Tables, OCCURS, Indexes, SEARCH, and Business Data Collections
Work with repeated data structures in COBOL using tables and search-oriented patterns.
Inside this chapter
- What OCCURS Does
- Indexes and Subscripting
- SEARCH and SEARCH ALL
- Why This Matters in Enterprise Programs
- Practical Example
Series navigation
Study the chapters in order for the clearest path from COBOL basics to enterprise batch processing, operational context, and modernization strategy. Use the navigation at the bottom to move smoothly through the full tutorial series.
What OCCURS Does
01 SALES-TABLE.
05 SALES-ENTRY OCCURS 12 TIMES.
10 MONTH-AMOUNT PIC 9(5).OCCURS defines repeated fields or table-like structures. This is important for schedules, monthly values, lookup sets, and grouped business entries.
Indexes and Subscripting
COBOL provides ways to access table entries either by numeric position or indexed navigation. These features are useful in lookup operations and repeated data processing.
SEARCH and SEARCH ALL
Sequential or binary-style searches over sorted tables are common when COBOL programs need to match codes, categories, rate tables, or rule definitions.
Why This Matters in Enterprise Programs
Many business systems rely on lookup tables for tax rates, policy categories, branch codes, employee classifications, and product rules. Understanding table handling is therefore a practical intermediate COBOL skill.
Practical Example
A loan calculation program may search a rate table based on loan type and term before computing the repayment schedule. That kind of table-driven processing appears frequently in enterprise applications.