COGNOS PRODUCT FEATURES

FEATURES OF IMPROMPTU AND POWERPLAY-

AN

OVERVIEW

BY
Devnarayan & Biranchi

Cognos is Founded in 1969 .

Cognos does business with 17,000 customers in more than 120
countries and employs some 2,500 people worldwide.
Cognos has more than two million business intelligence licenses.
Cognos business intelligence solutions and services are sold
directly and are also available from more than 2,900 worldwide
partners and resellers.

Cognos Enterprise Business Intelligence Software

consists of :
Cognos 4Thought, brings the power of predictive modeling to
business planners.
Cognos Accelerator, unleashes the Business Intelligence stored in
SAP applications.
Cognos BI for the Small Enterprise, a complete BI solution for
small-to-midsize companies, gives users immediate insight into the
key factors driving the business.
Cognos DecisionStream, builds and deploys enterprise BI-ready
data marts.
Cognos e-Applications, pre-defined data marts, along with readyto-use reporting and analysis solutions to reduce the time and
effort required to create a data mart and get started with
Business Intelligence.
Cognos Finance, for financial reporting, consolidation, budgeting

Cognos Enterprise Business Intelligence Software

consists of :
Cognos HeadStart Solutions, predefined analysis and reporting
modules for delivering immediate value from corporate data
stores.
Cognos Impromptu, the industry standard for enterprise query
and reporting.
Cognos Impromptu Web Reports, the managed reporting
solution for easy distribution and navigation of standard
reports via the Web.
Cognos PowerPlay, for powerful OLAP reporting and analysis
across the enterprise in a centrally managed, singleapplication-server environment.
Cognos PowerPlay Web, for instant deployment of
multidimensional analysis capabilities via the Web.
Cognos NovaView, For Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 OLAP
Services

Cognos Enterprise Business Intelligence Software

consists of :
COGNOSuite, the industry's most complete BI solution.
Cognos Scenario, for uncovering hidden patterns and
relationships in corporate data.
Cognos Upfront, a portal service that provides end users with
a single, Web-based point of personalized access to Cognos
BI information and non-BI content.
Cognos Visualizer, for interactive, multi-metric, data
visualization.

Cognos Application Development Tools:

Cognos Axiant 4GL: the market's leading graphical
client/server application development environment.
Cognos PowerHouse : the world's leading 4GL for
building server-based minicomputer production systems.
PowerHouse Web : for building and deploying Webbased applications in conjunction with PowerHouse 4GL.
APL 2000 : a rapid application development language
often used in financial applications.

Impromptu Features

Impromptu Supported Databases

Teradata
DB2
dBASE
HotFile
Informix
InterBase
Microsoft SQL Server
OpenIngres
Oracle
SQLBase
Sybase Adaptive Server and Sybase System 11

Administering Impromptu Includes

1. analyzing user requirements
2. creating catalogs
3. making joins
4. organizing folders
5. setting up user classes and security
6. creating calculations, conditions, and prompts
7. automating and updating Impromptu With Macros
8. optimizing performance With HotFiles and
Snapshots
9. integrating PowerPlay and Impromptu
Other Features include
1. * Web Enabling with HTML files
2 * Portfolio briefing books.

IMPROMPTU FUNCTIONING
Impromptu Server
Connector

Scheduler

Impromptu
Request Server

Database

Server

Impromptu
Catalog
Client

Impromptu Reports

2. A catalog provides users with a logical view of

the physical data .Impromptu catalogs contain
information that Impromptu needs to access and
retrieve data from a database.
Foldersmeaningful groups of information
representing columns from one or more tables
They present a logical view ,a business view of
the database.
Columnsindividual data elements that can
appear in one or more folders
Calculationsexpressions used to compute
required values from existing data Example : if
((Price - Prod Cost) <= 0.20 * Price) then (Low
Margin) else NULL

