One of the first tasks of any research project is reading in data. import sas allows us to import SAS^® data from version 7 or higher into Stata. We can import the entire dataset or only a subset of it. With import sas we may also import value labels. Dates, value labels, and missing values are all converted properly from SAS to Stata format.

Let's see it work

We have a SAS dataset that contains Connecticut housing data provided by the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

The dataset is named psam_h09.sas7bdat. To import it into Stata, we open the import sas dialog box by clicking on File > Import > SAS data (*.sas7bdat). We select psam_h09.sas7bdat and get

We can now import all the data or only a subset.

In this case, we want to import information-related communication and technology. Specifically, we import variables recording whether the household has internet access (ACCESS) and whether that internet is dial-up service (DIALUP) or high-speed internet (HISPEED). We also import variables recording whether they have a laptop or desktop (LAPTOP) or other computer equipment (COMPOTHX). In addition, we import the variable indicating whether they have a cellular data plan (BROADBND).

Note that the variables have uppercase names in this SAS file. We want all of them to be in lowercase. Under Variable case: we select the option Lower.

We can now click OK to import the data.

As always, we could have used the command instead of the dialog box. Here is what we would have typed:

. import sas ACCESS BROADBND COMPOTHX DIALUP HISPEED LAPTOP using
  psam_h09.sas7bdat", case(lower)

In either case, the data are now in Stata and ready to be analyzed.

. describe

 Contains data
  obs:        85,778                          PSAM_H09
 vars:             6


              
storage   
display    
value
              
variable name 
  type    
format     
label      
variable label

access        
  str1    
%1s        
           
Access to the Internet
broadbnd      
  str1    
%1s        
           
Cellular data plan for a
              
          
           
           
  smartphone or other mobile
              
          
           
           
  device
compothx      
  str1    
%1s        
           
Other computer equipment
dialup        
  str1    
%1s        
           
Dial-up service
hispeed       
  str1    
%1s        
           
Broadband (high speed) Internet
              
          
           
           
  service such as cable, fiber
              
          
           
           
  optic, or DSL servi
laptop        
  str1    
%1s        
           
Laptop or desktop


Sorted by: 
     Note: Dataset has changed since last saved.

Tell me more

Learn more about importing a SAS dataset into Stata in the Stata Data Management Reference Manual; see [D] import sas.

Learn more about Stata's data importing tools in the Stata Data Management Reference Manual; see [D] Overview of importing data into Stata.