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COBOL Report Writer

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Report Writer Fundamentals

The Report Writer feature in COBOL is a powerful tool for creating formatted reports with automatic page breaks, headers, footers, control breaks, and summary calculations. It eliminates the need for manual formatting and provides a structured approach to report generation.

What is Report Writer?

Report Writer is a COBOL feature that automates the creation of professional reports. It handles:

  • Automatic page numbering and headers/footers
  • Control break processing with subtotals
  • Line spacing and formatting
  • Report group organization
  • Summary calculations
  • Consistent report layouts

Instead of manually handling these details with WRITE statements and complex logic, Report Writer provides a declarative approach where you describe the report structure and let COBOL handle the formatting.

Report Writer Structure

A Report Writer program consists of several key components:

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. SALES-REPORT.
 
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
    SELECT SALES-FILE ASSIGN TO "SALES.DAT"
        ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL
        ACCESS MODE IS SEQUENTIAL
        FILE STATUS IS SALES-STATUS.
        
    SELECT REPORT-FILE ASSIGN TO "SALES-REPORT.TXT"
        ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL
        FILE STATUS IS REPORT-STATUS.
 
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD  SALES-FILE
    LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
    RECORD CONTAINS 80 CHARACTERS.
01  SALES-RECORD.
    05  SALES-REGION      PIC X(2).
    05  SALES-STATE       PIC X(2).
    05  SALES-AMOUNT      PIC 9(7)V99.
    05  SALES-DATE        PIC 9(8).
    05  FILLER            PIC X(65).
 
REPORT SECTION.
RD  SALES-REPORT
    PAGE LIMIT IS 60 LINES
    HEADING 1
    FIRST DETAIL 5
    LAST DETAIL 55
    FOOTING 58
    CONTROL IS FINAL, SALES-REGION, SALES-STATE.
 
01  TYPE REPORT HEADING.
    05  LINE 1.
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC X(20) VALUE "SALES SUMMARY REPORT".
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) VALUE "PAGE:".
        10  COLUMN 70    PIC ZZZ9  SOURCE PAGE-COUNTER.
 
01  TYPE PAGE HEADING.
    05  LINE 3.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) VALUE "REGION".
        10  COLUMN 15    PIC X(10) VALUE "STATE".
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC X(15) VALUE "SALES AMOUNT".
        10  COLUMN 50    PIC X(12) VALUE "DATE".
 
01  TYPE CONTROL HEADING SALES-REGION.
    05  LINE PLUS 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) VALUE "REGION:".
        10  COLUMN 12    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-REGION.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL HEADING SALES-STATE.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 5     PIC X(10) VALUE "STATE:".
        10  COLUMN 16    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-STATE.
 
01  TYPE DETAIL.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-REGION.
        10  COLUMN 15    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-STATE.
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SOURCE SALES-AMOUNT.
        10  COLUMN 50    PIC 99/99/9999 SOURCE SALES-DATE.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING SALES-STATE.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 5     PIC X(15) VALUE "STATE TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING SALES-REGION.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(15) VALUE "REGION TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING FINAL.
    05  LINE PLUS 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "GRAND TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
 
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01  SALES-STATUS        PIC XX.
01  REPORT-STATUS       PIC XX.
01  EOF-FLAG            PIC X VALUE 'N'.
    88  END-OF-FILE       VALUE 'Y'.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
MAIN-PROCESS.
    PERFORM INITIALIZATION
    PERFORM PROCESS-RECORDS UNTIL END-OF-FILE
    PERFORM FINALIZATION
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZATION.
    OPEN INPUT SALES-FILE
    OPEN OUTPUT REPORT-FILE
    INITIATE SALES-REPORT.
 
PROCESS-RECORDS.
    READ SALES-FILE
       AT END
          MOVE "Y" TO EOF-FLAG
       NOT AT END
          GENERATE SALES-REPORT
    END-READ.
 
FINALIZATION.
    TERMINATE SALES-REPORT
    CLOSE SALES-FILE
    CLOSE REPORT-FILE.

This example shows a complete Report Writer program structure with input file, report file, report description, and various report groups for different types of output.

