In this blog post, I will describe the step-by-step recovery of a corrupted or misplaced IBM Cognos Framework Manager model. These steps will create an XML file, then run a report against the package of the lost Framework Manager model or project. Next, as you create a blank new project, the necessary files that are created with this process can be replaced, and using the CQEConfig.xml file, the lost or corrupted Framework Manager model can be retrieved.

This method will work for Cognos 8 and Cognos 10.
 
In the current Cognos environment, modify the CQEConfig.xml file as shown here:

 
 
If the file does not exist in the location above, you can create an XML file with the following content:

 
 
Stop the Cognos services and rename the “RTModels” directory to “Original_RTModels”, as shown here:

 
 
Now, restart the Cognos services from Cognos Configuration:

 
 
Launch Report Studio from Cognos Connection and create a new report using the package for which the model needs to be recovered:

 
 

 
 
As the report runs, verify that a new “RTModels” folder has been created, as shown. This folder should also contain an XML file, which needs to be used in the next few steps:

 
 
Remove the CQEConfig.xml file created in the first step.

Stop the Cognos services.

Now, move the newly created “RTModels” directory to another location (desktop).

Now, rename the “Original_RTModels” folder back to “RTModels” and re-start Cognos services.

 
 

Once these steps have been accomplished, in the metadata modeling tool, Framework Manager, create and save a new empty project, as shown here:

 
 

Close this model.
 
Explore into the folder containing the newly created empty project and change the model.xml file to model.xml.origin.

 

Copy the XML file created in the previous step into the Framework Manager project directory and rename it to model.xml (Note: the model.xml.origin will still exist).

This will enable opening the lost Framework Manager model.
 

Want to learn more about Framework Manager?
Take advantage of our Online Cognos Training Framework Manager course available every month, through our easy-to-use remote training classroom, and taught by our certified Cognos instructors. Visit our online training course catalog, or email us at training@performanceg2.com for more information, and to register for your Framework Manager training.

 
 
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1>     Undo/Redo – This feature helps users to undo and redo changes made to data cells in their TM1 cubes. A useful feature when dealing with complex data spreading techniques.

2>     Pick List – TM1 now gives the ability to create pick lists per cell in cube views. Pick list contain a set of values that are menu driven and users select the values from a drop down list. These lists can be populated manually or by TM1 Rules.

3>     Sandboxes – A functionality that brings out the true “what-if” scenario feature in TM1.

4>     TM1 Contributor – A new interface that eases the transition for Cognos Enterprise Planning users to get familiar with TM1

5>     Data Reservation – An alternate method of dynamically controlling write-access to cube views instead of dynamically adjusting TM1 security to achieve the same

6>     Parallel Integration – Increasing concurrent read-write operations on cube objects

Of the new features, let’s take a look at using Sandboxes in TM1. Sandbox gives the data contributor the ability to create data layers on top of the base data, which is primarily used for “what-if” scenario testing. A much awaited functionality that saves development efforts, tightens the finance workflow process, brings trust & confidence in the submitted data and reduces strain on the TM1 server. Frequent direct write-backs to the TM1 cubes slow the overall performance whereas; sandboxes can be used to reduce the risks of a slow performing environment, when used correctly.
 

Here is how it works:

In a situation where modifications to cells in a cube were viewed by the entire user community, the sandbox plays a role in enabling users to modify cell values, work on budget processes and modify data without any other users being able to see the data changes until and unless the data changes were approved and intended for the entire user community – a commit action would send the modifications back to the TM1 server replacing the base data.

In this scenario – a data contributor is looking to create a sandbox off the base version to make data changes that calculate an impact by increasing the Quantity Sold for a certain product by region. As the numbers check out correct, the contributor then commits the changes to the base view.

The user creates a Sandbox by clicking on the drop down on the top right corner of the cube view window. Sandboxes can also be created in excel using the same methodology. Depending on the version of Microsoft Excel (2003, 2007, 2010) the Sandbox icon position changes but generally should be on the top left side of the Excel interface.

Click on Create Sandbox. This option will create a layer on top of the cube view data. This new data layer (or Sandbox) will be viewable by the creator and can be used for “what-if” scenario testing. The selected rectangle for the months of January, February and March for Indirect Stores are to be modified. Note the black font.

Appropriately name the Sandbox in the pop-up window.

