SAS - (Statistical Analysis System)

SAS is a statistical software suite developed by SAS Institute for data

management, advanced analytics, multivariate analysis, business
intelligence, criminal investigation and predictive analytics.
SAS is an integrated system of software solutions that enables you to
perform the following tasks:
• Access data in almost any format, including SAS tables, Microsoft
Excel tables, and database files.
• Manage and manipulate the existing data to get the data that you
need. For example, can subset your data, combine it with other data,
and create new columns.
• Analyze the data using statistical techniques ranging from
descriptive measures like correlations to logistic regression and
mixed models to sophisticated methods such as modern model
selection and Bayesian hierarchical models.
• Present the results of nalyses in a meaningful report and be saved
in a wide variety of formats, including HTML, PDF, and RTF.
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF SAS
• It was developed by James Good knight.
• SAS was developed at North Carolina State University from 1966
until 1976, when SAS Institute was incorporated.
• From 1970 SAS was a statistical package.
• SAS was further in the 1980s and 1990s with the addition of new
statistical procedures, additional components and the introduction
of JMP.
• In 1980, SAS language developed.
• In 1990, its developed to a statistical software.
• A point-and-click interface was added in version 9 in 2004.
• A social media analytics product was added in 2010.
• A free version was introduced for students in 2010.
 SAS COMPONENTS
The SAS software suite has more than 200 components. Some of the SAS
components include:
• Base SAS – Basic procedures and data management
• SAS/STAT – Statistical analysis
• SAS/GRAPH – Graphics and presentation
• SAS/OR – Operations research
• SAS/ETS – Econometrics and Time Series Analysis
• SAS/IML – Interactive matrix language
• SAS/AF – Applications facility
• SAS/QC – Quality control
• SAS/INSIGHT – Data mining
SAS BASE
TECHNICAL SAS MACRO'S
SAS ACESS
SAS/Ware house admin
SAS/ETL Studio
SAS COMPONENTS TECHNO FUNCTIONAL
SAS/OLAP
SAS/AF
SAS/Stat
FUNCTIONAL SAS/Graph
SAS/OR
UNIQUE FEATURES OF SAS

1. Strong Data Analysis Abilities

• The first SAS feature is that SAS Programming has an ability of
Strong Data analysis.
• Its analysis acumen ranges from simple statistics to the advanced
level.
• For instance, it plots bar graphs from the provided data to
compute a correlation between complex SAS data sets.
• SAS have inbuilt libraries. These contain all the necessary
packages required for analyzing and reporting data.
2. Flexible 4 Generation Programming Language (4GL)
• The important feature of SAS is that it is a 4GL programming
language.
• SAS syntax is easy-to-learn. The code is like statements. These
statements act as clear and concise instructions to the systems.
• SAS is an interactive language. Its log window is like a mirror
which keeps instructing the user. It provides notes and marks
error.
• It also has DS2, which helps in data manipulation. Complex data
can be manipulated at its location in the database.
3. SAS Studio
• SAS Studio is unique among SAS features.
• It is easily accessible from any device with any web browser. There
is no client installation required. All libraries and data files of the
SAS program can be accessed through any web browser.
• Autocomplete feature prompts us various procedures as soon as one
starts typing. Pop up syntax and parameter list is displayed for
further guidance.
• It also helps you add and create individual code snippets and add it
to the snippet library.
4. Support for Various Types of Data Format
• SAS language has the ability to read data from any kind of file, from
any format and even from files with missing data.
• SAS provides support for SQL. It has a huge database of character
encoding; there is full support for most widely used languages.
• It also maintains code singularity, so that SAS works with data in
multiple languages.
5. Management
• SAS Management is one of the important features of SAS.
• SAS environment manager alerts, monitors and manages the
analytics environment.
• Extended Java Graphical user interface administers SAS tasks in SAS
Management Console.
• We can also completely execute a failed program in restart mode. It
resumes from the same step where the program failed.
• The XML engine has a variety of functions like import and export of
XML documents and creating XML Maps.
• Application Response Measurement interface looks into diverse
applications and checks for the availability of transactions.
6. Report Output Format
• SAS has the ability to display analytical results and number of
reporting choices.
• High-quality graphics in Base SAS 9.4 are, ODS statistical graphics,
ODS Graphics Designer and Editor etc.
• We can save and create reports in a standard format like RTF,
PowerPoint, and pdf. We can also save them as ebook and I–book.
It gives us the luxury of visual analytics.
• can customize output according to the hierarchy of needs

