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Sum

Valid:	in a DATA step
Category:	Action
Type:	Executable

Arguments

variable

specifies the name of the accumulator variable, which contains a numeric value.

Tip:	The variable is automatically set to 0 before SAS reads the first observation. The variable's value is retained from one iteration to the next, as if it had appeared in a RETAIN statement.
Tip:	To initialize a sum variable to a value other than 0, include it in a RETAIN statement with an initial value.

expression

is any SAS expression.

Tip:	The expression is evaluated and the result added to the accumulator variable.
Tip:	SAS treats an expression that produces a missing value as zero.

Comparisons

The sum statement is equivalent to using the SUM function and the RETAIN statement, as shown here:

retain variable 0;
variable=sum(variable,expression);

Examples

Here are examples of sum statements that illustrate various expressions:

• balance+(-debit);

• sumxsq+x*x;

• nx+(x ne .);

• if status='ready' then OK+1;

	Function: SUM
	Statement: RETAIN

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Copyright 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.