The information covered in this SAS Bowl IX calendar event also appears in this SAS Community Library article. The events calendar is a new SAS Community space and will lend itself well for scheduling and promoting future SAS Bowl events.
SASGF
SAS Global Forum (SASGF) is a long-standing, user driven, annual event. For many years the conference moved from city to city and SAS users, customers, business partners, and staff would gather from points across the globe. This year's event is scheduled for May 18-20 (US), 19-20 (AP), and 25-26 (EMEA), will be held virtually, and is complementary.
This does not mean the conference will lack in content or attendance. Just the opposite. By holding the event virtually (and offering it for free), this allows many more individuals and groups to participate. Those who could not normally attend due to monetary or geographic restrictions can now share in the experience. We all win!
With countless breakout sessions, demos, and hands-on activities planned this year's proceedings will no doubt be a can't-miss event.
Here's a recording from our SAS Bowl Trivia - a few tech glitches, but thanks to @thiago for assembling the video from the scraps:
SAS Bowl IX
The April edition of the SAS Support Community trivia event the SAS Bowl will feature our annual event. SAS Bowl IX, SAS Global Forum, is scheduled for April 20, at 4 PM ET. Notice the time change. We're using the new time slot to accommodate those wanting to participate who live outside the US. Who knows, it may be more convenient for those in the US as well?
Below are some resources you can browse to learn more about this year's SASGF and to prepare for the trivia event.
SAS GLOBAL FORUM 2021 main page
About SAS Global Forum
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes SAS Global Forum great?
Where does SAS come from?
Many SAS users don't consider what's happening behind the scenes when working on the software. Why would you? You turn on your computer, log into SAS, and work your magic. The latest release of SAS Viya undertook a major architectural change revolutionizing its deployment and configuration. The cloud-ready, open-source integration compatible software has embraced the cloud and modern application architecture and is set up for current and future technical advancements. Meanwhile users are still logging in and creating that analytical awesomeness.
We'd like to introduce the SAS Community to cloud computing, containers and Kubernetes for SAS Bowl X. We don't expect everyone to be experts, but a basic understanding of the underlying technology will only enhance and expand your SAS experience.
The event is scheduled for Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 10 AM ET.
Resources
SAS has provided many resources around these subjects. Below are a few examples to enhance your understanding of the subject matter.
A Giraffe Taught me Kubernetes! - Community article from @Ali_Aiello introducing Kubernetes basics and how it relates to SAS Viya
Introduction to Azure Kubernetes Service and SAS Viya 2020 - SGF presentation and paper from @VasilijNevlev giving a brief overview of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and SAS Viya architecture
Overview of container technology: A quick introduction to all things containers - SAS' Brent Laster presents a fast-paced, broad overview of the key technologies of containers and the related cloud-friendly technologies that underlie SAS Viya
Automation with containers: the power to get things done - More from Brent. SAS Users blog post discusses key benefits of moving SAS Viya to the cloud
Want to know more? Need more resources? Search the Community for keywords: cloud, Kubernetes, Docker, and containers.
SAS Bowl and event details
For those who may be new to the SAS Bowl, you can find game history and specifics in this Community memo. There you'll also find links to previous events, which include recordings.
Add the game to your calendar, download the article attachment for an event reminder, or select the 'Yes' option to the right in this Community Calendar Event. No pre-registration is required. On game day, access the game URL, provide your SAS Support Communities username (so we can identify you when you win), and show off your SAS and worldly knowledge while competing for bragging rights and SAS Community game gear.
Join the game.
See you June 24th!
ModelOps, your new best friend
SAS Model Manager provides a proven ModelOps tool to deploy, govern, and manage all types of models. Easily combine several different models into projects by model function or by publishing destination depending on the group or repository. It's also language-agnostic! Bring you SAS, Python, and R models under one paradigm where you can build once, deploy anywhere, and automatically monitor model performance.
The SAS Support Community presents the eleventh installment of its trivia event, The SAS Bowl, featuring ModelOps. We don't expect everyone to be experts, but a basic understanding of the underlying technology will only enhance and expand your SAS experience.
