Getting Started

COGNOS(R) ENTERPRISE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE SERIES C O G N O S

R E PO R T N E T

( TM )

GETTING STARTED

Cognos ReportNet Getting Started 19-01-2004 Cognos ReportNet 1.1 Type the text for the HTML TOC entry Type the text for the HTML TOC entry Type the text for the HTML TOC entry Cognos ReportNet(TM) Getting Started Cognos ReportNet

(TM)

Version 1.1

Version 1.1

Getting Started

T H E N EX T L EVE L TM O F PER FO R M A N C E

Product Information This document applies to Cognos ReportNet(T M ) Version 1.1 and may also apply to subsequent releases. To check for newer versions of this document, visit the Cognos support Web site (http://support.cognos.com).

Copyright Copyright (C) 2004 Cognos Incorporated Architect is protected by one or more of the following U.S. Patents: 6,609,123B1; 6,611,838B1. Cognos Query is protected by one or more of the following U.S. Patents: 6,609,123B1; 6,611,838B1. Transformer is protected by one or more of the following U.S. Patents: 6,609,123B1; 6,611,838B1. Impromptu is protected by one or more of the following U.S. Patents: 6,609,123B1; 6,611,838B1. ReportNet is protected by one or more of the following U.S. Patents: 6,609,123B1; 6,611,838B1. While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information in this document is accurate and complete, some typographical errors or technical inaccuracies may exist. Cognos does not accept responsibility for any kind of loss resulting from the use of information contained in this document. This document shows the publication date. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Any improvements or changes to either the product or the document will be documented in subsequent editions. U.S. Government Restricted Rights. The software and accompanying materials are provided with Restricted Rights. Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to the restrictions in subparagraph (C)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-7013, or subparagraphs (C) (1) and (2) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted Rights at 48CFR52.227-19, as applicable. The Contractor is Cognos Corporation, 15 Wayside Road, Burlington, MA 01803. This software/documentation contains proprietary information of Cognos Incorporated. All rights are reserved. Reverse engineering of this software is prohibited. No part of this software/documentation may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, or translated into another language without the prior written consent of Cognos Incorporated. Cognos and the Cognos logo are trademarks of Cognos Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Information about Cognos Products and Accessibility can be found at www.Cognos.com

Table of Contents Introduction 5 Additional Materials 7 My First Reports 9 Example - Create an Ad Hoc Report in Query Studio 9 Example - Maintain a Report in Cognos Report Studio 12 Example - Schedule the Reports from Cognos Connection 16 Example - Set Up Default Prompts in Framework Manager 16 Creating Objects Needed to Use Reports 20 Data Sources and Other Objects 21 Cognos Connection Packages and Models for Report Authors 21 Query Studio and Cognos Report Studio Reports 22 Opening or Running Reports 22 Report Outputs 23 Multilingual Reports 24 Design and Administration 24 Automation 24 Other Samples 25 Glossary 27 Index 29

Getting Started 3

4 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

Introduction This document is available as online help and as an online book. For information about related documents, see "Additional Materials" (p. 7).

ReportNet ReportNet is a Web product for creating and managing ad hoc and managed reports.

Getting Started This document gives instructions for creating a pair of related reports, and making some changes to the underlying model. The second part of the guide briefly explains how the components of ReportNet work together. Before you can perform these steps, you must install and configure the sample model GO Sales and Retailers.

Questions or Comments? For additional technical information about using this product, visit the Cognos support Web site (http://support.cognos.com).

Getting Started 5

Introduction

6 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

Additional Materials In this guide, we refer to other documents. Their locations are listed below. Topic

Location

How to restore sample databases ReportNet Administration and and reports Security Guide How to manage Cognos ReportNet Administration and ReportNet security, services, and Security Guide report properties How to author professional reports using Report Studio

Report Studio User Guide

How to perform ad hoc queries using Query Studio

Query Studio User Guide

How to use the Cognos ReportNet APIs

ReportNet Developer Guide

How to begin reporting using the ReportNet software development kit

ReportNet SDK Getting Started

How to create and publish models Framework Manager User Guide using Framework Manager How to plan a ReportNet project

ReportNet Architecture and Planning Guide

How to troubleshoot ReportNet

ReportNet Troubleshooting Guide

Formats Our documentation includes user guides, tutorial guides, reference books, and other materials to meet the needs of our varied audience.

