DATA Step Statements by Category

In addition to being either executable or declarative, SAS DATA step statements can be grouped into these functional categories:

Categories of DATA Step Statements
Statements Category		Functionality
Action		Creates and modifies variables. Selects only certain observations to process in the DATA step. Looks for errors in the input data. Works with observations as they are being created. See Action for a list of statements.
CAS		Specifies statements that run on the CAS server. See CAS for a list of statements.
Control		Skips statements for certain observations. Changes the order that statements are executed. Transfers control from one part of a program to another. See Control for a list of statements.
File-Handling		Works with files used as input to the data set. Works with files to be written by the DATA step. See File-Handling for a list of statements.
Information		Gives SAS additional information about the program data vector. Gives SAS additional information about the data set or data sets that are being created. See Information for a list of statements.
Window Display		Displays and customizes windows. See Window Display for a list of statements.

Some statements run in SAS only, and some statements run in SAS and on the CAS server. If CAS is specified for the statement category, then the statement runs in SAS and on the CAS server. If CAS is not specified for the statement category, then the statement runs in SAS only. For example, the DO statement runs in SAS and on the CAS server, so CAS is specified as a category. The ABORT statement runs in SAS only, so CAS is not specified as a category.

This table lists and briefly describes the DATA step statements by category.

Category	Language Elements	Description
Action	ABORT Statement	Stops executing the current DATA step, SAS job, or SAS session.
	Assignment Statement	Evaluates an expression and stores the result in a variable.
	CALL Statement	Invokes a SAS CALL routine.
	DELETE Statement	Stops processing the current observation.
	DESCRIBE Statement	Retrieves source code from a stored compiled DATA step program or a DATA step view.
	ERROR Statement	Sets _ERROR_ to 1. A message written to the SAS log is optional.
	EXECUTE Statement	Executes a stored compiled DATA step program.
	IF Statement: Subsetting	Continues processing only those observations that meet the condition of the specified expression.
	LIST Statement	Writes to the SAS log the input data record for the observation that is being processed.
	LOSTCARD Statement	Resynchronizes the input data when SAS encounters a missing or invalid record in data that has multiple records per observation.
	OUTPUT Statement	Writes the current observation to a SAS data set.
	PUTLOG Statement	Writes a message to the SAS log.
	REDIRECT Statement	Points to different input or output SAS data sets when you execute a stored program.
	REMOVE Statement	Deletes an observation from a SAS data set.
	REPLACE Statement	Replaces an observation in the same location.
	STOP Statement	Stops execution of the current DATA step.
	Sum Statement	Adds the result of an expression to an accumulator variable.
	WHERE Statement	Selects observations from SAS data sets that meet a particular condition.
CAS	ARRAY Statement	Defines the elements of an array.
	Array Reference Statement	Describes the elements in an array to be processed.
	Assignment Statement	Evaluates an expression and stores the result in a variable.
	ATTRIB Statement	Associates a format, informat, label, and length with one or more variables.
	BY Statement	Controls the operation of a SET, MERGE, MODIFY, or UPDATE statement in the DATA step and sets up special grouping variables.
	CALL Statement	Invokes a SAS CALL routine.
	CONTINUE Statement	Stops processing the current DO-loop iteration and resumes processing the next iteration.
	DATA Statement	Begins a DATA step and provides names for any output such as SAS data sets, views, or programs.
	DELETE Statement	Stops processing the current observation.
	DO Statement	Specifies a group of statements to be executed as a unit.
	DO Statement: Iterative	Executes statements between the DO and END statements repetitively, based on the value of an index variable.
	DO UNTIL Statement	Executes statements in a DO loop repetitively until a condition is true.
	DO WHILE Statement	Executes statements in a DO loop repetitively while a condition is true.
	DROP Statement	Excludes variables from output SAS data sets.
	END Statement	Ends DO group or SELECT group processing.
	ERROR Statement	Sets _ERROR_ to 1. A message written to the SAS log is optional.
	FILE Statement	Specifies the current output file for PUT statements.
	FORMAT Statement	Associates formats with variables.
	GOTO Statement	Directs program execution immediately to the statement label that is specified and, if followed by a RETURN statement, returns execution to the beginning of the DATA step.
	IF Statement: Subsetting	Continues processing only those observations that meet the condition of the specified expression.
	IF-THEN/ELSE Statement	Executes a SAS statement for observations that meet specific conditions.
	INFORMAT Statement	Associates informats with variables.
	KEEP Statement	Specifies the variables to include in output SAS data sets.
	LABEL Statement	Assigns descriptive labels to variables.
	Label: Statement	Identifies a statement that is referred to by another statement.
	LEAVE Statement	Stops processing the current loop and resumes with the next statement in the sequence.
	LENGTH Statement	Specifies the number of bytes for storing character and numeric variables, or the number of characters for storing VARCHAR variables.
	LINK Statement	Directs program execution immediately to the statement label that is specified and, if followed by a RETURN statement, returns execution to the statement that follows the LINK statement.
	LIST Statement	Writes to the SAS log the input data record for the observation that is being processed.
	LOSTCARD Statement	Resynchronizes the input data when SAS encounters a missing or invalid record in data that has multiple records per observation.
	MERGE Statement	Joins observations from two or more SAS data sets into a single observation.
