Cognos Interview Questions:

What is the security module used in cognos?

The security module used in cognos is cognos access manager.

What is report burn and where it occurs?

Report can be divided into different parts and sending these different parts of report to
different users. It occurs in cognos connection.

What is difference between drill through and drill down?

DRILL THROUGH ALLOWS U TO NAVIGATE FROM SUMMARY TO DETAILED INFORMATION.

DRILL DOWN ALSO SIMILAR KIND OF THING,

FOR EXAMPLE WILL DO DRILL DOWN ON YEAR IF We DRILL DOWN ON THIS THE NEXT
LEVEL WILL COME MEANS YEAR CONTAINS QUATERS, IT CONTAINS

MONTHS,
MONTHS CONTAINS WEEKS,
WEEK CONTAINS DAYS.

SO,WE CAN VIEW ALL THE LEVELS THROUGH DRILL DOWN

For example I developed some reports on employee package now I have to develop same
reports to another package.

How can I change reports to another package?

Open that report and save as that reportSelect public folder and then select package in
which package u want to save then save it.

How to create users and permissions in cognos?

Users and Permissions can be given in Access manager - Administration.

Individual users can be created using their names or their Ids (if any) in Access manager
and then be given permissions.

This tool is loaded when you install Cognos 7.x in your machine.

In content manager--we have one component called cognos process manager, using
process manager we can integrate with third party tools like LDAP or NTLM. we cannot
create users in reportnet directly. in real time we can use LDAP.

What is the difference between macros and prompt?

Macro is set of instructions to run report.

Prompt is just like a dialog box which will ask user to select/enter the information what he
needs.

A MACRO IS RUN TIME PARAMETER WHICH CAN BE PLACED IN ANY PART OF SQL SELECT
STATEMENT,WHERE AS PROMPT IS USED TO GIVE CONDITIONS.

What is Cognos Visualizer and Cognos Scripting?

Cognos scripting is like a language, with this we will create macros, Macro is a set of
instructions to run a report.

Cognos Visualizer is a tool for creating charts(bar, pie, histogram......) & maps using
datasources(datafiles like mdc,iqd,csv,excel etc).

What is query subject?

A query subject is the basic building block in Framework Manager. A query subject is a set
of query items that have an inherent relationship.

What are the Ways to Import Data into Catalog?

Create a catalog with .cat file...

Report studio has two SQL tabs one native SQL and another one cognos SQL which
one is get more preference? which one we need to consider?

Cognos sql

When we save a report in report studio with what extn it save?

It saves as .XML
It will save as .CRR

When we save the report it save our specifications like u can choose(in report studio RUN
MENU by clinking down icon) HTML,XML,CSV,OR PDF Format if u save the report HTML u
can also run report different format as u like or different language also Depends on the
format on which the report is being run.

By default its .html format. The report can be made to run in any formats like HTML, PDF,
XLS, CSV ( Comma separated format) and XML and based on that, report can be saved in
either .html, .pdf, .xls, .csv or .xml

When you r viewing the report in the package is shown with extension .crr

How can I convert a list report/Cross tab Report in Cognos EP series into a bar
chart or pie chart etc.?

This can be done in Impromptu administrator

How many numbers of cubes can we create on a single model? How can we
navigate between those cubes?

Using a single Model, we can create as many number of cubes u want. By using the
dimension views...etc. Regarding the navigation, when we save cubes, these act as
separator multidimensional databases. There wont be any relations. Navigate means
opening the cubes separately.

What is the difference between drill down and drill through?

Drill down means it will navigate from detail information to summary level information
within report. Drill through means it will navigate from summary to detail from report to
report.

What is the difference between group and association?

In cognos 'group' is used to suppress the duplicate values. And 'associate' is used to
suppress the values if it is one-one relationship.

Group - It Eliminates the Duplicate values from the report break the columns. Its having a
one to many relationship.

Association-It Eliminates the Duplicate values from the report and its having one-one
relationship.
Both Group & Association eliminate duplicates in a column.But we cannot use Association
alone.It should have one to one relationship with grouped column.

Using Association is a performance enhancement technique.

A GROUP IS USED TO ELIMINATE THE DUPLICATES IN DATA.WHERE A ASSOCIATION IS

USED TO HIRE OR SUPPRESS THE VALUES IN 1 TO 1 RELATION.

What is Cardinality?

Cardinality is nothing but relation between tables like

One to One,

One to Many and

Many to Many.

Cardinality is the nature of the relationship. 1-1,1-many relation shipsCardinality is the

nature of the relation between two query items

How to test reports in cognos?

Go to power play transformer, on toolbar select RUN menu. In RUN menu there is one
option that is TEST BUILD you can test ur report there.

You may also test the outcome of a report by writing and executing SQL Queries and
comparing the outcome with the report outcome.