Online Help All information is available in online help. Online help is available from the Help button in a Web browser, or the Help menu and Help button in Windows products. All online help is also available from the Windows Start menu (Start, Programs, Cognos ReportNet, Documentation).

Books for Printing The information in each online help system is available in online book format (PDF). However, the information from a given help system may be divided into more than one online book. Use online books when you want to print a document or when you want to search the whole document. You can print selected pages, a section, or the whole book. Cognos grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use, copy, and reproduce the copyright materials, in printed or electronic format, solely for the purpose of providing internal training on, operating, and maintaining the Cognos software. Online books are available from the introduction to the online help for each component.

Getting Started 7

Additional Materials All online books are available on the Cognos documentation CD. You can also read the product readme files and the installation guides directly from Cognos product CDs.

8 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

My First Reports To give you a quick idea of how to create and use reports in ReportNet, we have set up some exercises to prepare and run a pair of reports, and then make some improvements to the underlying model. These reports show • some of the differences between the ad hoc reporting component (Query Studio) and the managed reporting component (Cognos Report Studio) • what kinds of things report users can do with the report in the portal • how the model that is created in the modeling component (Framework Manager) is related to reports To see a good cross section of reports you can create using ReportNet, look at the sample reports shipped with the product. For instructions about how to import the sample reports, see the Administration and Security Guide. In the second part of this document, we explain how ReportNet works, discuss the objects that were created in the exercises, and explain how these objects are connected.

Set Up the Database Connection To perform these exercises, you must restore the sample databases shipped with ReportNet, and set up the models and sample reports. For instructions, see the Administration and Security Guide. The sample databases shipped with ReportNet contain data from the operations of a fictional retail company, The Great Outdoors. The Great Outdoors sells camping and sports equipment directly in retail stores across the world, and through other manufacturers. Before you experiment with a data source of your own, we recommend that you try these exercises using the sample data.

Example - Create an Ad Hoc Report in Query Studio Use Query Studio to retrieve specific information from a data source, when you want to create reports that answer simple business questions, or to publish reports for audiences that do not require complex layout and formatting. In this exercise, we describe how to look at returns as a percentage of sales for different product types and order methods. You will create a report that looks like the Query Studio sample Returns by Order Method.

Some Things to Notice Data that can be added to the report has a different icon depending on what type of data it is.

Steps 1. Open the ReportNet portal, Cognos Connection: •

Start your Web browser.

•

In the address bar, type the URL supplied by your administrator, and then press Enter. The URL looks something like this: http://servername/crn

Getting Started 9

My First Reports 2. In Cognos Connection, open Public Folders, and then click GO Sales and Retailers. The folders in the GO Sales and Retailers package appear. Tip: If the package GO Sales and Retailers is not there, check that the samples are set up. For instructions, see the Administration and Security Guide. 3. Start Query Studio. Tip: To start Query Studio and other tools from Cognos Connection, use the links in the upper right of the screen. A blank report appears. The query items you can use are listed in the left pane.

4. Locate and add the following items: •

Under Orders, insert Quantity and Unit sale price.

•

Under Orders, Returned items, insert Return quantity.

• Under Products, insert Product type. The item Unit sale price will not appear in the final report, but you need it to build calculations. Tip: To add several items simultaneously, use Ctrl+click. To remove a column you don’t want, click the column title and then click the delete button.

10 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

My First Reports 5. Save the report in My Folders and name it Returns by Order Method. Tips: To save the report, use the Query Studio menu (Manage File menu, Save) and not the Web browser menu. If you save the report in the Public Folders with the Great Outdoors model instead of in My Folders, you should choose a new report name so that you do not overwrite the sample report. You should save the report at intervals while you work. 6. Name the report: •

Click the text placeholder Title.

•

Type the title Returns by Order Method and click OK.

•

Save the report again.

7. Create a calculation to show revenue (Quantity * Unit sale price = Revenue): •

In the working area, select Quantity and Unit sale price.

•

From the Edit Data menu, click Calculate.

•

In the Operation box, select * (product).

•

In the New item name box, type Revenue.

• Click Insert. Tip: You can also right-click selected columns to open the Calculation dialog box. 8. Create two more calculations: •

Return quantity * Unit sale price = Lost revenue

•

Lost revenue as a Percentage of Revenue = % Lost Change the Operation Type from Arithmetic to Percentage to see the percent operation (%).

