The INFOMAPS procedure enables you to create information maps programmatically. You can also use the procedure to modify an existing information map by adding new data sources, data items, filters, folders, or relationships. Or you can change the definitions of any existing data item, filter, data source, folder, or relationship within an information map.

A SAS Information Map is a business metadata layer that is applied on top of the data sources in your data warehouse. (Metadata is information about the structure and content of data. An information map does not contain any physical data.) Information maps provide business users with a user-friendly way to query data and get results for themselves. For example, you can create data items with names such as “Age Group” or “Sales Revenue from Internet Orders.”

Information maps can contain data items and filters, which are used to build queries. A data item can refer to a physical data source such as one or more columns from a table, to an OLAP hierarchy, or to an OLAP measure. It can also refer to one or more other data items in the same information map. A data item is classified as either a measure item or a category item. Measure items can be used for calculations. Category items are used to group measure items. Filters contain criteria for subsetting the data that is returned for a query. You can organize data items and filters into folders and subfolders to help users find the information that they need.

In addition to using the INFOMAPS procedure to create information maps, you can also use the interactive client application, SAS Information Map Studio, to create, update, and manage information maps. When you have created or modified an information map, you can access it using the Information Maps engine and retrieve the data that the information map describes. For information, see Using the LIBNAME Statement.

For information about defining metadata, installing and setting up a standard SAS Metadata Server, or changing the standard configuration options for the SAS Metadata Server, see the SAS Intelligence Platform: System Administration Guide.