BY USING SYSTEM TESTING, UNIT TESTING, PERFORMANCE TESTING

How u create security to reports?

Basically there are two types of securities for any object Levels of Securities:

1. Database level Security

2. Row level security

Even we can provide LDAP security too.

By setting up the Governors in frame work manager also we can give the security to the
data accessing through the report.

How to find out YEAR CALCULATION? THAT MEANS YOU SHOW THIS YEAR
REVENUE AND LAST YEAR REVENUE. WHEN YOU FILTER THIS YEAR VALUE THE
RESULT SHOULD DISPLAY THIS YEAR RESULT AND LAST YEAR RESULT?

By using expressions, I mean by using conditional constructs and through graphs. we can
view the revenue and calculated data as well.
How to configure the Cognos configurations to work in the Windows 2000 Server
machine?

Go to Cognos Configuration and see the settings for cognos in the explorer page. There u
can set for win2000 server

What is drill down and slicing and dicing what are the difference between them?

Drill down means it will explains the summary level information to lowest level
information.

Slicing is nothing but cutting edge of the cube.

Dicing is nothing but viewing the cube in all possible directions.

Drill down is the way to get the more detailed data.

Slicing and dicing is to get the data according to where clause.

What are the enhancements in Cognos Reportnet ?

Enhancements in Cognos reportnet is Cognos 1.0, 1.1, MR1.1, MR1.2 Cognos 1.0,1.1,
MR1.1, MR1.2 AND cognos 8, 8.1.1MR, 8.1.2MR, now new version is 8.2

Enhancement in cognos in the list report:-

1) Apply list column title styles

2) Apply list column body styles

3) Apply table styles

Explain the different stages in creating a report in cognos report net?

Open cognos connection in that select Report studio or query studio it will displays there u
have packages(ex: gosales and goretailr (defult)) click on that it display Report studio in
that select Object pane select required query subject then click run it displays ur report on
report viewer screen.

What is Report item?

Report item is nothing but a query item when it is drag and drop into the work area.
Example in Go sales and retailers package-> Product (is a query subject) and-> Product line
is( a query item)->when PL is dropped into the work area then its a report item.

How to perform single sign on in Cognos by using URL?

In cognos configuration under authentication allow anonymous access should be false.In

cgi-bin properties (under iis) the enable anonymous access should be false.

What is loop in framework manager?

Loop is closed path in reportnet it called as ambiguous relationship. That means a query
subject contains multiple paths to retrieve the data. It is an exception to resolve to create a
shortcut on that query subject otherwise it displays wrong results in reports and
performance is degrades.

An undefined join between two tables is known as loop.To resolve loop delete the joins, if
these joins are necessary then we have to create shortcuts nothing but alias tables. Place
the joins in alias tables.

A LOOP IS A CLOSED PATH IN FRAME WORK MANAGER DUE TO JOINS.

WE ILL RESOLVED IT BY CREATING ALLIAS AND CREATING SHORT CUTS.

How you migrate reports to cognos 8 from previous versions?

Migration means report net reports to cognos8.rn Upgrade .bat/rs upgrade .sh is a
standalone utility that upgrades a single report specification at a time out side of the
cognos.

What are the filters in Framework Manager and Report Studio?

Filters in framework manager are

1. Standalone filters

2. Embedded filters

Report studio Filters are

1. Detail filters

2. Summary filters

How u migrate the reports from impromptu to reportnet???

It's possible to to migrate impromptu reports to reportnet using the migration tool(own by
reportnet
1.1)Using this syntax: migratetocrn
HERE crn----Cognos RoportNet

What is IQD? What is contained in IQD?

IQD stands for Impromptu query definition. It is report save extension with .iqd it is use for
creating a cube in power play transformer

IQD is Impromptu Query Definition. It contains the SQL query to display the data from the
database and SQL query is automatically created based on the columns selected from
database.

IQD MEANS IMPROMPTU QUERY DEFFINITION,IT CONTAINS MULTIDIMENTIONAL DATA

STRUCTURE WITH ARRAY FORMAT FOR CREATING CUBES.

THIS REPORTS CAN BE SAVED WITH .IQD FILES.

How we check the errors before running the report, Plz let me know the answer?

Before u run a report. U have an option called 'valididate report' in run menu..

Then u can find the errors what u made.

Actually we are migrating one project to ACTUATE business intelligence solution to COGNOS
REPORTNET? why the client want to migrate from ACTUATE to COGNOS REPORTNET?

What are the special features in COGNOS REPORTNET?

CRN is web based tool. So it will very useful to view the reports very easily. So that they
preferred CRN

How you create IQD In ReportNet Framework?

Open framework manager click on any query subject and go Open the properties dialogue
box and u can observe the EXTERNALIZE METHOD u change the iqd.

How to pass multiple values from pick list prompt to sub report filter?

