Exercise caution when reading and converting numeric values into SAS dates when the numeric value is in the form YYMMDD and YY is 00. It is important to maintain the leading zeros when using the YYMMDDw. informat.

For example, consider a date value like 001230 (December 30, 2000) which is first read as a standard numeric value using the w.d informat. To convert the numeric value to a SAS date value, first use the PUT function with the Zw.d format (which preserves leading zeros), then use the INPUT function with the YYMMDDw. informat.

Some date values are stored in external files in packed decimal format and must be read into SAS using the PDw.d informat. These values can also be converted into SAS date values using the same PUT and INPUT function method described above.

The following is an example of using the PUT and INPUT functions to create a SAS date variable. The original numeric variable INDATE is read as a standard numeric using the 6. informat (or the PD4. informat, for packed decimal):

  SASDATE=INPUT(PUT(INDATE,Z6.),YYMMDD6.);

Please see the SAS system option YEARCUTOFF= for more information about date values that contain ambiguous two-digit years.

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