A scroll area is storage that window services provides for your use. This storage is outside your program’s storage area and is accessible only through window services.

For a permanent object, a scroll area is optional. A scroll area allows you to make interim changes to a permanent object without altering the object on DASD. Later, if you want, you can update the object on DASD with the interim changes. A scroll area might also improve performance when your program accesses a permanent object.

For a temporary object, the scroll area is the object. Therefore, for a temporary object, a scroll area is required.