9. Format the calculated columns that you added: •

Right-click the Revenue column and click Format.

•

In the Category list, click Currency.

•

In the Thousands separator list, click Yes, and then click OK.

•

Repeat these steps for the Lost revenue column.

10. Delete the column Unit sale price. 11. Sort the column % Lost in descending order: •

Right-click the % Lost column heading and click Sort.

• Under Sort Order, click Descending (9 to 1), and then click OK. Tip: The sort button in the toolbar automatically creates an ascending sort.

Getting Started 11

My First Reports 12. Save the report again, and then create one section for each order method: •

Open the Insert Data menu.

•

Under Orders, insert Order method.

•

Click the Order method column heading.

• Clickthe create sections button. The report is grouped into sections. The order method appears at the top of each section. 13. Group the report by product type: •

Click the Product type column heading.

•

Click the group button.

•

Save the report.

14. Run the report. The final report appears.

Try on Your Own • •

•

•

Review the chart types in the online help, and then add a chart to the report. Change the language settings in your Web browser or in Cognos Connection and run the report again. Because the sample data is multilingual, all data will be translated. The titles you typed will of course be unilingual. Every time you modify a report, Query Studio updates the results by running a query. Use the run options to preview the report with no data (Run Report menu, Preview with No Data). Note: To preview a report with limited data, design filters must be defined in the model. Review the definition of all report items in the report (Manage File menu, Report Definition). This is useful for troubleshooting.

For more information about using Query Studio and ReportNet, see the Query Studio quick tour or the Cognos Connection quick tour, or the related online help.

Example - Maintain a Report in Cognos Report Studio Use Cognos Report Studio to create reports with complex layout, formatting, and report user interactions. These types of report are generally created by professional report authors, who have a good knowledge of the data and tools they work with. For example, use Cognos Report Studio for reports that • are intended for a wide audience • exist long enough to require maintenance for changing requirements and data • require detailed control over the appearance In this exercise, you import the Returns by Order Method report that you created in Query Studio. The report has become a popular report. However, you want to add report interactivity so that users can filter on the order method, and you want to add some translations for the title. You will create a report that looks like the Cognos Report Studio sample named Returns by Order Method.

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My First Reports

Some Things to Notice Cognos Report Studio gives you much more control over all objects in a report.

Steps 1. Open Cognos Connection. 2. In My Folders, locate your version of the Query Studio report from the previous exercise, and then click More, Edit with Report Studio button. You can also use the sample report in Public Folders, GO Sales and Retailers, Query Studio Report Samples.

The report appears in Cognos Report Studio and shows what was defined in Query Studio. The same columns appear as a report page with headers, footers, page numbers, and other parts of the report. Once the report is saved, you cannot edit it in Query Studio again. If you want to keep the original report, use the Save as command. Tip: To see what items are in the report, click the Query Items tab.

3. Save the report as Returns by Order Method 2. 4. Create a prompt page for the order method: •

In the work area, click the Order method column heading.

•

From the Tools menu, click Build Prompt Page.

•

Remove the Back and Next buttons and the prompt page title (Double-click to edit text) that are automatically created.

•

Save the report.

Getting Started 13

My First Reports 5. Move the cursor over the Page Explorer between the Insertable Objects pane and the work area, and click page under Report Pages to return to the report page. Tip: Click the folder title (Prompt Pages ...) to remove or rename a page or to edit properties.

6. Create a variable to use for the title element, which will depend on language. •

From the File menu, click Variables.

•

Click the add icon in the lower left corner.

•

Name the variable Languages, choose the type Language, and click OK.

•

Select English, French, German, and Japanese, and click OK.

•

Click OK again.

• Save the report. You can select any combination of languages for which you have fonts. We chose a small number to limit the amount of typing in this exercise.

7. Set the properties of the title element to use a variable for the text: •

In the work area, click the title.

•

In the Properties pane, navigate to General, Conditional Text and click the ellipsis (...).

•

In the Conditional Text dialog box, under Variable, click the Languages variable that you created, ensure that all languages are selected, and then click OK.

