How do you use IBM Cognos?

[Hatcher12]

Hello All,

   I just created an account after randomly stumbling/leveraging answers from posts here during my work day. I work on the ERP Infor for my third party company and through the WFM (workforce management) portal I create different reports in IBM cognos. I also use cognos as a purely tabular data tool to view tables and what data they contain to expand my knowledge of the system. I guess my biggest questions are is this how most of y'all use cognos? Do you guys spend all of your work day working in cognos? Cognos for me is a powerful tool but I have a whole other configuration side to my job that has nothing to do with cognos. I also have access to the IBM Cognos Query Studio but have never used it.

[cognostechie]

Hi !

Very good question and unfortunately, most BI Managers/Architects do not ask this question and simply go on using Cognos as a purely tabular data tool and then blame Cognos for not being capable of delivering any better results than what they get from it. This is because they have no idea of how to create a Data Mart using star schema design which is required for using Cognos as a BI tool. Without it, when someone connects Cognos to a database which is design for transactional purposes (like an ERP system) then the only thing they can get it to pull data extracts from different tables which do not have relation to the other one thereby limiting the ability of Cognos in mainly two ways:

1> Limited reports can be made
2> Every report will take lot more time to make then it should.

The purpose of Cognos is to be used as a BI tool and that means making simple as well as complicated reports quickly and easily by the end users who do not have any idea of the complexities of the database. The objective is to present a front end which is non-technical. I will be happy to share a video of a product which will show you the front end and how complicated reports and visualizations are made in seconds as opposed to days. Send me a PM with your email and I will send it to you.

[Hatcher12]

Hello!

Yeah what you're saying makes sense. Infor offered a reporting class that went over the system and it was very forward facing user friendly information(didn't even mention SQL injection). My email is listed on here if you want to shoot me and email. I can't seem to find the PM function on this forum yet.

[MFGF]

I can't seem to find the PM function on this forum yet.

It's at the top of the page - called My Messages. You should see it to the right of the Profile link?

Cheers!

MF.

[Hatcher12]

It's at the top of the page - called My Messages. You should see it to the right of the Profile link?

Cheers!

MF.

I have Home, Help, Search, Profile, Calendar, Members, and Logout. I am also new here so if there is a blacklist period or something like that.

[MFGF]

I have Home, Help, Search, Profile, Calendar, Members, and Logout. I am also new here so if there is a blacklist period or something like that.

It should sit between Profile and Calendar. I wonder if you need a minimum number of posts before it is enabled?

In the meantime, I can pass your email address along to cognostechie if you need me to.

Cheers!

MF.

[Hatcher12]

It should sit between Profile and Calendar. I wonder if you need a minimum number of posts before it is enabled?

In the meantime, I can pass your email address along to cognostechie if you need me to.

Cheers!

MF.

That would be great! Side note, are you like the cognos magician around here  ? I see a lot of your posts, and have used some of your insight over the last year haha.

[MFGF]

That would be great! Side note, are you like the cognos magician around here  ? I see a lot of your posts, and have used some of your insight over the last year haha.

No magic required, just old age and well over 30 years of Cognos experience :-)

I'll drop cognostechie a line with your email address.

Edit. Ok - done. I copied you on the personal message too - wondering if you will get a notification to view it?

Cheers!

MF.

[Hatcher12]

No magic required, just old age and well over 30 years of Cognos experience :-)

I'll drop cognostechie a line with your email address.

Edit. Ok - done. I copied you on the personal message too - wondering if you will get a notification to view it?

Cheers!

MF.

I got it! Not sure if that did something, or it was because I just had my 5th post. Regardless, I have a messages icon now. Thank you!