What is the result of using the FORMAT statement within a PROC?

The result of using the FORMAT statement within a PROC is that it changes how variable values are displayed in the output. The FORMAT statement applies a specific format to a variable for presentation purposes, allowing you to control aspects such as numerical precision, date formats, or categorical representations.

For example, if you have a dataset with dates represented in a standard numeric format, applying a date format through the FORMAT statement would display these dates in a more readable format, such as "01JAN2023" instead of an integer representation. This enhances the clarity and readability of the output generated by the PROC step.

It's important to note that the FORMAT statement does not make any permanent changes to the underlying data stored in the dataset nor does it modify the actual values of the variables; it solely affects how those values are presented in the output. Therefore, any interpretations made from the output reflect the formatted display rather than the raw data itself.