Hi all I have requestors who want SAS data sets exported to XLSX with cell background colors depending on data values. I have a data set variable with some 3500 different alphanumeric strings, which should have background-color set after the following rules: 1-3 alphabetic chars only : red. 3 alphabetic chars + 1 (digit): blue all other : white.   I use a format as shown in the test code below, where the format is built from actual data with all input values to be set to red or blue listed. It is a working solution, but I would prefer a permanent format with defined rules independent on actual data. Unfortunately SAS does not support the following syntax. As fas as I know, SAS allows REGEXP in informats only, and it can only be used with other formats as labels, not constant values.   proc format; value $bgcolnuv '/\D{1,3}$/' (REGEXP) = 'cxffcccc' '/\D{3}1$/' (REGEXP) = 'cxccccff' other = 'cxffffff'; run; But I need something to to the same, and I think there has to be a smarter solution than my "brute-force-format". So I hope someone knows of a way to define such a format.   Test code:   * sample data; data have; input Nuv $4.; cards; HG AHR CFG1 CBH3 BBB2 1217 1611 ; run; * Format to set background color; proc sql; create table cval as select distinct Nuv from have; quit; data _null_; set cval end=eof; if _N_ = 1 then call execute('proc format; value $bgcolnuv'); if prxmatch('/\D{1,3}$/',trim(Nuv)) then call execute(Nuv || '= "cxffcccc"'); else if prxmatch('/\D{3}1$/',trim(Nuv)) then call execute(Nuv || '= "cxccccff"'); if eof then call execute('other="cxffffff"; run;'); run; ods listing close; ods excel file="c:\temp\test.xlsx"; proc print data=have ; var nuv / style={background=$bgcolnuv.}; run; ods excel close; ods listing;       ... View more