This course is designed for those who are going to use SAS to analyze data and build applications. It will meet the needs of users entirely new to SAS and of those with some SAS experience. The SAS/base product will be covered in detail. The course content and level make the course version independent, version 9 for SAS on windows is used in the labs. On demand, also z/OS mainframe can be used.

This is not a 'point 'n click' course; participants will write their own coding. In this respect the course teaches the "classic" approach to SAS, using the typical building blocks of a SAS program. SAS programming part 1: fundamentals explains the essentials for understanding and writing SAS code, SAS programming part 2: digging deeper adds SAS Base features (SQL in SAS, using database tables, SAS graph, ...) that in most companies are very often used. Those of you that are interested in building reusable code, should also attend SAS programming part 3: macro essentials that explains the SAS Macro Language.

At the end of the course, the students will be able to:

• write SAS programs using data steps and proc steps
• be able to use standard procedures like proc sort, proc print and proc means

• Introduction
  • SAS features and possibilities
  • SAS products
  • SAS data vs non-SAS data
  • "libname" statement
  • SAS program structure
• Using SAS via IDE
  • interactive development of SAS code 
  • introduction to Enterprise Guide
• SAS Programming Basics
  • SAS standard data structures: variables and observations
  • data step programming
  • variables, operators, expressions
  • control flow: if-else, do while, do until, select
  • handling date/time
  • using functions
• Basic Procedures
  • proc sort
  • proc print
• Advanced Data Step Programming
  • "retain" statement
  • keep/drop
  • "where" statement
  • subsetting if
  • "by" statement
  • merging and updating datasets
• More Procedures
  • proc format
  • statistics: proc means, proc summary, proc freq
  • data manipulation: proc copy, proc append
  • utility procedures: proc contents, proc datasets
• Input/Output
  • reading data into SAS and writing data from SAS
  • INPUT/PUT
  • proc import and proc export

Classical instruction. Exercises take up much of the time.

Delivered as a live, interactive training: available in-person or online, or in a hybrid format. Training can be implemented in English, Dutch, or French.

Experience with basic programming is required (see course Programming fundamentals).

Analysts, programmers, info-center support and experienced end-users. The course is suitable for both mainframe and PC users.