Key Report Writer Components

ComponentPurposeLocation
REPORT SECTIONContains report definitionsDATA DIVISION
RD (Report Description)Defines report layout and control breaksREPORT SECTION
Report GroupsDefine specific report lines and formattingREPORT SECTION
INITIATEStarts report processingPROCEDURE DIVISION
GENERATEProduces report linesPROCEDURE DIVISION
TERMINATEEnds report processingPROCEDURE DIVISION

Report Description (RD) Entries

The Report Description (RD) entry is the heart of Report Writer. It defines the overall structure of the report, including page layout, control breaks, and formatting specifications. Understanding the RD entry is crucial for creating effective reports.

Basic RD Structure

The RD entry follows a specific format with various clauses that control report behavior:

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RD  report-name
    PAGE LIMIT IS integer-1 LINES
    HEADING integer-2
    FIRST DETAIL integer-3
    LAST DETAIL integer-4
    FOOTING integer-5
    CONTROL IS FINAL, control-field-1, control-field-2
    ...

Each clause serves a specific purpose in defining how the report will be formatted and processed.

Page Layout Clauses

These clauses control the physical layout of each page:

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RD  SALES-REPORT
    PAGE LIMIT IS 60 LINES          * Total lines per page
    HEADING 1                       * Page heading starts on line 1
    FIRST DETAIL 5                  * First detail line on page
    LAST DETAIL 55                  * Last detail line on page
    FOOTING 58                      * Page footing on line 58
    ...

  • PAGE LIMIT - Total number of lines per page
  • HEADING - Line number for page headings
  • FIRST DETAIL - First line available for detail records
  • LAST DETAIL - Last line available for detail records
  • FOOTING - Line number for page footings

Control Break Clauses

The CONTROL clause defines when control breaks occur and in what order:

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* Single level control break
RD  SIMPLE-REPORT
    CONTROL IS FINAL, CUSTOMER-REGION.
 
* Multiple level control breaks (major to minor)
RD  DETAILED-REPORT
    CONTROL IS FINAL, CUSTOMER-REGION, CUSTOMER-STATE, CUSTOMER-CITY.
 
* Control break with custom processing
RD  CUSTOM-REPORT
    CONTROL IS FINAL, CUSTOMER-REGION
    CONTROL FOOTING CUSTOMER-REGION IS OMITTED.  * Skip region footings

Control fields are processed from left to right (major to minor). When any control field value changes, Report Writer processes the appropriate control footing and heading groups.

Advanced RD Clauses

Additional clauses provide more control over report behavior:

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RD  ADVANCED-REPORT
    PAGE LIMIT IS 66 LINES
    HEADING 1
    FIRST DETAIL 6
    LAST DETAIL 60
    FOOTING 65
    CONTROL IS FINAL, CUSTOMER-REGION, CUSTOMER-STATE
    CONTROL FOOTING CUSTOMER-REGION IS OMITTED
    CONTROL HEADING CUSTOMER-STATE IS OMITTED
    LINE COUNTER IS LINE-COUNT
    PAGE COUNTER IS PAGE-COUNT
    ...

  • CONTROL FOOTING/HEADING IS OMITTED - Skip specific control groups
  • LINE COUNTER - Variable to track current line number
  • PAGE COUNTER - Variable to track current page number
  • NEXT GROUP - Control line spacing between groups

RD Entry Requirements

ClauseRequiredDefaultPurpose
PAGE LIMITYesNoneDefine page size
HEADINGNo1Page heading line
FIRST DETAILNoHEADING + 1First detail line
LAST DETAILNoPAGE LIMIT - 1Last detail line
FOOTINGNoPAGE LIMITPage footing line
CONTROLNoFINAL onlyControl break fields

Report Groups

Report groups define the actual content and formatting of report lines. Each report group specifies what data to display, where to display it, and when to display it. Understanding the different types of report groups is essential for creating effective reports.

