Introducing the Variables Manager
For those of you coming from SPSS, the Variables Manager can be thought of as somewhat similar to Variable View. Here you can modify the short and long names for your variable, add value labels, and add notes.
The Variables Manager is easy to access. Simply execute the varmanage command, and a new window will open.
To select a variable from the list, simply click on it (thereby highlighting it). To give the variable a longer, more informative label, simply type the text into the Label box under the right menu (Variable Properties). It is often best to use whatever type and format Stata thinks is best, but both of these can be altered.
Instructions for creating value labels can be found in the adding value labels tutorial.
To add notes, hit the Manage button next to the "Notes" box.
Finally, hit Apply to apply your changes, and close the Variables Manager.