Application data records allow application programs to include their own data, such as comments, associated with a given object in the external file. Application programs frequently use these records as comment records to further describe the object in the file. The information following the asterisk is essentially ignored and has no effect on the input process.
Application data records can appear anywhere in the external file except before the header (H) record. QMF does not write out application data (*) records on export. However, you can use these records in the file, data set, or CICS data queue you create. They are useful as comment records. The contents of an application data record are as follows:
*This is the form that groups by DEPT.
This comment would be in an exported form.