Day 1 Query Studio:
Query Studio is the reporting tool for creating simple queries and reports in Cognos 8, the Web-based reporting solution.
Use Query Studio to:
create ad hoc reports that can be viewed by others
customize ad hoc reports that have been saved
compare and analyze data
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Title could also be “Query Studio: Overview,” but what we’ve got there is more “task-based,” I suppose.
Query Studio differs from Report Studio in that it is designed for ad hoc reports that can be created “on the fly.” To me, Report Studio is more like Impromptu, where you can create very elaborate managed reports with more calculation/formatting options.
Other things that RS has that QS doesn’t:
support for MULTIPLE QUERIES in the same report (i.e., you can pull data from multiple data sources in one report… note that you couldn’t do this in Impromptu)… this seems to be the biggest difference
multiple page layouts
complete ability to create free-form layouts through the use of HTML-like layout objects
drill through capabilities from parent->child reports
conditional formatting
support for browser-based interpreted languages (JavaScript, HTML) and technologies (ActiveX)
advanced prompting (more powerful than PowerPrompts)… seems to be a big part of their marketing “spin…” you can create very thorough prompts without lots of code
What, then, can QS do that makes it “special?” (see p. 9 of the QS User Guide (draft))
1) explore datayou can connect to one data source at a time and view the contents of that data source in a tree hierarchy. If you want to see the columns of a table, you can expand the table in the tree and view the type of data each column contains, and so forth (easier than going into SQL*Plus or some other tool and running a DESCRIBE command)
2) create reportsmost of the reports that you’re going to create from the data source are going to be very simple and likely aren’t intended for wide distribution (I’m guessing that you’d use Report Studio to do really “nice” looking reports for mass distribution; for example, over a corporate LAN, etc.). Once the reports are created, you can save and reuse them. You can also take an existing report, modify it, and then re-save it under a different name (saves time/effort, like doing the same thing with a .doc file in Word)
3) change the appearance of reportsalthough the reports are ad hoc, you can make them look “pretty” or otherwise increase their visual impact (for example, by adding a chart or a title, or re-ordering columns)
4) work with data in a reportthe most basic report in QS just has rows and columns (like a simple list report in Impromptu or a foundation query in Cognos Query)… however, you can filter and summarize data, or add other calculations to make the report more useful for analysis (e.g., you don’t want the user to try figuring out the “profit” figure on their own using the existing columns; give them a calculated column with this information)
To use QS effectively, you should know how to browse the Web, and you should know your organization’s business and its data. You may also need to be familiar with the other parts of ReportNet (I think Framework Manager knowledge would be useful here).
© Satyam 2009
To access Query Studio, the navigation is as follows.
1) In Web browser, type the URL http://servername/cognos8. You will get the WELCOME page
2) In the WELCOME page, hyperlinks are available for Cognos Connection, Query Studio, Analysis Studio, etc. Click on Query Studio hyperlink
3) You will be prompted to choose a package to work with. Choose the package you want to work with to generate adhoc reports.
© Satyam 2009
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You can open Query Studio itself, or open an existing report that was created in Query Studio.
If you click either Query Studio link on the front page of Cognos Connection, Query Studio will open with a blank layout. The left pane shows the package that was published from Framework Manager. You add data items from the package to the right side either by dragging and dropping or clicking the Insert button.
When you open Cognos Connection, you may be prompted to log on (see the Admin and Security Guide for more info re: this). Note that Cognos Connection is the single point of access for all ReportNet content.
The QS User Guide recommends creating a bookmark in your browser for quick access to the portal.
© Satyam 2009
Create an Ad Hoc Report
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When you CREATE a report, what you’re really doing is creating a QUERY SPECIFICATION that defines what CRITERIA are used to retrieve data. Basically you’re writing an SQL SELECT statement. The RESULT SET of this query specification is what we call a “report.”
Before creating a report in QS, ask the following questions:
What BUSINESS QUESTION do you want to answer? For example, you may want to know “which sales representative sold the most products.”
Which TYPE of report best answers the report. A crosstab? A simple list? A chart?
Who is the TARGET AUDIENCE?
What DATA ITEMS and CALCULATIONS do you need to answer the business question?
Overall, to create a new report, you must:
1) Create the report
3) Save the report
4) Run the report to pull the data from the data source and look at it
Once you’ve run the report, you may want to work with the data you see (for example, by adding a profit calculation), or change the layout.
