What is SAS Enterprise Guide?

SAS Enterprise Guide is a user-friendly Windows interface designed for enhanced data management and analytics. It simplifies processes with its point-and-click functionality, catering to users who prefer a menu-driven approach to data handling. The interface is wizard-driven, guiding users through complex analytical tasks with ease.

The tool not only allows for comprehensive data analysis but also facilitates the sharing of results and the exportation of data to other applications, enhancing collaborative efforts. Furthermore, SAS Enterprise Guide provides transparent data access, enabling users to interact with data across various sources without the need for extensive technical knowledge.

What is SAS Enterprise Guide?

SAS Enterprise Guide is an advanced analytics software developed by SAS Institute. It provides a point-and-click interface for statistical analysis, data mining, and retrieval, as well as a programming environment. Its latest version, 8.3, released in August 2020, includes updates to the .NET Framework and VC++, hot fixes, and security patches. This version is also compatible with Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise editions, starting from November 2021.

Version 8.3 Features

The 8.3 version enhances user experience with the latest .NET Framework and VC++ upgrades, and maintains system security with hot fixes and security patches. It is designed to work seamlessly with the newest Microsoft Windows 11 operating systems.

Version 8.2 Features

Released in November 2019, SAS Enterprise Guide 8.2 introduced direct connections to workspace servers, a new Git integration interface, the ability to access and run tasks from SAS Studio 5.2, and a feature for managing keyboard shortcuts.

Version 8.1 Features

Version 8.1, which debuted in June 2019, revamped the user interface for a more modern and flexible experience. It added features such as tab-based content organization, a new start page, and flexible window management. Users gained the ability to run multiple items without UI lock-up, drag data sets and variable names into programs, and use an updated search pane and favorites functionality. The documentation for this version is available in the Help Center on support.sas.com.

SAS Enterprise Guide vs TARGIT Decision Suite

Usability and Interface

SAS Enterprise Guide features a Windows GUI and is menu-driven, promoting a user-friendly experience through its point-and-click interface. This design aids in creating graphics, transforming data, and performing statistics. TARGIT Decision Suite, on the other hand, emphasizes a user-centric approach with intuitive dashboards and an interface that supports drag-and-drop functionalities for building analyses.

Functionality and Analytics

SAS Enterprise Guide offers a broad range of analytics capabilities, including data cleaning, manipulation, and statistical analysis such as ANOVA, regressions, and data statistics. TARGIT Decision Suite focuses on business intelligence, providing tools for data discovery, KPI tracking, and making data-driven decisions with its analytics and reporting features.

Data Management

Both tools are equipped for handling large datasets, but SAS Enterprise Guide stands out with its ability to perform complex data preparation, ad-hoc queries, and data quality verification. It's also adept at querying databases and forecasting future trends. TARGIT Decision Suite provides strong data governance features and real-time data access to ensure up-to-date information for decision-making.

Integration and Collaboration

SAS Enterprise Guide allows for scheduling, running, and keeping a version history of processes from a SharePoint site, which can streamline workflow management within enterprises. TARGIT Decision Suite also supports collaboration but places a stronger emphasis on integrating with other systems and data sources to consolidate information across an organization.

Industry Application

While SAS Enterprise Guide is versatile across various departments including marketing, HR, and risk, and is notably used in the credit risk analytics domain for model validation and analytics queries, TARGIT Decision Suite is widely recognized for its business intelligence capabilities, making it a preferred choice for organizations seeking comprehensive BI solutions.

Regulatory Compliance and Data Visualization

SAS Enterprise Guide is recommended for its compliance with regulatory requirements and also offers features for data visualization. TARGIT Decision Suite provides robust visualization tools as well, but with an added emphasis on interactive dashboards and self-service BI that allows users to explore data and insights visually.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the latest version of SAS Enterprise Guide?

The latest version of SAS Enterprise Guide is 8.3, which was released in August 2020.

What are some key features of SAS Enterprise Guide 8.3?

SAS Enterprise Guide 8.3 includes upgrades to the .NET Framework and VC++, hot fixes, security patches, and supports Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise.

How does SAS Enterprise Guide support version control?

SAS Enterprise Guide 8.2 introduced a new Git integration user interface, allowing users to incorporate version control into their workflow.

Can SAS Enterprise Guide run multiple items without locking the user interface?

Yes, starting from version 8.1, SAS Enterprise Guide allows users to run multiple items without locking the user interface.

Does SAS Enterprise Guide offer a flexible user interface?

SAS Enterprise Guide 8.1 features a modern and flexible user interface with tab-based organization, flexible window management, and a new start page.

Sourcetable: The Smart Data Integration Platform

Choosing the right data analysis tool is critical for professionals who rely on data-driven insights. Sourcetable stands out as a versatile alternative to SAS Enterprise Guide and TARGIT Decision Suite. With its ability to connect to multiple data sources, Sourcetable streamlines complex data integration, enabling users to compile and manage their data efficiently.

Sourcetable's AI copilot elevates its functionality beyond traditional platforms. The AI assistance simplifies formula creation and provides ready-to-use templates, making data manipulation more accessible compared to Excel. This feature is particularly beneficial for users seeking advanced data integration without the steep learning curve of other analytics software.

For those accustomed to the familiarity of spreadsheets, Sourcetable offers a seamless transition with its spreadsheet-like interface. This interface allows real-time querying of databases, ensuring that data analysis is both robust and user-friendly. As a result, Sourcetable is not only good for AI assistance but also stands as a powerful tool for advanced data integration tasks, catering to a broad range of professional data analysis needs.