When using PROC PRINT, what is the primary function?

When using PROC PRINT in SAS, its primary function is to output raw data in tabular form. This procedure is designed specifically to display the contents of a dataset in a straightforward manner, presenting each observation in rows and each variable in columns. The simplicity of PROC PRINT allows users to quickly view and examine the underlying data without any additional computations or transformations.

The focus on outputting raw data makes it an essential tool for data exploration and validation, enabling analysts to compare expected results with actual data entries. This procedure can also be customized through options to select specific variables, control the number of observations printed, and format the output, enhancing clarity and readability of the data presented.

While summarizing data, creating visualizations, and converting datasets into reports are important aspects of data analysis, they fall outside the specific scope of PROC PRINT's main purpose. Other procedures in SAS would be more appropriate for those tasks, such as PROC MEANS for summarization, PROC SGPLOT for visualizations, and PROC REPORT for creating formatted reports.