Hello,

I currently have two datasets with a variable that is called scrambled_id. Scramble_id represents a unique campus. However, both data sets that use scramble_id have a different total number of observations so it is impossible to encode from string (values) to numeric. Scramble_id is a string variable with observations similar to this set up: 132$WWW$P. This type of setup is similar for almost all the observations as they are scrambled to mask identity. I am trying to create a new variable that is converted from scramble_id (which is string) to a numeric variable that would be the same for both datasets so that I could merge both datasets by this variable later on. Any assistance would be appreciated. An example of the variable and observations is below.


scrambled_id
132$WWW$P
136P74WEW
137353W$W
134P2WW22
131470P33
137PWWP15
138264$W7
1360W0$$W
13757RPRP
134045P10
137P65$W3
132134$L7
132375P01
13450WP$3
135410R06
1395W2P$7
136150PR3
13935$$35
130P65$E4