Transforming Data with SAS Functions
Converting Data with Functions

Explicit Character-to-Numeric Conversion The INPUT function converts character data values to numeric values. To learn how to use this function, let's examine one of the data set modifications needed for Hrd.Temp. As mentioned earlier, you need to calculate employee salaries by multiplying the character variable PayRate by the numeric variable Hours.

SAS Data Set Hrd.Temp

City	State	Zip	Phone	BeginDate	EndDate	PayRate	Days	Hours
CARY	NC	27513	6224549	14567	14621	10	11	88
CARY	NC	27513	6223251	14524	14565	8	25	200
CHAPEL HILL	NC	27514	9974749	14570	14608	40	26	208
RALEIGH	NC	27612	6970450	14516	14527	15	10	80

To calculate salaries, you write the following DATA step. It creates a new data set, Hrd.Newtemp, to contain the original data plus the new variable Salary. data hrd.newtemp; set hrd.temp; Salary=payrate*hours; run; However, you know that submitting this DATA step would cause an automatic character-to-numeric conversion because the character variable PayRate is used in a numeric context. You can explicitly convert the character values of PayRate to numeric by using the INPUT function.

General form, INPUT function: INPUT (source,informat) where source indicates the character variable, constant, or expression to be converted to a numeric value a numeric informat must also be specified, as in this example: input(payrate,2.)

When choosing the informat, be sure to select a numeric informat that can read the form of the values.

Character Value	Informat
2115233	7.
2,115,233	COMMA9.

Example Here's an example of the INPUT function: Test=input(saletest,comma9.); The function uses the numeric informat COMMA9. to read the values of the character variable SaleTest. Then the resulting numeric values are stored in the variable Test.