 Conditionsused to filter information so that only

a certain type of information is displayed
Example Country in (United States, Canada,
Mexico)
Promptspre-defined selection criteria prompts
that users can include in reports they create
Example Enter the Start Date of the date
range ,Enter the End Date of the date range
Other components, such as metadata, a logical
database name, join information, and user
classes. names of the columns in the selected
tables , join relationships between tables

Catalogs enable You to

run predefined reports
create custom reports
change catalog organization
As an administrator, you can create four types of catalogs:
personal
distributed
shared
secured
A personal catalog is a catalog that you do not intend to
make accessible to other Impromptu users
A distributed catalog consists of an original master
distributed catalog that the administrator controls and
maintains, and one or more local catalogs that are
created when users open the master distributed catalog

A shared catalog is generally stored on a LAN to provide

access for all users.
The creator of a shared catalog can change and grant
privileges to specific users that enable them to
organize the contents of the catalog by creating new
folders, editing folders you've created, and changing their
location
work with conditions and calculations stored in the catalog
connect and disconnect from the database
A secured catalog is a read-only catalog that only the
Creator can change.

3.Joins define the relational links between tables in the physical

database
Joins - Type Description
Equi Retrieves all of the rows from one table and the rows in another
table when the values of the linked columns are equal. The most
common join.
Non-Equi Retrieves all of the rows from one table that meet certain
criteria in another table. The criteria are defined using expressions.
Outer Retrieves rows from one table even if there are no matching
rows in another table.
Self (Reflexive) Required to compare data in a table column to itself.
Can be used only by defining an alias table.
Compound Useful where two columns will generate a unique key to
join to another table. Can also be used in combination with a non-equi,
self, or outer join.
Complex Uses an expression created with the Expression Editor to join
tables.Not used frequently.

A HotFile is a local data table you can create from database

columns.
Once created, a HotFile is independent of the database
columns from which it was created, and you can use it in any
report or catalog.
You can join a HotFile to database tables, reports, or other
HotFiles.
HotFiles exist on the client. They are not supported by
Impromptu Request Server.
HotFiles are not indexed, therefore, joins may take longer
than expected to execute.
HotFile size is limited only by available disk space. However,
you should not use HotFiles to store very large query results
as they could slow computer performance.

A user class is a group of users (or a single user) who need

access to the same data in a catalog and who have the same
privileges.
5. User Classes and Security
assign passwords to user classes
limit table access by user class (field-level security)
limit folder access and restrict select values by user class
(folder-level security)
filter values by user class (security by value)
set governor values by user class
set database tab values by user class
To open a catalog, Impromptu requests User Class , user class
Password information ,database User ID and database
Password .

With IMPROMPTU You can

generate reports using data from multiple databases.
use HotFiles as lookup tables or in report prompts.
use HotFiles as a database.
add data items to a report not included in your catalog by adding
them directly from a HotFile.
share HotFiles by including them in your catalog.
create sub-reports, that is, sophisticated multiple queries contained in
a single report, that provide users with comprehensive information
drill through to information behind a value in your report
take advantage of server speed to deliver efficient, remote snapshots
that many users can quickly access without running a query
enhance reports that will be viewed with a Web browser by including
HTML

IMPROMPTU REPORTS HAS FACILITIES LIKE

print a wide list report on a single page
print a wide list report with columns that repeat on every
printed page
optimize template creation with optional, required, or multicolumn placeholders
have report column titles automatically match the names of
the data items in the placeholders
manage and re-use report prompts
moving-average ,moving-total , tertile , quantile
,percentage ,
running-difference

Types of Impromptu Reports

List Report
CrossTab Report
Mailing Labels
Form Letter
Freestyle Report
Drill Through Reports
Sub Reports
Demo in c:\program files\cognos\impromptu 5.0\imp
5.0 tour

Request Server is the component of Impromptu that runs on UNIX

platforms and retrieves source data from relational databases for
Impromptu reports.
Request Server works with Impromptu, Scheduler and Impromptu Server
Connector, all of which must be installed on users computers.
store results in a database instance or server other than the one being
queried
The request database is a set of tables, views, indexes, and stored
procedures that contain
detailed information about current requests
settings for Request Servers operation
The Request Server periodically polls the requests that are queued in
the request database, and acts on any that are scheduled for
processing.

