The SAS data step is the most important step of a SAS program and corresponds to the step where the data are created. This tips and tricks guides you on the major statements of this step allowing you to create data in the best way.

In SAS, almost all the data manipulation can be done. This flexibility is possible thanks to the data step, a piece of SAS code allowing you to create and manipulate data ! In this tips and tricks, we will see the main statements of this step allowing you to access, manipulate and create data:

• Read data using set statement,
• Create data using the data statement
• Filter data using the where statement,
• Select the variables using the KEEP and DROP statements,
• Create new variable with the assignment statement,
• Create variable Conditionally with the logic and logic,

We will also see how we can add label, specify the type, the length and add format to the variables. In the introduction of the tips and tricks, we will see how to create data using datalines statement and how to import or export data using proc import and proc export. Finally, the explanation and creation of the SAS libraries will be discussed.

You don't have experience in SAS and would like to be introduced to the data step programming language.