• are defined by a level number and a name, which is followed by a period.
• Group items cannot have PIC clause

Level Number

• RECORD - 01 at column 8
• 02 ~ 49: group or fields within a record
• Cf. work area in WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
  
  
  
  
  

Elementary Items or Fields

• Not further subdivided
• Must be described with a PICTURE (or PIC) clause.

PIC Clause

• to specify the type of data contained within an elementary item
• to indicate the size of the field

Types of Data Fields for PIC

• A: Alphabetic
  letters or blanks
• X: Alphanumeric
  Any character (letters, digits, blanks,and/or special characters)
• 9: Numeric
  Only digits, and +, - sign
  Used in arithmetic operations