Types of Report Groups

Report Writer provides several types of report groups, each serving a specific purpose:

TypeWhen ProcessedPurposeExample Use
REPORT HEADINGOnce at startReport title and setupReport title, date, parameters
PAGE HEADINGEach pageColumn headersColumn titles, page numbers
CONTROL HEADINGControl breaksGroup headersRegion/state headers
DETAILEach recordMain dataSales records, customer data
CONTROL FOOTINGControl breaksGroup summariesSubtotals, counts
PAGE FOOTINGEach pagePage summariesPage totals, footnotes
REPORT FOOTINGOnce at endFinal summariesGrand totals, final notes

Report Heading and Footing Groups

These groups appear once at the beginning and end of the entire report:

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* Report heading - appears once at the start
01  TYPE REPORT HEADING.
    05  LINE 1.
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC X(25) VALUE "CUSTOMER SALES REPORT".
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) VALUE "DATE:".
        10  COLUMN 71    PIC 99/99/9999 SOURCE CURRENT-DATE.
    05  LINE 2.
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC X(20) VALUE "GENERATED BY SYSTEM".
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) VALUE "TIME:".
        10  COLUMN 71    PIC 99:99:99 SOURCE CURRENT-TIME.
 
* Report footing - appears once at the end
01  TYPE REPORT FOOTING.
    05  LINE PLUS 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "REPORT COMPLETED".
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC X(15) VALUE "TOTAL RECORDS:".
        10  COLUMN 46    PIC ZZZ,ZZ9 SOURCE RECORD-COUNT.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(25) VALUE "END OF REPORT".

Report heading groups are ideal for report titles, generation parameters, and setup information. Report footing groups are perfect for final summaries and completion messages.

Page Heading and Footing Groups

These groups appear on every page of the report:

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* Page heading - appears at top of each page
01  TYPE PAGE HEADING.
    05  LINE 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) VALUE "CUSTOMER".
        10  COLUMN 15    PIC X(10) VALUE "REGION".
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC X(10) VALUE "SALES".
        10  COLUMN 45    PIC X(10) VALUE "DATE".
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) VALUE "PAGE".
        10  COLUMN 70    PIC ZZZ9  SOURCE PAGE-COUNTER.
    05  LINE 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(80) VALUE ALL "-".
 
* Page footing - appears at bottom of each page
01  TYPE PAGE FOOTING.
    05  LINE 58.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "PAGE TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) VALUE "CONTINUED".

Page heading groups typically contain column headers and page numbers. Page footing groups often contain page totals and continuation indicators.

Control Heading and Footing Groups

These groups are processed when control breaks occur:

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* Control heading - appears at start of each control group
01  TYPE CONTROL HEADING CUSTOMER-REGION.
    05  LINE PLUS 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) VALUE "REGION:".
        10  COLUMN 12    PIC X(2)  SOURCE CUSTOMER-REGION.
        10  COLUMN 20    PIC X(15) VALUE "REGION NAME:".
        10  COLUMN 36    PIC X(20) SOURCE REGION-NAME.
 
* Control footing - appears at end of each control group
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING CUSTOMER-REGION.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(15) VALUE "REGION TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
        10  COLUMN 50    PIC X(10) VALUE "RECORDS:".
        10  COLUMN 61    PIC ZZZ9  SUM RECORD-COUNT.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(80) VALUE ALL "=".

Control heading groups identify new control groups, while control footing groups provide summaries for completed groups. The SUM clause automatically calculates totals.

Detail Report Groups

Detail groups are processed for each input record and contain the main report data:

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* Detail group - processed for each record
01  TYPE DETAIL.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) SOURCE CUSTOMER-NAME.
        10  COLUMN 15    PIC X(2)  SOURCE CUSTOMER-REGION.
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SOURCE SALES-AMOUNT.
        10  COLUMN 45    PIC 99/99/9999 SOURCE SALES-DATE.
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) SOURCE SALES-STATUS.
 
* Detail group with conditional formatting
01  TYPE DETAIL.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) SOURCE CUSTOMER-NAME.
        10  COLUMN 15    PIC X(2)  SOURCE CUSTOMER-REGION.
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SOURCE SALES-AMOUNT.
        10  COLUMN 45    PIC 99/99/9999 SOURCE SALES-DATE.
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) SOURCE SALES-STATUS
            WHEN SALES-AMOUNT > 10000
            HIGHLIGHT.

