Getting Started with SAS Programming

Exploring SAS:
SAS  (Statistical Analysis System/Software)is a suite of business solutions and technologies to help organizations solve business problems. Base SAS is the centerpiece of all SAS software.

SAS capabilities:

1.Access data: Using SAS, you can read any kind of data.

2.Manage data: SAS gives you excellent data management capabilities

3.Analyze data: For statistical analysis. SAS is the gold standard.

4.Present data: You can use SAS to present your data meaningfully.

The SAS Programming Process:

1. Define the business need.

2. Write a SAS program based on the desired output. the necessary input. and the required           processing.

3. Run the program.

4. Review your results.

5. If you find inaccuracies or errors. you debug or modify the program.

Depending on your results. you might need to repeat some of the steps.

The power of SAS is that you can use it to read any type of data, including the following three major file Types.
Types Of Files Used in SAS:

1.Raw data files: contain data that has not been processed by any other computer program. They are text files that contain one record per line. and the record typically contains multiple fields. Raw data files aren't reports: they are unfonnatted text.

2.SAS data sets : are specific to SAS. A SAS data set is data in a form that SAS can understand. Like raw data files. SAS data sets contain data. But in SAS data sets. the data is created only by SAS and can be read only by SAS.

3.SAS program files :contains SAS programming code. These instructions tell SAS how to process your data and what output to create. You can save and reuse SAS program files.