	OUTPUT Statement	Writes the current observation to a SAS data set.
	PUT Statement	Writes lines to the SAS log, to the SAS output window, or to an external location that is specified in the most recent FILE statement.
	PUT Statement: Column	Writes variable values in the specified columns in the output line.
	PUT Statement: Formatted	Writes variable values with the specified format in the output line.
	PUT Statement: List	Writes variable values and the specified character strings in the output line.
	PUT Statement: Named	Writes variable values after the variable name and an equal sign.
	PUTLOG Statement	Writes a message to the SAS log.
	RENAME Statement	Specifies new names for variables in output SAS data sets.
	RETAIN Statement	Causes a variable that is created by an INPUT or assignment statement to retain its value from one iteration of the DATA step to the next.
	RETURN Statement	Stops executing statements at the current point in the DATA step and returns to a predetermined point in the step.
	SELECT Statement	Executes one of several statements or groups of statements.
	SET Statement	Reads an observation from one or more SAS data sets.
	STOP Statement	Stops execution of the current DATA step.
	Sum Statement	Adds the result of an expression to an accumulator variable.
	WHERE Statement	Selects observations from SAS data sets that meet a particular condition.
Control	CONTINUE Statement	Stops processing the current DO-loop iteration and resumes processing the next iteration.
	DO Statement	Specifies a group of statements to be executed as a unit.
	DO Statement: Iterative	Executes statements between the DO and END statements repetitively, based on the value of an index variable.
	DO UNTIL Statement	Executes statements in a DO loop repetitively until a condition is true.
	DO WHILE Statement	Executes statements in a DO loop repetitively while a condition is true.
	END Statement	Ends DO group or SELECT group processing.
	GOTO Statement	Directs program execution immediately to the statement label that is specified and, if followed by a RETURN statement, returns execution to the beginning of the DATA step.
	IF-THEN/ELSE Statement	Executes a SAS statement for observations that meet specific conditions.
	Label: Statement	Identifies a statement that is referred to by another statement.
	LEAVE Statement	Stops processing the current loop and resumes with the next statement in the sequence.
	LINK Statement	Directs program execution immediately to the statement label that is specified and, if followed by a RETURN statement, returns execution to the statement that follows the LINK statement.
	RETURN Statement	Stops executing statements at the current point in the DATA step and returns to a predetermined point in the step.
	SELECT Statement	Executes one of several statements or groups of statements.
File-Handling	BY Statement	Controls the operation of a SET, MERGE, MODIFY, or UPDATE statement in the DATA step and sets up special grouping variables.
	CARDS Statement	Specifies that lines of data follow the statement.
	CARDS4 Statement	Specifies that the lines of data that follow the statement contain internal semicolons.
	DATA Statement	Begins a DATA step and provides names for any output such as SAS data sets, views, or programs.
	DATALINES Statement	Specifies that lines of data follow the statement.
	DATALINES4 Statement	Specifies that the lines of data that follow the statement contain internal semicolons.
	FILE Statement	Specifies the current output file for PUT statements.
	INFILE Statement	Specifies an external file to read with an INPUT statement.
	INPUT Statement	Describes the arrangement of values in the input data record and assigns input values to the corresponding SAS variables.
	INPUT Statement: Column	Reads input values from specified columns and assigns the values to the corresponding SAS variables.
	INPUT Statement: Formatted	Reads input values with specified informats and assigns them to the corresponding SAS variables.
	INPUT Statement: List	Scans the input data record for input values and assigns them to the corresponding SAS variables.
	INPUT Statement: Named	Reads data values that appear after a variable name that is followed by an equal sign and assigns the values to corresponding SAS variables.
	MERGE Statement	Joins observations from two or more SAS data sets into a single observation.
	MODIFY Statement	Replaces, deletes, and appends observations in an existing SAS data set in place but does not create an additional copy.
	PUT Statement	Writes lines to the SAS log, to the SAS output window, or to an external location that is specified in the most recent FILE statement.
	PUT Statement: Column	Writes variable values in the specified columns in the output line.
	PUT Statement: Formatted	Writes variable values with the specified format in the output line.
	PUT Statement: List	Writes variable values and the specified character strings in the output line.
	PUT Statement: Named	Writes variable values after the variable name and an equal sign.
	SET Statement	Reads an observation from one or more SAS data sets.
	UPDATE Statement	Updates a master file by applying transactions.
Information	ARRAY Statement	Defines the elements of an array.
	Array Reference Statement	Describes the elements in an array to be processed.
	ATTRIB Statement	Associates a format, informat, label, and length with one or more variables.
	DROP Statement	Excludes variables from output SAS data sets.
	FORMAT Statement	Associates formats with variables.
	INFORMAT Statement	Associates informats with variables.
	KEEP Statement	Specifies the variables to include in output SAS data sets.
	LABEL Statement	Assigns descriptive labels to variables.
	LENGTH Statement	Specifies the number of bytes for storing character and numeric variables, or the number of characters for storing VARCHAR variables.
	RENAME Statement	Specifies new names for variables in output SAS data sets.
	RETAIN Statement	Causes a variable that is created by an INPUT or assignment statement to retain its value from one iteration of the DATA step to the next.
Window Display	DISPLAY Statement	Displays a window that is created with the WINDOW statement.
Window Display	WINDOW Statement	Creates customized windows for your applications.

Last updated: June 17, 2025