What type of data can the SUM function operate on in SAS?

The SUM function in SAS is specifically designed to operate on numeric data. This function calculates the total or sum of all the numeric values provided to it. When applied to a numeric variable or a list of numeric values, it returns the result of their addition.

Character data, on the other hand, cannot be summed in a mathematical sense, as character strings do not possess a defined numeric value to be added together. While SAS does have functions that can handle character data, such as concatenation or other string manipulation functions, the SUM function is not applicable to them.

Choosing to focus on numeric data ensures that users can accurately perform numerical calculations needed in data analysis, which is a core function of many data manipulation tasks in SAS. Thus, understanding that the SUM function is reserved for numeric data is crucial for effective programming and data analysis in SAS.