Split into Files

This Tech Tip demonstrates how to split a categorical variable out into separate data files. In IBM SPSS Statistics, you can work inside a single, integrated interface to run descriptive statistics, regression, advanced statistics, and machine learning models. This powerful platform equips you with comprehensive statistical tools, allowing you to create publication-ready charts, tables, and decision trees in one tool. With its integration with open source and help at your fingertips, IBM SPSS Statistics ensures you are well-equipped for any data analysis task.  

Often, analysts want to create files from variables. For example, we have a variable called Region and we want to split the various regions into separate data files. We also want each file to have the name of the region. To make this process easy and error free, users can download and install the ‘Split Dataset into Separate Files’ Extension from the Extension Hub.  

To get started, users can go to the Extensions menu and select the Extension Hub. Users can then search for the ‘Split Dataset into Separate Files’ Extension and click on the option to ‘Get extension’.  This will install and download the extension into SPSS. Users will then receive a message showing where the Extension can be found in the user interface.  

To use this Extension, users will go to the Data menu and select Split into Files. Once the dialog box is open, a categorical variable can be moved into the Split Cases area. Users will also need to specify an output file directory and a folder. Running this procedure quickly splits categorical variables into data files. Users can also use Data > Select Cases to select each region and move cases to new data files.