Welcome to your one-stop solution for all the information you need to excel in the SAS 9.4 Base Programming - Performance-Based Exam (A00-231) Certification exam. This page provides an in-depth overview of the SAS A00-231 Exam Summary, Syllabus Topics, and Sample Questions, designed to lay the foundation for your exam preparation. We aim to help you achieve your SAS Certified Specialist - Base Programming Using SAS 9.4 certification goals seamlessly. Our detailed syllabus outlines each topic covered in the exam, ensuring you focus on the areas that matter most. With our sample questions and practice exams, you can gauge your readiness and boost your confidence to take on the SAS Base Programming exam.
Why SAS Base Programming Certification Matters
The SAS A00-231 exam is globally recognized for validating your knowledge and skills. With the SAS Certified Specialist - Base Programming Using SAS 9.4 credential, you stand out in a competitive job market and demonstrate your expertise to make significant contributions within your organization. The SAS 9.4 Base Programming - Performance-Based Exam Certification exam will test your proficiency in the various syllabus topics.
SAS A00-231 Exam Summary:
| Exam Name | SAS 9.4 Base Programming - Performance-Based Exam |
| Exam Code | A00-231 |
| Exam Duration | 135 minutes |
| Exam Questions | 40-45 |
| Passing Score | 725 / 1000 |
| Exam Price | $180 (USD) |
| Books / Training |
SAS Programming 1: Essentials SAS Programming 2: Data Manipulation Techniques |
| Exam Registration | Pearson VUE |
| Sample Questions | SAS Base Programming Specialist Certification Sample Question |
| Practice Exam | SAS Base Programming Specialist Certification Practice Exam |
SAS A00-231 Exam Syllabus Topics:
| Objective | Details |
|---|---|
Access and Create Data Structures (20-25%) |
|
| Create temporary and permanent SAS data sets. | - Use a DATA step to create a SAS data set from an existing SAS data set. |
| Investigate SAS data libraries using base SAS utility procedures. |
- Use a LIBNAME statement to assign a library reference name to a SAS library. - Investigate a library programmatically using the CONTENTS procedure. |
| Access data. |
- Access SAS data sets with the SET statement. - Use PROC IMPORT to access non-SAS data sources.
- Use the SAS/ACCESS XLSX engine to read a Microsoft Excel workbook.xlsx file. |
| Combine SAS data sets. |
- Concatenate data sets. - Merge data sets one-to-one. - Merge data sets one-to-many. |
| Create and manipulate SAS date values. |
- Explain how SAS stores date and time values. - Use SAS informats to read common date and time expressions. - Use SAS date and time formats to specify how the values are displayed. |
| Control which observations and variables in a SAS data set are processed and output. |
- Use the WHERE statement in the DATA step to select observations to be processed. - Subset variables to be output by using the DROP and KEEP statements. - Use the DROP= and KEEP= data set options to specify columns to be processed and/or output. |
Manage Data (35-40%) |
|
| Sort observations in a SAS data set. |
- Use the SORT Procedure to re-order observations in place or output to a new dataset with the OUT= option. - Remove duplicate observations with the SORT Procedure. |
| Conditionally execute SAS statements. |
- Use IF-THEN/ELSE statements to process data conditionally. - Use DO and END statements to execute multiple statements conditionally. |
| Use assignment statements in the DATA step. |
- Create new variables and assign a value. - Assign a new value to an existing variable. - Assign the value of an expression to a variable. - Assign a constant date value to a variable. |
| Modify variable attributes using options and statements in the DATA step. |
- Change the names of variables by using the RENAME= data set option. - Use LABEL and FORMAT statements to modify attributes in a DATA step. - Define the length of a variable using the LENGTH statement. |
| Accumulate sub-totals and totals using DATA step statements. |
- Use the BY statement to aggregate by subgroups. - Use first. and last. processing to identify where groups begin and end. - Use the RETAIN and SUM statements. |
| Use SAS functions to manipulate character data, numeric data, and SAS date values. |
- Use SAS functions such as SCAN, SUBSTR, TRIM, UPCASE, and LOWCASE to perform tasks such as the tasks shown below.
- Use SAS numeric functions such as SUM, MEAN, RAND, SMALLEST, LARGEST, ROUND, and INT. |
| Use SAS functions to convert character data to numeric and vice versa. |
- Explain the automatic conversion that SAS uses to convert values between data types. - Use the INPUT function to explicitly convert character data values to numeric values. - Use the PUT function to explicitly convert numeric data values to character values. |
| Process data using DO LOOPS. |
- Explain how iterative DO loops function. - Use DO loops to eliminate redundant code and to perform repetitive calculations. - Use conditional DO loops. - Use nested DO loops. |
| Restructure SAS data sets with PROC TRANSPOSE. |
- Select variables to transpose with the VAR statement. - Rename transposed variables with the ID statement. - Process data within groups using the BY statement. - Use PROC TRANSPOSE options (OUT=, PREFIX= and NAME=). |
| Use macro variables to simplify program maintenance. |
- Create macro variables with the %LET statement - Use macro variables within SAS programs. |
Error Handling (15-20%) |
|
| Identify and resolve programming logic errors. |
- Use the PUTLOG Statement in the Data Step to help identify logic errors. - Use PUTLOG to write the value of a variable, formatted values, or to write values of all variables. - Use PUTLOG with Conditional logic. - Use temporary variables N and ERROR to debug a DATA step. |
| Recognize and correct syntax errors. |
- Identify the characteristics of SAS statements. - Define SAS syntax rules including the typical types of syntax errors such as misspelled keywords, unmatched quotation marks, missing semicolons, and invalid options. - Use the log to help diagnose syntax errors in a given program. |
Generate Reports and Output (15-20%) |
|
| Generate list reports using the PRINT procedure. |
- Modify the default behavior of PROC PRINT by adding statements and options such as
|
| Generate summary reports and frequency tables using base SAS procedures. |
- Produce one-way and two-way frequency tables with the FREQ procedure. - Enhance frequency tables with options (NLEVELS, ORDER=). - Use PROC FREQ to validate data in a SAS data set. - Calculate summary statistics and multilevel summaries using the MEANS procedure - Enhance summary tables with options. - Identify extreme and missing values with the UNIVARIATE procedure. |
| Enhance reports using user-defined formats, titles, footnotes and SAS System reporting options. |
- Use PROC FORMAT to define custom formats.
- Use the LABEL statement to define descriptive column headings. |
| Generate reports using ODS statements. |
- Identify the Output Delivery System destinations. - Create HTML, PDF, RTF, and files with ODS statements. - Use the STYLE=option to specify a style template. - Create files that can be viewed in Microsoft Excel. |
| Export data |
- Create a simple raw data file by using the EXPORT procedure as an alternative to the DATA step. - Export data to Microsoft Excel using the SAS/ACCESS XLSX engine. |
The SAS has created this credential to assess your knowledge and understanding in the specified areas through the A00-231 certification exam. The SAS Certified Specialist - Base Programming Using SAS 9.4 exam holds significant value in the market due to the brand reputation of SAS. We highly recommend thorough study and extensive practice to ensure you pass the SAS 9.4 Base Programming - Performance-Based Exam exam with confidence.