Integrating Excel with SAS: A Comparative Analysis of Three Methods
Introduction
SAS/BASE offers several methods for working with data between SAS and Microsoft Excel, including PROC IMPORT/EXPORT, ODS with the ExcelXP tagset, and the Excel libname engine. While SAS is a powerful software package for running statistical procedures and handling large datasets, there are times when external customers or users may need data in a format other than SAS datasets, or they may prefer to access and analyze data independently. In such cases, Excel spreadsheets are a common format that can be easily accessed and analyzed by non-SAS users. This paper compares and contrasts the three methods for integrating Excel with SAS, providing an overview of each method, practical scenarios for implementation, and a feature comparison matrix to help users decide which method is best suited for their needs.
Methods
The first method for integrating Excel with SAS is PROC EXPORT, which allows users to export SAS data to an Excel file. PROC EXPORT can handle a range of data types, including numeric, character, and date/time values. The resulting Excel file can be opened in any version of Excel, making it an excellent option for users who need to distribute data to non-SAS users. However, PROC EXPORT has limited customization options and cannot handle complex data structures.
The second method is ODS with the ExcelXP tagset, which allows users to create customized reports in Excel format. This method offers more flexibility than PROC EXPORT, as it allows users to customize the appearance of the report, including fonts, colors, and layout. ODS with the ExcelXP tagset can also handle complex data structures, such as nested tables and merged cells. However, it can be more time-consuming to create reports using this method, and it requires some knowledge of SAS programming.
The third method is the Excel libname engine, which allows users to interact with Excel files as if they were SAS datasets. This method is useful for users who need to work with Excel files regularly, as it allows them to use familiar SAS syntax to manipulate and analyze data. The Excel libname engine can handle complex data structures and offers a high degree of customization. However, it requires some technical knowledge to set up and maintain.
Practical Scenarios
There are several practical scenarios in which users may need to integrate Excel with SAS. One common scenario is creating custom reports, which can be done using ODS with the ExcelXP tagset. For example, a user may need to create a report that summarizes sales data by region, with different formatting for each region. By using ODS with the ExcelXP tagset, the user can create a customized report that meets these requirements.
Another scenario is distributing SAS data to non-SAS users, which can be done using PROC EXPORT. For example, a user may need to provide sales data to a marketing team who uses Excel for their analysis. By exporting the data to an Excel file, the marketing team can easily open and analyze the data without needing to know SAS.
A third scenario is creating interactive Excel analysis tools, which can be done using the Excel libname engine. For
PROC IMPORT/EXPORT:
PROC IMPORT and PROC EXPORT are SAS procedures that allow users to import and export data between SAS and Excel. PROC EXPORT enables users to export data from a SAS dataset to an Excel file, while PROC IMPORT allows users to import data from an Excel file into a SAS dataset. The procedures can handle a range of data types, including numeric, character, and date/time values.
One advantage of using PROC IMPORT/EXPORT is that it is a straightforward and easy-to-use method for importing and exporting data. Users can specify the input and output file names, and the procedure will automatically convert the data types as needed. However, this method has limited customization options and cannot handle complex data structures.
The PROC EXPORT procedure is a part of the SAS/ACCESS package, which allows users to read a SAS dataset and write the data to an external file, including Excel files, ACCESS, delimited files (CSV), Lotus 1–2–3, and a number of other database formats.
Usage
The PROC EXPORT procedure consists of a single statement that identifies the input dataset, the output file, and some optional arguments. The options include whether or not to replace existing data when exporting the data (defaults to not replace) and whether or not to use variable labels or names (defaults to names). Users can specify the database identifier using the DBMS option, which identifies the format of the output file. For our analysis, we will use either EXCEL or XLS as the relevant DBMS values.
The following code shows how to export the “shoes” dataset to Excel, using variable labels as column headers:
PROC EXPORT DATA=shoes DBMS=EXCEL OUTFILE=’C:\path\shoes.xlsx’ REPLACE label; RUN;
It is important to note that while the DBMS=EXCEL setting can create either .xls or .xlsx files, the DBMS=XLS setting creates only .xls files. The XLS database identifier retains more formatting, such as dollar signs, and is significantly faster than the EXCEL identifier.
Advantages and Limitations
The PROC EXPORT procedure is a quick and convenient method for exporting data from SAS into Excel files. It is easy to use and works on both Windows and UNIX environments. However, only the XLS database identifier is supported with a standard installation. Users who require additional database identifiers must purchase and install the appropriate SAS/ACCESS product.
One advantage of using PROC EXPORT is that it allows users to export data quickly without the need for programming skills or extensive knowledge of SAS. The resulting Excel file can be opened in any version of Excel, making it an excellent option for users who need to distribute data to non-SAS users.
However, the PROC EXPORT procedure has limited customization options and cannot handle complex data structures. It also requires users to manually execute the procedure each time data needs to be exported, making it less suitable for situations where data needs to be exported regularly.
The PROC EXPORT procedure is a useful method for exporting SAS data into Excel files. It is quick, easy to use, and works on both Windows and UNIX environments. However, it has some limitations, including limited customization options and inability to handle complex data structures. Users who require more flexibility and customization may want to explore other methods for integrating Excel with SAS, such as ODS with the ExcelXP tagset or the Excel libname engine. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each method, users can choose the method that best suits their needs and create customized solutions that meet their unique requirements.
