To provide support for mainframe source data, you can import a COBOL file as a source definition in the Designer. COBOL files are fixed-width files that may contain text and binary data. PowerCenter supports the following code pages for COBOL files:

You can import shift-sensitive COBOL files that do not contain shift keys. Define the shift states for each column in the COBOL source definition.

COBOL sources often denormalize data and compact the equivalent of separate table records into a single record. You use the Normalizer transformation to normalize these records in the mapping.

After you import a COBOL source definition, review and configure the COBOL file to create record groups. COBOL files often represent the functional equivalent of multiple source tables within the same set of records. When you review the structure of the COBOL file, you can adjust the description to identify which groups of fields constitute a single pseudo-table.