When user labels are processed as data, the group of user labels, as well as the data set, is subject to the normal processing done by the utility program. You can have labels printed or punched by IEBPTPCH, compared by IEBCOMPR, or copied by IEBGENER.

To specify that user labels are to be processed as data, include a LABELS statement in the job step that is to process user labels as data.

There is no direct relationship between the LABELS statement and the EXITS statement. Either or both can appear in the control statement stream for an execution of a utility program. If there are user label-processing routines, however, their return codes may influence the processing of the labels as data. In addition, a user output label-processing routine can override the action of a LABELS statement because it receives control before each output label is written. At this time, the label created by the utility as a result of the LABELS statement is in the label buffer, and your routine can modify it.