Top 48 SAS Interview Questions and Answers (2024)

Here are SAS interview questions and answers for freshers as well as experienced Data analyst candidates to get their dream job.


1) What is SAS?  What are the functions does it performs?

SAS means Statistical Analysis System, which is an integrated set of software products.

  • Information retrieval and data management
  • Writing reports and graphics
  • Statistical analytics, econometrics and data mining
  • Business planning, forecasting, and decision support
  • Operation research and Project management
  • Quality Improvement
  • Data Warehousing
  • Application Development

Free PDF Download: SAS Interview Questions & Answers


2) What is the basic structure of the SAS base program?

The basic structure of SAS consist of

==DATA step, which recovers & manipulates data.
==PROC step, which interprets the data.


3) What is the basic syntax style in SAS?


To run the program successfully, and you have the following basic elements:

  • There should be a semi-colon at the end of every line
  • A data statement that defines your data set
  • Input statement
  • There should be at least one space between each word or statement
  • A run statement

For example: In file ‘H: \StatHW\yourfilename.dat’;


4) Explain data step in SAS

The Data step creates a SAS dataset which carries the data along with a “data dictionary.” The data dictionary holds information about the variables and their properties.


5) What is PDV?

The logical area in the memory is represented by PDV or Program Data Vector. At the time, SAS creates a database of one observation at a time. An input buffer is created at the time of compilation which holds a record from an external file. The PDV is created following the input buffer creation.

SAS Interview Questions And Answers
SAS Interview Questions And Answers

6) What are the data types does SAS contain?

The data types in SAS are Numeric and Character.


7) Which statement does not perform automatic conversions in comparisons?

In SAS, the “where” statement does not perform automatic conversions in comparisons.


8) What is a method to debug and test your SAS program?

You can debug and test your SAS program by using Obs=0 and systems options to trace the program execution in log


9) What is the difference between nodupkey and nodup options?

The difference between the NODUP and NODUPKEY is that NODUP compares all the variables in our dataset while NODUPKEY compares just the BY variables


10) Name validation tools used in SAS

For DataSet: Data set name/ debug Data set: Name/stmtchk
For SAS Macros variables: Options: mprint mlogic symbolgen


11) What does PROC print, and PROC contents do?

To display the contents of the SAS dataset PROC print is used and also to assure that the data were read into SAS correctly. While PROC CONTENTS display information about a SAS dataset.

SAS Interview Questions


12) What is the use of function Proc summary?

The syntax of proc summary is the same as that of proc means. It computes descriptive statistics on numeric variables in the SAS dataset.


13) What Proc glm does?

Proc glm performs simple and multiple regression, analysis of variance (ANOVAL), analysis of covariance, multivariate analysis of variance and repeated measure analysis of variance.


14) What is SAS informats?

SAS INFORMATS are used to read, or input data from external files known as Flat Files ASCII files, text files or sequential files). The informat will tell SAS on how to read data into SAS variables.


15) Name types of category in which SAS Informats are placed

SAS informats are placed in three categories,

  • Character Informats : $INFORMATw
  • Numeric Informats : INFORMAT w.d
  • Date/Time Informats: INFORMAT w.

16) What function CATX syntax does?

CATX syntax concatenates character strings remove trailing and leading blanks and inserts separators.


17) What is the use of PROC gplot?

PROC gplot has more options and can create more colorful and fancier graphics.


18) What is PROC in SAS?

In SAS, PROC steps analyze and process data in the form of an SAS data set. It controls a library of routines that perform tasks on SAS data set options such as sorting, summarizing and listing.


19)  What is the SAS data set?

A SAS data set is a file consisting of two parts.

  • A descriptor portion
  • A data portion

20) List out some key concept of SAS

Some key concept of SAS include,

  • SORT procedure
  • Missing values
  • KEEP=, DROP= dataset options
  • Data step logic
  • Reset to missing, or the RETAIN statement
  • Log
  • FORMAT procedure for creating value formats
  • Data types
  • IN= dataset option

21) What is the difference between INPUT and INFILE ?