14 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

My First Reports 8. Enter the text that should appear when the report is run in a language other than the languages of the variables you defined (see the table below for translations): •

Move the cursor over the Page Explorer between the Insertable Objects pane and the work area, click Condition Explorer and click the language variable Other.

•

In the report work area, double-click the title Returns by Order Method, type the text that should appear from the table below, and then click OK.

•

Repeat these steps for each language variable you defined.

Language

Text

English

Returns by Order Method

German

Retouren nach Bestellmethode

Japanese French

Retours par mode de commande

Other

Returns by Order Method

9. Save and run the report. The prompt that filters on the order method and the translations are now part of the report. To check the translations, you can change • the language of your Web browser, by adding languages in the Internet options and changing the order • the language for the report entry in Cognos Connection, by selecting another language in the run options • the language preferences in the Cognos Connection (Preferences, Regional options)

Try on Your Own •

• •

Reports are not always moved from Query Studio to Cognos Report Studio. You can recreate this report in Cognos Report Studio by adding the same columns (Insertable Objects pane, Model tab) and calculations (Insertable Objects pane, Toolbox tab, Calculation). Note that, unlike in Query Studio, query items do not need to be in the report for you to create calculations. Use the same language variables to add translations for the calculated column headings. Add a chart for this report.

For more information about Cognos Report Studio, review the Cognos Report Studio tour and the Try It Yourself Exercises in the Cognos Report Studio User Guide.

Getting Started 15

My First Reports

Example - Schedule the Reports from Cognos Connection Cognos Connection is a Web portal. It provides a single point of entry to ReportNet for creating, running, viewing, scheduling, organizing, and distributing reports. You start Cognos Report Studio and Query Studio through Cognos Connection. You also use administration functions such as server administration and deployment through Cognos Connection. You see only the tools that you are authorized to see and use. Note: Framework Manager and Cognos Configuration must be opened separately and are not accessible through the portal. This exercise shows some ways to schedule a report in Cognos Connection. For the Returns by Order Method report, some groups need the data updated daily. You set up a report view, schedule the report to run daily, and then check that it is properly scheduled.

Steps 1. Open Cognos Connection: •

Start your Web browser.

•

In the address bar, type the URL supplied by your administrator, and then press Enter. The URL looks something like this: http://servername/crn

2. Locate the Returns by Order Method 2 entry that you created in the Cognos Report Studio exercise. Tip: If you didn’t create a report, use any one of the Cognos sample reports. 3. Create a report view for a daily view of the report: •

For the Returns by Order Method 2 entry, click the create a report view of this report button.

•

In the Name box, remove the words Report View of from the beginning of the name, type (Daily) at the end of the name, and then click Finish. A new entry for the report appears in Cognos Connection, with a slightly different icon. 4. Schedule the report view to run daily:

5.

•

For the Returns by Order Method (Daily) entry, click the schedule button.

•

Under Frequency, click By Day.

•

Accept the default time and other defaults.

•

Click OK.

•

Specify the prompt values that you want to use when the report runs daily.

Check the schedule: •

In Cognos Connection, in the Tools menu, click Schedule Management.

•

Click the Schedule tab.

• In the Scope box, select Any and click Apply. Your report appears in the list of scheduled reports.

Try on Your Own The name of the report entry appears in the title bar of Report Viewer when the report is run. You can store translations of this entry in the portal (Set properties, General tab).

Example - Set Up Default Prompts in Framework Manager When reports are run, ReportNet uses information from the published model, as well as from the report specification, to generate the results. When reports are created, the report author uses a published model. The model is a specific and organized perspective on the underlying data. You create this model in a project in Framework Manager and publish it to the ReportNet server in a package. A package contains the published model and all reports that are based on it.

16 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

My First Reports Note: If you select a package in Cognos Connection, you see the associated model when you start Query Studio or Cognos Report Studio. In the Cognos Report Studio exercise, we created a prompt for order method. You can change the definition of the query subject in the model so that a prompt appears when authors create filters in Query Studio, or use defaults to create prompts in Cognos Report Studio (Tools menu, Build Prompt Page). Cognos Report Studio and Query Studio authors can create most prompts and filters directly in reports. In this exercise, we will change the way the product type is defined in the model. We will also publish a subset of the GO Sales and Retailers model as a smaller package. Note: Because you can apply security to packages in Cognos Connection, this is one simple way of restricting access to data.

