Are labels temporarily or permanently assigned to variables in a PROC step?

In SAS, when you assign labels to variables within a PROC step, these labels are considered temporarily assigned. This means that the labels exist only for the duration of that particular step and do not affect the dataset outside of it. Once the PROC step finishes execution, the labels are no longer available for reference.

This temporary assignment can be particularly useful for generating specific reports or analyses where you want to customize how variable names appear without altering the underlying dataset. This allows for flexibility in presentation without committing to a permanent change.

The other choices do not accurately reflect this behavior. Labels assigned during a PROC step do not remain in the dataset, which discounts permanent assignment. While it's true that labels may not always be applied if not specified, the context of the question refers specifically to the scope of labels used within the PROC step itself. Therefore, the clarity that these are temporarily assigned is key to understanding how they function within SAS.