The Data Division is divided into three sections. Each section has a specific logical function within a COBOL source program, and each may be omitted from the source program when that logical function is not needed. If you include these sections, they must be written in the order shown:
->->--DATA DIVISION.-------------------------------------------> ->-*--------------------------------------------------------*-> + *----------------------------------------*+ + V ++ *-FILE SECTION.*----------------------------------------** + + *file-description-entry--item-1----------* ->-*-------------------------------------------------------*--> + *---------------------------*+ + V ++ *WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.--*---------------------------** *record-description-entry---* *data-item-description-entry* ->-*---------------------------------------------------*-----><- + *-----------------------------* + + V + + *-LINKAGE SECTION. -*-----------------------------*-* *-record-description-entry----* *-data-item-description-entry-* where item-1 is: *------------------------* V + ->->-------record-description-entry-*--------><-
(C) Copyright IBM Corporation 1992, 2006. All Rights Reserved.