Statistics Software

The post is about Functions in SAS Software. Functions in SAS software are predefined routines that perform specific computations or transformations on data. They can be categorized into several types based on their functionality.

Introduction to Functions in SAS Software

SAS functions are predefined operations that perform specific computations on data, categorized by their purpose. Numeric functions handle mathematical calculations like rounding, summing, and logarithms. Character functions manipulate text data through substring extraction, case conversion, and concatenation. Date and time functions manage SAS date, time, and datetime values, enabling operations like extracting year/month/day or shifting dates by intervals.

In SAS, Statistical functions compute summary metrics such as mean, median, and standard deviation. Financial functions support business calculations like net present value and loan payments. Random number functions generate values from statistical distributions for simulations. Bitwise functions perform low-level binary operations. Array functions assist in managing array dimensions and bounds. Special functions include utilities for data type conversion and lagged value retrieval. Finally, file and I/O functions check file existence and manage input/output operations. Together, these functions streamline data processing, analysis, and reporting in SAS.

Here are the main types of functions in SAS Software:

Numeric Functions

Perform mathematical operations on numeric values. These functions are also called arithmetic functions.

Function	Short Description
SUM()	Sum of arguments
MEAN()	Arithmetic mean
MIN() / MAX()	Minimum/Maximum value
ROUND()	Rounds a number
INT()	Returns integer part of a number
ABS()	Absolute value of the argument
SQRT()	Square root
LOG() / LOG10()	Returns the integer part of a number

Random Number Functions in SAS

These functions generate random numbers.

Random Number Function	Short Description
RANUNI()	Generates random numbers from Uniform distribution
RANNOR()	Generates random numbers from a Normal distribution
RANBIN()	Generates random numbers from a Binomial distribution

Financial Functions

The following are important and useful financial calculations.

Financial Functions	Short Description
IRR()	Internal rate of return
NPV()	Returns Net Present Value
PMT()	Loan payment calculation

Character Functions in SAS

Manipulate and analyze text (string) data. These functions can also be classified as character-handling functions.

Character Functions	Short Description
SUBSTR()	Extracts a substring from an argument
SCAN()	Extracts a specified word from a string
TRIM() / STRIP()	Removes trailing/leading blanks from character expression
UPCASE() / LOWCASE()	Converts to uppercase/lowercase
CATX()	Concatenates strings with a delimiter
INDEX()	Finds the position of a
COMPRESS()	Removes specific characters from a string

Statistical Functions

The following are some important functions for the computation of descriptive statistical measures.

Descriptive Functions	Short Description
MEAN(), MEDIAN(), MODE()	Returns measures of central tendencies, mean, median, and mode of the data
STD()	Returns standard deviation
VAR()	Returns the variance
N()	Returns the count of non-missing values
NMISS()	Returns the count of missing values

Date and Time Functions in SAS

These functions handle SAS date, time, and datetime values.

Functions	Short Description
TODAY() / DATE()	Returns the current date
MDY()	Creates a date from month, day, year
YEAR() / MONTH() / DAY()	Extracts year/month/day
INTCK()	Computes intervals between dates
INTNX()	Increments a date by intervals
DATEPART()	Extracts the date from datetime
TIMEPART()	Extracts time from datetime

Bitwise Functions

The following functions perform bit-level operations.

Functions	Short Description
BAND()	Bitwise AND
BOR()	Bitwise OR
BNOT()	Bitwise NOT

Array Functions

The following functions work with arrays.

Functions	Short Description
DIM()	Returns the size of an array
HBOUND() / LBOUND()	Returns upper/ lower bounds of an array

Special Functions

Miscellaneous operations. These functions may be classified as conversion functions, too.

Functions	Short Description
INPUT()	Converts character to numeric/ date
PUT()	Converts value to formatted text
LAG() / DIF()	Access previous row values

File and I/O Functions

These functions handle file operations.

Functions	Short Description
FILEEXIST()	Checks if a file exists
FEXIST()	Checks if a fileref exists

The SAS functions described above help us in data cleaning, transformation, and analysis in SAS programming/ Software.

First Year (Intermediate) Mathematics Quiz

This blog post covers essential SAS interview questions to help aspiring data analysts and SAS programmers prepare for technical interviews. It explains core concepts like the basic elements of a SAS program, creating permanent datasets, the role of the DATA step, and how SAS informats work. Each question is answered concisely with practical examples, making it a quick yet comprehensive guide for interview preparation related to SAS Programming.

Essential SAS Interview Questions

What are the Basic Elements needed to run a SAS Program?

