When the Report Writer feature is used, data movement to a report group is directed by report section clauses rather than Procedure Division statements. The report section clauses that affect the manipulation of data are the SOURCE, SUM, and VALUE clauses.
The SOURCE clause specifies the sending data item of an implicit MOVE statement. The receiving printable item is defined by the description of the report group item in which the SOURCE clause appears.
The SUM clause automatically causes the establishment of a sum counter. The object of the SUM clause names the data item(s) which are added to the sum counter when a GENERATE statement is executed. The moving of the sum counter contents to the receiving printable item, defined by the description of the report group item in which the SUM clause appears, is accomplished automatically when that report group is presented.
The VALUE clause defines a literal that appears in the printable item of a report group each time that report group is to be presented.
In summary, a data item in a report group is presented only if it has a COLUMN NUMBER clause specifying where it is to be presented. The value that is placed in a printable item is determined by the SOURCE, SUM, or VALUE clause stated in the report group description. Under no circumstances can a report group printable item receive a value directly via a Procedure Division statement.