You can also create a new report by modifying an existing report and saving the new version using another name.
In this example, only one package has been published from the model created in Framework Manager. If you have more than one package available as a data source, click the Public Folders tab, and then click the package that you want to use as a data source.
Then click the Query Studio link on the toolbar. This opens QS with the a tree hierarchy of the selected package in the left pane (in this case, the published package is called “GO Sales and Retailers”).
At this point, you can explore each of the query items in the package. For example, you may want to see what’s in the Products query item. Does it include product price?
To exit QS and return to Cognos Connection, click Return or the Cognos Connection link at the top.
© Satyam 2009
You can open an existing report to:
view the most current data in the report
make changes to the report
use it as the basis of a new report
Open the report in Query Studio by clicking the report link or the Edit with Query Studio icon.
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Note that, in QS, reports always use the MOST RECENT version of the package that has been published. If the package has been republished, you are notified that the report will use the NEWEST VERSION of the package. You must then save the report to complete this update.
In the slide example, we’re looking at the existing Low Revenue Products report that was created in QS. This report was saved to the Public Folders, so to access it:
1) In Cognos Connection, click the Public Folders link.
2) Click the package that was used to create this report (in this case, GO Sales and Marketing). This will show all the reports that were created using this package.
3) Locate the name of the report that you want to open, and then click the link or the Edit icon. Either one will open the report in Query Studio view so that you can edit it (e.g., by filtering data or creating calculations).
If you want to just RUN the report without editing it, click the Run with options button. This opens a new screen where you can Select how you want to run and receive your report. For example, you may want to look at it in PDF or CSV format (the default is HTML). Then it runs the report in Report Viewer.
In Edit mode, you can tweak the report as necessary. If you want to keep the “tweaks” and the original report, then save the modified report using a different name.
To browse through the PAGES of a report, use the links at the bottom of the page.
If a report contains more columns than you can see, use the scroll bar to move left or right.
To increase the available space for viewing reports, click the hide menu button in the top right corner.
To view the menu again, click the show menu button in top left corner of the report.
Note that in this example, when we clicked on the link or the Edit button, the report pulled in the latest data. We can use this to decide if we need more tweaks to see what we want (for example, calculations).
In Report Viewer, if you open a saved report after the package it is based on is REPUBLISHED, one of 2 things happens:
If the ORIGINAL version of the package still exists, the report runs against the original version of the package.
If the original version of the package NO LONGER exists, the report is updated to run against the most recent version.
If a new version of the package has been published when you open the report in EDIT mode, you’ll be prompted to run it against this new version. Then save the package to avoid being prompted again.
© Satyam 2009
Add Data to Ad Hoc Reports:
You can add data to an empty report by choosing the report items from the package.
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May want to combine this with the “Create an Ad Hoc Report” slide… Basically beating a dead horse here.
As noted earlier, a NEW report created in QS doesn’t have any data in it. You CHOOSE the REPORT ITEMS that you want to include in the report from the PACKAGE that has been created from the MODEL created in Framework Manager.
Packages can include:
query items, such as columns of measures and non-measures
query items CREATED by the data modeler, such as calculated query items
Items that you add from the package to the report are called REPORT ITEMS. In Architect, the stuff in the package was called “subjects” and “subject items.”
The report items that you add from the package to your report appear as rows and columns in TABULAR reports, such as list reports and crosstab reports.
In CHARTS, report items appear as data markers and axis labels.
You can also add CALCULATIONS in QS that don’t exist in the package itself. This is basically the same as what you could do in Cognos Query.
To insert data into an existing report:
1) Open the report in QS.
2) In the menu on the left side, click the Insert Menu command. This opens a tree hierarchy of the selected package (I.e., shows the query subjects and query items within each query subject).
3) In the left pane, double-click each query item that you want to add to the report, or click the item and then click the Insert Data button.
By default, each new report item follows the last report item, but you can insert an item in a different position.
You can insert a data item in a different position. Just click an existing heading in your report, then add a new query item. The item that you add will PRECEDE this heading.
To simultaneously add several query items, Ctrl+click to select multiple items, then click the Insert Data button.
To REMOVE data PERMANENTLY from the report, click the report heading, then click the delete button on the toolbar. When you save the report, this change will persist.
