Connection

Cognos 8.2 Introduction

Cognos 8.2 User Guide

Cognos Connection Getting Started

Cognos 8.2 Introduction

Table of Contents 1 Introduction ..........................................……………………………………………………………4 1.1 What is Cognos Connection? ......................................................................................4 2 Getting In and Out of Cognos ..............……………………………………………………………5 3 Navigation ............................................……………………………………………………………6 3.1 The Public and Private Folder .....................................................................................6 3.2 Navigating to a Report .................................................................................................6 3.2.1 Searching for a Report .........................................................................................8 4 Opening Reports..................................……………………………………………………………9 4.1 Opening with the Report Name ...................................................................................9 4.1.1 Emailing a Report ...............................................................................................10 4.1.2 Go To Links ........................................................................................................10 4.1.3 Running a Report from View ..............................................................................10 4.2 Running a Report.......................................................................................................11 4.2.1 Prompt Pages .....................................................................................................12 4.2.2 Printing a Report.................................................................................................12 4.2.3 Open in Excel .....................................................................................................13 4.3 View Historical Reports..............................................................................................13 5 Closing a Report ..................................………………………………………………………….16 6 Creating Quick Links to Reports ..........………………………………………………………….17 6.1 My Folder Shortcut.....................................................................................................17 6.2 Browser Bookmark.....................................................................................................18

Page 3 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Introduction

1

Introduction

WELCOME! Welcome to Cognos User Guide for the Cognos Connection function. This guide is intended to help you understand the basic functionality of the Cognos Connection portal. For ease of use it is divided into several chapters, each one covering one stage in the process. Each chapter is a step-by-step guide to what you need to type, click on or look at, and each chapter assumes no previous knowledge of the system or of other chapters. Cognos Connection is an infinitely configurable application; this guide is intended to get you started with Cognos Connection as a report user. An electronic user guide that covers all the Cognos Connection functionality is available via Help within Cognos Connection itself. We hope you find this guide easy to follow informative and helpful.

1.1

What is Cognos Connection?

Cognos Connection is a Web page that provides a single access point to all corporate data available in the Cognos 8 Business Intelligence (BI) environment. This commonly means access to reports created in Report Studio, queries created in Query Studio and analysis created in Analysis Studio.

Page 4 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Getting In and Out of Cognos

2

Getting In and Out of Cognos

Cognos Connection can be accessed via a webpage from anywhere in the university. To make the website secure, it is only available to people with a RAVEN ID and password – RAVEN is the University’s website security system, controlled by Computer Services. You might have already been issued with a RAVEN ID and password – if you have not, you will need to obtain one before you can access the Cognos LIVE system. To apply for a RAVEN ID and password, please contact Computing Services, not the Cognos Team. To access Cognos Connection, open your web browser, and navigate to the Cognos web page:

http://www.admin-reporting.cam.ac.uk/ This will take you to the Cognos 8 Welcome Page.

To access Cognos Connection, click onto the link.

The Cognos connection page will open. Your screen might not look exactly like the one below, as what you see is dependant on the access level you have.

To get out of Cognos Connection, click on Log Off.

Closing your browser will also take you out of Cognos Connection.

Page 5 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Navigation

3 3.1

Navigation The Public and Private Folder

When you open Cognos Connection, you will see reports are held in one of two folders: the Public Folders or My Folders. You navigate between the folders by clicking on their headed tabs.

My Folders – a private area containing reports you might have created as well as any links to shared reports you might have made (see 6.1). Public Folders – a shared space containing multiple user reports. The reports are organised into packages, folders and sub folders. Folder and Sub folders – Contains links to various published reports. Package – Contains links to various published reports and if you have the authority to create your own reports, it is also a link to a specified data source (a Cube or Star Schema)

NOTE – By default Cognos Connection shows a maximum of fifteen entries in a list at a time. Use the arrows to move to the next fifteen or type the number of entries you want to see, then click on the Return icon.

3.2

Navigating to a Report

To access a report, you need to drill through the folders and packages until the link to the report you wish to open is in view.

To open a folder or package, click on its heading.

Page 6 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Navigation

The folder or package you selected will open. In this example, the package we opened contains further subfolders as well as links to reports.

If you need to go down a further level into a subfolder, click on the folder heading.

As you drill down into the folders and packages, the path you have taken is shown below the PUBLIC and MY FOLDER tabs.

To go back up a level, click on the heading for the level you wish to return to.

See chapter 4 for details about viewing and running reports. Page 7 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Navigation

3.2.1 Searching for a Report You can search for reports whose name or description match the search string you enter.

Enter the text and click on the Search icon

The results of your search will appear toward the bottom of the screen.

See chapter 4 for details about viewing and running reports.

Page 8 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Opening Reports

4

Opening Reports

Once you have located your report there are two ways to open and view it. This section explains both methods and the differences between them. Run Action – allows you to choose the format the report appears in (HTML, PDF or Excel) and picks up the latest available data in Cognos Report Name – opens the report using the default format set by the reports creator (HTML, PDF or Excel) and then either: retrieves the latest data (as with running a report) or offers you a view of the report with data as it was the last time it was run and saved. This option is commonly used for reports that are scheduled to run at regular time intervals (monthly, weekly etc)

4.1

Opening with the Report Name

When a report is created the reports author sets the default actions for the report. They set the format the report should appear in and whether they want the report to open with a view of the data as it was the last time it was run and saved (so not necessarily the latest data available in Cognos) or it opens after retrieving the latest data from Cognos. The icons next to the report title indicate which option the report author has set. Retrieves the latest available data in Cognos View the report as it was the last time it was run and saved.