Packaged with both the user and administrator versions of Impromptu,

Scheduler is used to set requests to run at definable times. A request
can be run once only, or recurringly.
Scheduler can accept requests from Impromptu to run queries locally for
any database accessible from Impromptu.
Users can let the server do the processing by submitting scheduled
requests to Request Server. They can also schedule requests to be
executed at off-peak times.
Cognos Scheduler launches reports, programs, and macros based on
times and dates that you specify. These scheduled launches are called
tasks.
Impromptu Server Connector : Impromptu Server Connector gives
Scheduler the ability to submit requests to Request Server. Without
Impromptu Server Connector, only local reports can be scheduled.

Supported Operating Systems

Request Server supports the following operating systems:
IBM RS/6000 AIX 4.1, 4.2 or higher
Hewlett Packard 9000 HP-UX 10.20 or higher
Sun Solaris SPARC 2.4, 2.5 or higher
DEC UNIX 4.0 or higher
Impromptu Request Server supports the following databases:
Oracle 7.3 and 8.0

Teradata

Informix Online 7.2 or higher

Sybase SQL Server System 11 and Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise
11.5

7. Five Ways to Automate Impromptu

Impromptu has features to help you automate and maintain
your Impromptu environment. You can:
create standard reports and templates
take advantage of Impromptus inheritance feature
distribute a revised Impromptu.ini file to users
mail shortcuts
automate tasks (used to create, test, debug, and schedule
) with CognosScript Editor, CognosScript Dialog Editor,and
Cognos Scheduler

automating and updating Impromptu With Macros

You can use macros to:
generate reports
use existing library functions and subroutines or ones
that you create
perform complex string and numeric operations
open and close files
activate other applications
generate snapshots and HotFiles
integrate applications using OLE

8. Optimize Impromptus performance using

Client/Database-Server Balancing
Table Weighting
Qualification Settings
Governor Settings
Alternative Data Sources
User-Defined Functions

8 a) Client/Database-Server Balancing You can choose

to perform query processing by Database Only, Limited
Local Processing, or Flexible Processing.
8 b) Table weighting specifies the order in which tables
will be retrieved and joined. The more detailed the table,
the bigger the weight that should be assigned.
8 c) Qualification Settings :When using more than
one database that has a table with the same name, you
can use the Qualifications tab of the Tables dialog box to
qualify tables in SQL queries.
8 d) Using the Governor tab of the User Profiles dialog
box, you can make settings that affect processing
variables.

The Governor tab of the User Profiles dialog box also has
settings that affect data access options.
These settings include:
Limit Retrieval of Large Text Items to <n> Characters. This
controls the size of BLOBS (Binary Large Objects) that users
can retrieve. If your database supports BLOBs, Impromptu
truncates the BLOB to the size you specify.
Limiting the number of records is also required if each
record has a large BLOB field. Impromptu lets you restrict data
volumes using both the number of records and the size of
BLOB fields.

8 e) Alternative Data Sources

snapshots thumbnails
HotFiles
A snapshot retrieves all the information for a report and
stores it in a permanent cache on the PC.
Impromptu can retrieve a specified number of records from
the database and store them in a temporary cache on the
PC called
a thumbnail.
Unlike
snapshots,
thumbnails allow you to apply less
restrictive filters and add one or more columns, and
Impromptu will automatically go back to the original
database to get new information. Thumbnails are
suitable
foristesting
purposes. file.
A HotFile
a flat sequential
A HotFile is similar to a snapshot, but unlike a snapshot a
HotFile can be:
added to your catalog and used like a table
used to create new reports
used to join multiple databases from the same or different
vendors

8 f) User-Defined Functions (UDFs) are custom functions

that you can create and use within SQL statements to query your
datasources. You can create UDFs to
standardize custom functions for your organization
leverage Impromptus database support, enabling report users
to get data-specific answers from your databases

Impromptu Other Features :

.Portfolio is a program for creating briefing books of standard
Impromptu and PowerPlay reports.Administrators can simply cut
and
paste reports from PowerPlay and Impromptu into a briefing
book ,
which displays the reports and also serves as a pointer back to
underlying Powercubes.

