Automatically Generate Model Validation Documentation in SAS Model Risk Management

Creating model validation documentation is an essential part of model governance, but it's often one of the most time-consuming activities in the review process. Validators need to gather information from review records, summarize findings, document conclusions, and prepare reports for approvers, auditors, and regulators.

The new documentation generation capability in SAS Model Risk Management helps reduce that effort by automatically compiling information already captured in a review into a structured Word document. Combined with centralized template management, organizations can standardize reporting while still allowing validators to add the analysis and professional judgment required for effective model governance.

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Generate Documentation Directly from a Review

From an end-user perspective, the process is intentionally simple.

Once a Model Performance Review or Full Scope Validation Review has been completed, the reviewer can navigate to the Documentation tab and generate a validation report using an approved template. Instead of starting with a blank document, SAS Model Risk Management automatically compiles information already stored in the review and related objects into a structured report.

The generated document can include information such as:

Review details
Model summary information
Model details
Validation results
Team assignments
Findings
Validation schedules

All of this information is assembled automatically, helping reduce manual copy-and-paste activities and improving consistency across reviews.

For example, the generated report can include model summary information, validation details, modeling team information, validation team information, governance team assignments, validation assessments, and findings that already exist within the review record.

Focus on Analysis Instead of Formatting

While the system can automatically compile available information, validators remain responsible for the final content of the report.

The generated document intentionally includes areas where the reviewer can add recommendations, assumptions, testing analysis, conclusions, monitoring details, and other narrative content that requires independent review and professional judgment.

This approach provides a practical balance between automation and oversight. The system handles repetitive documentation tasks while validators focus their effort on reviewing results, documenting observations, and communicating risk-related conclusions.

The result is a more efficient documentation process that still supports governance, auditability, and regulatory expectations.

Administrator-Controlled Templates

The second part of the solution focuses on administrators.

Organizations often have specific reporting requirements, branding standards, and documentation structures that must be followed. To support this, document generation uses centrally managed Word templates.

Administrators can manage these templates within SAS Content under the SAS Model Risk Management template repository. Templates can be modified using Microsoft Word, allowing administrators to update report sections, formatting, tables, headings, instructional content, and dynamic expressions that pull information from review records.

Because the templates are standard Word documents, updates can often be made without specialized development skills.

Add Images to Generated Reports

One of the newest enhancements is support for embedded images within generated documentation.

Administrators can now use the insertImage function to include:

Corporate logos
Report banners
Governance diagrams
Process illustrations
Other approved visual content

The function accepts an image URL along with optional width and height parameters:

${insertImage("<image URL>", width, height)}

Note: The image can be sourced from another service within the Viya environment or from an approved external URL. Width and height are specified in pixels and default to 600 and 337 respectively if not provided. Domain validation for external links is configurable under "sas.cirrus.document.generation" in SAS Environment Manager.

For example:

${insertImage("/files/files/bf15a6d2-09cd-4fb8-88da-9afc5afb1798/content", 600, 337)}

If you add an image from within SAS Viya, make sure /content is added to the end of the path name.

When the document is generated, the image is automatically inserted into the report, helping organizations create documentation that aligns with internal branding and presentation standards.

Activating a New Template

After updating a template, administrators must complete one additional configuration step.

Uploading a new template into the documentation repository does not automatically make it the active template used by reviewers.

Templates are stored and managed through SAS Environment Manager, where administrators can maintain the Word templates used during document generation.

Once the template has been uploaded to the documentation template repository, administrators must activate it within SAS Risk Cirrus.

Navigate to SAS Risk Cirrus → SAS Model Risk Management → Page Configuration and locate the documentation template configuration property. For validation documentation, the property points to the default template used whenever reviewers generate a validation report.

The property value contains the repository path to the template file, for example:

After uploading a new template version, simply update the property to reference the new file path, apply the change, and save the configuration.

From that point forward, all generated validation reports will automatically use the newly configured template. Reviewers do not need to modify their workflow or select a new template manually.

This approach allows organizations to manage reporting standards, branding, images, and regulatory updates centrally while providing a seamless experience for validators and reviewers.

Bringing It All Together

Together, these capabilities provide a complete documentation solution for model governance teams.

Reviewers can generate structured validation documentation directly from Model Performance Reviews and Full Scope Validation Reviews, reducing manual effort while focusing on analysis and conclusions. Administrators can maintain centralized control over report structure, branding, images, and documentation standards through configurable templates.

The result is faster report preparation, greater consistency across reviews, and a more scalable approach to creating model validation documentation throughout the model lifecycle.

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