SAS does not allow SQL statements to be used in the DATA step. However, SAS provides PROC SQL which allows operations on SAS datasets with SQL. The SAS terms dataset, observation, and variable respectively correspond to the SQL terms table, row, and column.

The syntax of PROC SQL is:
 

 PROC SQL < option(s)> ;
     ALTER alter-statement;
     CREATE create-statement;
     DELETE delete-statement;
     DESCRIBE describe-statement;
     DROP drop-statement;
     INSERT insert statement;
     RESET < option < option &gt...> ;
     SELECT select-statement;
     UPDATE update-statement;
     VALIDATE validate-statement;

 

ALTER changes the attributes of columns or adds or drops columns
CREATE creates tables
DELETE removes rows from a table
DESCRIBE display a view definition
DROP deletes the table
INSERT inserts a new row into the table
RESET allows options to be changed during execution
SELECT retrives data and outputs results
UPDATE modifies columns in existing rows
VALIDATE checks a query-expression for syntactic accuracy.

Note that the DELETE statement has exactly the same function as the
DELETE statement used in the DATA step. However, DROP in PROC SQL
will delete the entire table(dataset) rather the columns(variables).
 

Some of options which may be useful: INOBS=n restricts the number of rows processed from a source
NUMBER|NONUMBER includes a column with the row number
PRINT|NOPRINT turns printing for SELECT statements on or off