The record layout starts at position 1, with the Ispec data in screen format. This formatting process is your responsibility.

The order and property lengths must match those shown in the file that is automatically generated for your application and named as follows:

          system/LINCOFF

Ignore the initial filler property shown as PIC X(152), and start each record as for the first line of the screen, commencing with the 5-character Ispec name, then the alphabetic value of O (for Offline) in the GLB-SOURCE property, and so on. Values of all other items, including standard information, should be set as required.

Direct your formatted data to a tape called database, unless file equation is to be used.

Any properties that require a decimal point to be entered by the operator (that is, those numeric items to which the DECIMALS.KEYED; Data attribute applies, either explicitly or by default) must contain a physical decimal point in the correct position in the input string.

For example, an attribute SELLPRICE might be defined in Agile Business Suite as follows:

DA; SELLPRICE EDIT; NUMERIC LENGTH; 8 DECIMAL; 4

This attribute is defined in the LINCOFF file in the following COBOL syntax:

05 PRODSELLPRICE PIC 9(5)V9(4)

If the DECIMALS.KEYED; data attribute is applied there is an extra filler at the front of the property to allow for it. This emulates the way in which a decimal point is entered on the screen for an application. The following example of COBOL syntax shows the filler:

 05 PRODSELLPRICE.
		10 FIRSTFOUR PIC 9(4).
		10 DECLPOINT PIC X VALUE(.).
		10 LASTFOUR PIC 9(4).

For attributes defined with separators, the property size allows for the optional input of the separator character.

For signed numeric attributes, the PICTURE clause in the COBOL format file is built with a leading S. You must remove the S before you insert the format file into a COBOL program that prepares data for input to your application.