3.2 HDS (SAS version8.2)

3.2.1 Background

The HDS is a Historical Data Reporting System created with SAS version 8.2. The main function of the HDS is to provide a reporting environment which allows the user to create descriptive statistics on parameters across a number of similar historical projects. Clients of NOTOX are requesting historical data more and more frequently to verify that values reported within a particular study are within a “normal” range. This can be achieved by comparing the values of a given study to the values of a range of similar studies. The procedure NOTOX originally had in place for such requests was too labour intensive to execute on a more frequent basis. The application is created using SAS Base, SAS Macro, SAS/AF, SAS/GRAPH and SAS/STAT.

3.2.2 The application

Access to the application is regulated via a logon procedure. Once logged on the user can select the study type to report on (toxicology/acute toxicology/reproduction).

3.2.3 Project filter

When the study type is selected, the project filter screen is presented. This screen helps the user with selecting similar projects by using the pre-defined options within this selection filter.

From this screen the exclusion screen can be called, which allows the user to exclude parameters or even entire projects from the available projects, to prevent biased information to be used in the system. The excluded parameters and projects are stored in an exclusion table which is made available to all users.

3.2.3 Report selection screen

When a selection of projects has been made in the project filter screen the report selection screen is shown. From this screen the user can select the tables to be generated. It also allows the user to set some general parameters such as the page number to start with, the title of the report and the output type (word document or PDF document).

3.2.4 Report info screen

For each table selected a screen is displayed containing the options available to the user to customise this table. Typical options are the parameters to report on, the groups to report on, the descriptive statistics to present, the number of decimals, etc.

3.2.5 Output

Once all selected tables are processed, the results are exported to the selected output medium (word document or PDF document). This is stored on a pre-defined network area.