Multilabel formats can be applied to procedures that support the summary object, including MEANS, SUMMARY, TABULATE, and REPORT. If PROC FORMAT is used to create a multilabel format and the ranges are identical, incorrect results might be generated. When the ranges are the same, multiple labels are chained together and any distinguishing exclusion indicators are ignored. In the sample below, 15<-100 and 15-100 are considered the same range when they are not.

    proc format;
     value fmtname (multilabel)
      10<-15 = '10-15'
      15<-100 = '16-20'
      15-99 = 'G1'
      15-100 = 'G2';
    run;

The current work-around is to add the NOTSORTED option to the PROC FORMAT step.

    value fmtname (multilabel notsorted)

See the Full Code and Output tabs for sample code and output.

Operating System and Release Information

proc format;
value FMTName (multilabel)
 10<-15 = "10-15"
 15<-100 = "16-20"
 15-99 ="G1"
 15-100 ="G2";
run;

proc summary data=sashelp.class nway;
class age / mlf;
output out=new;
format age fmtname.;
run;

proc print data=new;
title 'Using MULTILABEL without NOTSORTED';
run;

proc format;
value FMTName (multilabel notsorted)
 10<-15 = "10-15"
 15<-100 = "16-20"
 15-99 ="G1"
 15-100 ="G2";
run;

proc summary data=sashelp.class nway;
class age / mlf;
output out=new;
format age fmtname.;
run;

proc print data=new;
title 'Using MULTILABEL with NOTSORTED';
run;

Using MULTILABEL without NOTSORTED

Obs    Age      _TYPE_    _FREQ_

 1     10-15       1        18
 2     16-20       1         1
 3     G1          1         5
 4     G2          1         1   <====incorrect



Using MULTILABEL with NOTSORTED

Obs    Age      _TYPE_    _FREQ_

 1     10-15       1        18
 2     16-20       1         1
 3     G1          1         5
 4     G2          1         5