---
title: "COBOL: Importance of 7th Column"
description: "COBOL 7th column you can use for different purposes. There are five real uses and it is important. Read more."
url: https://srinimf.com/2012/04/16/cobol-importance-of-7th-column/
date: 2012-04-16
modified: 2026-10-05
author: "Srini"
image: https://i0.wp.com/srinimf.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/pexels-photo-929661-e1523724411178.jpeg?fit=1671%2C1253&ssl=1
categories: ["COBOL"]
tags: ["COBOL debugging", "Cobol. Column 7", "Display Continue Next Line", "Importance of Column '7' in debugging"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# COBOL: Importance of 7th Column

In [COBOL program](https://srinimf.com/2016/07/30/2-brainy-tips-saving-memory-in-cobol/) coding starts at position 8 and up to 72nd position. Given here the [7th column](https://srinimf.com/2015/08/24/mainframe-cobol-debugging-mode-d-in-7th-column/) in COBOL you can use it for five different uses. Here, I have also added how to use Display continue to [next line](https://srinimf.com/2017/12/08/jcl-three-popular-ideas-to-continuation/).

*There are two areas in COBOL you need to focus. One is **Margin A** and the other one is **Margin B**.*

## **Margin A **

It starts from position 8. Usually entries of DIVISION and Para name starts from column 8.

## **Margin B**

We code all [procedure division](https://srinimf.com/2015/10/16/frequently-happen-cobol-compilation-errors/) statements, and all other sentences at position 12.

## **Importance of 7th Column**

- ‘*’ this will be used to give comments. Compiler ignores this line.
- ‘/’ this is the instruction to compiler. When you want to print the program, the code will move to next page. In real-time projects many people are giving at the end of the para-just for coding clarity.
- ‘-‘ **Hyphen is used for continuation lines**. That means you can continue a string into next line. See the below example how you can use hyphen ‘-‘ in 7th column.

```
^^^^^^  move 'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaabbbbbbbbbbbbbaaaaaa
^^^^^^-       'cccccccccccccccc'     to variable_name
```

- Sequence numbers 1-6: It is optional. In some projects giving sequence number in their COBOL code. But in some projects it is not mandatory.
- ‘D’  we code it at 7th position for debugging purpose. But,this will anyway be ignored by compiler. The usage you can see when you use debugging tools.

Also Read

- [Read more on COBOL debugging](http://srinimf.com/2015/05/29/2-more-ideas-on-cobol-debugging/).

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