 
 
Any changes made to the cells appear as a default blue font.

 
 
Click on Calculate to view the new scenario. The blue font cells denote changes made to the data within the Sandbox, keeping the base numbers constant and unchanged to the rest of the user community.

 
 
By selecting the drop down – one can switch between the base view and Sandbox view without affecting the cells or changing data on the base view.

 
 
Switching back and forth to the base view from any Sandbox, does not change the cell values in the base view, as shown below:

 
 
In situations where an existing Sandbox underdoes an approval process, a new Sandbox can be created from an existing Sandbox. Another use would be to ensure any new changes do not affect data modifications from another “what-if” version.

 
In the screenshot below, notice a new Sandbox with modified cell values, different from the base and Sandbox 1 view.
 

 
 
Let’s go back to the base view. Switching between any Sandbox and Base value does not change the data.

 
Deleting a sandbox can be accomplished by selecting “Delete Sandbox” from the drop down icon.
 

 
 
Select the view to delete and click “OK”

 
 
Upon confirmation and approval of the data changes by clicking on the “Commit” icon – changes the base view. The commit icon should be used when data changes need to be promoted to the entire user community, as shown.

 
 
These features are also available if you are using TM1’s excel interface. As you start creating Sandboxes, it must be noted that Sandboxes are not a copy of the base view but an overlay of the base data. Sandbox enables the data contributors to write back to the TM1 database in a personal workspace environment and commit the changes, when promoting versions to the user community.

From an Administration point of view – usage of additional RAM memory and hard disk space increases as Sandbox functionality is implemented. You can control the amount of memory used per Sandbox in the TM1s.cfg (TM1 configuration file located in the installation folder).

The parameter responsible for defining the sandbox size per user is: MaximumUserSandboxSize

The maximum size per user on a Sandbox is 100MB on a 32 bit environment and a 500MB on a 64 bit environment. To allow for maximum amount of memory allocation, set the value equal to “n”.

Enabling and disabling this feature is controlled within the TM1 configuration file under the parameter:
DisableSandboxing. By default this value is set to F (for False).

TM1 Sandboxes are stored in a sub-folder within the data directory of the TM1 server. It is always good practice to backup this subfolder, along with the TM1 data directory.
 
 
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Gartner defines BI as an umbrella term spanning the people, processes and applications to organize information, enable access to it and analyze it to improve decisions and management performance. An ideal BI solution provides the right information to the right people at the right time in a user preferred medium. The source of the information (i.e. enterprise data warehouse, planning, real-time, etc.) is not pertinent.

Traditional BI delivers historic information to assist in making more informed decisions impacting tomorrow. For instance, a sales manager might want to see monthly revenue for a business unit as compared to prior year actuals and current year plan to create next year’s plan.

According to Thomas Davenport, and Jeanne Harris, authors of Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning, BA refers to the skills, technologies, applications and practices for continuous iterative exploration and investigation of past business performance to gain insight and drive business planning. With business analytics, the data output is forward looking and predictive in nature. The output is used to assist organizations in making informed decisions by providing insight into the future. Think of BA as a crystal ball used to foresee business outcomes.

Analytics assists an organization by applying advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to analyze historic information. The goal is to drive organizational efficiencies and overall improvement. A true analytic solutions will help an organization to tackle their most complex problems and create unique, predictive capabilities, driving intelligent decisions. For instance, we would use analytics to determine how business unit revenue is trending statistically in an effort to predict future period plan.

The challenge is how to provide analytics output for executives and business managers to assist them in making informed decisions. An integrated BA and BI systems provides organizations with pertinent historic and analytic information at the right time, for the right people within in a specific medium. In the past, analytic output was controlled by statisticians and analytics who then create disconnected reports and deliver a slice of the output to select users. When organizations take this approach to analytics, valuable output is often not distributed to the people who needed it the most.

To provide analytic output successfully to the right people, the two systems must be highly integrated. This is the case with the complimentary IBM tools, Cognos BI and SPSS analytics. One of the many examples of integration is where Cognos 10 now offers a subset of the SPSS statistical engine as part of the BI suite. This level of integration allows an organization to deliver forward looking analytics using dashboards, reports and analysis driving informed decisions and thus, higher value from the system investments through improved business outcomes.

 
For more information, or questions on Business Intelligence and Business Analytics, contact us at info@performanceg2.com.

