SAS Output

The Battle of the Titans: DATA Step versus PROC SQL

September 24, 2024: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Intermediate & Advanced SAS Skills, Salon A

Authors	Abstract
Kirk Paul Lafler, Charu Shankar, Richann Jean Watson, Josh Horstman	Should I use the DATA step or PROC SQL to process my data? Which approach will give me the control, flexibility, and scale to process data exactly the way I want it? Which approach is easier to use? Which approach offers the greatest power and capabilities? And which approach is better? If you have these and other questions about the pros and cons of the DATA step versus PROC SQL, this presentation is for you. We will discuss, using real-life scenarios, the strengths (and even a few weaknesses) of the two most powerful and widely used data processing approaches in SAS® (as we see it). We will provide you with the knowledge you need to make that difficult decision about which approach to use to process all that data you have.

Kirk Paul Lafler, Charu Shankar, Richann Jean Watson, Josh Horstman

Should I use the DATA step or PROC SQL to process my data? Which approach will give me the control, flexibility, and scale to process data exactly the way I want it? Which approach is easier to use? Which approach offers the greatest power and capabilities? And which approach is better? If you have these and other questions about the pros and cons of the DATA step versus PROC SQL, this presentation is for you. We will discuss, using real-life scenarios, the strengths (and even a few weaknesses) of the two most powerful and widely used data processing approaches in SAS® (as we see it). We will provide you with the knowledge you need to make that difficult decision about which approach to use to process all that data you have.

Paper