Cognos 8 BI for Consumers

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 248 pages
• Published by: Technology Partners Books July 30, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0979692008
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0979692000
• Book Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.2 x 0.7 inches
• Weighs: 1.2 pounds

Publisher Description


The Cognos 8 BI Book Series is composed of step-by-step guides that focus on user and power user functionality. The guides start with the basics required by all Cognos 8 BI users and steadily expand to the advanced options available to power users who are developing complex reports and dashboards.



The initial guide concentrates on Cognos Connection.

• Cognos Connection is the Cognos 8 BI standard portal that provides a single point of access to all Business Intelligence objects. The user can access public and personal folders where he or she can execute reports, access queries, view analyses, monitor scorecards, and execute monitoring agents. From Cognos Connection, the user is able to access and browse content, see properties, assign permissions, and schedule objects, among other tasks.

Additional guides are being developed for the major Cognos 8 BI authoring modules. The modules, called Studios, are used by authors to develop content for consumers. Four guides are in the pipeline, focusing on the following modules with their respective roles:

• Query Studio is a very easy to use ad hoc query tool that allows users to easily access information. With Query Studio, the user drags and drops fields to execute queries. With multiple options available at a touch of the mouse, Query Studio can group data, create summaries, display charts, filter information, and export data. An author who has access to Query Studio is referred to as a Business Author.
  
  



• Metrics Studio is a powerful scorecard tool that allows an organization to create and monitor goals. An author who has access to Metrics Studio is a Business Manager.
  
  



• Analysis Studio is the easy to use tool used to quickly analyze summarized information with powerful dimension and variable crossing for complex analysis, discovery of trends, and forecasting. An author who has access to Analysis Studio is a Business Analyst.
  
  



• Report Studio is the professional report-authoring tool. The tool allows for the development of pixel-perfect reports, such as invoices and statements, as well as very complex layouts, such as those required for enterprise dashboards. An author who has access to Report Studio is a Professional Author.

Reader Reviews
The title of the book is a little misleading in that it describes the details of Cognos Connection and is pretty good at that. The term "BI" in the title seems to indicate that the reader may obtain more in-depth understanding of the Cognos product that is the focus on business intelligence. The focus is really on how to publish reports through the interface. The sample Cognos project that comes with the product is used for the examples of the BI reports that can be published through Cognos Connection. Upon reviewing these reports, the reader will want to use the products that generate those reports. Hopefully those parts of the Cognos product line will be reviewed in depth in future publications. I found the book useful for those who are not familiar with the new Cognos interface and I recommend it.