Plus, don’t miss out on the year’s premier Cognos BI and Business Analytics conference! Register before August 31 with PerformanceG2 discount code, G11PERFG2 to save $400. And visit our booth number 1101 during the event on October 23 – 27 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, for free demos, to hear the latest and greatest in BI and much more!
 
 
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When building a chart in Report Studio, some smaller contributing items can now be easily grouped together based on rules that you define. Of course, this could have been accomplished in Cognos 8, but you would have to define your own logic statements.

For the following example, I will be building a chart using the Cognos 8 sample data. *NOTE: When opening up Cognos 10 Report Studio using models that were built in Cognos 8, you will have to go to “Tools > Options > Advanced Options”, and un-check “use legacy chart authoring”.

1. Start by choosing the default column chart.
2. Add revenue as the measure.
3. Add product type as the categories.
4. Running the report results in the following chart:
 

 
5. You will notice that some product types hardly contributed to the overall revenue when compared to some of the better selling product types. There are a few choices on how to handle these. With the chart selected, under the general section of the properties pane, there is a new property called “Summarize Small Items”.
 

 
For this example, I put the maximum items to be displayed at 11. This will give me the top 10, plus another column that will be the total summarization. You could also choose to summarize smaller items based on a percentage threshold, or by absolute values.

6. After the property changes, this is the new output:
 

 
 
 
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Here are some differentiators and value, to prove how this application is a huge bang for your BI buck:
 

• Helps drive performance rather than just present information. This is a corporate performance management application designed to align operational metrics with higher level strategies. You can ensure that all levels of your organization are all working towards the correct, shared goals. A thoughtful implementation of this app drives performance in the right direction by use of explicit links between metrics and strategies, cause and effect diagrams, and simple red light / green light performance at a glace. Additionally, each metric needs an owner, so accountability is brought to the forefront as well.

 

• Quick to market. It’s easily overlooked how quickly you can roll out a Metric Studio application. In terms of development, there are really three main distinct chunks of work related to rolling out the app: (1) install/configure, (2) create the scorecarding environment and (3) load the data. I have implemented large scale scorecarding apps in less than two weeks, which is very quick. Keep in mind, there are additional considerations that need to be evaluated too (not to minimize the scope), such as how to feed data on an ongoing basis.

 

• Out-of-the-box value adds. Each Metric Studio app has its own performance application or head start. That is, once you do the initial setup/configuration and load work, an FM package is automatically created and published based on the Metric Studio application data itself. You automatically get some valuable audit and dashboard type reports that extend the presentation abilities of the application itself. If you use Cognos 10, you can quickly and easily add these dashboard components to Business Insight and expose via the Cognos portal. The auto-generated FM model is useful as is, but can also be extended to whatever degree you would like.

 

• System of record for performance management data. This application needs three main pieces of data for each metric: (1) actual, (2) target and (3) tolerance. Often times, getting at actual metric values is not too difficult, but pieces like target and tolerance are not as nearly as accessible. Many times, this data exists only in spreadsheets. By pulling actual, target and tolerance data into metric store for key leading and lagging metrics, the metric store can then become the true system of record for disparate target and even actual data. There are many ways to load data into this applications – you can event open up the front end to select users to manually input target or actual numbers, if you would like. This is particularly helpful for those hard to capture measures that do not exist elsewhere.

 

• Truly effective information at a glance. The use of clear performance indicators (red, yellow and green spotlights) and trend indicators (green up arrow and red down arrow) make for a quick understanding of how your metrics are doing. Clever hover-over’s that show 12 months of bar chart data for a metric, allow for a bit deeper understanding. Impact diagrams and default reports allow for an even deeper understanding via guided analysis. End users are able to use the application in whatever way is most meaningful for them.

 

• Graceful presentation of mixed grain metrics. The ability to view ‘most recent values’ allows for a clean, meaningful view of associated metrics, regardless of how often they are gathered. Naturally, different metrics are measured at different time grains (annual customer surveys, monthly financial $’s, daily order totals, etc.). In a standard report, displaying these metrics with different time dimension attributes is tricky. This is not he case in Metric Studio – users can select a specific year, quarter, month, day, or ‘most recent values’.

 
What do you think? Comment on this post and tell me your thoughts on Metric Studio.
 
