Difference between SAS Data Step and SAS Proc Step

In SAS programming, a SAS Data Step is used to manipulate and process data at the observation level, while a SAS Proc Step is used to perform data analysis and reporting on datasets.

SAS Data Step:

• Primarily used for data manipulation and cleaning.
• Iterates through each observation in a dataset.
• Allows for data transformations, variable creation, and conditional logic.

SAS Proc Step:

• Used for data analysis and reporting.
• Operates on entire datasets as a whole.
• Enables statistical analysis, summarization, and visualization.

Understanding the distinction between a SAS Data Step and a SAS Proc Step is essential for efficient data handling and analysis in SAS programming.