topic Re: Conversion from Character to Numeric (Accounting Numbers) in SAS Programming

Conversion from Character to Numeric (Accounting Numbers)

01SASUser — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 07:25:09 GMT

I use the INPUT function in order for me to convert character to numeric variable:

Ex:

(INPUT(txt_to_numeric,23.)) as txt_to_numeric length = 8

However, I am having an issue converting it to numeric. If the character variable is enclosed in parenthesis, in accounting term this is a negative value, the input function does not read it as a negative value but rather it reads it as NULL.

May I know how to revise my code such that if the character value is (5) for example, it will convert it to numeric value as -5? Thanks.

Re: Conversion from Character to Numeric (Accounting Numbers)

jakarman — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 08:17:06 GMT

The IBAN (International Bank Account Number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) is a number? Come on, it is containing LETTERS.

Numbers in SAS are float https://support.sas.com/techsup/technote/ts654.pdf keep them on length 8 as it is the default and standard Double-precision floating-point format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia implemented by Intel and other chip-baking processors (CPU).

When you are happy with a precision of meaningfull 12 digits (not those 23) you can use it. Needing more precision you could investigate proc ds2.

Reading numeric goes by informats, there are a lot of them including commax. SAS(R) 9.4 Formats and Informats: Reference (reading those () )

When there as a dedicated format needed you can create that using proc format / fcmp

Re: Conversion from Character to Numeric (Accounting Numbers)

Kurt_Bremser — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 08:17:45 GMT

Don't know out of my head if there is an informat for this. You may have to do the conversion manually. Replace the leading "(" with "-", omit the trailing ")".

Re: Conversion from Character to Numeric (Accounting Numbers)

Vladislaff — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 08:25:05 GMT

You can try the comma. informat.

(INPUT(txt_to_numeric,COMMA23.)) as txt_to_numeric length = 8

Re: Conversion from Character to Numeric (Accounting Numbers)

Ksharp — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 12:38:29 GMT

Use another informat:

data have;
input x percent.;
cards;
5
(5)
4
9
;
run;

Xia Keshan