The event is scheduled for Tuesday, August 10, 2021, at 3 PM ET.
Resources
SAS has provided many resources around the topic. Below are a few examples to enhance your understanding of the subject matter.
How Do I Start My ModelOps Journey with SAS® Model Manager - Ask the Expert Webinar hosted by @dishaw - a fabulous introduction to ModelOps
Mastering the Model Lifecycle Orchestration Journey - Free ebook exploring the Model Management lifecycle and ModelOps
ModelOps: How to operationalize the model life cycle - SAS ModelOps page
What's New with SAS Model Manager? Updated performance report - SAS Community article
Want more? Here are some additional resources for the curious.
Search the Community for the phrase: 'What's New with SAS Model Manager?'
SAS and Open-Source Model Management (free eBook) - SAS Users blog post introducing a free SAS ebook by @MarinelaProfi
SAS Bowl and event details
For those who may be new to the SAS Bowl, you can find game history and specifics in this Community memo. There you'll also find links to previous events, which include recordings.
Add the game to your calendar, download the article attachment for an event reminder, or select the 'Yes' option to the right in this Community Calendar Event. No pre-registration is required. On game day, access the game URL, provide your SAS Support Communities username (so we can identify you when you win), and show off your SAS and worldly knowledge while competing for bragging rights and SAS Community game gear.
Join the game.
See you August 10th!
Are you new to SAS? Everyone has a SAS history.
Are you a student and your professor chose SAS as your analytics platform? Maybe you've started a new job and you need to learn how to program in the SAS language? Perhaps you're an application developer and you need to create an app based on data in SAS? Perchance you're just curious and want to learn about SAS?
Whatever your background and whatever reason you have to associate with SAS, Welcome! We're dedicating the September edition of the SAS Communities trivia to new users and learners.
SAS Bowl XII, Back to School is scheduled for Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at 4 PM ET.
Resources
Questions for the event will pertain to basic SAS programming from featured posts, navigating the Community, and where to find SAS resources. Here are some resources to review prior to the game:
FAQ for students and other SAS learners - Don't know where to start? Start here in this SAS Community library article from @BeverlyBrown.
SAS Software for Learning Community - SAS Community aimed at university and independent learners
How to convert character to numeric in SAS - A classic problem in any language; eloquently covered in this SAS Users YouTube video tutorial by @Anna_Yarbrough.
How to get fast, helpful answers - Well formed questions get better, more timely answers; learn some tricks on creating complete inquiries in another nugget from @BeverlyBrown.
Introduction to Analyzing Census Data in SAS Studio - A six-part video series from @lbozema0; a great intro to SAS basics
Other resources of interest
As I was coming up with material for the event, I found so many good resources, I had to share. The links below may not appear in the SAS Bowl, but they are too good not to list.
SAS Starter Kit - A trove of resources to help you get started on your SAS journey.
New SAS User Community - SAS Support Community catering to new SAS users
Online SAS Training Resources video - There are tons of ways to learn SAS online. SAS' Anna Rakers @anrake tells you how to get started in this video.
SAS Users YouTube Channel - get familiar with free SAS How to Tutorials that are designed to teach you the basics of SAS programming and analytics
Go-To List of SAS Support Resources - Ask the Expert webinar from @ShannonMoore covering new resources that you may not know about, older resources that are still super-helpful, and a go-to list of these resources you can keep handy.
SAS Bowl and event details
For those who may be new to the SAS Bowl, you can find game history and specifics in this Community memo. There you'll also find links to previous events, which include recordings.
Add the game to your calendar, download the article attachment for an event reminder, or select the 'Yes' option to the right in this Community Calendar Event. No pre-registration is required. On game day, access the game URL, provide your SAS Support Communities username (so we can identify you when you win), and show off your SAS and worldly knowledge while competing for bragging rights and SAS Community game gear.
Join the game.
'See' you September 8th!
In the SAS Communities Library there are hundreds thousands of helpful articles on just about any SAS related topic. SAS also has a very active blog site, again with years worth of posts, on many different topics. For the next SAS Bowl, we'll turn our focus to one of the more popular blogs: Graphically Speaking.
