Work Fields

Work fields are fields that are not stored in a record format but can be manipulated by processes in APPX (usually through the use of statements). A work field has no sequence number and no relationship to any files, records, or other work fields.

You use work fields to display values that are not stored, such as a calculated line item amount (quantity multiplied by price) or a constant value like π (pi). You can manipulate work fields in much the same fashion as any other field, with a few exceptions:

• You cannot save a value in a work field after a process completes. To save a value, it must be copied into a field in a record that is stored in a file.
• You cannot define a group of work fields because they are not arranged in any particular order or sequence.
• Work fields cannot be keys because they are not part of a record structure within a file.

Refer to Chapter 2-5: Work Fields for additional information.