Detail groups display the main data from each input record. You can use conditional formatting and various data sources to create dynamic reports.

Report Group Processing Order

Report groups are processed in a specific order:

  1. REPORT HEADING - Once at the beginning
  2. PAGE HEADING - At the start of each page
  3. CONTROL FOOTING - When control breaks occur (highest to lowest level)
  4. CONTROL HEADING - When control breaks occur (lowest to highest level)
  5. DETAIL - For each input record
  6. PAGE FOOTING - At the end of each page
  7. REPORT FOOTING - Once at the end

Report Writer Verbs and Processing

Report Writer uses specific verbs to control report processing. Understanding these verbs and their proper usage is essential for creating functional reports.

INITIATE Statement

The INITIATE statement starts report processing and must be called before any GENERATE statements:

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* Basic INITIATE
INITIATE report-name.
 
* INITIATE with error handling
INITIATE SALES-REPORT
    ON EXCEPTION
        DISPLAY "Error initiating report"
        STOP RUN
    NOT ON EXCEPTION
        DISPLAY "Report initiated successfully"
END-INITIATE.
 
* INITIATE multiple reports
INITIATE SALES-REPORT, SUMMARY-REPORT, DETAIL-REPORT.

INITIATE prepares the report for processing, initializes counters, and sets up the report structure. It should be called after opening the report file but before processing any data.

GENERATE Statement

The GENERATE statement produces report lines according to the report group definitions:

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* Basic GENERATE
GENERATE report-name.
 
* GENERATE with error handling
GENERATE SALES-REPORT
    ON EXCEPTION
        DISPLAY "Error generating report line"
    NOT ON EXCEPTION
        CONTINUE
END-GENERATE.
 
* GENERATE with data source
GENERATE SALES-REPORT FROM SALES-RECORD.
 
* GENERATE with working storage
MOVE "CUSTOMER DATA" TO WS-CUSTOMER-INFO
GENERATE SALES-REPORT FROM WS-CUSTOMER-INFO.

GENERATE is called for each input record and automatically handles control breaks, page breaks, and report group processing. The FROM clause specifies the data source for the report.

TERMINATE Statement

The TERMINATE statement ends report processing and must be called after all data has been processed:

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* Basic TERMINATE
TERMINATE report-name.
 
* TERMINATE with error handling
TERMINATE SALES-REPORT
    ON EXCEPTION
        DISPLAY "Error terminating report"
    NOT ON EXCEPTION
        DISPLAY "Report terminated successfully"
END-TERMINATE.
 
* TERMINATE multiple reports
TERMINATE SALES-REPORT, SUMMARY-REPORT, DETAIL-REPORT.

TERMINATE processes final control footings, report footings, and finalizes the report. It should be called after all input data has been processed but before closing the report file.

Report Writer Processing Flow

  1. Open Files - Open input and output files
  2. INITIATE - Start report processing
  3. Read Input Data - Read records from input file
  4. GENERATE - Process each record through Report Writer
  5. TERMINATE - End report processing
  6. Close Files - Close all files

Formatting and Data Sources

Report Writer provides powerful formatting capabilities and various data sources for creating professional-looking reports with dynamic content.

Data Sources

Report Writer can use different sources for data in report groups:

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* SOURCE clause - references input record fields
10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) SOURCE CUSTOMER-NAME.
10  COLUMN 15    PIC X(2)  SOURCE CUSTOMER-REGION.
 
* VALUE clause - constant text
10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) VALUE "CUSTOMER:".
10  COLUMN 30    PIC X(15) VALUE "SALES REPORT".
 
* SUM clause - automatic totals
10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
10  COLUMN 50    PIC ZZZ9  SUM RECORD-COUNT.
 
* PAGE-COUNTER - automatic page numbering
10  COLUMN 70    PIC ZZZ9  SOURCE PAGE-COUNTER.
 
* LINE-COUNTER - current line number
10  COLUMN 80    PIC ZZZ9  SOURCE LINE-COUNTER.
 
