Specify the key field (example 1)

In the logical file, the records from the two physical files can be merged together and sequenced by employee identification number (EMPNBR) by specifying EMPNBR in key position 1.

|...+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8
00010A          R CLSHST                    PFILE(CLSHSTP)
00020A          K EMPNBR  1
00030A          K CLSDTE  2
00040A*
00050A          R JOBHST                    PFILE(JOBHSTP)
00060A          K EMPNBR  1
00070A          K JOBDTE  2
     A

All records that have the same key value for EMPNBR pertain to the same employee. To merge and sequence all records for a given employee into a single history of classes and job assignments, specify CLSDTE (date of class) and JOBDTE (date of job assignment) in key position 2 for the two record formats, as shown in the Using *NONE in the key field when creating a DDS file topic.

Suppose that the job assignment dates and class dates are the dates (month/year) that the class or assignment started. Records for three students are retrieved in the following order:

The above report provides a continuous history for each student.