Customers often ask whether a SAS data set can be created from a PDF or Word file. Unfortunately, there is not a direct way to read these types of files. There are several alternatives.

• For both PDF and Word files, the tables can be copied and pasted into Excel. SAS has the ability to import Excel files using SAS/Access, PROC IMPORT or the Import Wizard.
• For both PDF and Word files, resave the file as a plain text file. SAS has the ability to read a text file.
• For Word files, you can use DDE to read data at a particular bookmark; but this process requires those bookmarks, and it can be complicated. An example is below.

filename test dde 'winword|"c:\temp\testing.doc"
                  !MARK' notab;
      
      libname workdir 'c:\temp';
      
      /* Read the first bookmark */
      data workdir.worddata;
       length wordnum $5.;
       infile test;
       input wordnum $;
      run;