SAS (software) - Features

Features

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• Read and write different file formats.
• Process data in different formats.
• SAS programming language, a 4th generation programming language. SAS DATA steps are written in a 3rd-generation procedural language very similar to PL/I; SAS PROCS, especially PROC SQL, are non-procedural and therefore better fit the definition of a 4GL.
• WHERE filtering available in DATA steps and PROCs; based on SQL WHERE clauses, incl. operators like LIKE and BETWEEN/AND.
• Built-in statistical and random number functions.
• Functions for manipulating character and numeric variables. Version 9 includes Perl Regular Expression processing.
• System of formats and informats. These control representation and categorization of data and may be used within DATA step programs in a wide variety of ways. Users can create custom formats, either by direct specification or via an input dataset.
• Comprehensive date- and time-handling functions; a variety of formats to represent date and time information without transformation of underlying values.
• Interaction with database products through a subset of SQL (and ability to use SQL internally to manipulate SAS data sets). Almost all SAS functions and operators available in PROC SQL.
• SAS/ACCESS modules allow communication with databases (including databases accessible via ODBC); in most cases, database tables can be viewed as though they were native SAS data sets. As a result, applications may combine data from many platforms without the end-user needing to know details of or distinctions between data sources.
• Direct output of reports to CSV, HTML, PCL, PDF, PostScript, RTF, XML, and more using Output Delivery System. Templates, custom tagsets, styles incl. CSS and other markup tools available and fully programmable.
• Interaction with the operating system (for example, pipelining on Unix and Windows and DDE on Windows).
• Fast development time, particularly from the many built-in procedures, functions, in/formats, the macro facility, etc.
• An integrated development environment.
• Dynamic data-driven code generation using the SAS Macro language.
• Can process files containing millions of rows and thousands of columns of data.
• University research centers often offer SAS code for advanced statistical techniques, especially in fields such as Political Science, Economics and Business Administration.
• Large user community supported by SAS Institute. Users have a say in future development, e.g. via the annual SASWare Ballot.