IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence: The Official Guide

IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence: The Official Guide

by Dan Volitich
Released May 2008
Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
ISBN: 9780071643597

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Book description

The Only Authorized Guide to IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence

Develop, deploy, and maintain a complete BI solution across your enterprise. IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence: The Official Guide shows you how to take full advantage of the robust service-oriented architecture and simplified role-based user interfaces. Learn how to create, share, and analyze data-rich reports that lead to increased productivity and better business decisions. Featuring real-world insight and expert tips, this is a must-have guide for IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence users of all levels, from administrators to end users.

  • Measure and monitor performance using dashboards and scorecards
  • Assign user roles and privileges
  • Provide complete and consistent access to a broad range of data sources via Cognos Connection
  • Use Cognos 8 Go! to extend BI to Office applications, mobile devices, and search engines
  • Enable business users to create reports with Query Studio
  • Develop new insights by exploring data in multiple dimensions and perspectives with Analysis Studio
  • Build Dimensional Reports with Report Studio
  • Use Event Studio to identify and deliver mission-critical information
  • Create, modify, organize, and publish a model from Cognos Framework Manager
  • Implement sound security measures
  • Take advantage of the management tools in Cognos Administration to ensure maximum reliability and availability

Table of contents

  1. Cover 
  2. Copyright
  3. About the Author
  4. Contents at a Glance
  5. Contents 
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Introduction
  8. Part I: Introduction to Performance Management and IBM Cognos 8 BI
    1. 1. Performance Management
      1. Defining Performance Management
      2. The IT Perspective of BI
      3. The BI Business Perspective
      4. Create a BI Competency Center
      5. The Pursuit of Performance Management
      6. Summary
    2. 2. Monitoring Performance Using Dashboards and Scorecards
      1. Dashboards Show Current Information
      2. Viewing Metrics with Scorecards
      3. Value of a Balanced Scorecard
      4. Planning for Dashboards and Scorecards
        1. Understand Your Needs
        2. Choose Metrics
      5. Benefits of a Successful Implementation
    3. 3. Introduction to IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence.
      1. Cognos 8 User Roles
        1. Non-Author Roles
        2. Author Roles
      2. Cognos Connection and Cognos 8 Studios
        1. Cognos Connection
        2. Query Studio
        3. Report Studio
        4. Event Studio
        5. Metric Studio
        6. Analysis Studio
    4. 4. Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting for the Finance Office
      1. Options for Integrating
      2. Options for Reporting Enterprise Planning Data
        1. Create Package when Running GTP on Planning Application
        2. Select Planning Contributor as a Data Source in Framework Manager
        3. Use Generate Framework Manager Model Extension
      3. Setup Prior to Running the Generate Framework Manager Model Extension
        1. Table-only Publish Layout
      4. Configure and Run the Generate Framework Manager Model Extension
        1. Framework Manager Model Location
        2. Package Name
        3. List Types
        4. Annotations
      5. Generate Framework Manager Model Extension Wizard
      6. Inside the Framework Manager Model
        1. Physical and Business View
        2. Relationships Created
        3. Security Filters
        4. Package Ready for Publishing
      7. Data Source to Table-only Layout Container
  9. Part II: Accessing and Using IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence
    1. 5. Cognos Connection I
      1. About Cognos Connection
      2. Customizing Cognos Connection
        1. Set a Home Page
        2. Set Preferences
      3. Run Reports
      4. Organize Information
        1. Create a New Folder
        2. Set the Default View
        3. Set Properties
      5. Manage Reports
        1. Save Report Views
        2. Schedule Reports
        3. Create a New Job
    2. 6. Cognos Connection II
      1. View Output Versions
        1. Download
        2. Manage Versions
      2. Run with Options
      3. View Historical Information
        1. View Run History
        2. View Run History Details
      4. Set Properties
        1. My Watch Items
        2. Disable an Entry
        3. View the URL
        4. Change Output Formats
      5. Use Report Viewer Options
        1. Save As Report View
        2. Use Drill-up and Drill-down
        3. Use the Go To Link
      6. New Pages
        1. Create a New Page
        2. Add Content to a Portlet
        3. Create a Portal Tab
      7. Advanced Portal Page Features
        1. Portlet-to-Portlet Communication
        2. Portlet-to-Portlet Communication Using a Prompt
    3. 7. IBM Cognos 8 BI Consumer Modes
      1. Using IBM Cognos 8 Go! Office
        1. Connect to Microsoft Office
        2. Log on to Cognos 8 Through Microsoft Office
