Abstract: This seminar will present the summary and analysis of a health outcomes study, beginning with reviewing the requested analysis plan from the investigator, to setting up analysis datasets from various sources, to producing summary tables/figures and finishing up with testing some basic hypotheses on the data. Some programming techniques to perform these tasks for these types of studies will be presented, including the basic use of hashes and DOW loops to obtain the desired datasets, tables, figures and analyses. A study of Impact of Benefit Designs on Medicare Part B Plans will be used as an example, but the techniques can be applied to similar research studies. They also can be applied in Phase IV studies.

Abstract: This one-day course is designed for the SAS programmer who is new to the Macro Language.  We will start at the basics and cover the fundamentals necessary to start applying SAS macros in your programs.  By the end of the day you will understand how the Macro Language works, what the Macro Symbol Table is and how to store values in it, how the SAS System uses Macro Variables, key Macro Language concepts, important SAS Macro Language Functions, and how to invoke Macros in your programs.  The example Macros shown in the course materials demonstrate the power and flexibility of this part of the SAS System and will enable you to apply the functionality of the Macro Language to your own programs right away.      This session is suited for the SAS user who already has a basic understanding of the Data Step and Procedure Steps, and who is new to the Macro Language facility in SAS System software.  It is a beginning-level course that assumes no prior understanding of the SAS Macro Language.  It is also suitable for SAS users who want to understand the Macros found in programs then have "inherited" from other programmers.

Additional Fee: $40 for “Carpenter's Complete Guide to the SAS Macro Language, 2nd Edition”

Abstract: This course explores the various techniques associated with output formatting and delivery using the Output Delivery System (ODS). Numerous examples will be presented to command mastery of ODS capabilities while providing a better understanding of ODS statements and options to deliver output anyway that is needed. Topics include SAS-supplied Formatting statements and options; Formatting Output as RTF, PDF, MS-Excel®, and HTML; Selecting output objects with Selection or Exclusion Lists; using the Escape character to enhance output formats; exploring ODS statements and options; constructing drill-down applications with the DATA step, ODS, and SAS/GRAPH software; creating thumbnail charts; techniques on creating user-defined ODS styles; and an introduction to the customization of output with the TEMPLATE Procedure.

Prerequisite: Understand SAS basics and/or have 6-months of SAS Software experience

Abstract: This course covers both SQL as a language and its implementation in SAS via PROC SQL.  Topics include creating tables and views, inner and outer joins, union and other set operations, subsetting data with WHERE and HAVING statements, aggregating and summarizing data. Examples of using PROC SQL to interface with other DBMS, directly and via ODBC, will be covered as well. Comparisons of the efficiency of PROC SQL and other methods of manipulating data in SAS, via procedures or data step, will be given. At the end of the course, students will have an understanding as to which scenarios may be appropriate for SQL processing and the tools to write queries of medium complexity. Students will receive bound course notes which contain an annotated version of the course presentation along with copies of all the code and data presented.

Additional Fee: $15 for Course Notes

Tuesday Full-Day Class Descriptions

Abstract: This one day course is designed for students with a good understanding of the DATA and PROC steps and who already understand the basic structure and syntax of the SAS Macro Language.  The course will start with a short review of the macro basics and quickly move on to topics selected to improve your macro language expertise.  Several key macro functions will be introduced, explained and demonstrated.  Course topics include: Macro Language Review; Macro Functions, Using and Creating; Writing Dynamic Code; Controlling Your Environment; Working With SAS Data Sets; SAS Macro Libraries; Miscellaneous Macro Topics.

Additional Fee: $40 for “Carpenter's Complete Guide to the SAS Macro Language, 2nd Edition”

Abstract:  An understanding of SAS-supplied formats and informats as well as the ability to create user-defined formats and informats is invaluable to programmers who use SAS to manage or display data.  This course provides an overview on the application of SAS formats and informats and then delves into the many features of PROC FORMAT.
Students will learn how to create their own formats with PROC FORMAT and learn many tricks and tips for making use of them.  More advanced topics include:
• Nested formats (formats within formats)
• Multilevel formats (assigning more than one formatted value to a single data value)
• Controlling the sort order of formatted values (not just alphabetical order)
• Uncovering the mystery of the ever-dreaded PICTURE statement
Students will receive bound course notes which contain an annotated version of the course presentation along with copies of all the code and data presented.

