On this page
SAS
Prepare SAS inputs for a data estate, collect the relevant dependencies, and verify the scope represented in Understand.
modernAIze supports SAS as a data estate source platform. SAS programs describe data preparation and analysis through data steps, procedures, SQL, and macro-driven processing. Begin with the program that produces the required dataset or report, then collect the source that gives its library references, macro calls, and included processing their meaning.
Inputs to prepare
SAS program source in .sas files. Include the relevant macro definitions and files referenced by the program. .xlsx workbooks can accompany the source as supporting material.
Upload supporting .xlsx workbooks through Files or Folder, separately
from ZIP archives. Keep native source alongside the workbook; see
upload batches.
Native assets and what to collect
| Asset | Material to supply | What it contributes |
|---|---|---|
| SAS program | .sas source | DATA steps, PROC processing, SQL, and execution sequence |
| Macro definition | The .sas source containing %MACRO definitions | Reusable processing behind macro calls |
| Included program | Files referenced through %INCLUDE | Processing kept outside the main program |
| Library and runtime configuration | Relevant LIBNAME, FILENAME, macro-variable assignments, or approved context notes | Meaning of logical libraries, paths, and parameter-driven choices |
| Supporting metadata workbook | .xlsx, where needed | Additional structure or business context |
A SAS dataset’s business rows are not the program that produces it. Collect the program and relevant definitions; a binary dataset or a saved report alone does not provide DATA-step or macro behavior.
How to collect the inputs
You can collect the source files manually from the team’s controlled source location or export the program text from its authoring environment. Collect shared macro libraries and includes for the selected scope rather than only the entry program. This route uses source collection; it does not require a separate modernAIze extraction program.
If the team works in a project container, obtain the underlying SAS program source. Preserve the relevant library and parameter context without transferring passwords from connection configuration. Identify unresolved macro-generated names for review with the SAS specialist.
Prepare the source
- Identify the program that produces the assessment output and the source revision to use.
- Collect its
.sassource, the relevant macro definitions, and included programs. - Record library mappings, parameters, and externally supplied values needed to interpret the flow. Keep credentials out of the handover notes.
- Identify datasets or jobs outside the package that the processing depends on.
Investigate the analysis
Follow the preparation from its input datasets through the transformations to the output. Inspect joins, filters, derived values, and aggregation where they answer the assessment question. Where a macro supplies the processing, include its definition in the review rather than relying only on the invocation.
Start with Briefing for the system-level explanation, then use the appropriate Landscape view and available Detail links to investigate the relevant processing. Keep the question tied to the supplied source revision.
Example review question
The following example is synthetic.
For monthly revenue, review the program that combines order values with exchange rates and aggregates the result. If a shared macro chooses the rate date, obtain that macro before documenting the selection rule.
Verify the scope
Confirm that the expected processing and its important dataset dependencies are represented. If a macro or included program is missing, obtain the source or record the affected behavior as an open question. Parameter-driven choices need the intended execution context as well as the source expression.