In the slide example, we’re looking at a report that contains data from two query subjects: Order and Product. I’ve highlighted two columns that are sourced from two query items within the Product query subject: Product type and Product name.
© Satyam 2009
Save your reports to preserve any changes.
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Once a report is developed, you can do 2 things
You can save the changes with the same name for the report (for already existing reports)
You can use “Save AS” option to save the changes as a new report (for already existing reports)
You can save a new report
During saving, you have the choice to choose the location where you would like to save the report.
© Satyam 2009
View Data in Ad Hoc Reports:
You can open a report in Report Viewer to look at the most recent data from the data source.
You can also look at the most recent data while you are editing the report in Query Studio.
HTML Report in English
PDF Report in German
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Basically, the distinction is between viewing the reports in edit mode (where you can add/remove columns, do formatting, etc.), and looking at them in Report Viewer. Report Viewer lets you view the reports in three different formats (HTML [the default], CSV, PDF), while viewing the data in edit mode is one standard.
You can also choose which language you want to view the report in.
© Satyam 2009
Print your report to obtain a paper copy.
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In this slide, we’re indicating how you can print directly from the browser. Even the documentation indicates that this isn’t the ideal, but it’s easy to do at any point.
However, you can also print the report by running the report and specifying that you want to print the report in PDF format.
To do this, you must add a printer in Cognos Connection (easiest way to do this is to click Directory, then click the Printers tab and specify a network address).
We also cover printing when we cover distribution. Printing is a distribution method and can also be SCHEDULED. The advantages are pretty obvious.
© Satyam 2009
Understand Report Types:
Use different report types to look at data in different ways or to answer different business questions.
List Report
This slide shows 3 different types of reports
List Report – This type has a row heading of different query items and values are listed against these columns
Grouped List Report – This type is similar to list report with one difference. Repeating query item values are grouped and printed only once for each value
Crosstab Report – In this type, one measure is printed at the cross section of each row and column. Each column has a query item and each row has a query item.
© Satyam 2009
Create a chart to present information graphically.
A report requires at least one measure and non-measure to produce a chart.
Pie Chart (100% Stacked)
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This slide shows an example of a type of report called “Chart” report. This report can be used to visually represent the distribution of a measure for each value of a non-measure.
© Satyam 2009
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This slide marks the beginning of the section dealing with creating reports using Query Studio
© Satyam 2009
Display Data With List Report:
Create a list report to show information in a list, such as products or customers.
A list report shows data in rows and columns.
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This slide shows the list report. To create a list report, the following steps needs to be done
Create a blank report by clicking “New Report” icon.
Click “Insert Data” in the menu on the left hand side. This will display the contents of the package on the left hand side.
Drag and drop (or double click) the query items needed in the report in the blank template.
© Satyam 2009
Group a list report to suppress duplicate values.
You can organize the grouped data by row headings or section headings.
Data Grouped by Row Headings
Data Grouped by Section Headings
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This slide shows the Grouped List Report. For developing this report, one needs to do the steps outlined in previous slide and then the following
For “Data Grouped by Row Headings”
Highlight the column which needs to be grouped and click “Group” icon in the toolbar.
For “Data Grouped by Section Headings”
1) Highlist the column which needs to be grouped and click “Create Sections” icon in the toolbar.
© Satyam 2009
Expand and Collapse Data Groups:
You can expand or collapse grouped data in a report to show more or less detail.
Fully expanded grouped report
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This slide shows how to collapse groups for a 3 level report
1) Highlight the column to be collapsed and click “Collapse Group” icon in the toolbar. By repeating this step again and again, 3 levels can be collapsed as shown in the slide.
© Satyam 2009
Create a crosstab report to present data more clearly.
You create a crosstab report by rotating the values in a list report to produce column headers.
A crosstab report shows a summary value at the intersection of each row and column.
List Report Before Pivoting
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This slide shows how to create a crosstab report from a list report
1) Hightlight one column (country in the slide) and click “pivot” icon in the toolbar. You will get the crosstab report as shown in the slide.
© Satyam 2009
Swap rows and columns
You can interchange rows and columns in a crosstab, a chart based on a crosstab, or both. For example, if you have a crosstab report that has few rows and many columns, you can swap the rows and columns to make the report easier to read.