ODS with the ExcelXP tagset:
ODS (Output Delivery System) is a SAS feature that allows users to create customized reports in various formats, including Excel. The ExcelXP tagset is a specific ODS tagset that enables users to create Excel reports with a high degree of customization. With the ExcelXP tagset, users can specify fonts, colors, layout, and other formatting options for their Excel reports.
One advantage of using ODS with the ExcelXP tagset is that it offers a high degree of customization. Users can create reports with complex data structures, such as nested tables and merged cells, and can format the report to meet their specific requirements. However, this method requires some knowledge of SAS programming, and it can be time-consuming to create reports with this method.
The ODS ExcelXP tagset is a SAS feature that leverages the SAS ODS (Output Delivery System) to produce XML formatted output that can be opened and displayed in Microsoft Excel. It is a highly customizable method that allows users to create Excel reports with a high degree of precision in layout and presentation.
Usage
To direct report output to the .xml file using the ODS ExcelXP tagset, users can simply open the ODS tagsets.excelxp destination and specify the output file name. The ODS statement provides a large number of options that can be specified to control the output formatting, such as the sheet_name option, which allows the user to specify the name of the spreadsheet in the workbook to which the output will be saved.
The following code shows an example of how to use the ODS ExcelXP tagset to generate a report:
ods tagsets.excelxp file=”C:\path\report.xml”; PROC PRINT… PROC REPORT… ods tagsets.excelxp close;
Advantages and Limitations
The ODS ExcelXP tagset is the most powerful option for generating customized reports in Excel. It provides a high degree of control over layout, colors, fonts, page orientation, and print options, giving the report designer a large range of tools for designing reports. Additionally, because the output is XML, this method is platform-independent.
However, the code to create customized reports can become quite complex, and the output is not compatible with further automated processing in Excel. This means that the XML file cannot be used as a data source for further analysis, and users must export the data from SAS into Excel before processing it further. The ODS ExcelXP tagset is also not suitable for users who do not have some knowledge of SAS programming, as it requires programming skills to create customized reports.
The ODS ExcelXP tagset is a highly customizable method for generating Excel reports with a high degree of precision in layout and presentation. It provides users with a range of tools for designing reports and is platform-independent. However, it can be challenging to use and requires programming skills to create customized reports. Additionally, the output is not compatible with further automated processing in Excel.
Excel libname engine
The Excel libname engine is a SAS feature that allows users to interact with Excel files as if they were SAS datasets. Users can use familiar SAS syntax to manipulate and analyze data in Excel files, including sorting, filtering, and summarizing data. The Excel libname engine can handle complex data structures and offers a high degree of customization, making it a powerful tool for working with Excel data.
One advantage of using the Excel libname engine is that it allows users to work with Excel data using familiar SAS syntax. Users can use their existing SAS knowledge to manipulate and analyze data in Excel files, making it a powerful tool for SAS users who need to work with Excel data regularly. However, this method requires some technical knowledge to set up and maintain, and it may not be suitable for users who are not familiar with SAS syntax.
The Excel libname engine is a SAS feature that allows SAS to access Excel worksheets within an Excel file as if they were datasets within a SAS library. It provides users with an easy way to read and create Excel data from SAS, making it an attractive option for users who need to work with Excel data in their SAS programs.
Usage
The Excel libname engine can be accessed by indicating an Excel file name in the physical path when assigning a library. The SAS log output from the libname statement indicates that the libname engine is EXCEL. For example:
LIBNAME ex “C:\path\L1.xlsx”;
Advantages and Limitations
Interacting with Excel through the EXCEL libname engine provides an easy way to read and create Excel data from SAS as if it were SAS data. This means that users can use all of the familiar SAS programming techniques to manipulate the Excel data, such as PROC SQL or data step statements. Additionally, the Excel libname engine provides access to both the data and the metadata in Excel, making it easy to retrieve information about the Excel workbook, such as sheet names or cell values.
However, there are some drawbacks to using the Excel libname engine. One minor drawback is that much formatting is lost as variables are converted either to numeric or general Excel formats. This means that users may need to reformat the data in Excel after exporting it from SAS. A major drawback is that the engine does not allow for directly updating data in the Excel sheet. In order to change the content in an Excel file through the libname engine, a temporary dataset must first be created with the original and revised data values, the Excel table must then be deleted, and finally, the revised data can be saved to the Excel libname. This process can be time-consuming and complex, making the Excel libname engine less suitable for users who require real-time updates to their Excel data.
Conclusion
The Excel libname engine is a useful method for working with Excel data in SAS programs. It provides users with an easy way to read and create Excel data from SAS, and it allows users to use familiar SAS programming techniques to manipulate the data. However, there are some drawbacks, such as the loss of formatting and the need to create a temporary dataset to update the Excel data. Users who require real-time updates to their Excel data may want to explore other methods for integrating Excel with SAS, such as the ODS ExcelXP tagset or PROC EXPORT. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each method, users can choose the method that best suits their needs and create customized solutions that meet their unique requirements.
