# COBOL import properties

* Character encoding: Specify the character encoding for the data to be processed. For more information, see [Character encoding](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/data-mapper-user-guide/8.0/character-encoding).
* Free form (no sequence numbers): Select this check box if your COBOL copybook uses the free form format.
* Start column: Specify the start column. The default value is 7, which is the start column in traditional COBOL structures.
* End column: Specify the end column. The default value is 72, which is the end column in traditional COBOL structures.
* Should reference structures be created alongside the main structure?: Select this check box if you want to create a structure for each record in your COBOL copybook. These structures will then be used in the main structure containing all records.

![COBOL Import Properties dialog box.](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/data-mapper-user-guide/Resources/images/cobol_import_properties.png)