I'm guessing there will be more elegant solutions than this, but here's one way to do it: data have; infile cards dsd; input bep_fisc_yr    bep_app_code   bep_org_code   bep_pgm_ele_code  tran_pgm_ele_code   end_date$ ; cards; 2009,10,45,34,234,null 2009,10,45,34,234,current 2009,10,45,23,234,null 2009,10,45,34,234,current 2009,10,45,23,234,current 2009,10,45,13,234,null ; run; data want; set have; lbep_f = lag(bep_fisc_yr); lbep_a = lag(bep_app_code); lbep_o = lag(bep_org_code); lbep_p = lag(bep_pgm_ele_code); ltran = lag(tran_pgm_ele_code); if _N_ > 1 then do; if lbep_f ne bep_fisc_yr then lbep_f_c = 1; if lbep_a ne bep_app_code then lbep_a_c = 1; if lbep_o ne bep_org_code then lbep_o_c = 1; if lbep_p ne bep_pgm_ele_code then lbep_p_c = 1; if ltran ne tran_pgm_ele_code then ltran_c = 1; end; if sum(lbep_f_c,lbep_a_c,lbep_o_c,lbep_p_c,ltran_c) < 3 then change = 'No Change';     else change = 'Change'; run; ... View more

All, Thanks for your replies. here i am adding more information. existing code: data &stg_sybname..stg_tbl.;     modify &stg_sybname..stg_tbl. (DBINDEX=&ikey.) reflib.&dataset (DROP=insrt_date updt_date)     UPDATEMODE=NOMISSINGCHECK;     by &bkey;     select (_IORC_);     when (%SYSRC(_SOK)) do;     updt_date = %SYSFUNC( DATETIME());     replace;     end;     when (%SYSRC(_DSENMR)) do;     insrt_date = %SYSFUNC( DATETIME());     updt_date = '01JAN1900:00:00:00'dt;     output;     _error_=0;     end;     when (%SYSRC(_DSEMTR)) do;     put 'ERR' 'OR: Duplicate Values on transaction dataset';     stop;     end;     otherwise do;     put 'ERR' 'OR: Unknown IO ';     stop;     end;     end;     run;     %END;     above code is working fine for modifying data using bkey. my approach to the current req: i tried to update col6 using %SYSRC(_SOK) whenever col5 changes. it didn't work since col5 is part of primary key, any change to col5 value, it treats as new record. ... View more