Definition

Using the DATA step is the primary method for creating a SAS data set with base SAS software. There are two kinds of SAS data sets: SAS data files and SAS data views. A SAS data file contains both a data portion and a data descriptor portion. A SAS data view uses descriptor information and data from other files. A DATA step is a group of SAS language statements that begin with a DATA statement. The DATA statement is followed by other programming statements that manipulate existing SAS data sets or create SAS data sets from raw data files.

You can use the DATA step for

creating SAS data sets (SAS data files or SAS data views)
creating SAS data sets from input files that contain raw data (external files)
creating new SAS data sets from existing ones by subsetting, merging, modifying, and updating existing SAS data sets
analyzing, manipulating, or presenting your data
computing the values for new variables
report writing, or writing files to disk or tape
retrieving information
file management.

Note: A DATA step creates a SAS data set. This data set can be a SAS data file or a SAS data view. A SAS data file stores data values while a SAS data view stores instructions for retrieving and processing data. When you can use a SAS data view as a SAS data file, as is true in most cases, this book uses the broader term SAS data set. [cautionend]

Note: In addition to the DATA step, several procedures in base SAS software create a SAS data set as part of their output. You can also use the FSEDIT and FSVIEW procedures in SAS/FSP to create and edit SAS data sets. [cautionend]

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