In fixed source form, a source line has columns divided into fields for statement labels, continuation indicators, statement text, and sequence numbers. Each column represents a single character.
The column positions for each field follow:
| Field | Column |
| Statement label | 1 through 5 |
| Continuation indicator | 6 |
| Statement | 7 through 72 (or 132 with a compiler option) |
| Sequence number | 73 through 80 |
By default, a sequence number or other identifying information can appear in columns 73 through 80 of any fixed-format line in a Compaq Fortran program. The compiler ignores the characters in this field.
If you extend the statement field to position 132, the sequence number field does not exist.