What is the purpose of the SAS Output Delivery System (ODS)?

The SAS Output Delivery System (ODS) serves a crucial role in managing and customizing the output generated by SAS procedures. Its primary function is to allow users to produce output in various formats, such as HTML, PDF, Excel, and RTF, among others. By leveraging ODS, users can apply styles, select specific output elements, and direct outputs to different destinations. This capability makes it possible to create highly customized reports that meet specific requirements or presentation standards.

In contrast, executing programs in batch mode focuses more on how SAS programs are run rather than how output is formatted. Optimizing memory usage is a separate consideration related to performance during data processing, while user-defined formats pertain to data representation rather than to the output formatting and delivery system. Therefore, the ability of ODS to manage and customize output formats distinctly defines its purpose.