The excellent explanation of your problem challenged me to write a 9-statement solution plus comments as follows. Hope you enjoy it ...     Data Mistakes;        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/        /* Generate simulation table with dates and some random Mistakes   */        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/            Attrib Date    Length = 4 Format = Date11.                   Mistake Length = 2 Format =      1.;            Do Date    = '01-jan-2013'd to '31-dec-2013'd;               Mistake =  Round (RanUni (5), 1);               Output;               End;            Run; /*1*/Data Mistakes;        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/        /* Re-generate table, including PENALTIES_TO_GO and PENALTY values */        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/ /*2*/     Attrib Date            Length = 4 Format = Date9.                  Mistake         Length = 3 Format =     1.                  Penalty         Length = 3 Format =     1.                  Penalties_to_go Length = 3 Format =     8. /*3*/     Set    Mistakes;        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/        /* PENALTY becomes 1 if current and last 3 dates all had MISTAKE=1 */        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/ /*4*/     Penalty = Mistake  * Lag1 (Mistake)             * Lag2 (Mistake) * Lag3 (Mistake);        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/        /* Accumulate the number of PENALTIES_TO_GO                        */        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/ /*5*/     Penalties_to_go + Penalty;        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/        /* If current+last 3 days had MISTAKE=1, and 4 days ago MISTAKE=0, */        /* then increase the PENALTIES_TO_GO by an additional 3 penalties. */        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/ /*6*/     If Penalty > Lag4 (Mistake) >= 0 Then Penalties_to_go + 3;        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/        /* Assign a PENALTY if current date has MISTAKE=0 and there are    */        /* still one or more PENALTIES_TO_GO.                              */        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/ /*7*/     Penalty = (Error = 0 and Penalties_to_go > 0);        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/        /* Decrease the number of PENALTIES_TO_GO only if PENALTY=1        */        /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/ /*8*/     Penalties_to_go + -Penalty; /*9*/     Run;      Proc Print Uniform;            Run; ... View more

U're right; the initial problem description however didn't mention any "multiple date report", hence my - often overlooked - suggestion to use INPUT @ 'textstring'. ... View more

Hi, this program will do the job for you. Apart from the declarations, only the last statement is executed for each input line, and that single statement will do the job for jou. No PRXPARSEs, no checks for missing or empty lines or whatsoever. The power of the 'INPUT @ 'text string' is terribly powerful yet almost unknown ... Eventually, following changes may be required: -1- It your date is not in the DD-MM-YY format, replace the first ATTRIB line accordingly -2- Fill the proper reference to your input in the INFILE statement below DATA AnyName;      ATTRIB Date       Format =  ddmmyyd8. InFormat = ddmmyy.              Time       Format =  time5.    InFormat = time.              Trm        Format = $8.              User       Format =  8.              Cmd        Format = $2.              Table      Format = $5.              Meter      Format = 12.2              Inventory Format = 12.2              Patron     Format =  4.;      RETAIN  Date;      INFILE  TextFile;      IF _N_=1 THEN INPUT @ 'TRANSACTION FILE LISTING FOR' Date                          @ 'DETAILS';      INPUT Time Trm User Cmd          / Table Meter Inventory Patron;      RUN; ... View more