If you have multiple rows or columns in a crosstab report, the outermost rows become the outermost columns, and the outermost columns become the outermost rows.
Crosstab Report Before Swapping
Crosstab Report after Swapping
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This slide shows how to swap rows and columns for a cross tab report. Sometimes, we may have a cross tab report with few rows and many columns. In order to improve the readeability of the report, we might want to swap rows and columns as given below
1) Click on “swap rows and columns” icon in the toolbar. This will switch the rows and columns of the cross tab report.
© Satyam 2009
Sort Data in Ad Hoc Reports:
You can sort your data in either ascending or descending alphabetical or numeric order.
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This slide shows how to sort data in your report.
Highlight the column to be sorted in the report.
Click on “Edit data” in the menu on the left side
Click on “Sort” from the resulting pull down menu. You will get a popup as shown in the slide
Choose one radio button and press ok. Based on your selection, report will be sorted.
© Satyam 2009
Create a chart to present information graphically.
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This slide shows how to covert a list report into a chart report
Create a list report as shown in the slide
Click on “Chart” icon in the tool bar. Choose from the options presented to you.
© Satyam 2009
Specify a Chart Type:
Consider what you want the chart to illustrate before you choose a chart type.
Use a pie chart to highlight proportions rather than actual values.
Use a column chart to show how data changes over time.
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This slide shows different chart types like pie chart, column chart & bar chart.
Pie chart – This is used to highlight proportions rather than actual values
Column chart – This is used to show how data changes over time
Bar chart – This is used to place less emphasis on time and focus on comparing values.
© Satyam 2009
Specify a Chart Type (Cont’d):
Consider what you want the chart to illustrate before you choose a chart type.
Use an area chart to show how much the value of a measure changes over time.
Use a column line chart to compare two different measures in the same chart.
Use a radar chart to compare measures using a radial figure.
Use a line chart to plot many measures.
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This slide shows different chart types like line chart, column line chart, area chart & radar chart
Line chart – This is used to plot many measures
Column line chart – This is used to compare two different measures in the same chart
Area chart – This is used to show how much the value of a measure changes over time.
Radar chart - This is used to compare measures using a radial figure
© Satyam 2009
Enhance the Display of Charts:
Consider what you want the chart to illustrate before you choose a chart variation.
Use the standard variation to plot actual value of data series from a common axis.
Use the stacked chart for comparing the proportional contribution within a category.
In the 100% stacked variation, the top of each stack represents 100%. useful for comparing proportional contribution across all category.
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This slide show different chart displays like standard variation, stacked chart, 3D display and 100% stacked variation.
© Satyam 2009
Filter Data in Ad Hoc Reports:
Create a filter to retrieve a subset of records in a report.
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This slide shows how to filter data in your report. A simple list report (as shown in slide) has data for all the countries. Suppose, we are interested to know the details of only Australia and Austria
Hightlight the country column in the report
Click on “filter” icon in the toolbar
Choose Australia and Austria and click “ok”. Now the resultant report will show values only for Australia and Austria
© Satyam 2009
Filter Data Based on Report Details:
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This slide shows how to filter data for a range of values in a grouped report
Click on the column to be filtered (Quantity in the slide)
Click on “Edit data” in the menu on the left hand side and click “filter” from the drop down list
Give the lower and upper bound values in the pop up window and choose “values in the report” among the radio buttons and click “ok”
© Satyam 2009
Filter Data Based on Group Summaries:
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This slide shows how to filter grouped report for the values in the group summary
Click on the column to be filtered (Quantity in the example shown in the slide)
Click on “Edit data” on the menu in the left hand side and click “filter” on the drop down menu
Provide lower and upper bound values in the popup window and click on the “group summaries in the report” radio button and click “ok”
Now the resultant report shows only the details where the summary quantity is between the values specified.
© Satyam 2009
Filter Data Based on individual Records
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This slide shows how to filter out individual records in the underlying data source even if the report contains only aggregated data
Click on the column to be filtered (Quantity in the example shown in the slide)
Click on “Edit data” in the menu on the left hand side and click on “filter” from the drop down menu
Provide lower and upper bound values in the popup window and click on “Individual values in the data source” radio buttion and click “ok”
Now the resultant report will consider only those records in the underlying data source which matches the filter criteria.
© Satyam 2009
Specify Filter Criteria with Prompts:
Create a prompt if you want to use different criteria for the same report item each time the report is run.
