Cognos Web Version - Reporting Tool User Manual

Version 1.1 August 2005

Financial Services August 2005

Cognos Web version User Guide

Table of Contents
COGNOS Web Version COGNOS WEB VERSION............................................................................1
1.1 Logging into Cognos Web version .............................................................................. 2 1.2 Changing password in Cognos Web Version............................................................ 3 1.3 Cognos Personalization ............................................................................................... 7 1.4 Cognos Log Off................................................................................................................. 9 1.5 Cognos Web Version Help............................................................................................. 10 1.6 Cognos Web Version Home Page................................................................................. 11 1.7 Cognos Cubes ................................................................................................................ 12 1.8 Cognos Reports.............................................................................................................. 18 1.9 Cognos Newsbox ........................................................................................................... 26 Appendix .............................................................................................................................. - 1 -

SCREENSHOTS
Financial Services August 2005 Cognos Web version User Guide

Screenshot 1.1.0: The Cognos Web login screen.......................................2 Screenshot 1.1.1: If you enter the incorrect login details you will see this screen..........................................................................................................2 Screenshot 1.1.2: If you have entered the correct login details you will see this screen ...........................................................................................3 Screenshot 1.2.0: If you want to change your password, find the Personalize button on this screen. ...........................................................4 Screenshot 1.2.1: The Personalized Screen. Use it to change your password by clicking on User...................................................................5 Screenshot 1.2.2: Use the User (Personalise) screen to change your password.....................................................................................................5 Screenshot 1.2.3: Screen to change your password on ..............................6 Screenshot 1.2.4: After changing your password, the screen will appear this way .......................................................................................................7 Screenshot 1.2.5: Homepage..........................................................................7 Screenshot 1.3.0: Homepage with Personalize item indication ..................8 Screenshot 1.3.1: Personalize screen ..........................................................8 Screenshot 1.3.2: Locale screen in the Personalise menu ..........................9 Screenshot 1.4.0: Home page with Log Off indication...............................10 Screenshot 1.4.1: Log Off screen.................................................................11 Screenshot 1.5.0: Help Screen .....................................................................11 Screenshot 1.6.0: Homepage with the most important folders for Financial Reporting..................................................................................12 Screenshot 1.6.1: Finance Reports folder content after clicking on the Finance Reports item on the Home page ...............................................13 Screenshot 1.7.0: Cognos Account Details Cube default view .................14 Screenshot 1.7.1: Dimensions at the top of the Account Details Cube screen........................................................................................................14 Screenshot 1.7.2: Dimensions at the side of the Account Details cube screen ...................................................................................................................15 Screenshot 1.7.3: List of Measures available in the Account Details Cube ...................................................................................................................16 Screenshot 1.7.4: Example of the time when the cube was last refreshed to give an indication of the last update to the data available ...............17 Screenshot 1.7.5: Account Details Cube bottom of the screen tools to support report building............................................................................17 Screenshot 1.7.6: Account Details Cube right bottom of the screen tools to support report building .......................................................................19 Screenshot 1.7.7: Screen to save your report/data in your newsbox .......19 Screenshot 1.8.0: Finance Reports folder content for your responsibility ...................................................................................................................20 Screenshot 1.8.1: Operating Statement Summary Query to be completed to run a report...........................................................................................21
Financial Services August 2005 Cognos Web version User Guide

Screenshot 1.8.2: Operating Statement Summary Report after submitting query .........................................................................................................22 Screenshot 1.8.3: Top of the screen when in Report output view ............23 Screenshot 1.8.4: Bottom of the screen when in Report output view ......23 Screenshot 1.8.5: Newsbox save item view ............................................23 Screenshot 1.8.6: Bottom of the Screen when in Report view showing the Explore button. ...............................................................................24 Screenshot 1.8.7: Cube format when using the Explore option from the Report view screen for the Operating Statement Summary Report. ...24 Screenshot 1.8.8: Bottom of the Screen when in Report view format using the change report settings button. ...........................................25 Screenshot 1.8.9: Modify Report view after using the change report settings button from the report view screen........................................25 Screenshot 1.8.10: Modify Report view after using the change report settings button from the report view screen showing the footnote at the bottom of each report. .......................................................................26 Screenshot 1.8.11: Menu of Reports available in the folder currently open when using the globe button from the Report view screen. ..........26 Screenshot 1.9.0: Menu of folders on Home Page including the Personal Newsbox folder.........................................................................................27 Screenshot 1.9.1: List of items in personal Newsbox. ...............................28 Screenshot 1.9.2: Menu at the top of the screen when in Newsbox view.28 Screenshot 1.9.3: Newsbox Properties view...............................................28

