Section

A section consists of a section header optionally followed by one or more paragraphs. A section-header is a section-name followed by: the keyword SECTION, an optional segment-number, and a separator period. The section-header must begin in Area A. Segment-numbers are explained in the IBM® Rational® Development Studio for i: ILE COBOL Programmer's Guide.

A section-name is a user-defined word that identifies a section. If referenced, a section-name must be unique within the program in which it is defined, because it cannot be qualified.

A section ends immediately before the next section header, or at the end of the Procedure Division, or, in the declaratives portion, at the keywords END DECLARATIVES.