You have seen that it is possible to create identical
results with a DATA step match-merge and a PROC SQL inner join. Although
the results might be identical, these two processes are very different,
and trade-offs are associated with choosing one method over the other.
The following tables summarize some of the advantages and disadvantages
of each of these two methods.
Table 15.1 DATA Step Match-Merge
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
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There is no limit to the number
of input data sets.
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Allows for complex business logic
to be incorporated into the new data set by using DATA step processing,
including arrays and DO loops, in addition to MERGE features.
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Multiple BY variables ... |