 
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While organizations focus on utilizing Cognos software to its fullest through training and best practices, it is also important to think about your Cognos system’s overall health to ensure that the architecture is stable, logical, clean and fully-functional.

Through PerformanceG2′s Cognos Health Check service, your system is assessed by certified technical specialists who know what they are doing, know what they are looking for and can provide recommendations on how you can get your system cleaned up. They do this by reviewing the overall system and architecture through a validation process, scan the content store for corruption, check for broken reports and inconsistencies, identify broken links and run a variety of other diagnostics to offer a full-view, and grade of the health of your Cognos platform.

To take advantage of our Cognos Health Check service, call us at (877) 742-4276 or email us at info@performanceg2.com and see how you can get started.
 


 
 
 
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Better performance will be realized by using parameters and prompts within Model Query Subjects, filter objects or stand alone calculations. This will allow for better SQL generation than inserting them within the SQL of a Datasource Query Subject.

These recommendations lead to better SQL generation, which in turn, leads to better performance.

Nearly any prompting can be done in a Model Query Subject:
[Product dimension].[Product line].[PRODUCT_LINE_CODE] =
#prompt(‘Product Line Code’, ‘integer’, ‘1’)#

Same with Calculations:
Case [Product dimension].[Product line].[PRODUCT_LINE_CODE]
When #prompt(‘Target Product Line Code’, ‘integer’, ‘1’)# then 1
Else 0
End

The added benefit of placing prompts in a stand alone calculation is that if the report author does not use the calculation, then the prompt is no longer needed. There is no need to add this case statement to the Base SQL.

When using calculations and filter objects in Model Query Subjects or as stand alone objects, the Datasource Query Subjects can be left untouched. This means the SQL remains minimized and eliminates the need to fetch metadata.

 
 
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When using IBM Cognos 8.4 as a data source for Transformer, use the following guidelines to achieve efficient cube build times:

• If filtering and/or calculations are required, use Cognos 8 reports as the data source
• Create separate data sources in Transformer for each required dimension as well as for measures
• Include foreign keys found in fact tables to transformer modelers
• Avoid unnecessary local data processing on IBM Cognos 8 servers

 
Use IBM Cognos 8 Reports when Filters and/or Calculations are Required

While you can request that the IBM Cognos Framework Manager modeler include certain filters and calculations in an IBM Cognos 8 package, this requires extra maintenance on the Framework Manager modeler’s part. Instead, Transformer modelers can use list reports that incorporate filters/prompts and calculations as needed. If prompts are used in the report, Transformer modelers can control which filters are applied when the PowerCubes are built.

Regardless of whether the work is done in the Framework Manager model or in a report, the net gain remains the same; where supported, processing will be pushed to the database and the load on Transformer will be reduced. If filters/prompts are used, then Transformer will deal with a reduced record set, thereby decreasing build times.

Using reports allows for a greater degree of control to meet requirements and removes the need for additional development support.
 
Create Separate Queries in Transformer
When using a package as a data source in Transformer, individual queries should be created based on the data sources for the cube; one for each required dimension and one or more for the measures depending on how many underlying fact tables there are and what the business need is.

When using a report as a data source, either use separate list reports, again, one for each dimension and one or more for the measures, or create separate list report queries in one report. Then in Transformer, a query is created for each of the separate list reports or separate list queries within a single report.
 
Expose Fact Table Foreign Keys in the Package
Typically, foreign keys found in the tact table are not presented in the fact query subjects in a Cognos 8 FM model. Either they are not included in the model query subject, or they are hidden form the user. For most ad hoc query users or report authors, they provide little benefit and can cause confusion. To prevent confusion to the larger authoring audience, security can be used to expose the keys to a select group of authors only. For example, only Transformer modelers. In certain cases such as with Tranformer modelers, there is a clear benefit to exposing the foreign keys to the users. It will be more efficient to create a measures data source in Transformer that takes its keys from the actually fact table, rather than from its related dimension tables. In this way, the query will go against one table in the data source, rather than several. The database may rewrite the query to be more efficient before executing it, but a a general rule of thumb, the cleaner the SQL Cognos submits to the database, the more likely an efficient query will be run at the database layer which takes advantage of database optimization.
 
