Date info and format changed after importing from Excel

[mehong19]

I imported an excel file with date information enclosed as a format of mm/dd/yyyy (e.g. 11/1/1997) in Excel. After importing into SAS, the format changed automatically into a series of numbers and variable type is character. I converted character into numeric and used DATE9. format. However, I got the different date for the same record. e.g. 11/1/1997 changed to 02NOV2057.

My goal is to keep the original date info and its format as they are after importing.

Two image files attached for reference. Thanks in advance.

[AndrewHowell]

Can you please tell us HOW you imported the Excel spreadsheet into SAS?

For example:

• PROC IMPORT..
• LIBNAME EXCEL..
• Using the EG "Import Data" task
• other?

Including code & logs would would also assist us in assisting you.

[BrunoMueller]

hi

this looks similar to https://communities.sas.com/t5/General-SAS-Programming/Difference-In-Dates-From-Data-Imported-SAS-Lo...

Bruno

[ballardw]

If you used Proc Import to bring the data into SAS you may have fallen somewhat afoul of user data entry and/or other EXCEL behavior. Proc Import uses what the Excel data engine tells SAS the data is in the first few rows. So if you have any data in the data column that is not in exactly the same form as the top 20 rows it gets treated as if it were that format. An obnoxious bit about Excel is depending on how users enter data you may create an Excel date value or a string. The conversion is not the same.

When data is entered manually it may be necessary to highlight your date columns and change the entire column to one type and set the format for all of the cells the same. I usually export to CSV and import that as I have more control and some other issues become more obvious such as changing lengths of charater variables that are supposed to be the same in different files.