Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/advanced-sas-programming-techniques
For anyone looking to elevate their SAS programming skills beyond the basics, the Coursera course ‘Advanced SAS Programming Techniques’ is an absolute game-changer. This course is meticulously designed to equip learners with sophisticated methods for data manipulation, moving beyond simple procedures to tackle complex data challenges.
The course kicks off with a crucial module on **Course Overview, Review, and Data Setup**. This section ensures everyone is on the same page, providing a solid foundation by reviewing fundamental SAS DATA step processing and data set manipulation. It’s an excellent refresher and a necessary step before diving into the more advanced topics.
Next, the module on **Using Advanced Functions** truly unlocks the power of SAS. Here, you’ll learn to leverage functions like LAG, FINDC/FINDW, and COUNT/COUNTC/COUNTW to perform intricate comparisons between rows, identify and quantify substrings within columns, and streamline data cleaning and standardization. The exploration of CALL routines and Perl Regular Expressions (PRX) is particularly impactful, offering powerful tools for pattern matching and data analysis. Working with real-world data like storm, weather, and population data makes these concepts tangible and immediately applicable.
**Defining and Processing Arrays** is another standout module. Arrays in SAS can significantly simplify repetitive coding tasks, and this course teaches you how to harness their power for data rotation and efficient table lookups. This can lead to dramatically more concise and readable code.
The introduction to **Defining and Processing Hash Objects** is where the course truly shines for advanced users. Learning to declare, instantiate, and initialize hash objects, and then use them for efficient data storage, retrieval, and processing, is a critical skill. The inclusion of hash iterators to manage data order adds another layer of sophistication.
Finally, the **Using Utility Procedures** module covers essential tools for enhancing SAS output and functionality. Mastering PROC FORMAT’s PICTURE statement for creating custom numeric templates for dates, times, and large numbers, and utilizing PROC FCMP to build custom functions and CALL routines, adds a professional polish to your SAS programs.
**Recommendation:**
‘Advanced SAS Programming Techniques’ is highly recommended for data analysts, statisticians, and anyone working extensively with SAS who wants to optimize their workflows and tackle more complex data manipulation tasks. The practical examples and clear explanations make even the most advanced topics accessible. If you’re serious about becoming a proficient SAS programmer, this course is an invaluable investment in your skillset.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/advanced-sas-programming-techniques