A SAS Forecast Studio project can be set up to use several variables, including dependent, independent, Time ID and BY variables. The data set that is referenced by a project is oftentimes updated periodically with more current data, or with additional BY groups. In order to maintain the integrity of a project, the attributes of the variables that are used to define the project should remain consistent. In the updated data, use the same attributes that were used when the project was originally created. This consistency is especially important with regard to the length of any BY variables that are specified in a project.

Use the following guidelines when you create a project that uses BY variables in SAS Forecast Studio:

• Your BY variable is a character variable. The data set that is used to create the project should specify a length for this BY variable. Use a length that is large enough to represent the longest BY value that is needed over the life of the project.

• Your BY variable is an 8-byte numeric variable. You should be able to safely represent all potential values of your BY variable as the data is updated over the lifespan of your project. PROC FORMAT can be used to define formatted values of your numeric BY variable, and these formatted values can then be displayed in your SAS Forecast Studio project. If a format is used, then it is highly recommended that the format is tested before being used in production.

Note: If your BY variable contains a format that maps multiple data values to the same formatted value, then the format cannot be used in SAS Forecast Server. Mapping several data values to the same formatted value is not allowed.

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