SAS Tip: Quick Check for Missing or Invalid Data Using Formats

[SAS_Tipster]

You can use formats to do a quick check for missing or invalid data by creating formats that map the values and then using, for example, PROC FREQ to generate a simple report. In sample the code below, numeric and character formats are created to group the values and then PROC FREQ is used to provide a simple/quick QC report.

• the special variable list _character_ is used to assign the $missing. format to all the character variables
• the special variable list _numeric_ is used to assign the missing. format to all the numeric variables

proc format;
 value missing low-high = 'Value'
                  other = 'Missing';
 value $missing ' ' = 'Missing'
              other = 'Value';
run;
proc freq data=sashelp.class;
 tables _all_/missing;
 format _character_ $missing. _numeric_ missing.;
 title 'Quick QC Check';
run;

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Thanks to Don Henderson for sharing this tip on sasCommunity.org.