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This slide show how to create a dynamic filter using prompt (instead of static filter)
Click on the column to be filtered in the report.
Click on “filter” icon. Check the “prompt everytime the report runs” check box
Now, if you run the report, a prompt appears and based on the country selected, the report will display relevant data only.
This method is better than changing the report specification everytime we want the report for a different county.
© Satyam 2009
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This slide shows an example of a complex filter. Here the filter condition is as below
(product line = Camping Equipment AND country = Australia) OR (product line = Golf Equipment AND country = China).
The result of this filter on the report output is shown in the slide
© Satyam 2009
Create New Report Items with Custom Groups:
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This slide show how custom groups can be created in a report
Click on the column in the report for which custom group needs to be created
Click on “Edit data” on the menu and then click on “Define custom groups”
Give a new group name and associate relevant values for that new group as shown in the slide and click “ok”
Now,in the report, another column (custom group) appears which can be used for further filtering,etc.
© Satyam 2009
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You can use predefined formats to change the appearance of numbers, dates, and times in your reports.
Using these formats does not change the underlying data.
Format Data in Ad Hoc Report
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This slide shows how to format data for custom appearance in the report which does not impact the underlying data
Click on the column to be formatted in the report
Click on “Edit data” in the menu and then click on “Format data” in the drop down menu
Chose the category (number,currency,etc) and choose other relevant formating details and then click “ok”
Now, the column is formatted as per the specifications provided by us while the underlying data remains the same.
© Satyam 2009
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Use calculations to add data items to your report that do not exist in the underlying data source.
Calculation results are not stored in the underlying data source. Instead, Query Studio reruns the calculation each time you run the report.
The results of a calculation are always based on the most current data in the data source.
You can create calculations directly in an ad hoc report, or add predefined calculations from the package.
Add Calculated Data to Ad Hoc Reports
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In any real-world reports, there will be calculations displayed. These calculations will not be part of the underlying data source. Query studio has the facility to add calculated columns to reports. These calculations are done each time the report is run and it will be based on the most current data in the underlying data source. You can also have predefined calculations in the package.
© Satyam 2009
Create Calculated Columns
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This slide shows how to add calculated column to your report
Highlight the column which is to be the basis for the calculated column
Click on “Calculate” icon in the tool bar
Choose the operation type (arithmetic, percentage, analytic), operation and other fields displayed in the popup and then click “insert”
Now, the resultant report has the calculated column as per the options chosen by you.
© Satyam 2009
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You can use predefined summaries to calculate the total, count, maximum, minimum, or average of the values in individual report items.
Add Summarized Data to Ad Hoc Reports
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This slide shows some advanced summary options for reports
1) Click on the column which is the basis for the summary
2) Clck on “Edit data” from the menu and click on “Summarize” from the pull down menu
3) In the pop up window, click on “advanced” hyperlink. You will get the “summarized(advanced)” screen shown in the slide
4) Choose from the given options for “summary for cells” and “summary for footers” and then click “ok”.
5) Now, you will get the resultant report with the summaries based on the options chosen by you.
© Satyam 2009
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When you run a report, you can change the way the data is processed by automatically:
summarizing measures in the footer
summarizing detail values and suppressing duplicates
To access these options, open a report in edit mode and click the Run Report section. Then click the Advanced Query Options link. Note that these options are selected automatically, because apparently most people want to see the data shown in this way.
Specify Advanced Query Options
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This slide shows about Advanced run options for setting default summary behaviour of the report
Click on “Run Report” option from the menu and click on “advanced options” from the drop down menu.
In the pop up, check boxes are there for automatically adding footer summaries for measures and for suppressing duplicates (in the slide, “seeker 35” has multiple entries in a simple list report without the check box for suppressing duplicates checked.)
By default, both these check boxes are checked since most people want the report this way.
© Satyam 2009
you are using dimensionally structured data
viewing the report in HTML format
you can drill only on members in a level
Drill Up or Drill Down
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This slide shows about “Drill up” and “Drill down” capabilities of Query Studio. For this feature, the package should be organized hierarchically (for example, year has quarters, quarters has months, month has weeks, week has days,etc). “Drilling down” is the concept from traversing the hierarchy top down (for example, from year to quarter to month,etc). As we go down the hierarchy, more granular details are shown in the report which is very useful for analysis of data. “Drilling up” is the opposite of “Drilling down” i.e. traversing up the hierarchy (for example, from quarter to year,etc).