To open a report using the Report Name, click on its name in the list.

In this example the report was set to View so opened in the predefined format of HTML and the data as it was the last time the report was saved.

Page 9 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Opening Reports

4.1.1 Emailing a Report To email a copy of the report, select the email icon from the toolbar.

Complete the fields as you would for any other email. Then click OK to send.

4.1.2 Go To Links Reports can be created with links to other HTML pages. These might be links to other reports or Web pages of interest to the viewers of the report. Links are added by the person who created the report.

To view a list of the links attached to a report, select the GO TO icon from the toolbar.

If any links have been created for the report, they will appear in a list on the screen.

4.1.3 Running a Report from View Having opened the report as a view only report, you might want to update the data and/or access the additional features offered by running a report.

Page 10 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Opening Reports

Select RUN from the toolbar to RUN the report.

See chapter4.2 for the additional functionality this offers.

4.2

Running a Report

Running a report ensures you are viewing the latest available data in Cognos as well as allowing you to choose the format the data appears in on your screen. To run a report from Cognos Connection, select the ‘Run’ option for the report you wish to access.

Click the Run Options button

The Run with Options screen will open.

Select the FORMAT you want the report to run in (HTML, PDF etc) NOTE: HTML is the default format. Select the appropriate DELIVERY method.

Finally, click on RUN.

Page 11 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Opening Reports

The report will open

4.2.1 Prompt Pages Some reports are created with a Prompt Page. A Prompt Page allows you to select specific items to appear in your report. If your report has a prompt page it will appear just before your report arrives on your screen. Below are some examples of prompts you might see. Date Prompt

List Prompt

Search and Select Prompt

4.2.2 Printing a Report The report you are viewing is in HTML format. If you wish to print a copy of the report, you need to change it into a PDF document.

From the toolbar, select: VIEW IN PDF FORMAT

The report will open as a PDF document. From here you print the report as you would any other PDF document

Select the PRINT icon from the toolbar.

Page 12 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Opening Reports

Complete the print options and click on OK to print the report.

NOTE: If you are using Adobe 8, you need to check the ‘PRINT AS IMAGE’ is selected. To do this, click on the ADVANCED options and ensure and tick the PRINT AS IMAGE radio button is ticked.

4.2.3 Open in Excel Opening a report in Excel is a similar process to printing a report. You convert the existing HTML document into Excel.

From the toolbar, click on the drop down arrow on ‘VIEW IN EXCEL 2000’ Then select the format you wish to view it in.

4.3

View Historical Reports

Reports can be scheduled to automatically run at a recurring date and time (daily, monthly etc) copies of these reports are then saved and stored in the reports historical area You can then access the history of a scheduled report from Cognos Connection.

Page 13 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Opening Reports

From Cognos Connection, select the VIEW OUTPUT icon for your report.

The REPORT OUTPUT VERSION window will open.

VERSION lists the dates the report was run. FORMATS list the various formats the report was run in.

First choose the report date by clicking on the black arrowhead and selecting the desired date.

Page 14 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Opening Reports

A list of the FORMATS the report was run in on that date will appear. To view the report, click on the blue HYPERLINK for the format you wish to see.

The report will open.

Page 15 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Closing a Report

5

Closing a Report

When you have finished viewing your report, you have two ways of returning to Cognos Connection.

Home To return to the Cognos Connection Home Page select HOME

Return To return to the last screen you were viewing in Cognos Connection, select RETURN

Page 16 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Creating Quick Links to Reports

6

Creating Quick Links to Reports

To make accessing reports in the shared folders easier, you can create and save quick links to reports and/or folders. There are two ways of doing this: Bookmark a report in your Web browser or create and save a shortcut to My Folder in Cognos Connection.

6.1

My Folder Shortcut

You can use shortcuts to organise information that you use regularly. A shortcut is a pointer to another entry such as an individual report or a folder containing many reports. To create a shortcut, you first need to locate the entry that you wish to create the shortcut to.

Click MORE next to your entry.

The Available Actions window will open.

From the available actions window select: CREATE A SHORTCUT TO THIS ENTRY

NOTE: Your authority might not offer all the other options on the screen shot above.. The Shortcut Wizard will open.

Page 17 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Creating Quick Links to Reports

Enter an appropriate NAME for the shortcut. Select the LOCATION to save the shortcut.

The location will change to show My Folders. Finally click on FINISH

You will be returned to Cognos Connection with the shortcut saved to the location you told the system to save it to.

6.2

Browser Bookmark

In addition to saving shortcuts to reports within Cognos Connection, you can add a report bookmark to Favourite’s within your browser. As described above with creating a shortcut, the first step is to find the report you wish to add the bookmark to and select:

Page 18 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0

Cognos 8.2 Creating Quick Links to Reports

From the available actions window, select ADD TO BOOKMARKS

Your browsers Favourites facility will open.

Locate where you want to save the link to the report and click OK

The shortcut will now appear as one of your Favourite’s within your browser. Now you will be able to run the report direct from your browser without having to first open and navigate Cognos Connection. Note: Security will still be attached to the report. Therefore when running a report from your browser, you will be required to enter your Raven log in details before the report opens.

Page 19 of 19 Copyright © 2007 University of Cambridge - Confidential and Proprietary

Version 2.0