What's the best book (or 2) to for a desk reference for producing publication-ready tables in SAS?

[MattJans]

Hi there! I've been using SAS for a long time, but consider myself new when it comes to anything more than the basics. Looking forward to your recommendations. I know the general options like proc report, ODS, and DDE, but definitely don't know the pros and cons. And I haven't been able to find a single text book that covers one or more of those and has concrete examples. I'm sure I'm missing something. Truth be told, I usually use Stata. Thanks for any advice on good books.

[MattJans]

Lots of views, but no suggestions. Forgot I was writing for statisticians. Should've asked "favorite" v. "best" book 🙂 Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their favs.

[Ksharp]

Check sas book at

https://support.sas.com/en/books.html

If you want PROC REPORT,

should search authors like :

Arthur Carpenter

Cynthia Zendar

.......

The attachment is a favorite book of mine. Written by Arthur.Carpenter

[MattJans]

Thanks, @Ksharp! 

[Quentin · Accepted solution]

For ODS I would start with ODS The Basics and Beyond:

https://www.amazon.com/Output-Delivery-System-ODS-2009-11-19/dp/B01NH083IO

Yes it's 15 years old, but I think it's still the ODS bible.

For PROC REPORT in particular, would go with Art Carpenter's REPORT bible:

https://www.amazon.com/Carpenters-Complete-Guide-REPORT-Procedure/dp/1599941953

and also consider Jane Eslinger's pair of REPORT books:

https://www.amazon.com/SAS-Programmers-PROC-REPORT-Handbook/dp/1629601446
https://www.amazon.com/SAS-Programmers-PROC-REPORT-Handbook-ebook/dp/B07BG9QGT8

[MattJans]

Thanks, @Quentin! Really helpful.

[Quentin]

@MattJans  Jane Eslinger will be presenting a free lunch (US Eastern Time) BASUG webinar on using PROC REPORT with ODS Excel. Might be a helpful overview, and since it's a live webinar, it's also an opportunity to ask questions.  Register (free) at https://www.basug.org/events .

(Oh, I just looked and saw you registered already!  Maybe that means the advertisement in my .sig is working. We've had a great response for this webinar.  You're attendee #269!)

[MattJans]

@Quentin I don't remember if I followed the link in your sig or what, but now the BASUG presentations are on my team's radar. Thanks! Her presentation was great. 

[MattJans]

Let me ask one question and add one other link for anyone stumbling on this thread or for myself later 🙂 

Question: ODS Techniques, by Kevin Smith is coming up as another recommendation. Looks more current than Haworth? Any pros/cons comparing the two (for those who have used both)? 

Another link: SAS's ODS recommendations https://support.sas.com/rnd/base/ods/. I'm currently looking for examples of print-ready regression table output so will cross-ref if I find any.   

[matthew11]

That’s a helpful discussion. Desk references are always useful, but I think it also depends on how you plan to use the material. Some people prefer a physical copy for quick notes, while others like digital resources they can access anywhere. In today’s world, it’s even possible to publish a book online as a personal reference or guide, making it easier to update and share with colleagues. Both approaches have value depending on your workflow and needs.