Transforming Data with SAS Functions
Modifying Character Values with Functions

INDEX Function The INDEX function enables you to search a character value for a specified string. For example, suppose you need to search the values of the variable Job, which lists job skills. You want to create a data set with the names of all temporary employees who have word processing experience.

SAS Data Set Hrd.Temp

Job	Contact	Department	Site
word processing	WORD PROCESSOR	DP	26
filing, administrative duties	ADMIN. ASST.	PURH	57
organizational dev. specialist	CONSULTANT	PERS	34

The INDEX function can complete this search.

General form, INDEX function: INDEX(source,excerpt) where source specifies the character variable or expression to search excerpt specifies a character string that is enclosed in quotation marks (' ').

To search for the occurrence of word processing in the values of the variable Job, you write the INDEX function as shown below. Note that the character string appears within quotation marks. index(job,'word processing') Then to create the new data set, include the INDEX function in a subsetting IF statement. Only those observations in which the function locates the string and returns a value greater than 0 are written to the data set. data hrd.datapool; set hrd.temp; if index(job,'word processing') > 0; run; Here's your data set that shows the temporary employees who have word processing experience.

SAS Data Set Hrd.Datapool

Job	Contact	Department	Site
word processing	WORD PROCESSOR	DP	26
bookkeeping, word processing	BOOKKEEPER AST	BK	57
word processing, sec. work	WORD PROCESSOR	DP	95
bookkeeping, word processing	BOOKKEEPER AST	BK	44
word processing	WORD PROCESSOR	DP	59
word processing, sec. work	WORD PROCESSOR	PUB	38
word processing	WORD PROCESSOR	DP	44
word processing	WORD PROCESSOR	DP	90