In this post, you’ll learn about the COBOL runtime Error Code 163 and the reason why you are receiving it
COBOL Error Code :
163
Reason for this Error in COBOL
Illegal character in numeric field (Fatal) -By default the value which you enter into a numeric or numeric edited field is checked to ensure that it is numeric. You have entered either nonnumeric characters or uninitialized numerics into numeric or numeric edited fields: these are automatically space filled and are thus classified as nonnumeric items. -You must adjust your code so that no invalid data is used. You can locate the invalid numeric data in your code by setting the +F switch on, and animating your program until you receive this error. You might need to use one of the Compiler directives, BADSIGNS, HOST-NUMCOMPARE, SIGNCOMPARE or SPZERO, to resolve invalid data in numeric fields. See your object COBOL User Guide for details of these directives.