• Certified SAS Base Programmer
• Certified SAS Advanced Programmer

1.Certified SAS Base Programmer

Accessing Data

• Use FORMATTED, LIST and COLUMN input to read raw data files
• Use INFILE statement options to control processing when reading raw data files
• Use various components of an INPUT statement to process raw data files including column and line pointer controls, and trailing @ controls
• Combine SAS data sets using the DATA step

• Create temporary and permanent SAS data sets
• Create and manipulate SAS date values
• Use DATA Step statements to export data to standard and comma delimited raw data files
• Control which observations and variables in a SAS data set are processed and output

• Investigate SAS data libraries using base SAS utility procedures
• Sort observations in a SAS data set
• Conditionally execute SAS statements
• Use assignment statements in the DATA step
• Modify variable attributes using options and statements in the DATA step
• Accumulate sub-totals and totals using DATA step statements
• Use SAS functions to manipulate character data, numeric data, and SAS date values
• Use SAS functions to convert character data to numeric and vice versa
• Process data using DO LOOPS
• Process data using SAS arrays

• Generate list reports using the PRINT and REPORT procedures
• Generate summary reports and frequency tables using base SAS procedures
• Enhance reports through the use of labels, SAS formats, user-defined formats, titles, footnotes and SAS System reporting options
• Generate HTML reports using ODS statements

• Identify and resolve programming logic errors
• Recognize and correct syntax errors
• Examine and resolve data errors

2.Certified SAS Advanced Programmer

• Generate detail reports by working with a single table or joining tables using PROC SQL and the appropriate options
• Generate summary reports by working with a single table or joining tables using PROC SQL and the appropriate options
• Construct subqueries within a PROC SQL step
• Compare solving a problem using the SQL procedure versus using traditional SAS programming techniques
• Access Dictionary Tables using the SQL procedure
• Demonstrate advanced PROC SQL skills by creating and updating tables, updating data values, working with indexes using the macro interface/creating macro variables with SQL, defining integrity constraints, SQL views and SET operators

• Creating and using user-defined and automatic macro variables within the SAS Macro Language
• Automate programs by defining and calling macros using the SAS Macro Language
• Understand the use of macro functions
• Recognize various system options that are available for macro debugging and displaying values of user-defined and automatic macro variables in the SAS log

• Demonstrate advanced data set processing techniques such as updating master data sets, transposing data, combining/merging data, sampling data using generation data sets, integrity constraints and audit trails
• Reduce the space required to store SAS data sets and numeric variables within SAS data sets by using compression techniques, length statements or DATA step views
• Develop efficient programs by using advanced programming techniques such as permanent formats and array processing
• Use SAS System options and SAS data set options for controlling memory usage
• Control the processing of variables and observations in the DATA step
• Create sorted or indexed data in order to avoid unnecessary sorts, eliminate duplicate data and to provide more efficient data access and retrieval
• Use PROC DATASETS to demonstrate advanced programming skills (e.g. renaming columns, displaying metadata, creating indexes, creating integrity constraints, creating audit trails)