Specifying Variables in PROC FREQ

By default, the FREQ procedure creates frequency tables for every variable in your data set. But this isn't always what you want. A variable that has continuous numeric values—such as DateTime—can result in a lengthy and meaningless table. Likewise, a variable that has a unique value for each observation—such as FullName—is unsuitable for PROC FREQ processing. Frequency distributions work best with variables whose values can be described as categorical, and whose values are best summarized by counts rather than by averages.

To specify the variables to be processed by the FREQ procedure, include a TABLES statement.

General form, TABLES statement:

TABLES variable(s);

where variable(s) lists the variables to include.

Example

The order in which the variables appear in the TABLES statement determines the order in which they are listed in the PROC FREQ report.

Consider the SAS data set Finance.Loans. The variables Rate and Months are best described as categorical values, so they are the best choices for frequency tables.

Account	Amount	Rate	Months	Payment
101-1092	$22,000	10.00%	60	$467.43
101-1731	$114,000	9.50%	360	$958.57
101-1289	$10,000	10.50%	36	$325.02
101-3144	$3,500	10.50%	12	$308.52
103-1135	$8,700	10.50%	24	$403.47
103-1994	$18,500	10.00%	60	$393.07
103-2335	$5,000	10.50%	48	$128.02
103-3864	$87,500	9.50%	360	$735.75
103-3891	$30,000	9.75%	360	$257.75

     proc freq data=finance.loans;
        tables rate months;
     run;

Rate	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative Frequency	Cumulative Percent
9.50%	2	22.22	2	22.22
9.75%	1	11.11	3	33.33
10.00%	2	22.22	5	55.56
10.50%	4	44.44	9	100.00

Months	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative Frequency	Cumulative Percent
12	1	11.11	1	11.11
24	1	11.11	2	22.22
36	1	11.11	3	33.33
48	1	11.11	4	44.44
60	2	22.22	6	66.67
360	3	33.33	9	100.00

In addition to listing variables separately, you can use a numbered range of variables.

     proc freq data=perm.survey;
        tables item1-item3;
     run;

Item1	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative Frequency	Cumulative Percent
2	1	25.00	1	25.00
4	2	50.00	3	75.00
5	1	25.00	4	100.00

Item2	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative Frequency	Cumulative Percent
1	1	25.00	1	25.00
3	2	50.00	3	75.00
5	1	25.00	4	100.00

Item3	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative Frequency	Cumulative Percent
4	3	75.00	3	75.00
5	1	25.00	4	100.00