Additional Fee: $15 for Course Notes

Abstract: This seminar discusses over 30 common errors in merging, combining, or otherwise manipulating data.  All of these errors result in erroneous data. Most of them occur with no SAS message or warning!  In addition to examining errors, this covers a wide range of topics such as interleaving, subsetting, concatenations, the IN= data set option, BY groups, FIRST.variable, program data vectors (PDV), finding duplicate records, collapsing files, overlapping variables, random access, Cartesian products, one-to-one merges, match merges, SQL joins, and fuzzy merges.     The workshop starts with the basics and continues to build up to complex and tricky examples of data set manipulation. The only prerequisite for the course is a working knowledge of the SAS DATA Step.  Yet, this workshop will give intermediate and advanced programmers a great review and some surprises.  Come see what mysteries lurk in manipulating SAS files!

Prerequisite: The class requires a working knowledge of SAS DATA step.

Abstract: SAS Enterprise Guide is a powerful point-and-click interface to the SAS System and is used by business analysts, statisticians, researchers and programmers. This course shows how to use SAS Enterprise Guide to retrieve information from various sources including SAS and Excel, analyze the data, and present the results in HTML, PDF and RTF formats. Topics include navigating the menus; managing the data; using the query tool to subset data, compute new columns and join tables; performing exploratory data analysis; reviewing the generated code; creating summary reports and graphs; creating interactive graphs; and consolidating the results into one document using the Document Builder. Tips and techniques for using Enterprise Guide will be given throughout the class. 

This course is appropriate for both new SAS users and SAS programmers who are new to SAS Enterprise Guide.  Attendees who bring a laptop computer with SAS Enterprise Guide 4.1 installed will be able to do some hands-on examples demonstrated by the instructors.  Attendees will receive the course notes.

Abstract: Data exploration and graphical data analysis methods stress visualization to thoroughly study the structure of data and to check the validity of statistical model fit to the data.  This full-day course covers fundamental concepts for understanding and successfully applying data exploration and graphical data analysis methods by using the powerful user-friendly SAS macro applications. These concepts will be illustrated via downloadable SAS macro files. The participants will learn data exploration and graphical data analysis methods used in exploratory factor analysis, k-mean cluster analysis, multiple and logistic regression.

Prerequisite: Minimum 1-year Base SAS programming experience

Abstract: ODS Statistical Graphics, introduced as an experimental system in SAS® 9.1, finally gives the data analyst the graphical diagnostics tools that SAS always lacked.  Now, it is easy to create graphics that show whether the statistical model was reasonable, and graphics that indicate where model deficiencies lie.  This leads to better analysis, easier modeling, and less coding to perform our tasks.  It also leads to better documentation, as well as easier creation of graphics for end-users or publication.  The course begins with introductory material on ODS and ODS Statistical Graphics, followed by detailed examples showing how to best use ODS Statistical Graphics in a variety of standard SAS/STAT® procedures.  Data analysis and modeling using ODS Statistical Graphics in PROC REG, PROC GLM, PROC LOGISTIC, and PROC MIXED - along with the creation of a host of relevant graphs and plots - will be the focus of the majority of the course, followed by analysis using less common SAS statistical procedures.

Prerequisite: Beginning and intermediate SAS users w/ familiarity of statistics.

Abstract: For many programmers it is difficult to take this highly flexible, very powerful, potential complex procedure past the basic steps.  Much of the confusion lies with the compute block, and its process.  To make matters worse many of today's tables are to be imported into word processing documents and additional complexity is added when coordinating with the Output Delivery System.  You do not have to be one of those with an incomplete understanding of PROC REPORT.  This Seminar will show you how PROC REPORT thinks as it executes the compute block.  Topics included in this seminar: Review of the REPORT step process; Review of the compute block; Understanding more about the LINE statement; Using SAS Language Elements in the compute block; Coordinating ODS with PROC REPORT - beyond the basics; Building linked documents; Traffic lighting; Incorporating graphics with your report; Using SAS/GRAPH to augment a table; Implementation of in-line formatting sequences.

Additional Fee: $50 for “Carpenter's Complete Guide to the SAS Report Procedure”

Abstract: The SAS® Macro Language is a powerful tool for extending the capabilities of the SAS System. This seminar presents numerous tips and tricks in the construction of effective macros. Attendees learn how to process statements containing macros; replace text strings with macro variables; generate SAS code using macros; combine macro variable references with text; manipulate macro variable values with macro functions; compile and execute a compiled macro; handle global and local variables; construct arithmetic and logical expressions; use macro quoting functions; interface the macro language with other languages including the DATA step and SQL procedure; store and reuse macros; troubleshoot and debug macros; and develop efficient and portable macro language code.

Prerequisite: Minimum 1-year Base SAS programming experience