SAS Bowl XIII, Graphically Speaking blog, is scheduled for Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4 PM ET.
Graphically Speaking blog 411
The Graphically Speaking blog focuses on the usage of ODS Graphics for data visualization in SAS. The blog covers topics related to the Statistical Graphics procedures, the Graph Template Language and the ODS Graphics Designer.
The blog is written and curated by familiar SAS Community Super Freqs @GraphGuy and @DanH_sas. The duo somehow publish on a weekly basis, on some of the most interesting topics found on the site.
Resources
It was extremely hard to whittle down the vast archive to focus on a few posts. Here is a list of we'll use to pull questions from for the SAS Bowl.
Cary NC data - parks and trails - uses Proc SGmap and a tile background, with markers and lines overlaid
SAS graphs for R programmers - maps from shapefiles - imports a Shapefile, and overlays choro polygons on Proc SGmap tiles
SAS graphs for R programmers - paneled graphs - introduces and uses Proc SGpanel
SAS graphs for R programmers - needle plots - needle plot in Proc SGplot, showing gasoline prices (a timely topic):
These mortgage rates look shady to me! - shading areas in a line plot
Will vinyl records outsell CDs in 2019? - an analysis using a stacked bar chart
This list misses some of my top picks (see the end of this post for my faves). I HIGHLY encourage you to view the blog and dig into more of it's awesomeness. I truly check the blogs site on a weekly basis to see what's new.
SAS Bowl and event details
For those who may be new to the SAS Bowl, you can find game history and specifics in this Community memo. There you'll also find links to previous events, which include recordings.
Add the game to your calendar, download the article attachment for an event reminder, or select the 'Yes' option to the right in this Community Calendar Event. No pre-registration is required. On game day, access the game URL, provide your SAS Support Communities username (so we can identify you when you win), and show off your SAS and worldly knowledge while competing for bragging rights and SAS Community game gear.
Join the game.
'See' you October 12!
More from the blog
Here are some of my favorite posts. They won't necessarily provide content for the game, but are certainly worth a read.
How to make your data look worse (than it really is)
Animating US COVID-19 data over time, on a county map
Cracking the code, of the Star Wars timeline!
Where can you own a pet kangaroo in the US?
The "who can't spell what" map
Just like the name sounds SASPy is a tool for Python users to access and interact with SAS. SASPy is a popular topic on the community with multiple threads and articles. We think it's such a useful tool, we'd like to feature it in the next SAS Community Trivia SAS Bowl event.
NEW this time: Please REGISTER and JOIN the Teams meeting to participate.
SAS Bowl XIV, SASPy is scheduled for Thursday, November 11, 2021, at 4 PM ET.
More on SASPy
SASPy is the key that allows Python developers (who may or may not code in SAS) access to SAS data and analytics capabilities, without having to code in SAS.
Key features of SASPy include: • generate SAS code supplied Python objects and methods • convert data between SAS data sets and Pandas data frames • interface with Jupyter notebooks or interactive and batch Python
To get started with SASPy, visit its home on sassoftware's GitHub page. The repository contains full documentation, usage notes, and many examples.
Resources
Besides the GitHub repository linked above, here are additional, valuable resources to consider (we'll be creating questions from these!).
Introducing SASPy: Use Python code to access SAS - It all got kicked off during this Tech Talk at SGF, featuring SAS rockstarts @ChrisHemedinger and @Jared ; could honestly watch these guys discuss the viscosity of slug slime
How Do I Use SASPy to Interface with SAS® From My Python Code? - SAS Webinar from @sastpw with a great demo of the SASPy tool
Installing SASPy Kernel for Jupyter Notebooks and Jupyter Lab - library article by @OliviaWright on setting SASPy up on a Jupyter Noteboook
Putting Airbnb Under the Microscope with SASPy and SAS - insteresting SASPy use case featured in a Free Data Friday (sound familiar?) library article by @ChrisBrooks
SASPy for Modeling - Hands on SAS User blog post by @SophiaRowland demonstrating some powerful SASPy capabilities
SAS Bowl and event details
For those who may be new to the SAS Bowl, you can find game history and specifics in this Community memo. There you'll also find links to previous events, which include recordings.
