Optimization Tips and Techniques in SAS Software Course

Working efficiently in SAS is crucial, especially when processing large files or information on computers with resource or technology constraints. Participants will learn techniques to reduce program execution time and unnecessary use of resources.

Merging many data files has always been a resource burden. We examine the different ways of pulling data together without using merge processing. We found other techniques that save coding and processing time, while being easy to use. We discuss how indexes help speed up searching through data.

This class also covers how to give different views of the same data to different users, without giving them code. Coding for the end user becomes much simpler. We teach how to improve the performance and efficiency of your SAS programs.

This course is designed for experienced SAS users to enhance existing skills. Efficient SAS programming methods and techniques are studied in depth.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:
> Recognize how to benchmark to choose the right programming method
> Organize and sort SAS data sets
> Index and compress SAS data sets
> Evaluate the best table look up techniques to avoid merging
> Make the best use of system resources

Efficiency Techniques and Benchmarking
CPU, I/O and memory
STIMER, FULLSTIMER and MEMRPT options
Reducing disk space
Reducing memory requirements with BUFFNO and BUFSIZE

Data Storage Methods and Compression
SAS engines
Space reduction
Data set compression

Indexing Techniques and Uses
When to use indexes
Creating and deleting indexes
Index advantages and disadvantages

SAS Data Set Modification and Space Reduction
Data set library structure
Multi-engine architecture
Proc Access
Stored Program facility
Data step views
Using the libname statement against RDBMs

Table Lookup Techniques
Looksups using formats
Looksups using indexes and KEY=
Looksups using merges
Looksups using arrays
Looksups using SQL joins
Looksups using macros

The Where Clause and Data Set Options
The where clause comparisons
Combining data set options
Keep and drop options
Other data set options

Sorting Techniques and Efficiencies for Large Data Sets
Working with duplicates
Controlling secondary sort orders
Using the sort flag
SAS sort vs. Host Sort
Using the where statement
Appending
Using the tagsort option
Determining sorting resources
Sorting RDBMs information

Managing Multiple Data Sets
Interleaving, concatenating and merging data sets
Updating and modifying data sets
Using the OPEN= SET statement option for efficiency

Primary Efficiency Considerations
When to use indexes
Creating and deleting indexes
Index advantages and disadvantages

SAS Data Set Modification and Space Reduction
Efficiently reading data
Efficiently creating multiple files
Using the contribution (IN=) option
The difference between CLASS and BY statements
Overlaying data sets to save space

Rapid Program Development
Setting up generic code for reuse
Using macros
Maintaining format libraries

Completion of Programming II: Data Manipulation using the Data Step course and an understanding of:
> HTML output
> Creating summary information
> SAS functions
> Transforming data
> DROP, KEEP and RENAME processing
> Match merging and interleaving data
> Data step compile and execution
> Basic operating system commands
> Operating system file structures
> Libname statements
> Array Processing and Do Loops
> Macro Processing