May 2026

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SAS ODS Graphics: Memorial Day 2026
SAS Communities user tc is back at it again with another holiday-themed SAS ODS Graphic–this time for Memorial Day 2026!

Dear Reader,

The global SAS Innovate 2026 conference may have wrapped, but we’re just getting started. SAS Innovate on Tour is bringing the energy of our flagship data and AI event to cities around the world, with free, one-day experiences designed for leaders, practitioners and partners seeking practical, real-world insights. Take a look at the upcoming tour stops to see if we’re coming to a city near you.

And as a reminder, SAS Hackathon 2026 will return this fall. This is a global, virtual experience where teams tackle real-world challenges with SAS Viya, expert guidance, and hands-on innovation. According to our SAS Hackathon Checklist, registration will open for teams in June! Join the interest list today to be notified as soon as it opens.

Cheers,

Thiago De Souza
Editor, SAS Tech Report

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Tech tips with Chris

When I write programs that use certain SAS procedures, the code practically flows from memory—and more often than not, it runs correctly on the first try. PROC SQL is a good example. I can write SQL “off the dome,” including joins and calculated columns, and it usually works without a hitch.

That’s not a brag—it’s just repetition. I use PROC SQL a lot. But ask me to write a PROC REPORT or PROC TABULATE step from memory, and the confidence fades quickly. I can usually get close, but I’ll still need to double-check the SAS documentation before the code runs cleanly.

Lately, though, there’s a new twist to this workflow. I’ll make my best guess, run the code, review the errors in the SAS log, and then paste that log into SAS Viya Copilot to help “correct” the code. Not long ago, this approach would have driven me nuts. As a software developer, I was trained to avoid failed runs whenever possible. Intentionally running code knowing it might fail felt wrong.

But that’s how many people work today—and I’m starting to think there’s wisdom in this practice.

What about you? Are you using AI for code assistance yet? Do you let AI take the first pass at a problem, or help clean up errors after the fact? Let me know!

Tips & tricks

What’s new in Data & AI at SAS Innovate 2026
This month's SAS Viya Release Highlights Show takes us to Texas for SAS Innovate 2026. It’s not our first rodeo, so expect the latest updates in all things Data and AI at SAS, including Agentic AI, SAS Viya Copilot, SAS AI Navigator, Quantum, and more from SAS’ premier data and AI event.

Working with Microsoft 365 Sensitivity Labels from SAS programs
Chris Hemedinger explains how sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 can restrict access to content in SAS workflows, especially when encryption prevents automated data ingestion, and shares ways to detect and account for these constraints.

How Agentic AI Accelerates SME Credit Decisions with SAS Viya
Arely Estephany Flores, Gabriela García, and Silvia Ibañez outline how agentic AI on SAS Viya streamlines SME lending by coordinating data extraction, analytics, and explainable decisioning within a governed workflow.

Your AI agent found the issue. Now what?
Caslee Sims highlights the gap between AI insights and action, showing how persistent context and integrated tools enable AI agents to move from identifying issues to executing next steps.

SAS Viya Copilot in Action (Part 2): Smart Next-Node Recommendations in Model Studio Pipeline
Sharad Saxena shows how SAS Viya Copilot recommends the next node in a Model Studio pipeline, helping users advance model development with guided suggestions.

Top 10 Tips & Tricks for Building Custom Steps in SAS Viya
Mary Kathryn Queen shares practical guidance for designing reusable custom steps in SAS Viya, enabling consistent, user-friendly workflows in SAS Studio.

Create and graph the ECDF function in SAS
Rick Wicklin explains how to build and visualize empirical cumulative distribution functions in SAS using both built-in procedures and IML-based approaches.

My Build Script in Visual Studio Code: An Automation Pattern
Sundaresh Sankaran describes an automation pattern for managing environments and dependencies with a VS Code build script to improve consistency across SAS and Python projects.

The Visual Analytics Alphabet Series: The Data
Nicole Ball's Visual Analytics series entry focuses on the role of data in report creation and automation, including how APIs can support scalable reporting workflows.

Connecting GitHub Copilot to SAS Viya with the SAS MCP Server
Bogdan Teleuca explains how the MCP server enables GitHub Copilot and other AI agents to securely interact with SAS Viya analytics and models through standardized tools.

On standardizing multivariate normal probabilities
Rick Wicklin shows how standardizing multivariate normal distributions simplifies probability calculations by transforming them into a common scale based on correlation structures.

Use case

Historic Italian city uses analytics to guide smarter urban planning
The Municipality of Pisa is using SAS Viya to build a real-time environmental monitoring and analytics system that connects public policy decisions to measurable impacts on environmental conditions and citizen health. By transforming fragmented data into reliable, evidence-based insights, the city enables more transparent, data-driven governance and smarter urban planning.

For developers

On-demand recordings from SAS Innovate
Check out the hundreds of recordings of breakout sessions and Super Demos all captured at SAS Innovate 2026. Use the Label categories to navigate the topics or use the Search bar to find sessions related to the topics and products you care about. All sessions are also available on the SAS Software YouTube channel. (Note: session recordings are still being added, so check back for more!)

Upcoming learning events

(Each Ask the Expert webinar is one hour and complimentary unless stated otherwise.)

Ask the Expert: Fast, Clear, Beautiful: Your First Steps With PROC SGPLOT
Join this webinar on Thursday, June 4 at 11:00 AM EST to explore how you can generate statistical graphics to enhance your analytical insights. You will learn how to:

Build essential plots: bar chart, histogram with density curve, and series plots with overlay.
Customize colors, labels, legends and layouts.
Export charts to PDF and Excel using ODS.

Ask the Expert: R and SAS Working Seamlessly Together: Unlocking PROC R in SAS Viya for Life Science...
Join this webinar on Thursday, June 11 at 11:00 AM EST to explore how to bring open source R and SAS® Viya® together in a single, governed environment, so you can streamline analysis and deliver trusted, regulatory-ready results faster. You will learn how:

SAS and R work together to streamline clinical analysis.
To move data between SAS and R and run R code within your existing workflows.
To use popular R packages like ggplot2 with SAS data – while maintaining governance and compliance.

Ask the Expert: Can Agents Reduce Planning Friction in CPG Supply Chains?
Join this webinar on Tuesday, June 16 at 10:00 AM EST to explore how agents deliver value by making insights easier to access, interpret and act on. You will learn how:

Agent-based technology is moving from concept to practical use, helping supply chain practitioners reduce everyday friction.
SAS is evolving the models portfolio to make advanced analytics more accessible, usable and trustworthy.
Agents help planners understand change, assess impact and make decisions through natural language interaction grounded in analytics best practices.

Ask the Expert: Get Meaningful Results With New Features in SAS Customer Intelligence 360
Join this webinar on Thursday, June 25 at 9:00 AM EST (30 min.) to explore the latest features in SAS Customer Intelligence 360 and how they translate into meaningful results. You will learn how to:

Reduce build time and complexity with agentic AI journeys.
Accelerate creative workflows and simplify design tasks with new email design capabilities.
Get more value from your customer data and models using a recipe-driven approach with marketing AI.
Exercise more creative power in designing mobile app content.