[SPSS] How to Set/Change Variable Labels and Value Labels Using Syntax

This post covers how to set or change variable labels and value labels uing syntax in SPSS.

1. Variable labels

*Setting/changing label for one variable

VARIABLE LABELS varname "variable label".

*Setting/changing label for multiple variables

VARIABLE LABELS varname1 "variable label 1" varname2 "variable label 2" varname3 "variable label 3".

Note that single quotation marks (' ') also work.

2. Value labels

*Setting/changing label for one numeric variable (binary values)

VALUE LABELS varname 0 "No" 1 "Yes".

*Setting/changing label for one numeric variable (multiple values)

VALUE LABELS varname
1 "Strongly disagree" 
2 "Disagree" 
3 "Neither agree nor disagree" 
4 "Agree"
5 "Strongly agree".

*Setting/changing the same label for multiple numeric variable (binary values)

VALUE LABELS varname1 varname2 varname3 0 "No" 1 "Yes".

*Setting/changing the same label for multiple numeric variable (multiple values)

VALUE LABELS varname1 varname2 varname3
1 "Strongly disagree" 
2 "Disagree" 
3 "Neither agree nor disagree" 
4 "Agree"
5 "Strongly agree".

*Setting/changing the same label for multiple numeric variable (multiple values/using 'TO' command)

VALUE LABELS varname1 TO varname12
1 "Strongly disagree" 
2 "Disagree" 
3 "Neither agree nor disagree" 
4 "Agree"
5 "Strongly agree".

*Setting/changing more than one set of labels (binary values)

VALUE LABELS varname1 0 "No" 1 "Yes"
/ varname2 0 "Employed" 1 "Unemployed".

*Setting/changing label for one string variable

VALU LABELS varname1 A "Grade A" B "Grade B" C "Grade C"

Note that single quotation marks (' ') also work.