Step by step instructions to Get Through a Base SAS Certification

Introduction:
SAS is statistical analysis software that allows the programmer to extract the data from an archived data source, analyse it and convert into a statistical analysis report. SAS is majorly driven by SAS programs or by graphical user interface; this graphical user interface automatically generates the SAS programs according to the given command.

SAS Certifications:
There are multiple levels of certifications in SAS for different kind of programmers, like Base SAS certification, Certified Clinical Base SAS Programmer, Advanced SAS Programmer, Certified Clinical Base SAS Programmer - Accelerated Version, Certified SAS Data Integration Developer, Certified SAS Platform Administrator, Certified SAS Predictive Modeller using SAS Enterprise Miner 6, Certified Statistical Regression and Modelling Business Analyst, Certified SAS BI Content Developer.

But for each and every certification there will be a starting point, the starting point for beginners to start a career in SAS is holding the Base SAS Certification. After this, programmers can choose their route of interest in SAS which can be clinical or non-clinical statistical programmer, developer, administrator so on.

Base SAS Certification:
This certificate is appropriately suitable for those who are the beginners to SAS programming, and this certificate is also known as the core, for those who wish to write any of the advanced level certifications in SAS.

Whoever wishes to write the base SAS certification should be familiar with the new enhancements and functionalities of SAS 9.3 version, and he should have a good experience in programming and data management using SAS 9 version. Therefore he should be able to do certain works like import and export of the raw data files, manipulate and transform the data required by the applicant, combine different SAS data sets, using procedures of SAS for creating basic and summary reports, and he should also be capable of identifying syntax and programming logic errors that are generated during programming.

Base SAS Exam Content:
Applicant for this certification should be a graduate and sound enough with complete base SAS modules like accessing the data, creating datasets, managing data, generating reports and lastly the important task of handling errors while programming.
Modules covered in Base SAS examination:

Accessing data:

• Accessing the data, using FORMATTED and LIST input method.
• Controlling the processing of the raw data while importing the data from external sources into SAS environment using INFILE statement.
• Using various components of INPUT statements like column and line pointer controls and trailing controls.
• Combining different datasets.
• Accessing raw data in excels.
• Creating Datasets in SAS environment:
• Accessing raw data is the first part of programming, and creating data structures with the accessed data is second part of programming, so using SAS, a programmer should be familiar with creating temporary and permanent datasets, managing those values and exporting data to create a standard and comma delimited raw data files.

Managing Data:

After accessing and creating the datasets, these datasets should be managed by using different management concepts:

• Managing the datasets in different libraries in SAS utility environment.
• Sorting data values / observations in the datasets.
• If necessary conditionally execute SAS statements.
• Use assignment statements in the datasets.
• Modify variable attributes using options and statements in the datasets.
• Accumulating totals and sub totals using data step statements.
• Using functions in SAS to manipulate character, numerical, and SAS date values.
• Using SAS functions to convert Character data to numeric data and vice versa.
• Finally process the data using DO LOOPS, Arrays, so that final data would be validated and cleaned.

Generating Reports:The last step in SAS programming is generating a report, after the data is accessed, created into datasets, managed using different data step statements, keywords, functions, procedures i.e. cleaning and validating the data which internally make the data ready for generating a report file.

Report generating procedures are:

• Generating list reports by using the print procedure.
• Generating summary reports and frequency tables using base SAS procedures.
• Enhancing the report by the use of user defined formats, titles, footnotes and SAS system reporting.
• Generating the report using Output Delivery System (ODS).

Handling Errors:

• Error processing is done by SAS during both compilation and execution of a program. Syntax and semantic errors are known to be compilation time errors, where as execution and data errors are known to be execution time errors.
• A syntax error occurs when programming statements do not conform to the rules of SAS Language.
• A semantic error occurs when the language element is correct, but that element is not valid for a particular usage.
• Execution time error occurs when SAS attempts to execute a program and the execution fails.
• Data errors occur when data values are invalid.
• Modules covered in this section are:
• Identifying and resolving programming logical errors.
• Recognizing and correcting syntax errors.
• Examining and resolving data errors.
• Therefore depending on the errors, error identification and resolving should be done by the programmer.

Conclusion:
Any SAS programmer who is opting for a Base SAS certification should have thorough knowledge on base SAS Functions, statements, keywords, procedures, wherein by using all these he should be capable of accessing, creating, managing, manipulating and generating the data into an analyzed report data file.

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