Right click on the column value for which you want to drill down. You will get a menu as shown in the slide.
Click on Drill down to “Drill down” the report and click on Drill up to “Drill up” the report.
© Satyam 2009
Navigate to Another Target
You can navigate from a Query Studio report to another target.
You can navigate to the following targets:
1. a Query Studio report
2. a Report Studio report
3. an Analysis Studio analysis
4. a Cognos Series 7 PowerCube action
5. a Microsoft Analysis action
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This slide shows the navigation possibilities from a Query Studio report
You can navigate from a query studio report to
a query studio report
A report studio report
An analysis studio report
A Microsoft Analysis action
Prerequisite for navigating to another target is to have a drill-through definition created in the package.
© Satyam 2009
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This slide shows the “Go To” option in the menu for navigating to other targets from a Query studio report.
© Satyam 2009
Define Conditional Styles
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In reports, we might want to highlight exceptional values so that it quickly catches the eye of the decision makers. Conditional Styling option in query studio helps us to achieve the same.
Hightlight the column which needs to have conditional styling
Click on “Change Layout” option from the menu and click on “Define Conditional Styles” option from the pull down menu.You will get a pop up as shown in the slide
Enter a value in the “new value” box and click “insert” button. Now, you can give styling options (like font in red colour) for values higher than the given value and for values lower than the given value. Then click “ok”
Now, you will get the report output with the styling as per the options chosen by you.
© Satyam 2009
Specify the Rows Per Page
You can specify the maximum number of rows of data to appear on the page.
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This slide shows how to limit the number of rows displayed in the report output.
Click on “Change Layout” option from the menu on the left hand side
Click on “Set web page size” option from the drop down menu. Set the number of rows you would like to see on the output page.
Click “ok”. Now, you will see the report with each page containing the number of rows specified by you.
© Satyam 2009
Set Page Breaks
You can set page breaks in a report to control the data that appears on each page. For example, you have a list that shows all products sold by your company, grouped by product line. You insert a page break so the details for each product line appear on a separate page.
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This slide shows how one can set page breaks for a report
Click on the grouped column for which you need a page break.
Click on “Change Layout” option in the menu. Click on “Set page breaks” in the drop down menu
Now, you report will have a page break for each new value of the selected, grouped column.
© Satyam 2009
Run Ad Hoc Reports
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You can save a report in your favourite folder and then run it later. Whenever the report is run, it shows the most recent data available in the underlying data source.
© Satyam 2009
Specify Run Options
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This slide shows the options available while running the report
Run with all data – This options runs the report and fetches all the data that qualifies for the underlying report.
Preview with limited data – This option helps you to preview the report output and shows only limited data
Preview with no data – This option shows you the preview of the report output with dummy data filled in.
© Satyam 2009
Specify Properties for Ad Hoc Reports
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This slide shows the property setting screen for the report you had developed and saved in a folder
1) Go to Cognos Connection and go to the folder where the report is saved.
2) Click on “Set Properties” icon for the report for which you want to set properties. You will get the popup shown in the slide.
© Satyam 2009
HTML
PDF
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This slide shows the different formats in which report output can be obtained. They are
HTML format
PDF format
View Ad Hoc Reports in PDF Format
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This slide shows how to render the ad hoc reports in PDF format for distribution and printing
In Cognos Connection, click on the “Set properties” icon against the chosen report (for which you want the output in PDF format).
Click on the “Query” tab in the pop up. Check the “Override the default values” check box. You will get the option to choose the report output format.
Choose PDF for the format. Then click “ok”. Now, you will get the report output in PDF format.
© Satyam 2009
You can delete one or more columns from a report.
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This slide shows how one can edit the report layout columns.
1) Click on “Edit data” in the menu. In the drop down menu, there are options “Cut”, “Paste”, etc. Using these options, one can rearrange the columns or delete one or more columns in the report.
© Satyam 2009
Edit Titles in Ad Hoc Reports
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This slide shows how you can display title, subtitle and filter details in the report output
Click on “Change Layout” option in the menu on the left hand side. Then, click on “Edit Title Area” option in the pull down menu.