* Working storage variables
10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) SOURCE WS-CALCULATED-FIELD.

The SOURCE clause references data from input records or working storage. The SUM clause automatically calculates totals for control groups. Special sources like PAGE-COUNTER provide automatic values.

Line Positioning

Report Writer provides flexible line positioning options:

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* Absolute line positioning
05  LINE 1.
    10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "REPORT TITLE".
 
* Relative line positioning
05  LINE PLUS 2.
    10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "SUBTITLE".
 
* Line positioning with conditions
05  LINE PLUS 1
    WHEN LINE-COUNTER > 50.
    10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "PAGE BREAK SOON".
 
* Next group positioning
05  LINE NEXT GROUP.
    10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "NEW GROUP".
 
* Page positioning
05  LINE NEXT PAGE.
    10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "NEW PAGE".

LINE specifies absolute line numbers, while LINE PLUS provides relative positioning. Special positioning like NEXT GROUP and NEXT PAGE provides automatic spacing.

Conditional Formatting

Report Writer supports conditional formatting for dynamic reports:

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* Conditional formatting with WHEN
10  COLUMN 30    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SOURCE SALES-AMOUNT
    WHEN SALES-AMOUNT > 10000
    HIGHLIGHT.
 
* Multiple conditions
10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) SOURCE SALES-STATUS
    WHEN SALES-AMOUNT > 50000
    HIGHLIGHT
    WHEN SALES-AMOUNT < 1000
    UNDERLINE.
 
* Conditional line positioning
05  LINE PLUS 1
    WHEN SALES-AMOUNT > 10000.
    10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "HIGH VALUE SALE".
 
* Conditional column positioning
10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) SOURCE CUSTOMER-NAME
    WHEN CUSTOMER-REGION = "NE"
    COLUMN 5.

Conditional formatting allows you to highlight important data, adjust positioning based on conditions, and create dynamic report layouts.

Formatting Options Summary

OptionPurposeExample
SOURCEReference data fieldsSOURCE CUSTOMER-NAME
VALUEConstant textVALUE "TOTAL:"
SUMAutomatic totalsSUM SALES-AMOUNT
LINELine positioningLINE 1 or LINE PLUS 2
COLUMNColumn positioningCOLUMN 30
WHENConditional formattingWHEN SALES-AMOUNT > 10000

Exercises

Exercise 1: Simple Sales Report

Create a Report Writer program that generates a simple sales report with the following requirements:

  • Report heading with title and date
  • Page heading with column headers
  • Detail lines showing customer name, sales amount, and date
  • Page footing with page totals
  • Report footing with grand total

Solution
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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. SIMPLE-SALES-REPORT.
 
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
    SELECT SALES-FILE ASSIGN TO "SALES.DAT"
        ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL
        ACCESS MODE IS SEQUENTIAL.
        
    SELECT REPORT-FILE ASSIGN TO "SALES-REPORT.TXT"
        ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL.
 
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD  SALES-FILE
    LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
    RECORD CONTAINS 50 CHARACTERS.
01  SALES-RECORD.
    05  CUSTOMER-NAME    PIC X(20).
    05  SALES-AMOUNT     PIC 9(7)V99.
    05  SALES-DATE       PIC 9(8).
    05  FILLER           PIC X(15).
 
REPORT SECTION.
RD  SALES-REPORT
    PAGE LIMIT IS 60 LINES
    HEADING 1
    FIRST DETAIL 5
    LAST DETAIL 55
    FOOTING 58.
 
01  TYPE REPORT HEADING.
    05  LINE 1.
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC X(20) VALUE "SALES REPORT".
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) VALUE "DATE:".
        10  COLUMN 71    PIC 99/99/9999 SOURCE CURRENT-DATE.
 
01  TYPE PAGE HEADING.
    05  LINE 3.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "CUSTOMER NAME".
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC X(15) VALUE "SALES AMOUNT".
        10  COLUMN 45    PIC X(12) VALUE "SALES DATE".
 
01  TYPE DETAIL.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) SOURCE CUSTOMER-NAME.
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SOURCE SALES-AMOUNT.
        10  COLUMN 45    PIC 99/99/9999 SOURCE SALES-DATE.
 
