If you were training someone new to SAS, and assuming they only have Base SAS available, is PROC TABULATE really worth knowing? Please respond YES if PROC TABULATE is used frequently enough in your job, or NO if it is rarely used.
THANKS!
Updated: Looks like everyone has said Yes, so thanks for the feedback!
Yes, but ... that doesn't make it a top priority. Here are all topics that I would want a trainee to master before learning PROC TABULATE:
PROCS: SORT, PRINT, SUMMARY, FREQ, FORMAT
The effect of a BY statement in a DATA step.
How SAS handles dates.
PROC FREQ: creating an output data set, the effect of adding a FORMAT statement (both on printed table and on output data set)
PROC SUMMARY: what does the output data set look like? What is NWAY, CHARTYPE, and _TYPE_? The effects of a BY statement, a CLASS statement, a FORMAT statement, and combinations of these statements.
Yes
Yes.
I use Proc Tabulate frequently as many of my reports often involve nesting row and column data at the same time. I even have processes using Proc tabulate to create summary data sets.
Yes, but ... that doesn't make it a top priority. Here are all topics that I would want a trainee to master before learning PROC TABULATE:
PROCS: SORT, PRINT, SUMMARY, FREQ, FORMAT
The effect of a BY statement in a DATA step.
How SAS handles dates.
PROC FREQ: creating an output data set, the effect of adding a FORMAT statement (both on printed table and on output data set)
PROC SUMMARY: what does the output data set look like? What is NWAY, CHARTYPE, and _TYPE_? The effects of a BY statement, a CLASS statement, a FORMAT statement, and combinations of these statements.
YES
It is useful for some real work. Its greatest asset is its simplicity. I always consider using it before I (reluctantly) turn to proc report.
I'm definitely much more of a Proc Report type of guy but then occasionally I find something which is much easier to do with Proc Tabulate and then I use that - horses for courses....
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