A beginner’s guide to SAS Users Groups: How to choose the group that’s right for you

You’ve seen the notices on the SAS website or your company bulletin board. Perhaps you’ve gotten a meeting invitation via email or even heard a colleague talking about it. Still, you haven’t taken the plunge yet – you haven’t attended a SAS Users Group meeting, maybe because you’re uncertain about which group would be best for you.

That’s the great thing about SAS Users Groups – we know you aren’t a one-size-fits-all user. And because of that, we offer different types of groups to fit your needs.

Learn about the benefits of joining a SAS Users Group – as explained by SAS users themselves - in the video below, then read the rest of this blog post to determine what user group is right for you!

Regional SAS Users Groups

Regional users group events typically occur once a year, and are specific to a particular geographical area. These larger events operate similar to your typical conference – they occur over multiple days, have presentations and social opportunities, and may have additional learning opportunities before or after the conference for an additional fee. Regional events are a great way to network with a larger group of SAS professionals and hear multiple presentations on a wide range of SAS topics.

Best for: those who want multiple presentations on a wide variety of subjects, those who want to meet and network with users from a larger geographical area, those who like the convenience of taking additional training before or after the event.

Local SAS Users Groups

Local users group meetings are held once or multiple times throughout the year, depending upon the structure of the group. Meetings are typically smaller than a regional meetings, and allow attendees to socialize and network with professionals in or around his city or town. Local users group meetings usually last one day (or even part of a day) and have one or two presentations on a topic(s) that the group has decided on ahead of the meeting.

Best for: those who prefer shorter meetings, those who want to connect with users in their immediate geographical area, those who are unable to travel long distances

In-House SAS Users Groups

In-house users group meetings are held at a specific organization or business and limited to SAS users from that organization. In-House users group meetings can range from one hour to one day with meeting frequency often determined by the group leader. Due to privacy issues, SAS does not publish a list of our active in-house users groups. But, if you would like to find out if there is an active group at your company, contact your SAS Administrator or reach out to us at ugsupport@sas.com

Best for: those who want to get information on their company’s use of the software, those who want to expand their connections and build a SAS support network within their organization, those who are unable to travel away from the office

Still uncertain about what group to join? Our users group programs team is here to help you find you “SAS home away from home.” You can reach us directly at ugsupport@sas.com. A listing of our users groups and upcoming meetings can also be found at http://support.sas.com/usersgroups, along with other information and resources. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming user group event!

A beginner’s guide to SAS Users Groups: How to choose the group that’s right for you was published on SAS Users.