COBOL WORKING-STORAGE

WORKING-STORAGE is the DATA DIVISION section where you define program-owned variables, constants, and work areas. Unlike the LINKAGE SECTION (parameters from the caller) or FILE SECTION (record layouts), WORKING-STORAGE holds data that is private to the program and persists for the whole run. For a full tutorial see WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.

Where it goes

WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. appears once in the DATA DIVISION, usually after FILE SECTION (if you have files) and before LINKAGE SECTION (if the program receives parameters). After the section header you list 01-level and subordinate data description entries.

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       DATA DIVISION.
       FILE SECTION.
       *> file records here if needed
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01  WS-COUNTER    PIC 9(5)   VALUE ZEROS.
       01  WS-NAME       PIC X(30)  VALUE SPACES.
       01  WS-GROUP.
           05  WS-FIELD-A PIC X(10).
           05  WS-FIELD-B PIC 9(4).
       *> LINKAGE SECTION next if program is called

Common usage

When to use WORKING-STORAGE

• Counters, flags, and accumulators used only inside this program.
• Constants and literals you refer to by name.
• Work areas and temporary fields for calculations or formatting.
• Data that must keep its value for the whole run (or across calls in a subprogram).

Explain like I'm five

WORKING-STORAGE is the program's own notepad: boxes (variables) that only this program uses and that stay there until the program finishes. The caller's data lives in LINKAGE; the program's internal scratch space lives in WORKING-STORAGE.

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