The GO Sales and Retailers Model For a production scale model, you would optimize the model for reporting efficiency, and add support for authors to meet business requirements for the reports. To see what kinds of things Cognos added to the basic metadata, compare the database view of the model to the query subjects that are visible in the published package. • Multilingual query subjects, such as Product and Product line, were consolidated by mapping columns to locales in a parameter map. For example, compare the query subject definition of the above two columns to that of the Order column, which is taken directly from the database. • Relationships were added to set up joins. • The query items were reorganized to improve the presentation for the report author. • Filters were added. • Query subjects were added to create consolidated information for report authors. For an example, see the definition of the Product forecasts.

Some Things to Notice A number of commands and icons make navigating the model easier. You can also open and close panes. Some useful commands in the object diagram (Set Focal Point and Overview) are circled below.

Getting Started 17

My First Reports

Steps 1. In Framework Manager, open the gosales_goretailers project. It is located in installation_location/crn/webcontent/samples/Models/gosales_goretailers/gosales_goretail ers.cpf Tip: If you are using a ReportNet server on a different computer, an information message about different locale settings may appear. Click OK and continue. 2. Change the prompt settings for the Product type query item so that a search prompt will appear if a prompt is created in Query Studio: •

In the Project Viewer, open the tree and click gosales_goretailers, Products, Product type.

•

In the Properties pane, click the plus sign (+) beside Prompt Info to show the prompt settings.

•

For the Prompt Type property, select Select with Search.

3. Change the prompt settings for the same query item (Product type) so that the code, not the name, is used for filtering. •

Ensure that Product type is selected and that the Prompt Info properties are visible.

•

For the Filter Item Reference property, click the ellipsis (...) and click gosales_goretailers, Database view, GO Sales, Product type, Product type code query item.

•

Save the project.

4. Change the prompt settings for the Product type code query item, so that Product type will appear when a prompt is created in Cognos Report Studio: •

In the Project Viewer, open the tree and click gosales_retailers, Products, Product codes, Product type code.

•

In the Properties pane, click the plus sign (+) beside Prompt Info to show the prompt settings.

•

For the Display Item Reference property, click the ellipsis (...) and click gosales_goretailers, Products, Product type.

•

Save the project.

18 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

My First Reports 5. Create and publish a smaller package for these reports: •

In the Project Viewer, open the tree, right-click Packages, click Create, Package, and name the package Returns.

•

In the Create Package - Define Objects page, select the folders gosales_retailers, Orders, Products, Countries, and Filters.

•

On the same screen, hide the folder Database view.

•

Accept the default security, language and other settings, and then verify and publish the package.

6. Open Query Studio and quickly create a report that includes a prompt for Product type. •

Open Query Studio and select the Returns package you created.

•

Add the query items Product type (Products) and Planned revenue (Orders).

•

Click the Product type column, click the filter button, select the Prompt every time the report runs check box, and then click OK.

7. Run the report.

Getting Started 19

My First Reports You are prompted to select a product type and the product type code associated with your selection is used for the filter.

Try on Your Own Another reason to create prompts in the model is to be able to set up cascading prompts in Query Studio. For example, try setting up cascading prompts with Product type and then Product name. • In Framework Manager, for the Product type query item, set the Prompt Info, Cascade on Item Reference property to the Product name query item. For more information, see the Framework Manager User Guide. • In Query Studio, create a report that includes a prompt for Product type and Product name. In Framework Manager, you can test query subjects to see what data they will return without going to Query Studio (Actions menu, Edit Definition). Try creating a filter and testing the query subject in the model. Tip: To test a query subject, select the query subject, click Actions, Edit Definition, and then click Test.

Creating Objects Needed to Use Reports ReportNet is an open, cross-platform product. The report server uses the metadata from data sources, additional business information, and report specifications to generate report results. You use the components of ReportNet to manage each of these pieces, and use parts of your corporate infrastructure (Web server, security namespace) to manage the shared corporate information. Data Flow

Cognos Query Studio Report Studio

(3)

(4)

Cognos Connection

(5)

Cognos Report Viewer

Framework Manager

(2)

(1)

ReportNet services

ReportNet server and content store - published model - report specifications - query specifications - properties of objects, schedules Customer databases

(1) In Framework Manager, the modeler ensures that the metadata is presented so that authors can create reports. Modelers import the metadata from one or more databases, and then add to the model to meet reporting requirements. (2) Framework Manager connects to the ReportNet server for database connections and for publishing and updating packages.

