What is the purpose of the 'RUN;' statement in SAS procedures?

The purpose of the 'RUN;' statement in SAS procedures is to indicate the end of a procedure block. When a procedure is written in SAS, it often consists of one or more statements that define the analysis or task to be performed. The 'RUN;' statement signals to the SAS compiler that the preceding lines of code are complete and that it should execute them. This execution may involve processing the data, generating reports, or performing analyses based on the specified procedure options.

The 'RUN;' statement acts as a cue for SAS to move forward with its operations and allows the program to run efficiently without requiring any re-examination of prior code unless explicitly instructed. It is essential for the procedural structure in SAS as it helps maintain clarity in the flow of operations, ensuring that each set of commands is executed correctly in sequence.