        3. Import Cognos 8 Content into an Office Application
        4. Using BI Analytics in Microsoft Excel
        5. Publish Microsoft Office Documents in Cognos 8
        6. Refresh Cognos 8 Content in Microsoft Office
      2. Using IBM Cognos 8 Go! Search
        1. Create a Search Index
        2. Access Search Mode
      3. Using IBM Cognos 8 Go! Mobile
  10. Part III: Authoring IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence Content
    1. 8. Self-Service Query Authoring
      1. About Query Studio
        1. Types of Data
        2. Data Views
      2. Create a Query
        1. Open Query Studio
        2. Add Query Items
        3. Move Columns
        4. Filter Data
        5. Sort Data
        6. Group Data
        7. Chart Data
        8. Save a Query
        9. Print Data
      3. Enhance a Query
        1. Format a Query
        2. Apply a Template
        3. Combine Filters
        4. Summarize Data
        5. Pivot to Create a Crosstab
        6. Modify Advanced Options
        7. Calculate Data
      4. Manage a Query
        1. Open an Existing Query
        2. Export and View Queries
        3. Report Definitions
    2. 9. Advanced Reporting I
      1. Opening Report Studio
        1. Standard Toolbar
        2. Style Toolbar
        3. Insertable Objects
        4. Explorer Bar
        5. Work Area
        6. Properties Pane
      2. List Report
      3. Group Data in Reports
      4. Filtering Reports
      5. Adding Calculations to Reports
      6. Adding Summary Lines to Reports
        1. Setting the Rollup Aggregrate Function
      7. Basic Report Formatting
        1. Add a Header to a Report
        2. Change Font Size in a Report
        3. Add Background Color to an Object in a Report
        4. Add a Border to an Object
        5. Conditional Highlighting
        6. Prompting
        7. Cascading Prompt
        8. Adding Dynamic Titles
        9. Adding Formatting to Parameters
        10. Creating Crosstab Reports
        11. Creating Chart Reports
    3. 10. Advanced Reporting II
      1. Create a Drill-Through
        1. Set Up a Target Report for Drill-Through Access
        2. Set Up a Source Report for Drill-Through Access
      2. Master Detail Relationship
        1. Create a Master Detail Relationship
      3. Selecting Ancestors
        1. Modify the Style for Multiple Items
      4. Query Management
        1. Query Types
      5. Specify What Appears when There Is No Data Available
      6. Dynamic Data Formatting Using Variables
      7. Bursting Reports
      8. Advanced Prompting
      9. HTML Items
      10. Singleton
        1. Insert a Singleton Object
        2. Edit a Query Associated with a Singleton Object
        3. Associate Multiple Singletons to One Query
      11. Table of Contents
        1. Set Up the Table of Contents
        2. Add a Table of Contents Entry for a Particular Data Item
        3. Add Bookmarks to the Table of Contents
    4. 11. Analytics Using Analysis Studio
      1. About Analysis Studio
        1. Defining the Next Business Question
        2. Understanding Dimensions and Measures
      2. Create an Analysis
        1. Open Analysis Studio
        2. Add Dimensions and Measures
        3. Drill-Down and Drill-Up
        4. Navigate Down or Up a Level
        5. Slice and Dice an Analysis
        6. Save an Analysis
      3. Working with Large Data Sets
        1. Showing Less Is More
        2. Applying Context Filters
        3. Create and Edit Calculations
        4. Display Top or Bottom Values
        5. Applying Zero Suppression
        6. Managing Custom Sets
        7. Applying Complex Filters
        8. Nesting Items
        9. Stacking Items
        10. Nesting and Stacking Items
      4. Modify the Layout
        1. Sorting Data in an Analysis
        2. Excluding Categories
        3. Manage Totals and Subtotals
        4. Inserting Charts and Graphs
        5. Modify Data Format
        6. Apply Templates
      5. Beyond Analysis Studio
        1. View Analysis in Report Studio
        2. IBM Cognos 8 Go! Office Analysis
    5. 12. Advanced Reporting III
      1. Differences Between Relational and Dimensional Models
        1. Model Types and Dimensional Structure
        2. Navigating Dimensional Structures
      2. Generating a Report from a Dimensional Model
        1. Inserting Hierarchies into Reports
        2. Attributes in Reports
      3. Focus Dimensional Data
        1. Dimensional Query Behavior
        2. Efficient Dimensional Queries
      4. Navigation with Dimensional Functions
        1. Family Functions
        2. Relative Functions
        3. Relative Time Functions
        4. Complex Functions
      5. Express Authoring Mode
        1. Package Tree Settings
        2. Advanced Options for Inserting Data Objects
        3. Context Filters
        4. Page Layers
        5. Pick Up and Apply Styles
        6. Prompting
        7. Calculations
        8. Analyze Intersections in Analysis Studio
        9. Drill-Down Capabilities
    6. 13. Scorecards and Metrics
      1. Introduction to Metric Designer
      2. Create Metrics
        1. Metric Types
        2. Create a Metrics Extract from a Dimensional Source
        3. Create a Metric Extract from Relational Packages
        4. Add Multiple Metrics to a Single Scorecard
      3. Helpful Hints for Working with Metrics
        1. Ensure Scorecards Have Unique ID Codes
        2. Choose the Best Time Setting
        3. Verify Metric Data Extracted from Packages