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My First Reports (3) In Cognos Report Studio, report authors open the published model and create specifications for managed reports. Many people will probably use these reports, and may see different versions depending on report views, different distribution lists, or other information available in the portal. Control over appearance is important to meet corporate or regulatory requirements. These reports will probably be updated more than once. (4) In Query Studio, users create specifications for ad hoc reports. Though others may use these reports, they usually present data to a small group of people, or answer a specific question. (5) All users can set properties, such as schedules and output formats. They can also create shortcuts and report views in the portal.

Data Sources and Other Objects To use a data source for reports, you must model it in Framework Manager and publish it to the ReportNet server. Most of the modeling work you do is to improve productivity for report authors, for example, by renaming and grouping content such as multilingual tables, or adding commonly used objects to the model, such as filters. Some of the information that you add, such as relationships, is to improve performance.

Data Sources and Data Source Connections You define and manage data sources using Cognos Connection, from within either Cognos Connection (Directory tool) or Framework Manager. A data source is a logical representation of a database or other source of information. A data source has one or more connections, which are used to define the type of the data source, its physical location, and any authentication requirements. For example, if you have a database with mirror sites, you could define a single data source, with connections for each mirror site. The model does not contain the data source connections. Before you import data in Framework Manager, you must set up connections to the data source.

Projects and Models In Framework Manager, you create a project, which contains the metadata from one or more data sources. Within the project, you add information for reporting, and then define packages of metadata. You then publish the packages to the ReportNet server. The number and content of projects depends on how modeling activities are managed. The number and content of packages depends on how reports are created and managed. Note: Project files are not managed by the ReportNet server, so you should organize backups and other maintenance separately from the other ReportNet data. For information about models and related objects, see the Framework Manager User Guide. For information about packages in Cognos Connection, see the Administration and Security Guide.

Query Subjects When metadata from a database is imported, the tables are represented as query subjects. (Columns are query items.) You create other kinds of query subjects by modifying and combining the query subjects created directly from the data source. You can also create query subjects by defining the underlying SQL expression directly. For more information, see the Framework Manager User Guide.

Cognos Connection Packages and Models for Report Authors To make the information in a Framework Manager project available for reporting, modelers publish packages to the ReportNet server from Framework Manager. Each package contains a published model that is available to report authors, when they create reports, and to the ReportNet server, to run reports. All reports based on a particular model are stored by default in the same package.

Getting Started 21

My First Reports A model contains folders of metadata that is used to specify the content of a report, such as lists of table columns. Folders may be either folders or query subjects (tables) in Framework Manager. For more information, see the Administration and Security Guide and the Framework Manager User Guide.

Query Studio and Cognos Report Studio Reports Specifications for ReportNet reports may be created in Query Studio or Cognos Report Studio, depending on the nature of the report and the intended users. The form of the report specification depends on the tool used to create it. You can look at the report specification for the Returns by Order Method report in Cognos Report Studio (Tools menu, Show Specification) and at information about the query in Query Studio (Manage File menu, Report Definition). Both Query Studio and Cognos Report Studio specifications are XML documents. When a report is used, information in the specification, the model metadata from the published model, and the report properties are combined. Together, they define the content, format, and appearance of the report results. Queries define what data appears in the report. In Query Studio, a report is always a single query. In Cognos Report Studio, one query exists by default for each report you create. The data items you add to the report appear in the default query. You can, however, create multiple queries in your report. This is useful when you want • to combine different report types in a single report, such as a list and chart, and have different data appear in each • to improve performance by creating smaller queries, rather than having a single large query for the entire report • to add prompts to your report, and have each prompt ask for different data You can also add calculations and summaries to the report.

Opening or Running Reports ReportNet reports are created from the specifications that are created in the authoring components (Query Studio, Cognos Report Studio). However, other parts of ReportNet are needed to run and open a report, and these are the same for both kinds of reports. The information that appears in a report comes from a number of places: • The main content of the report comes from one or more data sources, through the published model. • Some report content comes from calculations and additional reports added by the report author. • A very small amount of report content comes from ReportNet itself.

