AUTODOC: An Automated SAS- Programming Documentation ...

ABSTRACT
AUTODOC: An Automated SAS- Programming Documentation System
Kenneth P. Wilson, Quintiles Pacific, Inc., Mountain View, CA
A problem that programmers in many industries
face is deciding on the most expedient method to
document programs, internally and externally.
This poster demonstrates a SASe Macro that
facilitates simple but thorough internal
documenation of programs, as well as SAS·
program documentation database maintenance
for external documenation. The macro was
designed to read and store program header
information, reducing programmer time necessary
to create an audit trail for a specific project.
Historically, information used to be entered into
a similar system manually, but can now be
automatically input from the program header.
Also demonstrated are a variety of reports that
can be produced utiHzing the database that this
macro updates and maintains. The reports
include simple layouts for project archiving, as
well as more complex reports such as program
flow diagrams necessary to recreate an entire
project.
INTRODUCTION
The primary task of a SAS Programmer at
Quintiles Pacific, Inc., a contract research
organization, is to produce output for inclusion in
statistical and clinical summaries of clinical trials.
Historically, programs have been documented
internally only, and the programmer goes through
the lengthy task of handwriting or typing a list of
programs with descriptions of each. Because of
regulatory requirements and Quintiles' high
standards of quality, a perfect audit trail is
expected. The primary objective of this task is
the ability to recreate any project instantaneously,
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utilizing documentation from project team
members. Compilation of this documentation can
be extremely programmer-intensive. A. macrO has
been written to reduce programmer time spent
on handwritten documentation, thereby freeing
up time for other programming tasks.
Although the header block and macro included in
this poster cannot serve as the only internal
documenation for each program, they function as
excellent standard headers. Internal block
documentation is still recommended.
The information collected by utiHz;ing this macro
also provides you with a variety of reporting
opportunities. For example. you can select an
option that will list, by category, each l!lld every
program that must be run, and the order in which
they should be run to reproduce output .for an
entire project. Other reporting options include
status or archival reports of an entire project.
METIlODS
Project Summary Information
Each project has a separate database· for
individual program information. In addition,
there is a database that encompasses basic
project information for all p!:,ojects. The pmpose
of this database is to allow any programmer
access to information necessary to locate project
directories, as well as the person to contact for
different issues concerning the project. The
information is collected and stored using a simple
SAS/FSP data entry screen.
An example of a project summary is shown in
figure 1: