suresh Explaining the Difference between MERGE and APPEND in SAS
When working in SAS, it is essential to understand the distinction between the MERGE and APPEND functions.
MERGE
The MERGE statement in SAS is used to combine datasets by matching the values of one or more variables. It creates a new dataset by merging the observations from the input datasets based on the specified criteria.
APPEND
On the other hand, the APPEND statement in SAS is used to simply stack or append one dataset below another. It does not require any matching criteria and simply adds the observations from one dataset to the end of another.
Therefore, the key difference between MERGE and APPEND in SAS is that MERGE combines datasets based on specified conditions, while APPEND simply stacks datasets without any matching criteria.
Understanding when to use each function is crucial for data manipulation and analysis in SAS.
For further clarification and practical examples, refer to SAS documentation or consult with SAS experts.
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