Order of columns -create data set

[Ronein]

Hello

I am creating a data set .

Why the order of columns is : transfer_description,ID,amount 

and not: ID ,transfer_description,amount?

How can I change the order without using Retain?

data have;
infile datalines delimiter='|';
informat transfer_description $200.;
input ID  transfer_description  amount;
datalines;
111|Transfer to my friend Joe Kaplan|1000 
111|Salary IBM|2000
111|Salary WIZZ|3980
111|Transfer to my father|500
333|Transfer to my gf|4000
333|Son help|3000
222|Salary IBM|1500
222|Charity|2500
222|Charity|3000
222|transfer to my friend Jula|8000
;
Run;

[japelin · Accepted solution]

Since the variable "transfer_description" is created first in the informat statement line, the order of the variables becomes transfer_description,ID,amount.

To prevent this from happening, use the length statement first to define the variables.

data have;
length id 8 transfer_description $200 amount 8;/* add this statement. */
infile datalines delimiter='|';
informat transfer_description $200.;
input ID  transfer_description  amount;
datalines;
111|Transfer to my friend Joe Kaplan|1000 
111|Salary IBM|2000
111|Salary WIZZ|3980
111|Transfer to my father|500
333|Transfer to my gf|4000
333|Son help|3000
222|Salary IBM|1500
222|Charity|2500
222|Charity|3000
222|transfer to my friend Jula|8000
;
Run;

[Kurt_Bremser]

The order of variables in the PDV is determined by the order in which the variables are encountered by the data step compiler, so transfer_description is first.