On game day, Join the TEAMS meeting to play and show off your SAS and worldly knowledge while competing for bragging rights and SAS Community game gear.
Register and Join the game.
'See' you on November 11!
In November's SAS Bowl event, we featured SASPy, which allows Python developers access to SAS. For December, we're keeping on the Python theme and dedicating the SAS Community trivia game to the SAS Studio Python Code Editor.
Continued from last time: Please REGISTER and JOIN the Teams meeting to participate.
SAS Bowl XV, SAS Studio Python Code Editor, is scheduled for Thursday, December 9, at 10 AM ET.
More on the SAS Studio Python Code Editor
The SAS Studio Python Code Editor allows data scientists and Python programmers to code, execute and schedule Python scripts from within the SAS code editor interface (SAS Studio) or add Python steps to a SAS Flow quickly and intuitively.
Key features of the SAS Studio Python Code Editor include:
use Python inside a SAS environment for query, preparation and analysis
efficiently create a flow to integrate SAS and Python code for consistent delivery of analytics-ready data pipelines
leverage the benefits of using SAS Viya with open source
Resources
Here is a list of valuable resources to consider (we'll be creating questions from these!).
SAS opens its code editor interface to Python users - a SAS Data Science blog post by @MarinelaProfi and @Wilbram-SAS
About the Python Code Editor - official SAS documentation site
SAS Viya Release Highlights show on YouTube - The SAS Studio Python Editor was featured content on the November edition of the show
SAS Bowl and event details
For those who may be new to the SAS Bowl, you can find game history and specifics in this Community memo. There you'll also find links to previous events, which include recordings.
On game day, Join the TEAMS meeting to play and show off your SAS and worldly knowledge while competing for bragging rights and SAS Community game gear.
Register and Join the game.
'See' you on December 9th!
The SAS Add-In for Microsoft Office is not a new tool, but it has evolved. It's a super powerful resource, only takes minutes to get setup, is available for both SAS 9 and SAS Viya, and brings the use of SAS analytics and direct SAS data access from popular Microsoft Office products. The tool is well documented and supported, but may be an asset you've yet to explore. So, we decided to (re)introduce the topic in February's edition of the SAS Bowl.
Game Details and Access
The SAS Support Community trivia event, SAS Bowl XVI, SAS Add-In for Microsoft Office is scheduled for Wednesday, February 9, at 10 AM ET.
Register for the event here and receive an invite to a Microsoft Teams meeting.
On game day, join the Teams meeting and access the game here.
More on the SAS Add-In for Microsoft Office
First mention I can find of the tool is from 2016, so there's many resources on how to set up and use the Add-In. In a nutshell, you can open your favorite Microsoft Office application (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook) and connect to SAS. From there you can write code, access SAS data, and incorporate the results into your application. The resources below can explain things better in detail. Use these resources to get familiar with the SAS Add-In for Microsoft Office and prepare for the trivia game while you learn. Note, this is a small list of the many available resources.
SAS Add-In for Microsoft office support page
SAS for Microsoft 365 documentation - Most recent doc on the SAS Add-In on SAS Viya
Dataviz in Microsoft 365 - demo of new functionality on embedding SAS Visual Analytics object into Microsoft Excel
SAS Users YouTube channel | SAS Tutorials on SAS Add-In for Microsoft Office
SAS Add-In for Microsoft Office webinar - a little older resource, but still relevant for getting started
SAS Bowl and event details
For those who may be new to the SAS Bowl, you can find game history and specifics in this Community memo. There you'll also find links to previous events, which include recordings.
On game day, Join the TEAMS meeting to play and show off your SAS and worldly knowledge while competing for bragging rights and SAS Community game gear.
Register and Join the game.
'See' you on February 9th!
A great way to share and distribute your work in SAS is to send it in an email. Did you know you can configure and automate the email process directly in your SAS program? If not, you know now. To learn more about the functionality, join us for SAS Bowl XVII, Sending emails from SAS.
