The Cost Benefits of Automating SAS to Python Code Migration

Switching from SAS to Python isn’t just a technological upgrade—it’s a financial game-changer. While Python's open-source nature is well-known for cost savings, automating the migration process multiplies those benefits. This blog explores how automating SAS-to-Python migration reduces costs, improves efficiency, and delivers an impressive return on investment (ROI).

The True Costs of Manual Migration
Manual migration of SAS scripts to Python often involves:
• High Labor Costs: Translating code line-by-line requires significant time and effort from skilled developers.
• Long Timelines: Complex projects may take months, delaying the realization of cost savings.
• Error Risks: Manual processes are prone to inaccuracies, leading to debugging costs later.
For a mid-sized organization with hundreds of SAS programs, manual migration can cost upwards of $200,000 in labor and downtime.

How Automated Migration Changes the Game
Automation streamlines the migration process, offering several advantages:
1. Time Savings: Automated tools like SAS2PY can translate thousands of lines of code in weeks instead of months.
2. Cost Reduction: By reducing developer hours, organizations save 50–70% compared to manual migration.
3. Accuracy: Automation minimizes human error, ensuring translated code performs as expected.

The Long-Term ROI of Python
• Elimination of Licensing Fees: SAS licensing costs often exceed $500,000 annually for mid-sized
organizations. Python, being free, provides instant savings.
• Scalability: Python’s libraries and community-driven ecosystem ensure lower costs for future growth.
• Increased Productivity: Python’s versatility enables faster development cycles and integration with modern tools like TensorFlow and PySpark.

Case Study:
• Problem: High SAS licensing fees and slow analytics processes.
• Solution: Automated migration using SAS2PY.

• Outcome:
o $600,000 annual savings.
o Data processing time reduced by 70%.

Automating your SAS-to-Python migration is an investment that pays for itself through cost savings, operational efficiency, and long-term scalability. Start your automation journey today with SAS2PY.