https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/macro-resolution/m-p/75461#M16253 Thanks for the tip! Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:35:01 GMT SASPhile 2009-10-12T18:35:01Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/macro-resolution/m-p/75459#M16251 macro wksht resolves to 'Data Template$' (with quotes around it).<BR /> when i run the following i get an error:<BR /> <BR /> %macro test;<BR /> proc sql;<BR /> connect to excel (path="&amp;inpt.\Nationwide Childrens Hospital 2009 08.xls"<BR /> header=no mixed=yes );<BR /> <BR /> create table NationwideChildern as<BR /> select * from connection to excel <BR /> %if %substr(%superQ(wksht),1,1) = %str(%') %then %do;<BR /> (select * from [%sysfunc(dequote(%superQ(wksht)))]);<BR /> %end;<BR /> %else %do;<BR /> (select * from [&amp;wksht]);<BR /> %end; <BR /> disconnect from excel;<BR /> quit;<BR /> %mend test;<BR /> %test;<BR /> <BR /> <BR /> <BR /> ERROR: A character operand was found in the %EVAL function or %IF condition where a numeric operand is required. The condition was: %substr(%superQ(wksht),1,1) = '<BR /> ERROR: The macro TEST will stop executing Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:58:32 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/macro-resolution/m-p/75459#M16251 SASPhile 2009-10-12T14:58:32Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/macro-resolution/m-p/75460#M16252 try %Qsubstr Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:02:43 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/macro-resolution/m-p/75460#M16252 data_null__ 2009-10-12T15:02:43Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/macro-resolution/m-p/75461#M16253 Thanks for the tip! Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:35:01 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/macro-resolution/m-p/75461#M16253 SASPhile 2009-10-12T18:35:01Z