Why are you using %str() function at all?  Please check through the macro guides and see how to use macro variables, as this breaks some fundamental rules of this.  To resolve your code: title1 "Report^nListing of SAEs^n&sitename.^nAs of &cuttoffdate.^nTotal Number of SAEs=&sae."; I would also point out, but not knowing your specs can't say for certain, that there are two things I would change in that report.   Firstly there is the listing by sitename.  SAS includes a term by group processing which can apply to all parts, and this can automatically generate this kind of by grouping with: proc report data=...; by sitename; title1 "Report"; title2 "List of SAEs #byval1"; title3...; columns...; run; As you can see, no need to put all your title on one line and then break it up, just have multiple title statements, and use by in the proc report (or other procedure) and the keyword #byval or #byvar to get the by group information in the title.  Far simpler. For the last title line, total number of SAEs, as that is data I would normally expect to see that as part of the report, not title, ie.: Total Number of AEs: 55 AEgroup1 12 AESubgroup1 3 AESubgroup2 ... ... View more