DBLOAD Procedure

RENAME Statement

Renames DBMS columns

Requirements: The column-name argument must be a valid DBMS column name.
If the column name includes lowercase characters, special characters, or national characters, you must enclose the column name in single or double quotation marks. If no quotation marks are used, the DBMS column name is created in uppercase. Use rename 3='"employeename"' syntax to preserve case.
Interactions: DELETE, LABEL, RESET
The RENAME statement overrides the LABEL statement for columns that are renamed.
Notes: This statement changes the names of the DBMS columns that are associated with the listed SAS variables.
If you omit the RENAME statement, all DBMS column names default to the corresponding SAS variable names unless you specify the LABEL statement.
Tip: You can list as many variables as you want in one RENAME statement.COLUMN is an alias for the RENAME statement.
Example: You can use this statement to include variables that you have previously deleted, as shown in this example: 
delete 3;
rename 3=empname;
The DELETE statement drops the third variable. The RENAME statement includes the third variable and assigns the name EMPNAME and the default column type to it.

Syntax

Required Arguments

variable-identifier

specifies either the SAS variable name or the positional equivalent from the LIST statement. The positional equivalent is the number that represents where to place the variable in the data set. For example, submit rename 3=employeename; if you want to rename the column associated with the third SAS variable.

column-name

indicates a new column name for the specified variable.

Last updated: February 3, 2026