INFILE INPUT
  • INFILE statement is used to identify an external file
  • INPUT statement is used to describe your variables

22) State the difference between INFORMAT and FORMAT ?

  • INFORMAT: To indicate SAS that a number should be read in a particular format
  • FORMAT: To indicate SAS how to print the variables

23) What is factor analysis?

Factor analysis is a common term used for a family of statistical techniques associated with the reduction of a set of observable variables in terms of a small number of latent factors.  The main goal of factor analysis is data reduction and summarization.


24) How you can read the variables that you need?

You read the variables using input statement with column /line pointers, informats and length specifiers.


25) What are the special input delimiters used in SAS?

Special input delimiters used in SAS are DLM and DSD.


26) How SAS treats the DSD delimiters?

When you define DSD, SAS treats two consecutive delimiters as a missing value and removes quotation marks from character values.


27) What is the good SAS programming practices for processing large data sets?

The good SAS programming practices for processing large data sets is to sort them once using firstobs= and obs=.


28) How to include or exclude specific variables in a data set?

To include or exclude specific variables in a data set you can use DROP, KEEP Statements and Data set Options.


29) How SUBSTR function works in SAS?

The SUBSTR function is used to abstract substring from a character variable.


30) What SAS features do you use to check errors and data validation?

To check errors, use the Log, and for data validation use things like Proc Freq, Proc Means or sometimes Proc print to see how data looks.


31) What are the ways to do a “table lookup” in SAS?

There are five  ways to do a “table lookup” in SAS which include:

  1. PROC SQL
  2. Match Merging
  3. Direct Access
  4. Format Tables
  5. Arrays

32) How will you generate test data with no input data?

You will generate test data with no input data using “put” statement and “Data Null”.


33) What are the difference between CEIL and FLOOR functions in SAS?

The “floor” returns the greatest integer less than/equal to the argument. Whereas the “ceil” function returns the smallest integer greater than/equal to the argument.


34) What are the difference between SAS functions and procedures?

The difference between SAS functions and procedures is that

  • Procedures expect one variable value per observation
  • Functions expect values to be supplied across an observation

35) How to remove duplicates using PROC SQL?

To remove duplicates using PROC SQL use following step,

Proc SQL noprint;

Create Table inter.merged1 as

Select distinct * from inter.readin ;

Quit;

36) What are common programming errors committed in SAS

Common programming errors committed in SAS are,

  • Missing semicolon
  • Not checking log after submitting program
  • Not using debugging techniques
  • Not using Fsview option vigorously

37) How to limit decimal places for the variable using PROC MEANS?

By using MAXDEC=option, you can limit decimal places for the variable.


38) What are the difference between the SAS DATA STEP and SAS PROCs?

  • SAS DATA STEP is used to read in and manipulate data
  • SAS PROCs are sub-routines perform tasks on SAS data set

39) What is the  use of STOP statement?

A STOP statement is used to control the continuous looping in SET statement.


40) What is RUN-Group processing?

RUN-Group processing allows submitting a PROC step using RUN statement without ending the procedure.


41) How to test the debugging in SAS?

For debugging in SAS use the Debug clause after ‘/’ in the data statement.


42) How to create a permanent SAS data set?

In order to create a permanent SAS data set, there are two steps necessary,

  • Assign a library and engine.
  • Create the data. Make sure to assign both a library (other than WORK) and data set name to make the data set permanent.

43) What is SLIBREF?

SLIBREF is a server-libref.  It specifies the libref that is used by the server to identify the SAS data library when no physical name is determined, and the server libref is different from the client libref.


44)  What are the default statistics that PROC MEANS produce?

The default statistics that PROC MEANS produce are,

  • N
  • MIN
  • MAX
  • MEAN
  • STD DEV

45) What is the command used to find missing values?

