Thanks MichelleH, I'm very grateful for your response. Summarising: You've given some insights into the breadth and depth of SAS Metadata covering more than tables, libraries and macro definitions/prompts. DICTIONARY doesn't track where the data has come from or where it is used. You can also 'have security' on the table (or other resource). The paper you referenced Metadata for SAS 9 Programmers outlines different ways of accessing Metadata. The SAS Mgmt console is a way to have ‘central control’ of data definitions and business rules. My response The paper you referenced Metadata for SAS 9 Programmers outlines different ways of accessing Metadata. The second method listed, through datasteps, makes the most sense to me. But still more questions : A Good to know that Metadata is pretty much all-inclusive… I guess I’m trying to get my head around 1 or 2 solid reasons to voluntarily use Metadata before trying to explore everything. As well as table definitions, the idea of centrally storing business rules appeals. But when I looked in SAS Mgmt Console, I couldn’t see any reference to Business Rules. I found some references online to SAS Business Rule Manager, but it looks like a different application to SAS Mgmt Console… shouldn’t the SAS Management Console be a central place to do everything about Metadata ? B I noted your reference to ‘central control’ of definitions – does that mean that only a small set of programmers should have access to the SAS Mgmt Console, and everyone else is just consuming the Metadata ? I'm trying to understand who uses Metadata now... C The ability to look upstream (lineage) and downstream (uses) of a dataset make sense to me. I tried looking in SAS Management Console… there were a few references to ‘BI lineage’ but I couldn’t see any content (shouldn't it be automatic ?), and couldn’t see anything about where a dataset is used…. Could you please advise / point me to practical information on these kinds of things ? D Finally, is there much real evidence that SAS Metadata ‘works’ organisationally ? By this I mean all the above seems like a good idea, logical enough, smart people have thought it through etc, but is it all too complex for real organisations to take advantage of ? Is there any actual data to show productivity of business users/organisations with and without SAS Metadata ? Cheers.
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