o The copy operation takes place when the new record is compiled, not when it is copied into a program. When you modify a template record, you should recompile any record definitions that contain COPY field descriptions copying the modified template record. o The COPY field description statement copies a complete record, a template record, into a single field. o The COPY field description statement copies the description of the template record as the description of the COPY field. If the first subordinate field of the template record is a BIT field, the first subordinate field of the COPY field begins on the first bit immediately following the preceding field. Otherwise, the COPY field begins on the first byte immediately following the preceding field. You can modify this starting position with the ALIGNED clause o If you specify an absolute version number in the path name parameter, CDDL copies the version of the template record with that version number each time you compile the record description containing the COPY field. If you do not specify a version number, CDDL copies the highest version of the template record each time you compile the record description. o In the COPY field, the field name you assign replaces the field name copied from the field description statement of the template record. o When the CDDL compiler compiles a record definition containing a COPY field description, it automatically makes an entry documenting the copy operation in the history list of the template record, whether or not you use the /AUDIT qualifier.