Dear Zach,
1. Not really, although if you dig through the various bits of documentation, you can find equations for some of the results variables. Because the results are from a simulation model, there often is not a simple equation that describes the value.
2. No. SAM does not have a block diagram interface that you can use to "build" a system. For the photovoltaic system example you give, you would describe the system design on the input pages for the flat plate PV model.
Best regards,
Paul.