22 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

My First Reports The information is controlled by • a report specification • a model • security that comes through the administration tool, which obtained its information from your corporate security tool • prompts created by the report author • other report properties that are defined in the portal Request Flow

(1)

Cognos Query Studio Report Studio

(5)

Cognos Connection

Cognos Report Viewer

Framework Manager

ReportNet services (4)

ReportNet server and content store - published model - report specifications - query specifications - properties of objects, schedules (2)

(3) Customer databases

(1) A user requests a report. Security is checked. You can also run a report directly from Cognos Report Studio or Query Studio. (2) The report server collects the model and report specification and any properties needed to run the report. (3) The query engine generates the SQL queries and retrieves the data. (4) The report server returns the data to the Cognos Report Viewer, perhaps using other services to create the different formats. (5) The user picks up the report.

Report Outputs The report outputs are the readable report documents: the reason you create report specifications and the related objects. To see report output, a report must be run at least once. The results for one version or for multiple versions can be stored directly in ReportNet, or users can run reports as needed. The format of the report results may be PDF, XML, HTML, XHTML, HTML fragment, Excel (XLS), or delimited text (CSV). Just as you did for the Returns by Order Method report in Cognos Connection, report users can create, save, and schedule their own views of a report. For any of these activities, report users must have the appropriate level of security.

Getting Started 23

My First Reports In Cognos Report Studio, you can run the report directly. In Cognos Connection, you can run a report once, or schedule it to be run at intervals. You can then save the results of however many versions you want, print them, or send them by email. For more information, see the Cognos Connection online help, or the Administration and Security Guide.

Multilingual Reports The language and regional settings that are used to create the report output depend on a number of settings. If the database is multilingual, and the metadata is correctly structured in Framework Manager, then there is little or no administration to create and maintain multilingual reports. For example, a database is multilingual, and the model is set up to manage the multiple languages. The data then appears in Query Studio or in Report Viewer in the language and with the regional settings specified in the user’s Web browser options, the run options, or the Cognos Connection preferences. Of course, any text that users or authors add appears in the language they typed it in. In Cognos Report Studio, authors can add translations for text objects, and create other language dependent objects. For examples, review the GO Sales and Retailers sample model and reports.

Design and Administration For most business projects, some level of design is needed to ensure that the results meet the requirements, and some administration is necessary to keep things running smoothly. ReportNet applications are no different. When you set up a ReportNet project, the most critical element is the model that is published from Framework Manager. The model affects what information is grouped in reports, and how reports are grouped into packages. The information that you add to the model affects the report results for large groups of users, and how easily the Cognos Report Studio and Query Studio authors can use the model. In any application, data security is also critical. Security can be defined in Framework Manager, Cognos Report Studio, Cognos Configuration, and the Cognos Connection administration tools. For enhanced encryption, you can purchase additional encryption packages. For information about planning a project in ReportNet, see the Architecture and Planning Guide. For information about maintenance and troubleshooting, see the following documents: • Administration and Security Guide • Troubleshooting Guide • Cognos Configuration User Guide

Automation The software development kit (SDK) is an automation interface for ReportNet services that is platform independent. ReportNet components are linked through the BI Bus, which issues calls and returns replies in the form of standard, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) messages. The SDK is available as a separate package. You can use the SDK included with ReportNet • to create and modify reports and queries • to administer servers • to administer Cognos groups and roles • to administer ReportNet access permissions • to let other applications or Web portals interact directly with Cognos information content For more information, see the Developer Guide and ReportNet SDK Getting Started.

24 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

My First Reports

Other Samples In the exercises in this guide, we used some samples that are shipped with the product. ReportNet contains many other samples, which show sample business applications and functionality. All sample reports are available in the package that is published when you set up the samples. For more information, see the Administration and Security Guide.

Getting Started 25

My First Reports

26 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

Glossary authentication The process of verifying the identity of users when they log on. Authentication is usually done by comparing a user name and password to those in an authorized list in the authentication provider. Users must be authenticated before they can be authorized to use any secured resources.