To run a SAS program, the following basic elements are needed:

• SAS Software – Install SAS (Base SAS, SAS Studio, or SAS University Edition).
• SAS Program – A SAS Programming Script containing:
  • DATA Step – To create or modify datasets.
  • PROC Step – To analyze or process data (e.g., PROC PRINT, PROC MEANS).
• Input Data – Can be internal (directly in the program) or external (CSV, Excel, etc.).
• Output – Procedure Results (logs, reports, or new datasets).
• SAS Environment – A workspace (SAS Display Manager, SAS Studio, or Enterprise Guide).

To run a SAS program, the following must be followed:

• Every line/statement has a semicolon
• Input statement
• A data statement that defines the data set
• A run statement
• There must be a minimum of one space between each statement or word.

How do you create a Permanent SAD Data Set?

To create a permanent SAS dataset, one must:

1. Assign a Library – Use the LIBNAME statement to link a folder where the dataset will be stored.
2. Reference the Library – Prefix the dataset name with the library name.

Example of Creating a Permanent Dataset in SAS

LIBNAME mylib "C:\SAS\Data";  /* Define a library */  

DATA mylib.permanent_data;  /* Creates a permanent dataset */  
   INPUT ID Name $ Age;  
   DATALINES;  
1 imdad 45  
2 Usman 30  
3 Ali 24
;  
RUN;  

The following are key points to note

• The dataset (permanent_data) is saved in the specified folder (C:\SAS\Data) even after the SAS session ends.
• Without a LIBNAMESAS stores datasets temporarily in the WORK library (deleted after the session).

To access the data for later use:

LIBNAME mylib "C:\SAS\Data";  
PROC PRINT DATA=mylib.permanent_data;  
RUN;  

What is the data step known in SAS?

In SAS, the DATA step is a fundamental programming component used to:

• Create or Modify Datasets – Read, transform, and manipulate data.
• Process Raw Data – Import external files (CSV, Text, and Excel) or create data internally.
• Perform Calculations & Conditional Logic – Using SAS functions, loops (DO-END), and IF-THEN-ELSE statements.
• Clean & Prepare Data – Handle missing values, recode variables, merge datasets, etc.

Key Features of the DATA Step:

• Begins with DATA the statement (names the dataset).
• Use INPUT to define variables.
• Can include SET, MERGE, UPDATE, or INFILE to work with existing data.
• Ends with RUN; (or a subsequent PROC step).

Note that the Data Step is important because

• The core of SAS data manipulation.
• Used before most PROC (procedure) Steps for analysis/reporting.
• Allows complex data transformations before analysis.

What is a SAS Data Set?

A SAS dataset is a structured data file used in SAS programming, organized in a table format with:

• Rows (Observations) – Represent individual records (e.g., customers, transactions).
• Columns (Variables) – Represent data attributes (e.g., ID, Name, Age).

The key Features of a SAS Data Set are:

1. Stored in Libraries –
   • Temporary: WORK library (deleted after session).
   • Permanent: Saved in a user-defined library (e.g., LIBNAME mylib "C:\Data";).
2. Two Parts:
   • Descriptor (metadata like variable names, types).
   • Data (actual values).
3. File Extension: .sas7bdat for datasets, .sas7bcat for catalogs.

A SAS dataset is used for Data storage, manipulation, and analysis in SAS procedures (PROC steps).

What SAS informats are?

SAS informats are instructions used to read raw data (for example, from files or datalines) and convert it into a SAS-readable format. They define how SAS interprets input data (numbers, dates, text, etc.).

The key features of SAS informats are:

• Used in INPUT statements (DATA step) or with INFILE/INFORMAT statements.
• Syntax: INFORMAT variable_name <format>; or embedded in INPUT.
• Common types:
  • Numeric: 8. (standard numeric), COMMA9. (with commas like 1,000).
  • Character: $10. (reads 10 characters).
  • Date/Time: DATE9. (e.g., 01JAN2023), MMDDYY10. (e.g., 01/01/2023).

The following is an example of SAS informats.

DATA example;  
   INPUT @1 Name $10.  @12 DOB MMDDYY10. @23 Salary COMMA9.;  
   DATALINES;  
Imdad      01/01/1990 50,000  
Usman     12/15/1985 75,000  
;  
RUN;  

• $10. reads 10-character text.
• MMDDYY10. reads dates in MM/DD/YYYY format.
• COMMA9. reads numbers with commas (e.g., 50,000).

Describe Some Common SAS Informats.

The common SAS Informats are:

Type	Example Informats	Usage
Numeric	8., COMMA9., PERCENT8.	Reads standard, comma-separated, or percentage numbers
Character	$10., $CHAR20.	Reads fixed-length text
Date	DATE9., MMDDYY10., YYMMDD10.	Converts text to SAS dates
Time	TIME8., DATETIME20.	Reads time/datetime values

Describe when to use SAS Informats.

The SAS informats should be used when:

• Importing external files (CSV, text).
• Reading non-standard data (e.g., dates in different formats).
• Converting raw text into usable SAS variables.

Take a Test: GRE Sentence Completion