Financial Services August 2005

Cognos Web version User Guide

COGNOS WEB VERSION

Cognos Web Version is a reporting tool. The whole reporting application is running through the web but it does require that some other applications which are required to publish the reports with are available on your desktop. These applications include Acrobat Reader this application is used to publish Cognos Powerplay reports with once a query has been submitted. If this is your first time accessing Cognos through the web, please ensure that your desktop does include the program Acrobat Reader.

Note:

If you do not have Acrobat Reader on your desktop, please call the IT Helpdesk to supply the software.

The URL to access Cognos Web Version is http://cognos2.ecu.edu.au/cognos/cgi-bin/login.exe You are better off getting into the habit of using the link from the Financial Services web page Financial Applications (menu option) because direct links might change during upgrades.

Note:

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Cognos Web Version - Summary User Guide

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1.1 Logging into Cognos Web version

You need to have a Cognos Login and Password to log into Cognos through the web. You may want to change your login the facility is available to use at any time.

Screenshot 1.1.0: The Cognos Web login screen

Screenshot 1.1.1: If you enter the incorrect login details you will see this screen

Once you have successfully logged into the core application you should see the screen shown below.

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Screenshot 1.1.2: If you have entered the correct login details you will see this screen

1.2 Changing password in Cognos Web Version

1. Click on Personalize 2. Click on User 3. Click on Change Logon Password 4. Change Password and Click OK 5. Click on OK again to go to the Homepage

Note:

It is a good habit to change your password frequently every 6 weeks.

Click on Personalize.

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Screenshot 1.2.0: If you want to change your password, find the Personalize button on this screen.

The following screen will come up. Click on User.

Screenshot 1.2.1: The Personalized Screen. Use it to change your password by clicking on User

The next screen will be as per below. Click on Change Logon Password.

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Screenshot 1.2.2: Use the User (Personalise) screen to change your password

The following screen will appear.

Screenshot 1.2.3: Screen to change your password on

Change your password and click OK to get the following screen.

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Screenshot 1.2.4: After changing your password, the screen will appear this way

Click on OK to get back to the Home page.

Screenshot 1.2.5: Homepage

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1.3 Cognos Personalization

The Personalize menu item at the top of the screen provides opportunity to personalise the upfront when accessing Cognos Web Version. Click on Personalize again.

Screenshot 1.3.0: Homepage with Personalize item indication

Screenshot 1.3.1: Personalize screen

Explore the 3 choices by clicking on the 3 tabs.

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General: Most users will find the choices suitable and it is not required to change anything. User: This choice is the most important in this area for 2 reasons. 1. To change passwords.

2. To select the user area to access for reporting information. For example a user might have access to his/her Business unit information as well as some capital projects in the Central Universitys rollup.

Locale: Most users would not require changes in this area.

Screenshot 1.3.2: Locale screen in the Personalise menu

Click on the OK button at any stage to take you back to the Home Page.

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Note:

The Personalise screen will be required mostly to change passwords and to select the security profile level which give access to certain levels of data in Cognos.

1.4 Cognos Log Off

Select Log off from the top of the screen to log out of Cognos.

Screenshot 1.4.0: Home page with Log Off indication

You will be logged off and will have to log on again before being able to access reports. The following screen will be the outcome after clicking on the Log Off item.

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Screenshot 1.4.1: Log Off screen

1.5 Cognos Web Version Help

Select Help from the top of the screen (next to Home, Personalize and Log off) to get the Help screen below.

Screenshot 1.5.0: Help Screen

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Help is available on a wide variety of actions required in Cognos Web Version.

1.6 Cognos Web Version Home Page

The Home Page will show the main folders in Cognos you will have more or less of these available depending on your job requirements.

