PROC REPORT default= format not working

[hulksmash]

Hello,

I would like to default a format of comma20. for values in a proc report but I keep getting the error "expecting one of the following: a name, a format name..." 

Here is my code:

proc report data=one;
columns [some columns];
format default=comma20. sales=dollar30.2;
run;

The table contains character and numeric data.

[ballardw]

The general form of a format statement is

format variablename formatname. ;

no = used.

You might try:

format _numeric_ comma20. ;

_numeric_ is a special list that includes all numeric variables.

I am not sure if that will work for computed variables though.

format sales dollar30.2; after should set the format for that variable as the last defined should prevail.

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

Is default a variable?

A format statement has a different syntax:

format VariableName format. ;

No equal sign and default doesn't apply to anything. 

If you want to apply it to all numeric variables you can use the following, but not sure how that would handle the SALES variable.

format _numeric_ comma20.;

[hulksmash]

This worked!  The documentation was not the best to point out the "Default=" was not the correct syntax

[ballardw]

You might have been confusing the procedure level Format= option in proc tabulate. You can on the Proc Tabulate statement have Format=comma20. and then that becomes the default for cells of the table(s) displayed. But again the syntax is different as no variable is mentioned.