Effectively read multiple excel sheets from an xlsx excel workbook in SAS 9.4M7 - sas

Question

I am trying to read multiple sheets from an excel workbook (xlsx format) in SAS. Instead of using two separate proc imports, is there a way to simultaneously read multiple excel sheets from an excel workbook? My code thus far is as follows:
proc import datafile= "&loc.\&exid..xlsx"
out=exp
dbms=xlsx replace;
sheet="Sheet1";
run;
proc import datafile= "&loc.\&exid..xlsx"
out=dt
dbms=xlsx replace;
range="'Sheet5'$A2:AB10000";
getnames=yes;
run;
It is taking ~1.40 secs to read both of these excel sheets from one excel workbook, how do I reduce the time it takes to read xlsx workbook in SAS.

Answer 1

If you have SAS/CONNECT, you can run the two imports in parallel with rsubmit. I tested this out on an Excel file and it did not give any simultaneous access errors. Since each import is only about 1.4 seconds, this might take longer in aggregate since it needs to spin up two new SAS sessions to run each import.
options autosignon = yes
connectwait = no
sascmd = '!sascmd'
;
libname worklib "%sysfunc(getoption(work))";
/* Send over macro variables to rsubmit sessions */
%syslput _USER_ / remote=session1;
%syslput _USER_ / remote=session2;
rsubmit remote=session1 inheritlib=(worklib);
proc import datafile= "&loc.\&exid..xlsx"
out=worklib.exp
dbms=xlsx replace;
sheet="Sheet1";
run;
endrsubmit;
rsubmit remote=session2 inheritlib=(worklib);
proc import datafile= "&loc.\&exid..xlsx"
out=worklib.dt
dbms=xlsx replace;
range="'Sheet5'$A2:AB10000";
getnames=yes;
run;
endrsubmit;