Best Practices & Tips
Integrating Cognos Finance
WithCognos Planning
Presenters
Gary Quirke
Sandy Midili
Agenda
• Quick overview of Cognos EP
• Why EP and CF
• Integration Challenges
• Integration Tips and Tricks
• Questions
Quick Overview of EP
• Enterprise Budgeting and Forecasting
• High Participation Web based planning
• Central database: Oracle/SQL Server
• “Owned” by Finance
• Library of Specialized Planning Functions
• Driver Based Planning
• Integrated with C8 BI and CF
Quick Overview of EP
• Excel-based reporting
• Limited Financial Consolidation
• Does not support multiple hierarchies
• Some Integration challenges with CF
Quick Demo EP
Why CF and EP?
• Scenario 1: Own CF want EP
• Scenario 2: Own EP want CF
• Scenario 3: Buy CF & EP together
Challenges
• Avoiding two maintenance processes
• Single Cube (CF) Vs Multi-Cube (EP)
• CF/EP Meta data differences
• Transferring data between CF/EP• Picking the best of both worlds
Tips: Minimizing Maintenance
• One Source: D-List Update & Import from Ledger – Database (ERP, Data warehouse, etc)– Excel
• Single point Maintenance Process – For example Cognos Manager
• Use CF as Financial data Mart– Aggregation of Actual to Forecast level of detail– Storage of Planning Versions as submissions
Tips: Single Vs Multi Cube
P&L1. List P&L
2.elist.4.Time
5.Version
A- Emp0.Assum Driver
1. List COA
Calc Revenue1. Calc Rev
2.Customer,2.Product 2.Elist4.Time
5.Version
Calc Salary1.Calc Sal
2.Employee 2.elist4.Time
5.Version
Calc Op Exp1. List COA
1.Calc Op Exp2.Elist4.Time
4.Version
A-Op Exp1.List Op Exp3.Pick Method
BS1. List BS2.Division
4.Time Month5. Version
Cognos Finance Cognos Planning
Assum Driver0.Lookup Driver2.Time Month
3.Label 3.Color 3.Region4.Version
Assum Driver0.Lookup Driver2.Time Month
3.Label 3.Color 3.Region4.Version
Cognos Finance
Submission: Actual
Submission: Budget
Submission: Forecast
Benefits0. Lookup Spread
2.Time Month
A-Price1.PPU
2.Product
Single CubeMultiple Submissions
Multi-Cube Application
Report Cube1. List COA2.Division
4.Time Month5. Version
Calc Cube
Rpt Cub
Sum Rpt
Assum Cube
ERPActual
Tips: CF/EP Meta data
• Best Case– Consistent IDs and Names in CF/EP– Combined ID + Name <= 50 Characters
• Next Best– Use only IDs in EP Integration Cube
• All Else Fails– Use Names– But ensure unique names in CF
Demo Tips & Tricks
Tips: Best of Both Worlds
• CF– Allocations (where possible)– Currency Translation (where possible)– Version Control– Financial Consolidation (always!)– Storage of Detailed Actuals
• EP– Financial Modeling & Forecasting– Headcount & Salary Planning – Capital Planning– Driver Based and Advanced Planning – Planning beyond Finance– High Participation Planning
Questions?
Gary Quirkee:[email protected]: 646-623-8383
Sandy Midilie:[email protected]: 732-674-1410
http://www.QueBIT.com