This comprehensive SAS programming course provides a thorough review of the major topics covered in the SAS 9.4 Base Programming Performance-Based certification exam. The course is structured to address all four primary exam content areas: accessing and creating data structures, managing and transforming data, generating professional reports and output, and identifying and handling programming errors.
This course is specifically designed to help you prepare for the SAS Certified Specialist: Base Programming Using SAS 9.4 certification exam, a recognized credential in the data analytics and business intelligence field.
Key Programming Skills You Will Learn
- Read, create, and combine SAS data sets from various sources
- Sort observations and organize data using the SORT procedure
- Read delimited data files and Microsoft Excel files using the IMPORT procedure and LIBNAME engines
- Create new variables using assignment statements, conditional statements, and sum statements
- Manipulate data effectively using SAS functions and expressions
- Process data iteratively with DO loops and other control structures
- Restructure data and change data organization using the TRANSPOSE procedure
- Create professional reports using PRINT, FREQ, MEANS, and UNIVARIATE procedures
- Create custom formats with the FORMAT procedure for presentation
- Create and export external files using ODS, the EXPORT procedure, and LIBNAME engines
- Identify programming errors and implement corrective solutions
Who Should Attend This Course:
This course is ideal for SAS users interested in a comprehensive review course before taking the SAS 9.4 Base Programming Performance-Based exam as part of the SAS Global Certification Program. The course is also beneficial for SAS programmers, database administrators, business analysts, and data scientists seeking to strengthen their foundational programming knowledge.
Required Prerequisites:
Participants should have completed the SAS Fundamentals course or have equivalent practical experience with SAS programming.
Complete Course Outline
Introduction to the Course and Exam
- Overview of the SAS 9.4 base programming performance-based exam requirements
- Understanding this review course structure and goals
- Review of fundamental SAS concepts and terminology
- Using macro variables to simplify code maintenance and reusability
Access and Create Data Structures
- Investigating and understanding SAS data libraries
- Accessing SAS data sets and external data sources not in SAS format, including Microsoft Excel and text files
- Creating SAS data sets and understanding DATA step processes
- Controlling which rows and columns to process and output
- Modifying column attributes and metadata
Manage Data Effectively
- Using assignment statements for variable creation
- Conditional processing with IF-THEN and ELSE statements
- Sorting and combining data tables
- Accumulating subtotals and totals for reporting
- Manipulating data with built-in and user-defined functions
- Iterative processing with DO loops
- Restructuring data using PROC TRANSPOSE
Error Handling and Troubleshooting
- Identifying and resolving programming logic errors
- Examining and resolving data errors and inconsistencies
Generating Professional Reports and Output
- Generating list reports using the PRINT procedure
- Generating summary reports and frequency tables using base SAS procedures
- Enhancing reports with labels, custom formats, titles, footnotes, and reporting options
- Generating reports using ODS (output delivery system) statements
- Exporting data to text and Microsoft Excel files
Additional Test Preparation Resources
- More detailed information about the SAS 9.4 Base Programming Performance-Based exam
- Additional preparation resources and study materials
- Test-taking strategies and best practices
