https://communities.sas.com/t5/Statistical-Procedures/Data-management/m-p/59275#M2747 I have a variable that looks like this:<BR /> <BR /> Cohort<BR /> ----------<BR /> 3<BR /> .<BR /> .<BR /> 4<BR /> .<BR /> .<BR /> <BR /> <BR /> I have three waves of data for each participant. I want to turn the 'cohort' variable into a 'time-invariant' variable. Is there syntax to make my variable 'cohort' look like this (I basically want to copy the first value for 'cohort' for each successive wave for each participant):<BR /> <BR /> Cohort<BR /> ---------<BR /> 3<BR /> 3<BR /> 3<BR /> 4<BR /> 4<BR /> 4 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:37:22 GMT deleted_user 2010-08-02T15:37:22Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/Statistical-Procedures/Data-management/m-p/59275#M2747 I have a variable that looks like this:<BR /> <BR /> Cohort<BR /> ----------<BR /> 3<BR /> .<BR /> .<BR /> 4<BR /> .<BR /> .<BR /> <BR /> <BR /> I have three waves of data for each participant. I want to turn the 'cohort' variable into a 'time-invariant' variable. Is there syntax to make my variable 'cohort' look like this (I basically want to copy the first value for 'cohort' for each successive wave for each participant):<BR /> <BR /> Cohort<BR /> ---------<BR /> 3<BR /> 3<BR /> 3<BR /> 4<BR /> 4<BR /> 4 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:37:22 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/Statistical-Procedures/Data-management/m-p/59275#M2747 deleted_user 2010-08-02T15:37:22Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/Statistical-Procedures/Data-management/m-p/59276#M2748 Consider using the LAG function (or a RETAIN with a temporary SAS variable) in a DATA step; also, not really a Statistical Procedures related post, by the way.<BR /> <BR /> Scott Barry<BR /> SBBWorks, Inc. Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:33:50 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/Statistical-Procedures/Data-management/m-p/59276#M2748 sbb 2010-08-02T16:33:50Z