[updated] Distributing burst reports to multiple levels and non-users

[SueC]

How does one go about creating a burst report that would email itself not only to the sales rep but to each sales manager (with their assigned sales reps) and the regional VP's (with their assigned managers)?  As I see it that would require three burst keys and I don't see a way to set the report up to run on multiple keys.  I'm creating the burst key from the rep, manager or VP name.

The second question I have is for report recipients who aren't directly linked to the data, what is the best way to distribute a report, particularly if they aren't Cognos users?

This is the first burst report that I've done, hence the beginners questions.  I'm hoping for a really simple answers.  :-)

Sue

[Boris-A]

1st.  You can use Tabular sets to union your queries for multiple levels of recipients....Tell us if you need more details on that.

2nd.  If you want to send your reports by e-mail to non-cognos ReportNet licensed users (at least recipients licenses), you cannot use Cognos ReportNet to do so, you need to save the report on a local drive, then e-mail as you would e-mail any other type of document.  This is a licensing thing and you don't want to screw up in that.

Hope this was of some help.

[SueC]

#1 - I'll have to read this again AFTER the second cup of coffee kicks in.  The gray matter isn't up to speed just yet.   

#2 - I didn't know that.  Is it documented somewhere?  I'm going to need the documentation as backup when I explain this to the bosses.

Thanks Boris. 

Sue

[Boris-A]

For the documentation, ask your Cognos sales rep.

[Boris-A]

Here is the definition of the "remote recipient" license (which is the lowest of all licenses for Cognos8.. it's the only version I could find this info from).

This role is aimed at users who will receive reports generated by Cognos 8  via a mechanism outside the Cognos Connection portal (such as  email), it provides rights to:
•   Access reports via email, wireless devices, paper or other media where such reports have been customized or otherwise personalized for such user’s use and distributed directly to the user by a delivery mechanism outside of the Cognos Connection Portal


I think this is self explanatory... anybody that has a customized (for his needs) report in hands must have at least this license

[SueC]

Again - thank you x2.  I do have a call in to our sales rep.  We haven't migrated to 8 yet but I'm hoping to do that this spring.  Sounds like a very important question to get answered before we get too far into emailing reports (I'm in a 'hurry up and wait' state right now, waiting for specs for the reports).

I'll let you know if she says any different.

Sue

[Cognostradamus]

I understand Cognos' position on this, but it is ridiculous to expect people to buy a consumer license for someone that is just receiving a report by email.  Since the tool allows you to type in freeform a list of email addresses, there is absolutely NO WAY that an administrator could a) keep track of the number of needed consumer licenses; or b) determine whether the purchased number of consumer licenses is being surpassed, based on distribution of reports.  If a consumer is receiving a link to a report, obviously they need a consumer license to access the report.  If they are receiving just output from a report, I say no way.  I am aware of NO OTHER TOOL that expects you to somehow manage all of the possible users that might receive distributed content.

[Boris-A]

I understand what you are saying but I also think you might be exagerating a little.

You are saying that the administrator has absolutely no idea of who (and how many) people consume the information that is generated from his system.... well I have problems believing that.  You administer a system, you know the data that it has available, you should at least be aware of who's interested by that data...!!!???

My thoughts... might be tough for exceptions (you e-mail a copy of a report once to a user) but for regular users, I think it's quite simple.

cheers

[Cognostradamus]

I won't comment on this further, but I know who my users are, but I have no idea who are the customers they support.  I can't imagine that I am alone in that position.  Do you propose that I should dig through all of the scheduled reports to determine who is receiving the reports (non-users), then send Cognos a check for each?  The next step would be for me to tell people that they have to limit the number of recipients that can receive a report by email--again, I have no way to control what they do, and wouldn't know whether they were following the rule or not.

[SueC]

In an installation with hundreds of users, monitoring who output is emailed to would almost be a full time job (though I suppose a clever email sys admin could figure out how).  As it has always been, Cognos relies on the honor system to stay within the scope of the license agreement.  I suppose they could build in all kinds of checks and counters and validations (like Microsquish has done) but the added cost would put it out of the reach of most of our companies.

Having been around in the IT world for awhile I've watched as it has become more professionalized.  25 years ago being license compliant was almost an embarrasement.  Admins boasted about how far out of compliance they were.  Until software companies started auditing and assessing fines (my previous company was fined $150k for one instance).  Today, particularly with Sarbanes-Oxley (here in the US for public companies anyway) compliance is now the standard.

So how do we rationalize the inability to really know how many people receive output?   I can only speak for myself and say that I do my best to educate my users and to deliver solutions that are within the license agreements.  The rest will get swept under the rug and hushed as it always has because there is no economical solution.

Okay, I'll turn off my opinion generator now!

[IanHunter]

Changing the scope of the thread slightly.   We have recently installed cognos 8 and i am developing some reports.  With a view to at some stage having them emailed as a scheduled job I have tried a few times ( sending to myself ) and I receive nothing.  however the job says it has completed ok.

Any ideas. I guess it is a set-up thing ?