List of Client IDs

[GKati]

Hello,

I have large SAS dababase of clients. In addition, I have a list of about half million clients with special characteristics that I recieved in an Excel file. I would like to tag these clients in my SAS dababase.

I understand that I can import the EXCEL file into SAS and merge the two datasets, but unfortunatelly I'm not allowed to permanently save created databases, (I can only use the WORK directory) So every once in a while, I have to re-create the database I use and the merging and importing of the Excel file takes prohibitively long every time. Do I have any other options?

Can I ask SAS to read the list from an EXCEL file?

Thanks for your help.

[Kurt_Bremser · Accepted solution]

Have a permanent library set up for use by you, and import the Excel into that.

[GKati]

So there is no way around it?

[Kurt_Bremser]

How do you work with SAS? Studio, or Enterprise Guide?

[RW9]

Half a million rows in Excel, I would have jumped out of the window (assuming on floor > 3 of course) by now.  

If you only have work, import the data to a dataset, then copy that dataset from work to somewhere you have access to and copy + paste it back to work any time you need to use it.  However it sounds like a total mess anyways.

[Astounding]

Are you allowed to permanently save other files, such as text files?  SAS formats?

At any rate, it's probably faster to avoid sort + merge.  You can create a format from the Excel file and use the format to flag records.  If you want details, you'll have to give a small example of what is in the Excel file.  (DO NOT post an Excel file, just post a few lines of text.)