Apparo Fast Edit Data management in an IBM Cognos environment

Technical Document

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Apparo Fast Edit

Data management in an IBM Cognos environment

Technical Document

2 Apparo Fast Edit

… is the extension for IBM Cognos Analytics, with which

data can be altered and imported and data entry

workflows can be realized.

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3 Fields of activity

• Multi level data entry workflows

• Manual input of plan data

• Report comments incl. further processing

• Import of large amounts of data directly from

Excel (copy & paste or as file)

• Master Data Management (MDM)

• Data driven small web apps

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4 At a glance

Incorporated into IBM Cognos Analytics and other BI

systems – including security

Easy to use, the business department can

define masks without IT support

Completely web-based, only a browser is required

Excel-Interface for fast import of data

Programming knowledge not required,

simple click-definition of application cases

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5 Commentate an IBM Cognos report

Flexible layout: Integrated into a Cognos Report

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6 Usage in Reports66666

Apparo is called with freely defineable

parameters from lists, crosstables,

buttons, and so on.

7 Output of a single data record

Flexible layout: Single record output

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8 Output examples8888

Flexible layout: Workflows…

9 Import of Excel rows using copy & paste

Excel interface via copy & paste. Excel users can easily import their 10000+ rows

to Apparo Fast Edit: intuitive and time-saving.

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10 Import of Excel data files

The user can import Excel-Data files from the browser

… including instant feedback of data errors

Excel files can be automatically imported

from the server side too

Import Excel files by sending it as e-mail attachment

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11 Master/detail relationships

Master/Detail incl. automatic database transaction handling.

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12 Example definition of a “Lookup Widget”

With Apparo Fast Edit you just define „what you want“ using the mouse.

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13 Improvement in data quality

Date & number fields: Validity interval definable

Examples:

Date only valid from 15.03.04 until the 31.12.06

Number only valid between 1 and 6

Text fields: regular expression

Example:

The Text must begin with „AB“ or „AC“ and must

contain a number

User-defined Java-class for complex data examination

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14 Integration in IBM Cognos Connection

Apparo Fast Edit Business Cases can be called up in Cognos Reports and also as Links

in IBM Cognos Connection.

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15 Designer section (I)

All Business Caes will be managed in the Designer section.

These sides and folders are protected using security groups.

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16 Designer section (II)

The definition of masks is completely web-based–

even the business department can develop own business cases.

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17 Designer section (III)

Enabling functionality with check boxes – no programming, technical concept, meetings.

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18 Apparo Fast Edit & security (I)

• Apparo Fast Edit Business Case is accessing the source

data using own database connections.

• All access rights to individual tables and database

users are defined in the database

• This is precisely defines which data can

be changed and what not

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19 Apparo Fast Edit & security (II)

Using filters to limit the data output.

Using security group filtering for limiting the output of different user groups.

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20 Language support

English

German

French

Polish

Italian

…

are supported.

Further languages can be defined. Apparo Fast Edit takes the

language settings from the current Cognos session.

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21 Data hierarchies (I)

Look up-Fields can be combined to form hierarchies.

Example:

1. Look up: Product name

2. Look up: Show only product parts of the previously

chosen product

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22 Data hierarchies (II)

In the example only countries in Europe can be chosen.

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23 Using variables

Expressions from Cognos Report Studio can be

passed on to Apparo Fast Edit Report Variables

Results of a SQL SELECT can be stored in a SQL Variable

OS variables

JavaScript variables

Variables can be used in all definition fields

(titles, descriptions, button labels, script parameters…)

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24

Use of clients with their own security and connections

Each client defines the default colors of the business

cases, i.e. Business Cases have a client-specific design

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25 The architecture of Apparo Fast Edit

Frameworks: Primefaces, Hibernate

Technology: Java 7, JSF, JSP, JS, CSS

Server side

Windows 2008-2016, Linux, IBM AiX

Apparo Fast EditCognos

Security

Client side

Browser

Cognos

Tomcat 7.0 Tomcat

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26 Apparo Fast Edit – 3-Tier-Architektur

Clustering: Usage of many Apparo application servers

and Apparo Gateways for better availability and

load balancing.

Microsoft IIS

Apache 2.4

Apparo Gateway

Apparo Application server

Apparo

Repository

Database

Data sources

Usage of firewalls:

before web server

before application

server

before data sources

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27 Apparo Fast Edit – 3-Tier-Architektur27272727

Client Client Client

Firewall: Port 80 / 443

Firewall: Port 9800

Firewall: Port 1521 (Oracle)

Webserver & Apparo Gateway

Apparo Application Server 1 Apparo Application Server N

Apparo Repository

28 Repository

All definitions are stored in a database respository

as with IBM Cognos.

Supported Databases:

Oracle 10g – 12c

IBM DB2 9 – 11.1

MS SQL Server 2005 – 2016

Internal Java database

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29 Data sources

These databases can be used as data source:

Oracle 10g-12c (Client und JDBC), Oracle Exadata

Microsoft SQL Server 2005-2016

IBM DB2 9.0-11.1 LUW/i/z (Client und JDBC)

IBM i Series / IBM Netezza / IBM dashDB

Exasol

Sybase ASE, IQ, SQL Anywhere

Teradata

Postgres

Informix

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30 Standard installation

Windows 2008-1016 (64 Bit)

Linux (x86, 64 Bit) or IBM AIX

IBM Cognos Analytics 11.0.6 and newer

Webserver: MS IIS or Apache 2.4

Tomcat 7.0 (included)

Database login for the Apparo Repository

Apparo Fast Edit can be installed within 2 hours

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31 BI support

BI systems e.g. the IBM Cognos system are not

changed

The Cognos support remains fully intact

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Apparo support

eMail Support

Quality improvements & new versions

Download Center in Internet

Apparo Consultants for Apparo Fast Edit

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33 Apparo Fast Edit customers33333333

34 Apparo Fast Edit consulting partners34343434

Apparo Süddeutschland GmbH

Regensburg, Germany

E-Mail: info@apparo.info

Internet: www.apparo.info

Live-System

http://standalone.apparo.solutions

Live Cognos Demo on request