01  TYPE PAGE FOOTING.
    05  LINE 58.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(15) VALUE "PAGE TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
 
01  TYPE REPORT FOOTING.
    05  LINE PLUS 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(15) VALUE "GRAND TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
 
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01  EOF-FLAG            PIC X VALUE 'N'.
    88  END-OF-FILE       VALUE 'Y'.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
MAIN-PROCESS.
    PERFORM INITIALIZATION
    PERFORM PROCESS-RECORDS UNTIL END-OF-FILE
    PERFORM FINALIZATION
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZATION.
    OPEN INPUT SALES-FILE
    OPEN OUTPUT REPORT-FILE
    INITIATE SALES-REPORT.
 
PROCESS-RECORDS.
    READ SALES-FILE
       AT END
          MOVE "Y" TO EOF-FLAG
       NOT AT END
          GENERATE SALES-REPORT
    END-READ.
 
FINALIZATION.
    TERMINATE SALES-REPORT
    CLOSE SALES-FILE
    CLOSE REPORT-FILE.

This simple report demonstrates basic Report Writer concepts with all essential components.

Exercise 2: Control Break Report

Create a Report Writer program with control breaks for region and state. The program should:

  • Group sales by region and state
  • Show region and state headers
  • Display subtotals for each state and region
  • Include a grand total at the end
  • Use conditional formatting for high-value sales

Solution
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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. CONTROL-BREAK-REPORT.
 
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
    SELECT SALES-FILE ASSIGN TO "SALES.DAT"
        ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL
        ACCESS MODE IS SEQUENTIAL.
        
    SELECT REPORT-FILE ASSIGN TO "CONTROL-REPORT.TXT"
        ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL.
 
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD  SALES-FILE
    LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
    RECORD CONTAINS 60 CHARACTERS.
01  SALES-RECORD.
    05  CUSTOMER-NAME    PIC X(20).
    05  SALES-REGION     PIC X(2).
    05  SALES-STATE      PIC X(2).
    05  SALES-AMOUNT     PIC 9(7)V99.
    05  SALES-DATE       PIC 9(8).
    05  FILLER           PIC X(15).
 
REPORT SECTION.
RD  SALES-REPORT
    PAGE LIMIT IS 60 LINES
    HEADING 1
    FIRST DETAIL 8
    LAST DETAIL 55
    FOOTING 58
    CONTROL IS FINAL, SALES-REGION, SALES-STATE.
 
01  TYPE REPORT HEADING.
    05  LINE 1.
        10  COLUMN 30    PIC X(25) VALUE "REGIONAL SALES REPORT".
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) VALUE "DATE:".
        10  COLUMN 71    PIC 99/99/9999 SOURCE CURRENT-DATE.
 
01  TYPE PAGE HEADING.
    05  LINE 3.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "CUSTOMER".
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC X(10) VALUE "REGION".
        10  COLUMN 40    PIC X(10) VALUE "STATE".
        10  COLUMN 55    PIC X(15) VALUE "SALES AMOUNT".
 
01  TYPE CONTROL HEADING SALES-REGION.
    05  LINE PLUS 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) VALUE "REGION:".
        10  COLUMN 12    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-REGION.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL HEADING SALES-STATE.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 5     PIC X(10) VALUE "STATE:".
        10  COLUMN 16    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-STATE.
 
01  TYPE DETAIL.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) SOURCE CUSTOMER-NAME.
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-REGION.
        10  COLUMN 40    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-STATE.
        10  COLUMN 55    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SOURCE SALES-AMOUNT
            WHEN SALES-AMOUNT > 10000
            HIGHLIGHT.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING SALES-STATE.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 5     PIC X(15) VALUE "STATE TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 55    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING SALES-REGION.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(15) VALUE "REGION TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 55    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(80) VALUE ALL "=".
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING FINAL.
    05  LINE PLUS 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "GRAND TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 55    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
 
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01  EOF-FLAG            PIC X VALUE 'N'.
    88  END-OF-FILE       VALUE 'Y'.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
MAIN-PROCESS.
    PERFORM INITIALIZATION
    PERFORM PROCESS-RECORDS UNTIL END-OF-FILE
    PERFORM FINALIZATION
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZATION.
    OPEN INPUT SALES-FILE
    OPEN OUTPUT REPORT-FILE
    INITIATE SALES-REPORT.
 