Cognos Connection The portal interface of ReportNet.

locale A code that is used to set • the language or dialect used for browsers, report text, and so on • the regional preferences, such as formats for time, date, money, money expressions, and time of day In ReportNet, you can specify a locale for the product interface (product locale) and for the data in the report (content locale). A locale is also stored to record what locale an author used to create a report specification or a Framework Manager project.

model A business presentation of the structure of the data from one or more databases. A model describes data objects, structure, and grouping, as well as relationships and security. A model, called a design model, is created and maintained in Framework Manager. The design model or a subset of the design model must be published to the ReportNet server as a package for users to create and run reports.

namespace In security, a collection of user accounts and user groups from an authentication provider. In XML, namespaces uniquely identify element types and attributes. An XML namespace is defined by a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) whose purpose is to name the namespace, not necessarily to identify a location from which to obtain information. In Framework Manager, namespaces uniquely identify query items, query subjects and so on. You import different databases into separate namespaces to avoid duplicate names.

package A container for models, reports, and so on. Modelers create packages in Framework Manager to publish models to the ReportNet server.

project A set of models, packages, and related information for administration, and for sharing model information. You create projects in Framework Manager.

publish To transfer all or part of a Framework Manager model to the ReportNet server, so that report authors can use it.

Getting Started 27

Glossary

query item A representation of a column of data in a data source. It contains a reference to a database column, a reference to another query item, or a calculation. Query items may appear in a model or in a report.

query subject One of the types of objects inside a model. A query subject can be • defined as a collection of references to items of other query subjects • expressed as an SQL expression that represents selected query items, which will be retrieved from objects such as tables, synonyms, views, and so on Query subjects contain query items. Query subjects may be part of folders in the model. The query subject is the basis of a query in Report Studio and in report specifications.

report specification An XML representation of the queries, prompts, layouts, and styles in a report. You create report specifications by using Cognos Report Studio or Query Studio, or by writing your own report specifications in XML.

28 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

Index A

G

ad hoc reports creating, 9, 22 administering security, 24 authentication definition, 27 automating ReportNet, 24

Great Outdoors, See samples (Cognos)

C

labels changing, 21 locales definition, 27 logging on named users, 16 selecting namespaces, 16

calculations creating, 22 Cognos Connection definition, 27 packages, 21 combining report types, 22 connections data sources, 21 specifying for each data source, 9 copyright, 2 creating ad hoc reports (example), 9 calculations, 22 managed reports, 22 model filters, 16 models, 16 objects for reports, 20 prompts, 22 summaries, 22 variables in Report Studio, 12

D data flow, 20 data source connections, 21 database connections, See data source connections deployment archives, 21 document version, 2

E examples ad hoc reports, 9 managed reports, 12 models, 16 opening reports, 16 using Cognos Connection, 16

F folders creating, 21 Framework Manager updating a model, 16

I integrating third-party components, 20

L

M maintaining reports, 12 managed reports creating, 22 metadata, 21 model filters creating in Framework Manager, 16 model objects adding to packages, 16 models, 21 creating, 21 definition, 27 GO Sales and Retailers, 17 managing, 21 organizing contents, 24 publishing, 21 segmenting, 21 viewing diagrams, 16 multilingual reports, 24

N namespace definition, 27 namespaces selecting at logon, 16

O opening reports, 22 opening reports from Cognos Connection example, 16

P packages, 21 adding model objects, 16

Getting Started 29

Index packages (cont'd) Cognos Connection, 21 definition, 27 publishing, 16 product version, 2 projects, 21 definition, 27 managing, 24 planning, 24 prompts adding, 22 creating in Report Studio, 12 published models, 21 publishing definition, 27 packages, 16

Q queries specifications, 22 query items definition, 28 Query Studio creating a report, 9 reports, 22 query subjects, 21 definition, 28

R report specifications definition, 28 Report Studio maintaining a report, 12 reports, 22 ReportNet automation, 24 reports maintaining, 12 multilingual, 24 opening, 16, 22 output formats, 23 Query Studio, 22 Report Studio, 22 running, 22 scheduling, 23 scheduling in Cognos Connection, 16 selecting languages, 12 request flow, 22 roles selecting for the current session, 16 running reports, 22

S samples, 25 setting up, 9 samples (Cognos), 9 GO Sales and Retailers model, 17 scheduling multiple reports, 23 SDK, See software development kit security administering, 24 software development kit, 24

30 Cognos ReportNet( T M )

summaries adding, 22

T third-party components integration, 20

U users logging on, 16

V variables creating in Report Studio, 12 version product, 2