Beginning Tutorials. BT004 Enterprise Guide Version 2.0 NESUG 2003 James Blaha, Pace University, Briarcliff Manor, NY ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION:

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1 BT004 Enterprise Guide Version 2.0 NESUG 2003 James Blaha, Pace University, Briarcliff Manor, NY ABSTRACT: This paper focuses on the basics for using the SAS Enterprise Guide software. The focus is on getting the main concepts of Enterprise Guide use understood. Paper Overview Overview of the Enterprise Guide technology Data that works inside Enterprise Guide Walk through the Basics: (Screen Shots of Enterprise Guide in Action) Conclusion INTRODUCTION: The Enterprise Guide is a point and click Graphical User Interface (GUI) tool that if used properly can dramatically increase your productivity and assist in increasing your technology Return on Investment (ROI). By pointing and clicking your way through common tasks such as making reports, generating graphs or even creating different types of flat files you can easily generate SAS code without knowing the actual programming language. In assisting with rapid deployment of critical information this tool can generate multiple formatted outputs. For example, you may have a report that is in standard RTF format and you want to post it on the web, this functionality is as easy as clicking one check box option. In addition, you also have the option of using PDF formatted files. The objective of its use is simple. The Enterprise Guide is used to return important information, reports and SAS programs to the users for easy interrogation, manipulation and dissemination of their important information in a point and click format. No programmer intervention needed. ENTERPRISE GUIDE: Enterprise Guide Technology Overview The best way to start using any technology is to start by learning why you should use it and what it can do to make your life easier. On the management side you should also know how it can save money and provide for better employee time utilization. Benefits of the Enterprise Guide Ease of Information Deployment Ease of Multiple Media Deployment Minimum Training Costs Friendly User Interface - GUI Thin-Client or PC Use Powerful Decision Support tools on everyone s desktop! The Enterprise Guide is a piece of software that runs in conjunction with an existing SAS installation somewhere. Somewhere means depending upon your existing SAS installation setup and configuration. You may be thinking to yourself what does all this mean. For example, if you have Windows SAS installed and you install the Enterprise Guide software when you open a SAS program for a SAS generated report and execute it inside the Enterprise Guide tool, it will be using the Windows SAS application and executable files to run that program. The Enterprise Guide for visual wording sits on top of an existing SAS installation. One exception to this is the use of Thin-client technology. Thin-clients are typically smaller PCs without all the high-end hardware needed to run big applications. They typically have a portion of a software package installed, but typically process and utilize the power of a host machine. A thin client machine is typically a low-cost, centrally-managed computer devoid of CD-ROM players, diskette drives, and expansion slots. The term derives from the fact that small computers in networks tend to be clients and not servers. Since the idea is to limit the capabilities of these computers to only essential applications, they tend to be purchased and remain "thin" in terms of the client applications they include and run. Since a picture is worth a thousand words look below at Illustration 1. This picture depicts a SAS server on the left and thin-clients to the right. The thin-clients pass requests to the SAS server so data access configurations and updates are all centralized. Thus, instead of having SAS installed locally like Windows SAS on a PC, you re now accessing a server that hosts the necessary files to run your SAS programs. 1

2 data access within your existing technology infrastructure a great starting point is your SAS sales representative. Let them know what it is that you wish to do with the Enterprise Guide and they will gladly point you in the right direction. Possible Software Requirements SAS/Integration Technologies SAS/Access ODBC Driver Software: (e.g. IBM DB2 Connect) Illustration 1: Thin-Client Technology Using the Enterprise Guide you can easily access the same data you would as when using Windows SAS. Access to your data is just made simpler. Now just point and click to insert a pointer to your data and your ready to run programs, generate graphs ect. Data that works inside the Enterprise Guide Common types of data that can be used with the Enterprise Guide are XLS, CSV, MDB, TXT, Oracle, Microsoft Access, PeopleSoft, Microsoft SQL Server and IBM DB2 databases and tables. Using SAS Integration Technologies allows you to setup the Enterprise Guide to work as a thin-client or help to utilize your SAS server as a gateway to your databases. Another important item to mention is the use of ODBC connections to databases. Walking through the Basics: Enterprise Guide in Action By default, when you open an Enterprise Guide session to write code, insert pointers to data and generate graphs, these entries are all grouped together in what s called a project. You can think of this in terms of a folder where you might keep items that all relate to one another. These projects can be saved to your hard drive or the storage location of your choice as file which has a *.seg file extension. Each time you start and open an Enterprise Guide session you either need to create a new project or open an existing project. Illustration 2: Data Accessibility Data use in Enterprise Guide Local or remote SAS data sets Files from other DBMS with licensed SAS database engines Local data in other formats e.g. Excel, Access, Lotus, Text, HTML, ODBC and OLE/DB, etc. MDDB s with additional SAS software Are you looking for a starting point to begin using the Enterprise Guide? Due to the various types of licensing from SAS and the many different types of 2 Illustration 3: Enterprise Guide You re going to need data in your projects to be productive! Below is an example of how to insert a local comma delimited file. The parallel you should draw here is that it doesn t matter whether it s a CSV file or for example an ODBC connection to an IBM DB2 database. Go to the menu bar and click (Insert>Data). Your data options are endless if your license for SAS/Access has every available component.

