The warning makes sense in the case of the documented Note .   SQL code performing table changes (delete, update, etc clauses) should trigger this warning when the table references itself for change conditions.   This warning seems unwarranted for a create clause however. The source table will not change until the output table is ready, and no confusion can occur.    if the query were to fail due to a system error outside of PROC SQL, we cannot guarantee the integrity of the input table. Therefore, we are required to produce the Warning based on the query itself. Yes you can. The input table is not modified in any way when a create clause is used. The query can fail all it wants without any integrity issue.   There are no recursive table references when a new table is created, even if the table will bear the same name after all is complete.   The warning is erroneously displayed in the case of create statements and there is no valid justification for it it seems. ... View more