      4. Introduction to Metric Studio
        1. Accessing Metric Studio
      5. Transfer Metrics
        1. Transfer Metrics from the Staging Area
        2. Transfer Metrics from Flat Tables
      6. Work with Scorecards
        1. Create Impacting/Impacted Relationships
        2. Add Metrics to Scorecards in Metric Studio
        3. Create Scorecard Strategies
        4. Develop Watch Lists
        5. Add Cognos 8 Reports to Metrics
        6. Metric Studio Success!
    7. 14. Event Management
      1. Accessing Event Studio
        1. Navigation in Event Studio
      2. What Is an Event?
      3. Business Uses for Event Management
      4. Creating an Agent
        1. Specify a Condition
        2. Test an Agent
        3. Adding a Task
        4. Specify the Task Execution Rules
        5. Preview the Data
        6. Save an Agent
        7. Scheduling an Agent
      5. Maintaining an Agent
        1. Modify an Event Condition
        2. Modify a Task
        3. Delete a Task
        4. Change the Order to Run Tasks
        5. Specify Default Options for Tasks of an Agent
      6. Agents in Cognos Connection
        1. Run an Agent Manually
        2. Schedule an Agent in Cognos Connection
        3. Create an Agent View
  11. Part IV: Administration of IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence
    1. 15. Building the Model with Framework Manager
      1. What Is a Model?
      2. Creating a New Model
        1. Starting a New Project
        2. The Metadata Wizard
      3. The Application and Its Objects
        1. Navigating Framework Manager
        2. Objects that Make Up the Model
      4. Creating New Objects in Your Model
      5. Creating Objects to Organize Your Model
        1. Creating a Namespace
        2. Creating Folders
      6. Creating and Editing Query Subjects
        1. Creating Data Source Query Subjects
        2. Creating Model Query Subjects
        3. Creating Stored Procedure Query Subjects
        4. Completing Query Subjects Definitions
      7. Creating Relationships
        1. Relationship Links
        2. Cardinality
        3. How Cognos 8 Uses Relationships to Generate Queries
        4. Relationship SQL
        5. Viewing Relationships in Your Model
      8. Modeling Challenges
        1. Approximating a Star Schema
        2. Aliasing
      9. More Objects for Report Writers
        1. Creating Filters for Users
        2. Creating Calculations
      10. Setting Properties
        1. Important Properties to Set
        2. The Easiest Way to Set Properties on Many Objects
      11. Organizing Your Model
        1. Star Schema Groupings and Reference Shortcuts
        2. Approaches to Model Organization
      12. Validating Your Model
        1. Testing
        2. Verifying
        3. The Model Advisor
      13. Publishing Your Model
        1. Creating a Package
        2. Publishing a Package
    2. 16. Framework Manager II
      1. Macros
        1. Creating a Macro
        2. Macro Functions
        3. Additional Macro Examples
      2. Security
        1. Configure Package Access
        2. Specify Object Security
        3. Data Security
      3. Dimensionally Modeled Relational Models
        1. Why Dimensionally Model Metadata?
        2. A Dimensional Primer
        3. Building the Dimensionally Modeled Relational Model
      4. Managing Projects in Framework Manager
        1. Multi-user Development
        2. Other Items of Interest
        3. What Now?
    3. 17. Security
      1. Authentication
      2. Authorization
        1. Users, Groups, and Roles
        2. Default Users
        3. Default Groups
        4. Default Roles
        5. Securing the Default Roles
        6. Adding Users, Groups, and Roles to the Cognos 8 Namespace
      3. Access Permissions
        1. Setting Access Permissions
        2. Access Permissions Interaction
      4. Cognos 8 Capabilities
        1. Accessing Capabilities
        2. Capabilities You Might Want to Change
      5. Groups and Roles: What Is the Difference?
      6. Using Roles, Access Permissions, and Capabilities
        1. Business Case: Configuring Initial Security
        2. Business Case: Wait! That Is Not What I Wanted!
      7. User Modes
        1. Configuring the Consumers Role
        2. Configuring the Authors Role
        3. Configuring the Administrator Roles
      8. Troubleshooting and Testing
    4. 18. Cognos Connection Management
      1. Introduction to Cognos Administration
      2. Manage Data Source Connections
        1. Create a Data Source Connection
        2. Modify a Database Connection
      3. Content Administration
        1. Create an Export Archive of Your Content
        2. Import a Content Archive
        3. Organize Content
      4. Schedule Management
        1. View Schedules
        2. Modify Schedules
      5. Maintain Distribution Lists
        1. Add a Contact
        2. Create a Distribution List
      6. Server Administration
        1. Manage Metrics
        2. Set Properties
        3. Manage Gateways
        4. Manage Logs
        5. Manage Tuning
      7. Manage Status and Monitoring
        1. View Status
        2. Monitoring
      8. Portlet Integration
  12. Index

Product information

  • Title: IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence: The Official Guide
  • Author(s): Dan Volitich
  • Release date: May 2008
  • Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
  • ISBN: 9780071643597