7. Data Encryption Algorithms

• SAS makes sure that security maintains immaterial of how we grant
access.
• SAS/SECURE is a security feature in SAS 9.4.
• We can also encrypt SAS data on disks through various algorithms.
SAS WINDOW ENVIRONMENT
Five windows in SAS
1.Editor window
2.Output window.
3.Log window
4.Result window
5.Explorer window
1.EDITOR WINDOW : Editor window contains the list of programs
which has an extension of .SAS. We can type any no of programs in
editor window .We can execute all programs at a time or individually.
2.OUT PUT WINDOW : Results of program will be displayed in output
window which has an extension of list
3.LOG WINDOW :Suppose if there are any errors or warnings in the
program those messages will be displayed in log window
It displays the licensed agreement of SAS Version no of variables , no of
observations
4.RESULT WINDOW: It displays result of all the programs in editor
window.No extension for result window
5.EXPLORER WINDOW: Contains Libraries and Mycomputer
SAS program
A SAS program is a sequence of steps that submit to SAS for execution.
Each step in the program performs a specific task. Only two kinds of
steps make up SAS programs:
• DATA steps
• PROC steps.
A SAS program can contain a DATA step, a PROC step, or any
combination of DATA steps and PROC steps. The number and kind of
steps depend on the tasks that need to perform.
DATA steps
• A DATA step enables you to manage and manipulate the data.
• DATA step is used to read data from an input source, process it,
and create a SAS table.
• DATA steps helps to:
▪ upload data into a SAS table.
▪ compute the values for new variables.
▪ check for and correct errors in your data.
▪ produce new SAS data sets by subsetting, merging, and
updating existing data sets.
A SAS data set consists of the following:
-descriptor information
-data values.
• The descriptor information describes the contents of the SAS
data set to SAS.
• The data values are data that has been collected or calculated.
They are organized into rows, called observations, and columns,
called variables. An observation is a collection of data values
that usually relate to a single object. A variable is the set of data
values that describe a given characteristic.
DATA STEP PROCESSING:
• The DATA step is one of the basic building blocks of SAS
programming.
• It creates the data sets that are used in a SAS program’s analysis
and reporting procedures.
 PROC (procedure) step
• A PROC (procedure) step enables you to analyze and present your
data.
• PROC step used to generate reports and graphs.
• PROC steps include a library of prewritten routines (procedures)
that perform tasks on SAS tables, such as listing, sorting, and
summarizing data.
• PROC steps used to :
▪ print a report.
▪ produce descriptive statistics.
▪ create a tabular report.
▪ produce plots and charts.
RULES FOR SAS STATEMENTS:
There are only a few rules for writing SAS statements:
• SAS statements end with a semicolon.
• _ You can enter SAS statements in lowercase, uppercase, or a
mixture of the two.
 • _ You can begin SAS statements in any column of a line and
write several statements on the same line.
• _ You can begin a statement on one line and continue it on
another line, but you cannot split a word between two lines.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SAS

1. Easy to learn: SAS syntax is very easy to learn. It can be learned easily
by anyone without any programming skills. Coding is in the form of
simple statements.
2. Ability to handle large database: SAS has a strong ability to handle large
database very easily.
3. Easy to debug: SAS is a very comprehensible language. The process of
debugging is easy. Easily understandble and correct the error that the log
window clearly states.
4. Tested algorithms: Developers thoroughly test and analyze the
algorithm implemented in the SAS program. Every version of SAS is first
tested in a controlled environment, before released. This is possible
because SAS is a closed source language.
 5. SAS Customer support: SAS belonging to an organization performs
proper monitoring. It is like a complete organization. It has very
spontaneous customer support. As SAS is a closed source tool, it can only
be edited by the SAS organization. No external adulteration is possible.
SAS customer support handles all the problems.
6. Data Security: Extending the above point, data in SAS is completely
secured. We cannot extract, in case of office use without a license. Data
security prevents it from manipulation.
7. SAS GUI: SAS is one such language that has made statistical computing
easier for non-programming users. It has an amazing Graphical User
Interface (GUI). SAS user interface has various tools like graphs, plots, and
a highly versatile library.
8. Nice Output: SAS has evolved over a long period of time. It has a nice
formatted output, one which is easily comprehensible.
9. Huge Job Prospects: As SAS is being used for a very long time in the
industry, it provides he huge job prospects. Professionals learn SAS as a
prerequisite to enter the analytics industry.

1. Cost:One major disadvantage of SAS is the cost. Being in a closed

environment, it is complete software in itself. A person cannot use its all
applications without a proper license.
2. SAS is not open source: The algorithms that are in SAS procedures are
not for the common use of the public. They are available in the licensed
version. They are not available openly for public research.
3. Lack of graphic representation: When comparing to R [ statistical
software – open sourse], Its graphics presentation is far more vivid and
compatible than SAS. It has more descriptive plots, graphs, and diagrams.
4. Difficult Text Mining: Text mining means extracting information from
text. It is the process in which text converts to data for decision making
and analysis. Its come complicated in SAS
5. Difficult than R: SAS is more of a procedural language in comparison to
R. It has more lines of codes than R. Many packages that are free in R are
chargeable in SAS. For example – Time series forecasting (SAS/ETS), Text
mining, etc.