Use SUBSTR() to get the last two characters and then SUBSTR() to get the first or first two characters. If the length is less than 4 it may be worth adding the leading zero.  Do you want another character variable though, or a SAS time?    data want; input have $; if length(have) < 4 then have = catt('0', have); hours = substr(have, 1, 2); minutes = substr(have, 3, 2); time_char = catx(":", hours, minutes); time_sas = input(time_char, time.); format time_sas time.; cards; 423 1423 830 1204 ; run; proc print data=want; run; @Akshayvrata wrote: Hi, I have to perform the hour function on a variable in which observations display like (515, 815, etc.) though it has to be like (5:15, 8:15, etc.). Now how can I insert colon in my observations so that they appear like later ones.  i know that i have to change the format of the variable to character then only I can add colon.      So please tell me what function I can use to solve this?   Thanks!    ... View more