Students will explore IBM Cognos Analytics report authoring and different report object types (list, crosstab, chart, visualization, etc.). They will also create and format reports using grouping, headers, footers, and other formatting options. Also covered is the ability to focus reports by filtering data and using prompts. Students will learn to add value to reports using calculations and additional report-building techniques as well as how to enhance reports with advanced formatting and exceptional data highlighting.

Introduction to IBM Cognos Analytics – Reporting 

• Examine IBM Cognos Analytics
• Reporting and its interface
• Explore different report types
• Create reports in preview or design mode
• Create a simple, sorted, and formatted report
• Examine dimensionally modeled and dimensional data sources
• Explore how data items are added queries
• Examine personal data sources and data modules 

Examine data tables and list reports

• Create a data table
• Group, format, and sort list reports
• Describe options for aggregating data
• Create a multi-fact query
• Create a report with repeated data 

Create crosstab reports

• Format and sort crosstab reports
• Create complex crosstabs using drag and drop functionality
• Create crosstabs using unrelated data items  

Create visualization reports

• Understand visualization categories
• Create and customize visualizations
• Understand client-side visualizations
• Create enhanced map visualizations  

Focus reports using filters

• Create filters to narrow the focus of reports
• Examine detail and summary filters
• Determine when to apply filters on aggregate data  

Focus reports using prompts

• Identify various prompt types
• Use parameters and prompts to focus data
• Search for prompt types
• Navigate between pages 

Extend reports using calculations

• Create calculations based on data in the data source
• Add run-time information to the reports
• Create expressions using functions  

Customize reports with conditional formatting

• Create multilingual reports
• Highlight exceptional data
• Show and hide data
• Conditionally render objects in reports

Drill-through definitions  

• Introduction to drill-through definitions
• Navigating to related data
• Introduction to bookmark references  

Enhance report layout

• Force page breaks in reports
• Format data and report objects
• Modify existing report structures  

Use additional report building techniques

• Enhance report design with report objects
• Add objects to reports
• Convert a list to a crosstab
• Reuse objects within the same report
• Share layout components among separate reports
• Choose options to handle reports with no available data

Course attendees should have:

• Knowledge of your business requirements
• Experience using IBM Cognos Analytics as a consumer