What does the OUT= option in PROC SORT do?

The OUT= option in the PROC SORT statement is used specifically to name the output dataset that will be created as a result of the sorting operation. When you specify OUT= followed by a dataset name, PROC SORT outputs the sorted data into that specified dataset rather than overwriting the original dataset. This functionality is particularly useful when you need to keep the original dataset intact while also obtaining a new, sorted version.

For instance, if you have a dataset named "mydata" and you want to create a sorted version of it, you might use the syntax like this:

proc sort data=mydata out=sorted_data;

by variable_name;

run;

In this case, "sorted_data" will contain the sorted records according to "variable_name", while "mydata" remains unchanged. This allows for flexibility in the data manipulation process. The other options relate to the characteristics of sorting but do not address the specific function of the OUT= option in naming the output dataset.