In the fields provided, enter the “Title” and “Subtitle” details. If you want to show the filter details, check the corresponding check box.
Now, click “ok”. Now, you will see the title, subtitle and filter details in the report output.
© Satyam 2009
Specify the Language of Ad Hoc Reports
You can set the default language to be used when a report is run.
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This slide shows how to choose the language in which the report output can be obtained.
Go to Cognos Connection. For the chosen report, click on “Run with options” icon. You will get a popup as shown in the slide.
Choose the language in which you would like to see the report output. Then, click “Run” button.
Now, you will see the report output in the language of your choice.
© Satyam 2009
Create Customized Reports
Create a report view to produce a customized version of an existing ad hoc report.
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Just like we have views for database tables in databases like Oracle, we can create a view for a report. It shares the same specifications of the base report but properties can be set different from that of the base report. This facilitates getting the same report with different properties without going through the effort of creating different reports for each set of properties.
Go to Cognos Connection. Click on “Create a report view of this report” icon. You will get a screen as shown in the slide.
You can give a new name for this view to distinguish it from the base report and then click “Finish”
Now, you have a report view for the base report. You can set properties for this view as you desire without affecting the base report.
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View Previous Report Outputs
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This slide shows how you can save the report output and view it at a later time.
In Cognos Connection, click “Run with options” button and then choose “Advanced Options”. In that screen, choose “save the report” option.
Now,run the report. Now, the report output is saved and an icon as shown in the slide appears in the Cognos Connection.Now, if you click that icon, you can see the report output. This way, you can compare the current report output with previous outputs for analysis purposes.
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View the Run History of Reports
You may choose to run reports in the background, without anyone waiting to view them.
You may want to verify if these reports were run successfully or how often the reports were run in the background.
You can view the run history of a report to examine:
when the report was requested
the start time and completion time for the report
whether the report executed successfully
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You can schedule a report to run in the background. Now,if you go to the “Schedule Management” tool, you can see the status of all the scheduled reports as shown in the slide.
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Distribute Ad Hoc Reports
You can distribute ad hoc reports to other users to share information with them.
You can distribute ad hoc reports by:
saving them where other users can access them
sending them to other users by email
printing them
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There are 3 ways in which a report output can be distributed to different users/receipients
Save the report from where other users can access them
You can send the report output as an email
You can print the report and distribute the hard copies to users
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that is accessible to other users,
such as the public folders.
Public folders typically contain
users.
copy the report
move the report
Create a report view to the report
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In Cognos Connection, for each report listed, there is an hyperlink reading More…. If you click this hyperlink, you will get the options as shown in the slide. Using these options, you can move, copy, create shortcut or create report view for the report.
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Send Ad Hoc Reports by Email
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1) In Cognos Connection, click “Run with options” icon. In the screen displayed, choose “Advanced options”. In the screen displayed, there is a check box for choosing to send the report by email. If you click the “Edit the email options” hyperlink, you will get options to add a body, subject,etc to the email which is sent to the receipient of the report output.
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Print Ad Hoc Reports
You can print a PDF version of an ad hoc report to obtain a hard copy of the information.
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This slide is a continuation of the previous slide. As shown in the slide, you can choose the check box to print a PDF report.
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Schedule Ad Hoc Reports
You can schedule reports to run at a time that is convenient for you, such as during off hours when demands on the system are low.
You can schedule reports individually or by using a job.
You can schedule reports to run by minute, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly.
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In Cognos Connection, you can schedule a report by clicking on the “Schedule” icon next to the report name. In the screen displayed, you can choose to schedule the report on a daily basis,weekly basis, monthly basis,etc. You can also specify the start and end times/dates for this schedule. Once you schedule the report, the report runs at the scheduled date and time.
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Schedule a Single Ad Hoc Report
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This slide is a continuation of the previous slide. As explained in the previous slide, you can see the scheduling options on the slide.
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Schedule Multiple Ad Hoc Reports
You can set the same schedule for multiple reports by creating a job.
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In Cognos connection, if you click the “New Job” icon,you will get the “New Job Wizard”. Using this wizard, one can schedule a bunch of a collection of reports and schedule them to run together.
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View and Manage Schedules
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In Cognos Connection, under tools, one can find “Schedule Management” tool. If you invoke the tool, you will get the screen as shown in the slide. Using this tool, you can view and manage the schedules created for reports.
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