Running a report

Run your report to see the data that is retrieved. Save time by validating it first to check for errors.

You can also run a report or a group of reports in IBM® Cognos Connection. Furthermore, you can save report outputs to a file system. For more information, see the IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Administration and Security Guide.

You can specify not to render a report page if it does not contain any data.

When you run a report in an export format such as PDF, delimited text (CSV), Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software (XLS), the IBM Cognos report name is used as the exported file name.

If you run a report that uses functions or features not supported by the data source, an error message appears. We recommend that you periodically test your reports while you author them in IBM Cognos Report Studio to ensure that you do not encounter multiple error messages when you run the report.

Procedure

Open a report.
If you want to clear parameter values stored on the IBM Cognos Business Intelligence server, from the File menu, click Clear Parameter Values.
Parameter values stored by the IBM Cognos BI server include signon, validation, and prompt information. For example, if you define two data source connections in IBM Cognos Connection that point to the same data source, you are prompted to choose one when you run a report. This information is stored so that you are not prompted each time you run the report.
If you want to view only the tabular data, click Run > View Tabular Data.
If the report contains multiple queries, you must first click an object, such as a list or crosstab, that uses the query for which you want to view the tabular data.

Use this command to ensure that the right results appear. For example, you create a calculation and you want to ensure it is giving you the results you want.

Tip: You can also view tabular data in Query Explorer, which is useful when you are building queries.
If you want to set run options, from the Run menu, click Run Options.
The default value is the value of the selected corresponding run option in IBM Cognos Connection.

Note: The run options that you set apply only to the current session. When you close Report Studio, the options return to the default settings.

Change any values for the current session.

Option	Description
Format	Specify to change the default format from HTML.
Paper size	Specify only if the output format is PDF.
Paper orientation	Specify only if the output format is PDF.
Data mode	Specify how much data is returned: All Data returns all data. Limited Data limits the amount of data returned based on design mode filters defined in the package. No Data returns artificial data instead of actual data from the data source. For more information about design mode filters, see the IBM Cognos Framework Manager User Guide.
Language	The content language sets the preferred language for the data, IBM Cognos Viewer, dates, and so on.
Rows per page	Specifies the number of rows to appear on each page. A Rows Per Page property exists in the Properties pane for lists and crosstabs. If you set this property, the setting overrides the same-named run option. This property applies to both HTML and PDF outputs. For more information about this property, see Controlling the Rows Per Page for Multiple Containers in HTML and PDF.
Prompt	Select to be prompted for each prompt defined unless the prompt is defined in a report page. If you clear the Prompt check box, you are prompted only if the report cannot run without user intervention. For example, if a report has a single parameterized filter that is optional, you are not prompted when you run the report.
Include accessibility features	Specifies whether accessibility features, such as alternate text on images and charts and summary text in tables, are included in the report output. This option is also used for conditional layouts in Report Studio. When the option is selected, you can specify that a crosstab is rendered as an accessible alternate to a chart. For more information about how to create accessible reports, see Considerations to Improve Report Accessibility.
Enable bidirectional support	Specifies whether to enable bidirectional support in the report output. Tip: You can also enable bidirectional support in Cognos Connection by modifying your user preferences (My Preferences link). If you enable bidirectional support in Cognos Connection, this run option will be automatically selected.

From the Run menu, click one of the options to produce the report in the format you want.
You can produce a report in HTML, PDF, CSV, various Microsoft Excel formats, and XML. You cannot produce a report in CSV format if you have more than one query defined in the report unless the additional queries are used for prompts.

Restriction: The formats that are available depend on the capabilities set by the administrator for each user. You may not be able to run reports in all formats. For more information, see the IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Administration and Security Guide or contact your administrator.

Results

The report runs in IBM Cognos Viewer. Once the report has finished running, you can run the report again in the same format or in a different format. If you run the report again in CSV or XLS format, the report will appear in a new browser window.