Avoid Unnecessary Local Data Processing on IBM Cognos 8 Servers
Certain query scenarios may require data processing on IBM Cognos 8 servers. In some of these cases, performance is not an issue and may even be required to produce a result set where a database vendor does not support the query. However, there are cases where local processing can adversely affect query performance and in turn, affect PowerCube build times. A typical example of this is when a function that is not supported by the database vendor is used in a calculation. This will cause a retrieval of the entire data set from the database and then perform the calculation locally on the Cognos 8 servers. To rectify the situation, use an equivalent function that is supported by the database vendor.

To see if local processing is occurring for a slow performing query, there are a couple of troubleshooting techniques. One is to look at the Cognos SQL generated for the query and compare it to the Native SQL. This can be done in Framework Manager or in Report Studio. Actions being performed in the Cognos SQL and not in the Native SQL indicate that processing is done locally. Another technique is to set query processing to Database Only. In Framework Manager this setting is found in the properties of the Data Source objects and is called Query Processing. In Report Studio, the setting is found in the properties of the query and is called Processing. When the setting is set to Database Only, an error will be generated in cases where the query can not be fully pushed to the database. The error will typically identify the offending time preventing the push to the database.

NOTE: This is based upon the IBM Best Practices Document which can be found at: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/data/library/cognos/modeling/transformer/page512.html?ca=drs-
 
 
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A few weeks ago, one of our clients approached us with a situation where invoice reports that went our to their customers who bought products via a Web site, were eating up their budgeted office supplies allocations more than they had expected. In a way, this was good news as sales figures were up, however the sales numbers would look more attractive if internal costs were down too.

One solution that we proposed to our client to meet this challenge was to create invoice reports in IBM Cognos Report Studio and distribute them via an automated nightly email process rather than a daily chore of printing out invoices and analyzing and calculating shipments, which can be time consuming and cumbersome tasks, especially for invoices going to global clientele.

PerformanceG2 took upon the challenge of creating this highly customized and extremely detailed invoice report in Report Studio version 8.4. With the use of singletons, which are data items that can be placed anywhere on the pixel perfect Web based reporting tool, and with the use of blocks, tables and various conditional statements to customize the report to include business rules for specialized groups of customers (e.g., domestic versus international, currency conversions, changing address lines, etc.), we delivered to our client The Invoice Report.

Report delivery was decided to go out in PDF format as an email attachment. For this, we used a feature in Report Studio known as “bursting”. The burst feature is used to run a report and divide the output based on a burst key, in this case, unique invoice numbers, which then generate multiple outputs inclusive of security features for each of these invoices. Therefore, this one developed report was to generate thousands of invoices per month and email them out to their respective customers daily, eliminating human errors and postal delivery delays all while significantly reducing printing costs, paper and my favorite: terminating the extremely time consuming task of folding these paper invoices and carefully placing them into envelopes. In addition, in the event a scheduled job halts, or is not completed in the specified time, an alert is sent out to the concerned owners who can take appropriate actions to rectify any inconsistencies before they reach the far end.

In the end, the challenge was met, the project was a success, and the project is now in production to our client’s and their customers’ satisfaction. With the use of Cognos Event Studio, and some creative green thinking, we have handed ownership of this project to our client.

 
 
 
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Cognos TM1 is designed to fix many of the current EP challenges. The time is now to make your Cognos EP to TM1 conversion, and with IBM’s limited time offer of an EP license trade-in promotion, you can receive a TM1 Contributor license for every EP Contributor license you currently own, making the process easier and cost-efficient for your organization.
 

 
Why convert to Cognos TM1? Here are just some reason why your organization should make the move:

1. TM1 allows for a more scalable solution which provides for easier handling of increased volumes of data, unlike its predecessors
2. TM1 functions in real-time, providing on-demand updates and forecasting capabilities
3. TM1 incorporates the breadth of Cognos 8 Studios for optimal reporting capabilities
4. TM1′s cutting edge financial analysis and reporting capabilities is backed by its powerful database engine that delivers comprehensive views of your organization’s financial picture
5. Migrating Cognos EP to TM1 could never be easier and more cost-efficient with IBM’s limited time conversion offer

Read more about the TM1 Advantage, TM1′s new features and how you can start your EP to TM1 migration by downloading our EP to TM1 Fact Sheet. Learn more about how you can save and get started with your migration, also get all of your questions about the process answered - connect with one of our TM1 experts today by emailing us at info@performanceg2.com or call 877.742.4276.
 
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