to-file).
JREF: Field-level keyword used when the same field-name is used among the joined files and you need to
indicate the file from which the field value is to be used. The format is
JREF(file-name or relative-file-number).
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
a. SELECT clause specifies ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED
ACCESS IS:
1. RANDOM for non-sequential updates, inquiries, and so on.
2. SEQUENTIAL as the default setting when accessing a file sequentially.
3. DYNAMIC for accessing a keyed file both sequentially and randomly in the same program.
RECORD KEY is the key field in each keyed record that is used for establishing the index and for
accessing records.
OCCURS clauses
Are used in the DATA DIVISION to specify the repeated occurrence of items with the same
format.
May be written b. on levels 0249.
May specify an elementary or group item.
Use an OCCURS clause to define arrays and tables.
a. Array: an area used for storing data or totals.
b. Table: a set of fields used in a table look-up.
Use of the SEARCH statement for table-handling:
a. The identifier used with the SEARCH verb is the one specified on the OCCURS level.
The AT END clause specifies what is to be done if the table has been searched and the required
condition has not been met.
The WHEN clause indicates what to do when the condition is met.
When using a SEARCH statement, table entries are specified with the use of an index, rather than
a subscript.
The index is defined along with the OCCURS. For example: 01 UNIT-PRICE-TABLE.
05 STORED-ENTRIES OCCURS 500 TIMES
INDEXED BY SUB.
An index cannot be modified with a MOVE, ADD, or SUBTRACT statement. Use a SET statement
when altering the contents of an index, or use the PERFORM . . . VARYING.
The index is SET to 1 to 1 before using a SEARCH.
Use a PERFORM . . . VARYING to load the table.
The SEARCH ALL statementuses and limitations.
a. Used to perform a binary search.
b. Can test only an equal condition.
If using a compound condition: (a) each part can test only an equal condition and (b) only ANDs
are permitted.
Only one WHEN clause can be used.
The ASCENDING or DESCENDING KEY is specified along with the OCCURS and INDEXED BY
clauses of a table entry.
Multiple-level OCCURS.
Multiple-level OCCURS may be used for an 1. array or a table.
The lowest-level OCCURS data-name or an item subordinate to it is used to access an entry in the array
or the table.
If we use a SEARCH for accessing a multiple-level table, INDEXED BY must be used on all OCCURS
levels.
The identifier used with the SEARCH statement should typically be the one on the lowest OCCURS
level. Only the index on the same level as the OCCURS level will be incremented by the SEARCH. That

is, SEARCH XXX, for example, will vary only the index specified with XXX. Consider the following.
05 MONTHLY-AMOUNT OCCURS 10 TIMES INDEXED BY SUB1. SUB1 is the only index incremented in
the search regardless of whether MONTHLY-AMOUNT is
subordinate to an OCCURS or contains another level of OCCURS.