The command used to find missing values is

missing_values=MISSING(field1,field2,field3);

46) What is the difference between Match Merge and One to One Merge?

A one-to-one merge is suitable if both data sets in the merge statement are sorted by id, and each observation in one data set has a corresponding observation in the other data set.  If the observations do not match, then match merging is suitable.


47) What are the scrubbing procedures in SAS?

The scrubbing procedures in SAS are Proc Sort with nodupkey option.  It will eliminate duplicate values.


48) What is the use of the %include statement?

%INCLUDE statement reads an entire file into the current SAS program you are running and submits that file to the SAS System immediately.

These interview questions will also help in your viva(orals)

Share

23 Comments

  1. Hi,
    I am learning SAS programming. After reading your 2nd question answer. I got confused.
    My understanding is the basic structure of SAS programming is…

    SAS programs consist of :
    DATA step, which recovers & manipulates data.
    PROC step, which interpret the data.

    ******************************************
    But you explained about SAS Interface….Please check and let me if I am wrong.

    Thanks
    Anu

    1. You are correct! Answer is updated

    2. Sas can divided into two parts.

      data step
      proc step

      data step always start with key word of data end with run statement. data step always use with reshape the data.

      proc step always start with key word of proc end with Run statement.

      1. Proc step ends with “quit” right?

  2. good questions wd good explanation …

  3. Hi,
    I am thinking to change domain from CDM to SAS. I have 5 years of experience on CDM and CRC, it is possible to change. Please give me some instructions.

    Thank you in advance,

    1. its possible after some years lot of peoples changed cdmto sas

  4. Hi sir, actually i finished my MSc statistics in 2013 now i am trying to enter in it as a SAS fresher is it good time to change my carrier from lecturer to it employee plss suggest to enter

    1. Yes, please confidently move to SAS

    2. Hi sir ,i finished my msc statistics in 2019 ,present i completed SAS training ,iam waiting for job,please any fresher job inform you sir.

  5. Avatar chandrasekhar says:

    Hi,
    I am currently working as medical coder from last 5 years. Is it possible to move from medical coding to SAS. Please give suggestions on it.

    Thank u

  6. Avatar Katari Saipushpa says:

    Hi sir,
    I did my MSc in statistics in 2013 n I am doing as procurement analyst in pharma company. Is it right time to move to SAS in clinical domian .
    Could u plz suggest me ?

    1. Avatar Sai amith says:

      ya … u should go with clinical domain using sas

  7. Hi, I am a commercial underwriter (credit analyst), i wanted to get into credit risk analysis and i believe SAS is one of the essential/basic software that one know know. How SAS can help me and want are its pros and cons. Also if you can suggest any institute (New Delhi) for SAS training which also help in placement.

  8. Avatar Swapnil Umrikar says:

    Hi sir ,I am swapnil, I have done M.SC.in life scenic and currently working in pharmaceutical company and having 10 years of experience. I want to start my career in data science field. Is it possible to do that pls guide.

  9. hey,
    i have done Mba in business analytics and marketing,and i have also done in 1year and half month experienced in marketing field ,so now i want to move in SAS programming,so could you please suggest me, is that easy possible move in SAS programming.

  10. A typo correction:
    in #44 the second proc means default output should be read as MIN not MN.

    1. Hi, thanks for drawing attention. It is corrected.

  11. Hello sir,
    I want to learn SAS can you guide me which class I join fir sas learning

  12. i want SAS interview questions for 2 yrs of experience….Help me out……

  13. I want to get a job as fresher in statistical programming domain can you suggest how to get notifications for fresher jobs in sas domain?

  14. Avatar Clinnovo Research Labs says:

    Clinnovo Research Labs provides Jobs, Internships, Trainings, in the Domains of Clinical Research, Clinical Data Management, SAS, Pharmacovigilance, CDISC, SDTM, ADaM.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *