COBOL

The COBOL course is an 80-hour course. It covers the following: Basic COBOL data concepts, arithmetic and conditional statements, program design, file handling, editing fields, control breaks, Copy statement, array and table handling, Call Statement, duplicate check concepts and field validation. It also discusses component testing concepts.

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Course Objectives 

After completing this course, students should be able to:

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• Code and test programs using Mainframe Express. 

• Process sequential files. 

• Describe fields, records, and files to COBOL.  

• Correctly use the most common COBOL verbs in their various forms. 

• Use the following techniques in designing or coding COBOL programs:

  • Data editing, including the use of currency symbols. 

  • Loop control and switch setting and testing. 

  • Move mode and locate mode processing. 

  • Pseudocoding as a design tool. 

  • The COBOL COPY statement. 

• Code COBOL code using programming standards. 

• Define numeric data items in COBOL. 

• Use the COBOL arithmetic verbs ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE, and COMPUTE. 

• Code and test COBOL programs to create reports, including page break processing and control breaks.

• Code and test COBOL programs to perform batch transaction processing using match-merge logic (sequential processing of transaction and master files), including update in place for sequential disk files. 

• Use the following techniques in designing or coding COBOL programs:

  • Top-down development.

  • Structured programming. 

  • Pseudocoding as a design tool. 

  • Modular design. 

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Who Should Attend 

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This training is highly recommended for experienced programmers who need to learn COBOL as a second language. Entry-level programmers learning COBOL as their first programming language are also welcome to attend.

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Course Content 

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1. Introduction 

   • Mainframe Express

   • JCL

   • JCL Exercise

   • Intro to Cobol

2. Cobol Program Divisions

3. Basic Cobol Data Concepts

4. Arithmetic and Conditional Statements

5. Program Designs

   • Algorithm Exercises

6. Basic Cobol Statements (Verbs for File Handling). 

   • Handling Sequential Files 

   • Case 1 - Inventory List Report

7. Page Break 

   • Case 2 - Revised Inventory List Report

8. Edited Fields 

   • Formatting - Details, Columns, Footer

9. Component Testing

   • Component Testing Exercises

10. Control Break

11. Copy Statement

12. Array and Table Handling

    • Case 5 - Revised Sales Commission Report

13. Call Statement/ Multi-modular Programming

    • Case 6 - Revised Sales Commission Report

14. Duplicate Check Concept 

    • Case 7 - AR Transaction Posting Program

15. Field Validation

    • Case 8 - Revised AR Transaction Posting Program

16. Relational validation and VSAM Files 

    • Case 9 - Revised AR Transaction Posting Program