Screenshot 1.6.0: Homepage with the most important folders for Financial Reporting

Important folders from a Financial Services perspective at this stage will be: Finance Reports Envisage folders (budget information)

Note:

There are other folders for other systems and or reporting available from the same screen. There might be folders for prior year budget systems as well. For pure financial reporting Finance Reports is the most important folder.

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Click on Finance Reports to obtain the folders and cubes for Financial Reporting.

Screenshot 1.6.1: Finance Reports folder content after clicking on the Finance Reports item on the Home page

Take note of the following icons used for identification.

for Reports.

for Cubes. for Folders. All Cognos Powerplay reports need to run on a particular cube as main data source.

Note:

The month end financial reports run on the Account Details Cube.

1.7 Cognos Cubes

Click on the Account Details Cube to get the cube default as per below.
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Screenshot 1.7.0: Cognos Account Details Cube default view

The cube provides opportunity for analysis and ad hoc reporting.

The options at the top of the page is called dimensions.

Screenshot 1.7.1: Dimensions at the top of the Account Details Cube screen

All periods for each year (January December ) for all the years (1998 2005) The whole organisation of ECU drilling down with pull down list gives access to all the business units, faculties, schools, cost centres, project codes etc. The whole chart drilling down to different account codes (revenue, expenditure, assets, liabilities, owners equity)

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Any budget versions in the current Oracle FMIS system can be selected. Specific activity codes can be chosen when doing analysis or building reports (AT, BC, AR etc) Specific location codes can be chosen when doing analysis or building reports (00, 01, 02 etc) Measures indicate the type of data required in the report. For example Period Only or YearToDate.

The values in each dimension can be selected by using the pull down lists next to each dimension item.

The same dimensions are found on the left side of the screen.

Screenshot 1.7.2: Dimensions at the side of the Account Details cube screen

MEASURES is a very important dimension as it allows the type of data to be displayed for example YTD, Period total.

Click on the + next to the MEASURES dimension to display the list of measures available in this cube.

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Screenshot 1.7.3: List of Measures available in the Account Details Cube

Note:

Ensure that you use a particular dimension either from the top of the screen or the side and not both unless you are trying to get subsets of information in the final output.

Explore the other dimensions by clicking on the + next to the dimension title on the leftside of the screen or by clicking on the pulldown list next to each dimension at the top of the screen.

Note:

Please take extreme care when using measures as to ensure that the correct measure is used for the required final output.

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The time the cube was last refreshed will be shown at the top of the screen and cube to give some indication of the data to be expected.

Screenshot 1.7.4: Example of the time when the cube was last refreshed to give an indication of the last update to the data available

Reports can be built by using options: By clicking and dragging By using the drill down on the dimensions at the top The many icons at the bottom of the screen may also support the building of the reports. Keep your cursor on the icon to get a pop up message re the meaning of the icon.

Explore by clicking on it.

Screenshot 1.7.5: Account Details Cube bottom of the screen tools to support report building

Crosstab Choice of Crosstab or Indented Crosstab

Chart Choice of different chart types Split Vies Table and Chart on same screen

Display Options Calculation Hide/Show

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Swap rows and columns. Zero Suppression Filter to hide the zero columns and/or rows 80/20 Suppression - Filter on the 80-20 rule. Custom Exception Highlighting Prepare Bookmark Explain Find Help File Export to CSV or PDF etc. Agent Drill Through

There are also 2 icons at the bottom right hand side of the screen which are important in moving around in Cognos Web Version.

Screenshot 1.7.6: Account Details Cube right bottom of the screen tools to support report building

Save - To save your data/report on the screen in your newsbox. Return to Source Click on the Save icon.
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The screen below will come up to allow you to save the data/report on your screen in your newsbox.

Screenshot 1.7.7: Screen to save your report/data in your newsbox

If you click on the Globe icon, you will go back to the menu where you can select a different cube or report.

1.8 Cognos Reports

Go to the Finance Reports folder on the Home Page.
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Screenshot 1.8.0: Finance Reports folder content for your responsibility

Note:

You might have more or less of the content in the Finance Reports folder depending on your area of responsibility.

All the standard monthly reports are run from this screen. The reports include the following: Operating Statement Summary Operating Statement Subcategory Operating Statement Account Details Rollup Summary Report

Click on for example Operating Statement Summary report to get the following screen.

