Chapter 1: Getting Started with the Output Delivery System

Welcome to the Output Delivery System

Prior to Version 7, most SAS procedures generated output that was designed for a traditional line-printer. This type of output has limitations that prevent you from getting the most value from your results:

• Traditional SAS output is limited to monospace fonts. In a time of desktop document editors and publishing systems, you want more versatility in printed output.

• Some commonly used procedures produce printed output but do not create an output data set. Many times it would be very convenient to produce not only printed output but also an output data set that you could use as input to another SAS procedure or to a DATA step.

ODS is designed to overcome these limitations and make it easier for you to format your output. The SAS Output Delivery System (ODS) gives you greater flexibility in generating, storing, and reproducing SAS procedure and DATA step output along with a wide range of formatting options. ODS provides formatting functionality that is not available when using individual procedures or the DATA step without ODS.