PROCESS-RECORDS.
    READ SALES-FILE
       AT END
          MOVE "Y" TO EOF-FLAG
       NOT AT END
          GENERATE SALES-REPORT
    END-READ.
 
FINALIZATION.
    TERMINATE SALES-REPORT
    CLOSE SALES-FILE
    CLOSE REPORT-FILE.

This report demonstrates control breaks with multiple levels and conditional formatting.

Exercise 3: Advanced Report with Calculations

Create a comprehensive Report Writer program that includes:

  • Multiple control break levels (region, state, city)
  • Calculated fields (commission, tax)
  • Conditional formatting based on multiple criteria
  • Page totals and running totals
  • Summary statistics (count, average, maximum)

Solution
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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. ADVANCED-SALES-REPORT.
 
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
    SELECT SALES-FILE ASSIGN TO "SALES.DAT"
        ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL
        ACCESS MODE IS SEQUENTIAL.
        
    SELECT REPORT-FILE ASSIGN TO "ADVANCED-REPORT.TXT"
        ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL.
 
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD  SALES-FILE
    LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
    RECORD CONTAINS 80 CHARACTERS.
01  SALES-RECORD.
    05  CUSTOMER-NAME    PIC X(20).
    05  SALES-REGION     PIC X(2).
    05  SALES-STATE      PIC X(2).
    05  SALES-CITY       PIC X(15).
    05  SALES-AMOUNT     PIC 9(7)V99.
    05  SALES-DATE       PIC 9(8).
    05  SALES-AGENT      PIC X(15).
    05  FILLER           PIC X(5).
 
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01  CALCULATED-FIELDS.
    05  COMMISSION-RATE  PIC V999 VALUE .05.
    05  TAX-RATE         PIC V999 VALUE .08.
    05  WS-COMMISSION    PIC 9(5)V99.
    05  WS-TAX           PIC 9(5)V99.
    05  WS-NET-AMOUNT    PIC 9(7)V99.
01  EOF-FLAG            PIC X VALUE 'N'.
    88  END-OF-FILE       VALUE 'Y'.
 
REPORT SECTION.
RD  SALES-REPORT
    PAGE LIMIT IS 66 LINES
    HEADING 1
    FIRST DETAIL 8
    LAST DETAIL 60
    FOOTING 65
    CONTROL IS FINAL, SALES-REGION, SALES-STATE, SALES-CITY
    LINE COUNTER IS LINE-COUNT
    PAGE COUNTER IS PAGE-COUNT.
 
01  TYPE REPORT HEADING.
    05  LINE 1.
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC X(30) VALUE "ADVANCED SALES ANALYSIS REPORT".
        10  COLUMN 60    PIC X(10) VALUE "PAGE:".
        10  COLUMN 70    PIC ZZZ9  SOURCE PAGE-COUNTER.
    05  LINE 2.
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC X(20) VALUE "GENERATED ON:".
        10  COLUMN 46    PIC 99/99/9999 SOURCE CURRENT-DATE.
 
01  TYPE PAGE HEADING.
    05  LINE 5.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "CUSTOMER".
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC X(10) VALUE "REGION".
        10  COLUMN 40    PIC X(10) VALUE "STATE".
        10  COLUMN 55    PIC X(15) VALUE "CITY".
        10  COLUMN 75    PIC X(15) VALUE "SALES AMOUNT".
    05  LINE 6.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(80) VALUE ALL "-".
 
01  TYPE CONTROL HEADING SALES-REGION.
    05  LINE PLUS 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(10) VALUE "REGION:".
        10  COLUMN 12    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-REGION.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL HEADING SALES-STATE.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 5     PIC X(10) VALUE "STATE:".
        10  COLUMN 16    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-STATE.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL HEADING SALES-CITY.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 10    PIC X(10) VALUE "CITY:".
        10  COLUMN 21    PIC X(15) SOURCE SALES-CITY.
 
01  TYPE DETAIL.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) SOURCE CUSTOMER-NAME.
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-REGION.
        10  COLUMN 40    PIC X(2)  SOURCE SALES-STATE.
        10  COLUMN 55    PIC X(15) SOURCE SALES-CITY.
        10  COLUMN 75    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SOURCE SALES-AMOUNT
            WHEN SALES-AMOUNT > 50000
            HIGHLIGHT
            WHEN SALES-AMOUNT < 1000
            UNDERLINE.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING SALES-CITY.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 10    PIC X(15) VALUE "CITY TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 75    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
        10  COLUMN 90    PIC X(10) VALUE "COUNT:".
        10  COLUMN 101   PIC ZZZ9  SUM RECORD-COUNT.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING SALES-STATE.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 5     PIC X(15) VALUE "STATE TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 75    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
        10  COLUMN 90    PIC X(10) VALUE "AVG:".
        10  COLUMN 101   PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT / SUM RECORD-COUNT.
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING SALES-REGION.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(15) VALUE "REGION TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 75    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(80) VALUE ALL "=".
 
01  TYPE CONTROL FOOTING FINAL.
    05  LINE PLUS 2.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "GRAND TOTAL:".
        10  COLUMN 75    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "TOTAL RECORDS:".
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC ZZZ,ZZ9 SUM RECORD-COUNT.
    05  LINE PLUS 1.
        10  COLUMN 1     PIC X(20) VALUE "AVERAGE SALE:".
        10  COLUMN 25    PIC $,$$$,$$9.99 SUM SALES-AMOUNT / SUM RECORD-COUNT.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
MAIN-PROCESS.
    PERFORM INITIALIZATION
    PERFORM PROCESS-RECORDS UNTIL END-OF-FILE
    PERFORM FINALIZATION
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZATION.
    OPEN INPUT SALES-FILE
    OPEN OUTPUT REPORT-FILE
    INITIATE SALES-REPORT.
 
PROCESS-RECORDS.
    READ SALES-FILE
       AT END
          MOVE "Y" TO EOF-FLAG
       NOT AT END
          PERFORM CALCULATE-FIELDS
          GENERATE SALES-REPORT
    END-READ.
 
CALCULATE-FIELDS.
    COMPUTE WS-COMMISSION = SALES-AMOUNT * COMMISSION-RATE
    COMPUTE WS-TAX = SALES-AMOUNT * TAX-RATE
    COMPUTE WS-NET-AMOUNT = SALES-AMOUNT - WS-COMMISSION - WS-TAX.
 
FINALIZATION.
    TERMINATE SALES-REPORT
    CLOSE SALES-FILE
    CLOSE REPORT-FILE.

This advanced report demonstrates complex control breaks, calculations, conditional formatting, and comprehensive summary statistics.

Test Your Knowledge

1. What is the purpose of the Report Writer feature in COBOL?

  • To create database tables
  • To generate formatted reports with headers, footers, and control breaks
  • To process input files
  • To perform calculations

2. What is a Report Description (RD) entry?

  • A file description for report files
  • A description of the report layout and formatting rules
  • A working storage variable
  • A procedure division paragraph

3. What is a control break in Report Writer?

  • A page break that occurs automatically
  • A change in a control field value that triggers special processing
  • A program termination condition
  • A file error condition

4. Which Report Writer verb is used to generate a report line?

  • WRITE
  • GENERATE
  • PRINT
  • DISPLAY

5. What is the purpose of the FINAL clause in a Report Description?

  • To end the report
  • To specify final processing after all data has been processed
  • To define the last page of the report
  • To close the report file

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Concepts

File Processing

Understanding file operations for report data sources.

Data Division Sections

Overview of DATA DIVISION structure including REPORT SECTION.

File Description (FD)

Understanding file descriptions for input data.

Sequential File Operations

Processing sequential files for report generation.

Data Manipulation

Working with data fields and calculations for reports.

File ProcessingData Division Sections