With MDI Database Gateway Datatype Support for Tera

Impromptu supports the following Teradata datatypes
BYTEINT INTEGER
CHAR LONG VARCHAR
DATE SMALLINT
DECIMAL VARCHAR
FLOAT
Impromptu does not support the following Teradata
datatypes
BYTE
VARBYTE

Oracle Datatype Support

Impromptu supports the following Oracle datatypes
:RAW LONG RAW
CHAR(size) INTEGER CHARACTER LONG LONG
VARCHAR
DATE DECIMAL NUMBER DECIMAL(*) NUMBER(*)
DECIMAL(*,s) NUMBER(*,s) DECIMAL(p) NUMBER(p)
DECIMAL(p,s) NUMBER(p,s) DOUBLE PRECISION
REAL
FLOAT SMALLINT FLOAT(*) VARCHAR(size)
FLOAT(b)
Impromptu does not support the following Oracle 7
datatypes:
RAW
LONG RAW

Supported Microsoft SQL Server Datatypes

Impromptu supports the following MS SQL Server
datatypes.
CHART FLOAT(n) where n is 1 through 23
VARCHAR REAL
TINYINT FLOAT (24-53)
SMALLINT MONEY
BIT SMALLMONEY
INT DATETIME
NUMERIC TEXT
DECIMAL

PowerPlay
Features

Available Flavours
PowerPlay for Windows
Supported Windows Operating Systems
PowerPlay 6.x is a pure 32-bit version, supported under
Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95, and Windows 98 only.

PowerPlay for Excel

PowerPlay Web
PowerPlay Enterprise

PowerPlay Interaction With Other Components

Corporate Data

Transformer

Cube

Reports

PowerPlay

Dimensions
are
broad
groupings
of
data
that
represent
major
segments
of
your
business
information, such as products or locations.
Drill-down paths are one or more vertical paths
within each dimension , used for analytical
purposes.
Categories are the operational details of your
organization,
A category is an occurrence at some level in the
model - for example, May in the Month level.
Measures are numerical data used to gauge
performance within the organization. Measure
values are derived from a transactional query or
calculated in Transformer by using specified
formulas.

helps in

Transformer

1. Building New Model

2. Adjusting the Time Dimension
3. Building a New Model Manually
4. Issues about DATA
1. Data Sources can be heterogeneous
2. Data formats can be fixed , with headings
3. Smaller data sets are faster
4. Incremental update and changes in source data are handled
automatically by scheduler.

Source values often change regularly. For example, new sales data
might be added daily or monthly, or new products might be added
quarterly.
Can rebuild your PowerCubes as needed or you can use the
Scheduler program that comes with the PowerPlay package to refresh
your PowerCubes automatically.
Can easily examine all the key performance indicators in your
organization. Key performance indicators are the measures you
use to evaluate your business.

With PowerPlay We Can

1. Drill Down
2. Slice & Dice
3. Filter
4. Change the Display Type ex :To graphs
5. Determine Percentage of business
6. Rank
7. Highlight Exceptions
8. Calculate
9. Drill Through to Impromptu
10. Publish Reports as HTML Documents

PowerPlay Reports

Business Mix Report

Top Ten Report
Trend Over Time Report
Variance Report
Exception Report
Quarterly Revenue Statement

Business Mix Report

Trend Over Time Report :identify

developing trends

Variance Report : Examines the difference between actual &

expected results.

Exception Report

Quarterly Revenue Statement

Comparison of Impromptu And PowerPlay

Impromptu
Data From Relational
Databases
Has catalog ,Request
Server
Scheduler automates the
process of generating
reports
Can be web enabled

PowerPlay
Data from PowerCubes
Has Transformer
Can be web enabled
OLAP functions can be

used in generating
reports

Thank You