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Screenshot 1.8.1: Operating Statement Summary Query to be completed to run a report

Select or confirm the Period, Org Unit, Budget, Activity code and Location code. The Activity code and Location code normally do not require changing unless for a very specific reason. The current budget is normally the default in the Budget dimension. The current completed period is normally the default in the Period dimension. The Org Unit is normally the dimension to be adjusted while the others are left the same.

Zero suppression might be applied to make the actual output less. The best way for the current reports available is to select the row suppression only. Use short headings refer to the shortening of certain titles which are set up in the system with very long titles. Click OK. The output (report) will be in .pdf format and will look something as per below. The file can be saved as .pdf or printed.

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Screenshot 1.8.2: Operating Statement Summary Report after submitting query

The top of the screen provide the following options.

Screenshot 1.8.3: Top of the screen when in Report output view

The top part relates to the normal Web Explorer options while the lower part include the normal .PDF options.

The bottom of the screen provide the following options.

Screenshot 1.8.4: Bottom of the screen when in Report output view

The save icon newsbox. Click the save icon.

gives you the opportunity to save the report in your

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Screenshot 1.8.5: Newsbox save item view

To move to the cube from the report view, click on the explore button. . Some reports depending how it was set up, will reflect in the cube in report format while the rest will view in a format similar to the cube default format.

Screenshot 1.8.6: Bottom of the Screen when in Report view showing the Explore button.

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Screenshot 1.8.7: Cube format when using the Explore option from the Report view screen for the Operating Statement Summary Report.

If you want to save this report as a csv file, click on File icon

If you want to change the report settings, click on Change Report Settings icon while in the report.

Screenshot 1.8.8: Bottom of the Screen when in Report view format using the change report settings button.

Apply the changes on the query and submit the report again. This option is handy when the same report is required for various cost centres or project codes.

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Screenshot 1.8.9: Modify Report view after using the change report settings button from the report view screen.

The reports normally have a footnote with information on the report and the timing characteristics of the data. For example

Screenshot 1.8.10: Modify Report view after using the change report settings button from the report view screen showing the footnote at the bottom of each report.

To get back to the menu with other reports, click on the globe button at the bottom of the screen in report view.

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Screenshot 1.8.11: Menu of Reports available in the folder currently open when using the globe button from the Report view screen.

The other reports in the Finance Reports folder can be run in the same way as the example followed through for Operating Statement Summary. Some users (or logins) also may have customised folders with customised mostly fixed reports for their specific Business Unit (Faculties and Centres) in the Finance Reports folder.

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1.9 Cognos Newsbox

Click on Cognos Home Page and find your personal newsbox on the left of the screen.

Screenshot 1.9.0: Menu of folders on Home Page including the Personal Newsbox folder.

Click on the newsbox with your name (or login) next to it, to open the personal Newsbox.

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Screenshot 1.9.1: List of items in personal Newsbox.

The different items in the personal newsbox will be unique for every user (or login) depending on what the relevant user to save in the newsbox. The newsbox has different options at the top of the screen.

Screenshot 1.9.2: Menu at the top of the screen when in Newsbox view.

To view the options , click on Newsbox Properties.

Screenshot 1.9.3: Newsbox Properties view.

The properties in the newsbox does not require changes from the user.

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Appendix 1
Saving report as a custom view of the Standard link.
Saving Powerplay Custom reports based on Standard Operating Statement Account Details link: Note that under the SET Operating Statements Newsbox: There are two items at the bottom of the page which are links to Standard Operating Statement Account Details report and the Standard Operating Statement Summary reports:

From the News Index, select Operating Statement Account Details and click on Action button. This will bring up the following screen:

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Now select Source Actions.

On the next screen Select: Create Custom View of this report. On the next screen,

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Enter the name and description for the report.

And click on OK. The new report will now appear on the news Index as below:

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Now Click on the report. This will bring up the report parameter screen.

Select the correct Org Hierarchy structure code ( Faculty/School/Cost Centre/Project etc), Zero suppression if required etc.

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Then click on OK. This will run the run and the system will display the report in pdf format as below.

Now click on the save button on the right hand side. This will save the report with your selection parameters.

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Now click on the Back button: This will save the report parameters you selected. You can now run the report and it will have the correct Accounting Period.

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