SAS A00-215 Certification Exam Syllabus

• Recall SAS syntax rules.
• Recognize different types of syntax errors and be able to resolve common problems.
• Recall use of the PUTLOG statement to troubleshoot logic errors.

• Explain how SAS stores date values.
• Recall how to use SAS date formats to specify how the values are displayed.

- Recognize how SAS stores missing data.
- Use the LIBNAME statement to read SAS data sets.
- Use PROC CONTENTS to view the descriptor portion of a data set.
- Recall how to use Data Set options: DROP=, KEEP=, RENAME=, OBS=.

• Use MERGE and BY statements to combine multiple data sets horizontally.
• Use the IN= option on the MERGE statement to control processing.
• Use the SET statement to combine multiple data sets vertically.

- Explain the compilation and execution process of the DATA step.

• Describe how the Program Data Vector PDV is created.
• Explain how the LENGTH statement affects the default behavior of the PDV.
• Describe the process of the data step iteration.

- Subset observations and variables.

• Use the WHERE statement to subset observations during input.
• Use the IF statement to subset observations during processing.
• Use DROP/KEEP statements to subset variables at output.
• Use DROP=/KEEP= options to subset variables at input and output.

• Use the assignment statement to create character and numeric variables.
• Recall how to assign a date constant to a variable.

- Recognize SAS Functions.

• Use Character Functions: UPCASE, PROPCASE, SUBSTR, SCAN, FIND, LENGTH, CATX.
• Use Date Functions: MONTH, DAY, YEAR, TODAY, MDY.
• Use Truncation Functions: ROUND, INT.
• Use Descriptive Stats Functions: MEAN, SUM.

- Perform conditional processing.

• Use the IF-THEN and ELSE statements.
• Use IF-THEN DO and ELSE DO statements.
• Use the LENGTH statement for assigning byte size of character variables.

- Control the output of observations.

• Use the OUTPUT statement to output to a specific data set.
• Use the OUTPUT statement to control output timing.

- Create an accumulating variable.

• Use the SUM statement.
• Use BY group processing with FIRST. and LAST to accumulate in groups.

- Explain the function of iterative DO loops.
- Assign permanent attributes.

• Use the FORMAT statement to change the display of the variable value.
• Use the LABEL statement to change the display of the variable name.

• Use the LABEL option and NOOBS options to enhance the report.
• Use the VAR statement to control the display of variables.

- Use PROC MEANS to generate a summary report.

• Use the MAXDEC= option to control the display of decimal places.
• Use VAR and CLASS statements to control the structure of the report.

- Use PROC FREQ to generate a frequency report.

• Use the ORDER=option to control the order of the rows of the report.
• Use the TABLES statement for one-way and two-way tables.
• Use the NOCUM and NOPERCENT options in a one-way table.
• Use the CROSSLIST option to control the layout of two-way tables.

- Identify methods to enhance reports.

• Use TITLE statement.
• Use FOOTNOTE statement.
• Use FORMAT statement for temporary attributes.
• Use the LABEL statement for temporary attributes.
• Use the WHERE statement for subsetting observations.

• Use the OUT= option to create an output data set that contains the data in sorted order.
• Use the BY statement to specify the variable(s) whose values are used to sort the data.
• Use the DESCENDING option with the BY statement to sort options in descending order.

- Use PROC FORMAT to define custom formats.

• Use the VALUE statement to display one or more values.
• Use the keyword OTHER to label missing values.

• Use PROC IMPORT to import a CSV file.
• Use the PROC EXPORT to export to a CSV file.

- Use the LIBNAME statement to import/export an Excel file with XLSX engine.
- Use ODS to direct reports to external files.

• Use the destinations of PDF, RTF, EXCEL.
• Use the options of FILE= and STYLE=.