Maybe this is too basic, but here's an arguably simpler method: (1) note up to 4 variable names: first, prior, next, and last variables, (2) split the data set at the item to be changed. (3) restore the full data set by remerging the two halves on a shared unique record ID based on _N_. DATA oneA (KEEP=uniquerec  name/*--priorvariable*/    sexB                    )          oneB (KEEP=uniquerec                                                age--weight ) ;                                                                /*1st( to n-1th)               nth      n+1th--last  ... where n=position of var. to be changed */     SET sashelp.class; LENGTH sexB $15.;    *sexB: will be longer version of variable sex; sexB=sex;                 *populate longer sexb with original sex values; uniquerec = _N_; DATA newclass (DROP=uniquerec);   MERGE oneA oneB;  BY uniquerec; RENAME sexB=sex; RUN;                                                *Viola?    ; More changed variables just require more "splits" of the data to contiguous chunks oneC, oneD, etc., followed by their re-merge on uniquerec. ... View more