Game Details and Access
The SAS Support Community trivia event, SAS Bowl XVII, Sending emails from SAS is scheduled for Wednesday, March 9, at 10 AM ET.
Register for the event here and receive an invite to a Microsoft Teams meeting.
On game day, join the Teams meeting and access the game here.
More on sending emails from SAS
Whether it be a report dashboard, an ANOVA model with striking results, or simply an SGPLOT with revenue numbers, SAS provides an easy mechanism to share SAS objects and products through email. Want to send out a single email to a colleague? Maybe you need to send it to your entire department? Or, think big and send out your message to the entire company, and beyond. Easy configuration and a few commands will get the job done. Want to set things up to run on a recurring basis? That's covered as well. Create a macro to automate your email. You can even send the message in a text!
Use the resources below to learn more about the SAS email function and to brush up for questions during the event.
How to send email using SAS - Community article by @ChrisHemedinger and @BeverlyBrown
How to Automate Emails Using SAS - SAS Users YouTube tutorial by @DanielRodda
How to use Gmail to send a message from a SAS program - The SAS Dummy blog post by @ChrisHemedinger
Sending Electronic Mail Using the FILENAME Statement (EMAIL) - SAS Documentation page
Tips and Tricks for Sending Emails Using SAS - SAS Ask the Expert webinar presented by @ChrisHemedinger
SAS Bowl and event details
For those who may be new to the SAS Bowl, you can find game history and specifics in this Community memo. There you'll also find links to previous events, which include recordings.
On game day, Join the TEAMS meeting to play and show off your SAS and worldly knowledge while competing for bragging rights and SAS Community game gear.
Register and Join the game.
'See' you in March!
Quick, what are SUGA, PharmaSUG, WUSS, and/or SESUG? No, they’re not the newest candy options at the movie theater or the latest TikTok dance crazes. These acronyms (in addition to MANY others) represent the names of various SAS User Groups. We have many thriving groups, including regional-based and theme-based, that are set up and maintained by SAS enthusiasts and practitioners. To get a better understanding of SAS User Groups, join us for the next installment on the SAS Community trivia event, The SAS Bowl.
Game Details and Access
The SAS Support Community trivia event, SAS Bowl XVIII, SAS User Groups is scheduled for Wednesday, April 6, at 10 AM ET.
Register for the event here and receive an invite to a Microsoft Teams meeting.
On game day, join the Teams meeting and access the game here.
More on SAS User Groups
Here’s a paradox: the one common theme among SAS User Groups is, diversity. That is, each group is organized and run in a way that works best for them. Most groups hold regular meetings and have a speaker on a topic of interest. Some of the larger groups hold in-person conference events, as well. User groups work with the SAS Communities to organize and promote their events. If you are a SAS user, a business partner, a student, a professor, or you just like hanging out in the SAS Community, there’s certainly a SAS User Group for you.
A few reasons to join a SAS User Group:
Network with SAS users globally to make both professional and personal connections.
Sharpen your skills, learn more about SAS technology and boost your résumé.
Get answers to your SAS-related questions.
Be among the first to know about the latest SAS offerings.
Have the ability to be proactive in the analytics community.
Use the resources below to learn more about the SAS User Groups and to brush up for questions during the event.
SAS User Groups Community page – main hub for SAS User Groups
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions | Users Groups – FAQ for SAS User Groups
Upcoming in-person conferences – several groups are planning in-person conferences in 2022
SAS User Group Q4 Highlights Meeting – video from the recap with SAS User Group chairs and SAS Community leaders
SAS User Group websites – SESUG | WUSS | PharmaSUG | SAS Community Nordic | SUGA | Michigan SUG – list was randomly selected; I even included the SUG from that state up north 🙂
SAS Bowl and event details
For those who may be new to the SAS Bowl, you can find game history and specifics in this Community memo. There you'll also find links to previous events, which include recordings.
Register for the event and receive an invite with game details and a Teams meeting link. On game day, Join the TEAMS meeting to play, and show off your SAS and worldly knowledge while competing for bragging rights and SAS Community game gear.
