I have a separate SAS file that contains formatting rules. How can I pull that into my main program so I don't have to rewrite the formats every time? I want to modularize my code so I can use it for different reports. Is there an include statement equivalent?
The %INCLUDE statement allows for the modular inclusion of external SAS code by executing the contents of a specified file within the current program session.
4 answers
You should implement an include directive to pull in your external format code.
- Create a separate text file containing your proc format block.
- Store this file in a shared directory accessible by your service account.
- Use the percent include syntax followed by the full file path.
- Ensure you verify the library allocation before running the code.
Yes, the %INCLUDE statement is the standard utility for referencing external SAS source files. It parses the external file and executes the contained code within your active session, making it ideal for centralizing format definitions.
I remember back in 2014 when I was managing a massive reporting suite for a healthcare client, we kept tripping over inconsistent formatting across different business units. I finally forced the team to move all custom PROC FORMAT definitions into a single, shared source file that everyone had to call via an include statement.
It saved us hundreds of hours of debugging later because we stopped having to chase down manual updates in individual scripts. Just make sure your file path references are absolute or controlled via macro variables, or you will end up with a broken deployment the moment you move environments.
Using the %INCLUDE statement is your best bet here, though you have to weigh it against using a permanent catalog. If you use %INCLUDE, every single report execution requires the file to be present, which is great for ensuring everyone uses the latest version but risky if the file path changes.
A permanent SAS format catalog is better for performance when running thousands of reports, but it is much harder to edit and version control. Stick with %INCLUDE if your primary goal is modularity and readable source code control in Git or another repository.
