a name temporarily assigned to an external file or to an aggregate storage location that identifies it to the SAS System. You assign a fileref with a FILENAME statement or with an operating system command.

the name used to identify an external file to the SAS System. You assign a fileref with a FILENAME statement or with operating environment control language.

a logical name associated with an external file

a SAS name that is associated with the physical location of the output file

the name used temporarily to identify an external file to the SAS System. In SAS/ASSIST software, you assign a fileref with the Setup task. Do not confuse filerefs with librefs. Filerefs are used for external files; librefs are used for SAS data libraries. See also libref.