Example - Work with IBM Cognos Content in Microsoft Excel

You use IBM® Cognos® for Microsoft Office to access IBM Cognos content in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software. In Excel, you can work with and add value to existing IBM Cognos reports, apply calculations, and use your existing Microsoft Excel macros. When you reconnect to the IBM Cognos server, you can refresh the data to obtain the latest information. You can also import content into Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word.

IBM Cognos security is maintained in your Microsoft Office environment. For example, if you share a Microsoft Excel workbook with coworkers, when they connect to the IBM Cognos server to retrieve or refresh data, their security permissions retrieve the appropriate data.

This exercise shows how to

  • Import IBM Cognos content into a Microsoft Excel workbook
  • Refresh data
  • Publish a workbook to IBM Cognos Connection

You want to import the information from the two IBM Cognos Query Studio sample reports named Return Quantity by Product Line and Return Quantity by Product Line Chart into Microsoft Excel.

To perform this exercise, you must have the appropriate licensing and security permissions. IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office as well as the .NET framework must be installed and configured on your computer.

Things to notice:

  • You use IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office to import IBM Cognos report elements, such as headers, footers, images, lists, and charts in your Microsoft Excel workbook. You can import elements from different reports into the same workbook.
  • When you save your workbook, you can save it with or without data.
  • You can publish workbooks to IBM Cognos Connection so that other users can access them.

Procedure

  1. Start Microsoft Excel. The IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office pane appears.
  2. To begin using IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office, on the toolbar, click the Logon icon, select the server that you want to connect to, type your user ID and password, and click OK.
  3. Import the sample reports Return Quantity by Product Line and Return Quantity by Product Line Chart in the workbook:
    1. In the IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office pane, click the Browse Content tab.
    2. Expand Public Folders, Samples, Models, GO Data Warehouse (analysis), Query Studio Report Samples, and click Returns Quantity by Product Line.
    3. Click Import content.

      In the Import Content window, you can select the specific report elements that you want to import. You want to keep the default selections.

    4. Click Finish.
    5. Repeat the steps for the Return Quantity by Product Line Chart report.
    An example of the Return Quantity by Product Line and Return Quantity by Product Line Chart reports in Microsoft Excel.

    The reports appear in the workbook.

  4. Refresh the data in the report:
    1. In the IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office pane, click the Manage Data tab. In the Imported report elements box, you can see all the elements in your workbook and their properties.
    2. Right-click the report and click Refresh Data and Formatting.

      Because the sample database is static, the report contents do not actually change.

  5. Publish the workbook to My Folders in IBM Cognos Connection:
    1. Save the workbook on your computer.

      Tip: To save the workbook without data, right-click the report and click Remove Data. You can refresh all data later.

    2. From the IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office toolbar, click the publish icon.
    3. In the Publish window, select the IBM Cognos Business Intelligence server where you want to save the report, and click Publish.

    The workbook now appears in IBM Cognos Connection. To open a workbook from IBM Cognos Connection, select it and save it locally to your computer.

What to do next

For information about working with IBM Cognos content in Microsoft Office, see the IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office online help.

Parent topic: IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Examples