---
title: "Indexed Vs. Sorted Files in COBOL: Top Differences"
description: "Indexed file is not the same as sorted file. In COBOL this is tricky concept. Read more."
url: https://srinimf.com/2018/08/13/cobol-indexed-vs-sort-top-differences-you-need-to-know/
date: 2018-08-13
modified: 2026-10-09
author: "Srini"
image: https://i0.wp.com/srinimf.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/indexed-vs-soreted-file.jpg?fit=1200%2C700&ssl=1
categories: ["COBOL"]
tags: ["COBOL Tips and Tricks", "Indexed Vs Sort key differences"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Indexed Vs. Sorted Files in COBOL: Top Differences

To create an indexed file you need a **Key**. To create a Sorted file, you need to **order** the records. The typical differences between these two files are Order and Key.

---

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## Indexed file Vs Sorted file

### Indexed file

- Indexed files use a **primary key field** to identify the records of an original file in a database. A primary key field is a unique field. An[indexed file](https://srinimf.com/2011/06/27/cobol-index-and-subscript/) consists of actual records sorted based on the primary key field value
- An indexed file also consists of alternate keys, which build the alternate index. Unlike primary keys, the alternate keys in an indexed file do not have actual records.
- The advantage of primary key field values is that because of the indexing of actual records, you require only one input-output operation to access records in an indexed file

Related[COBOL: How to Write INPUT and OUTPUT Procedures](https://srinimf.com/2012/03/12/cobol-release-and-return-in-sort/)

### Sorted file

- Sorting is like placing records either in **ascending or descending order based on KEY**
- **For example, sorting payroll-file with an employee identification number** in ascending order is called Soring. Here, employee identification is KEY.
- Sorting is possible to do on multiple keys like ID and Department
- When you sort a sequential file, its records are stored on the hard disk and you can only access them serially. It is not possible to access all the records of a file simultaneously.

**Also Read**

- [COBOL: Alternative Key Vs Index](https://srinimf.com/2015/08/07/cobol-alternative-key-vs-alternative-index/)DateAugust 7, 2015
- [COBOL Sequential Vs. Indexed: These are Top Differences](https://srinimf.com/2022/02/05/how-to-write-a-cobol-program-using-sequential-and-indexed-files/)DateFebruary 5, 2022
- [COBOL: How to Create a VB Array](https://srinimf.com/2020/04/26/cobol-how-to-create-a-vb-array/)DateApril 26, 2020

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