3 How are items saved inside the Enterprise Guide? When you insert data into a project what you are doing is creating a pointer to the data. The Enterprise Guide does not make a copy of the data being used. Projects and data are kept in separate places or files. How is data being viewed from other databases or file types imported into the Enterprise Guide? Illustration 4: Inserting Data In this example, SAS coding is not needed. Enterprise Guide will automatically read the CSV file. Notice below in Illustration 5 it automatically pulls in the first record in the file and setup the variable names and data types accordingly. All data being viewed in the Enterprise Guide always has the same look and feel. It doesn t make a difference whether it is a Microsoft Access table or an IBM DB2 table. Illustration 7: What the data looks like inside EG Table attributes and labels can be changed easily. It doesn t get much easier then not writing any code to modify a data set. You can easily change labels and the format of your data being used. You just need to keep in mind that you need to have the proper permissions to do this of course. Illustration 5: What data looks like in EG Next you will see how to convert a CSV file containing data or some other data type you might be using converting it to a SAS Data set with a few simple clicks. Start by clicking on the CSV file so it is highlighted. Then, proceed to (File>Save File_Name As/Export). Finally, select your data type fancy from the Save as type drop down list seen in Illustration 6. Illustration 8: Changing attributes and labels As a good coding practice you should always comment out your code and the reports you create. Notes to make comments are made easily by going to (Insert>Note), enter the note name and click enter. Illustration 6: Converting Data 3

4 Illustration 9: Inserting a Note Illustration 12: How to Query You can view the SQL code that s automatically generated and preview the result sets as they are being generated from your query options selected. Illustration 10: Inserting a Note Name What are the options and availability for customizations of the Enterprise Guide output? To access this area select (Tools>Options). In the options area you can edit your fonts, color and styles that you wish to apply to your output. Illustration 13: Viewing Query Results and SQL Code You can easily select what you want, join tables as you wish and sort by your preference by using the Enterprise Guide Query Builder. Illustration 11 Display Options Do you know your data? How to use SQL without knowing what S-Q-L really means. The Enterprise Guide is comprised with one of the best SQL query tools and efficient ANSI-92 SQL code builders today! This is where programmers and knowledgeable users will be wowed with delight. Illustration 14: Query Builder Simple and complex queries can be constructed by simply dragging variables and selecting the options you wish to choose for criteria selection. 4

5 Technology Benefits Illustration 15: Query Builder Shown in Illustration 16 and Illustration 17 are a couple examples of what graphing data looks like using the Enterprise Guide. State of the art Windows GUI that harnesses the Power of SAS in an easy to learn point and click user interface. Increased ROI! Productivity across an entire organization can be dramatically increased. Every CIO & CTO s dream software has come to the playing field. (Access all your data.) That s right point and click your way through a table join with an Excel spreadsheet, Microsoft SQL Database & DB2 in minutes to create your next company bonus. SUPPORT QUESTIONS For fast web based support remember to use the online support from SAS. Just remember to click the dropdown box for SN SAS Notes (Version 7 and higher) and when you reference the Enterprise guide type in lowercase type eguide and AND in uppercase plus your topic question to get a better search result set. Illustration 16: Sample Graph Illustration 18 SAS Support Web Page Illustration 17: Sample Graph CONCLUSION Enterprise Guide may be a good tool to use if you need to: Create Custom Reports Perform Data Analysis Generate Interactive Graphs Multiple media avenues to get that data out! Tap into any type of data that can be analyzed And Much, Much more! 5

6 If you are really interested in this product and want to learn more I would like to suggest consulting Getting Started with Enterprise Guide, Second Edition., a great guide from the SAS Institute. This is the best guide I ve seen to really provide a basic walk though using the Enterprise Guide technology in front of you. REFERENCES: Getting Started with Enterprise Guide, Second Edition Order No ISBN: ACKNOWLEGDGEMENTS: SAS is a registered trademark of the SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. AUTHOR CONTACT INFORMATION: James Blaha Pace University Briarcliff Manor, NY Work Phone: jblaha@pace.edu 6