#parameter1#. Give this in ur filter where u pass multiple values

What is Stitch Query in Reportnet?

Framework Manager generates a separate query for each 'FACT' table and joins the result
set. This is called Stitched query.

I think when there is no join between two tables and we are dragging in 2 cols from 2 diff
tables which doesn’t have joins then cognos will automatically build 2 or more select clauses
with full outer join stitching in the 2 select clauses this is called stitched query

What is Snapshot ?
A Snapshot is a Permanent Local Copy Of the Report.Snapshot is Static Data Source it is
saved with .imr File it is suitable for Disconnected Network....

What is cube size?

2.0 GBIt depends on ur project requirements.

What is log in cognos?

While creating reports or creating models logs have all information till session closed.

What is associated grouping? And how it works in cognos impromptu?

You can associate one or more data items with a grouped data item. An associated data
item should have a one-to-one relationship with the grouped data item. For example, Order
No. is a grouped data item.

For each order number, there is an Order Date. Order No. and Order Date have a one-to-
one relationship.

What are the limitations of cognos reportnet?

In CRN we can't view multi dimensionally,

-we cant' see a report in excel,

-we can't format a report in CRN

Report net does not support drill through and also bursting of reports is no possible in
report net. Also it does not support dimensional analysis

What is loop in framework manager ?

Loop is an very dangerous exception in framework manager we can resolve the loop create
alias table. loop Display wrong results in the reportnet. A Loop is a Closed Path Circuit....
Avoid loops: using shortcuts.We have ambiguous relationships types:Hierarchical
relationships Recursive relationships Multi-valid relationships. To avoid these relationships
using shortcuts.

What are the different ways of adding data in Transformer?

In transformer u import metadata from architect or catalog to create a cube. We just import
metadata. we don’t add data to it

What are slowly changing dimensions? Why we are used SCD?

Slowly Changing Dimensions are those whose data are not fixed.
SCD types:

SCD type 1: Whose data is not fixed.

Historical data are not saved. Data keeps on changing.-> Current Data

SCD type 2: Whose data is fixed and also save historical data.

SCD type 3: Like SCD type 2 only but save historical data in another table. In one table
data will updated and in another table historical data will be there.

Depends what we are going to use a DWH or Database.

What r the names of the reports that u prepared?

List report, Cross tab report, pie charts etcs....

Master detail, Drill through, CascadingList, Cross tab, Chart, Map report are the basic report
of Cognos.

What is the importance of Dimension in the cognos.?

Without Dimension and Fact cannot make a relation between tables it could not be use for
joins and retrieve the data as a form of reports in cognos. Dimension is a major subject
area through which we can analysis our business.

What is exact catalog size?

There is no limit for catalog size. It may be 3MB Or 4MB.

Give me some examples for Lifecycle reporting, I mean which lifecycle we will use
for reporting?

There is no specific reporting lifecycle. We can generate the reports from data
warehouse/data marts or we can generate the reports directly from OLTP systems.What I
mean generating reports from OLTP systems is loading data into one system and generating
the reports. But this is not recommended. This will depends on the business.

1) Generating reports from the OLAP interface system retrieving the data from the data
warehouse to generating forms and reports.

2) They can use Business intelligence project life cycle.

HOW MANY LEVELS CAN BE USED IN DRILL THROUGH REPORTS?

Two levels summary and detail.

Where u can save the Report net documentation in our local system?
Whenever we Install Cognos Server we get it documentation alone otherwise we can store it
in Deployment Folder of Cognos

What is model and how to create model and how to test model?

Create a Model In framework Manager and then publish it, make sure that Model meets the
requirements, don't overload the model with unwanted query items

Model is nothing but a project. And the project will be created by framework manager in
which we can extract the metadata from the various operational sources... we will test the
model by using the TOAD

Model contains meta data which is related to business reporting Information. We import this
data from the data base. Using this metadata we are creating Packages, Publishing
packages, This metadata contains query subjects and namespaces.........

How to crate cubes in transformer ?

Cube can be created by using different data sources.

Data sources: iqd, tex file Cube creation by using iqd data sources.

These iqd sources are coming from impromptu

How u burst the reports? if u r bursted reports is not reached to destination how u
identify???When You Import data into catalog You have complex columns names.
How do you change the Name of those columns?

First you have to click on column header which you have to change. Then in property pane
you will found name option. Then change column name.

How to create measures and Dimensions?

By using the Framework Manager we can create measures and dimensions according to our
business needs.

How to pass parameter value into html design page?

(That is YOU Create a html page and use that page in your cognos 8 report header.take my
question is how to use parameter value in the html page .)

By writing the JavaScript code in the html item, we can insert the parameter values. Here is
the URL to use to call report from java The following URL will work. Please note that prompt
names are case sensitive and we need to prefix 'p_' to the defined prompt names. Although
this passes the prompt values, it doesn’t suppress the prompt page.
So, in order to achieve that we include an additional expression (&run.prompt=false)
http:///cognos8/cgi-bin/cognos.cgi?b_action=xts.run&m=portal/report-
viewer.xts&ui.action=run&ui.object=%2fcontent%2fpackage%5b%40name%3d
%27(optional)%27%5d%2freport%5b%40name%3d
%27%27%5d&run.prompt=false&p_p_year=2007&p_p_month=09
Here p_year and p_month are the parameter name for prompt

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIST REPORT AND CROSSTAB REPORT?

List report show data in rows and columns versus a cross tab report show data in grids with
dimension in rows and columns and measures in cells or in the intersection points.

List Report and Cross tab report both contains rows and columns but difference is list report
is a detail report for analysis whereas cross tab report is the intersection of data or
summarized data for analysis.

How to create a dynamic column name in Cognos?

These are the steps -

i. Create a calculated column which contains the information that the header is to contain,
such as "Report for year 1999" (concatenated text and date to string sub string extraction).

ii. Highlight the report, and then right-click.

iii. Select Properties, and then click the Headers/Footers tab.

iv. Clear the Column Title Header check box. This will remove the headers from your
columns.

v. Reinsert the rest of the column headers; insert text will work.

vi. For the dynamic column, from the Insert menu, click Data and select the calculated
column you created and insert it into the report.

In Cognos 8.0, First create a Calculated Data Item, select the list, associate it with the
Query in Which Calculated Data Item is created, then click on Structure and then List
Header and Footers. Check List Header and make the Box Type of the Column header as
None.

Unlock and then drag the Calculated Data Item into the required header which will look like
a Column Header in the report.
For making a column name dynamic the only thing that you have to do is insert a layout
calculations from the toolbox tab in report studio.

I came across this answer because I wanted each column in across tabulation to have a text
description different from the variable (column's) name. Cognos's gloriously useless
documentation says nothing on how to do this and adding text isn't an allowed action in
page design mode (the error message you get goes beyond unhelpful).

To have the column titles, row footers, etc.,

you want:

1) Switch to page structure view in report studio

2) Expand the crosstab by clicking the plus signs untilcrosstab row levels, crosstab
level(variable_name), etc. are visible.

3) From the insertable objects, drag a 'Block' at the level you’d like to add the text. This
takes some experimenting.

4) after the block's been added, add into the block a Text Item from the insertable objects.

5) a window will open and you can type in whatever text you want.It's no wonder Jim
Goodnight has such harshness towards Cognos.

Q) What r the migration tools available in the market with respect to cognos such
as impromptu reports are migrated to cognos reportnet?

A) Reportnet1.1 migration tool is available to migrate the impromptu report to reportnet.

Q) Can reportnet supports cubes?

A) No

Q) What are versions of cognos from starting release to latest in the market?

A) Cognos EP7 series,Cognos reportnet1.1 Mr1,MR2,MR3,MR4,cognos8.0,8.1, 8.2,8.3

Q) What is IQD? What is contained in IQD?

How you create IQD In ReportNet FrameWork?

A) IQD is impromptu Query Definition. It's a transformer report. To use an IQd in reportnet
framework manager, there is a process called externalization using which you can import
the IQD.
IQD Is impromptu query definition, the name it self indicating dat, it contains the SQL
statement. To create the iqd in Frame work manager, create a new query subject with
required query items .

Set the Externalise method property of that Query subject to 'iqd'. While the publishing the
package select the 'Generate the files for Externalized query subjects'. And publish it to the
local machine, which can be used as data source for Transfromer model.

Q) How u provide security to reports? How u provide security to packages ?

A) Through Access Manager.

Q) How to select multiple values from Type-in prompt?

Example - I want to enter into type-in prompt in 'Product name--- Liza' display report data
in 'product name is Leza' only OR I want to enter into type-in prompt in 'All', that time
display report data in all are report data.

Q) How is possible this Scenario using in type-in prompt.?

Here we can enter one value, here it can't shows lovs. In catalog colomns we can select the
value for which we can insert the pick list.

Can you be more specific abut this. What i understand from the question, you have a
prompt page with a text box prompt and the user types the value. When the user types the
product name '

Ex: laptop' and clicks 'finish' the report page has to display all the records relevent to
laptop. When the user types 'All' in the text box prompt and clicks 'Finish' the report has to
display all the products.

BY USING STRING VARIABLE WE CAN SELECT(OR)ENTER MULTIPLE VALUES By using the

following condition as the filter for the textbox prompt we can get the data for the specified
product as well as All products when we type ALL in textbox prompt

Product name = ?P_ProductName? or 'ALL' in (?P_ProductName?)

What is Defect/Bug/Error Life Cycle?

Defect--During requirement phase if we find its called as defect.A defect in requirement.

Bug-----During testing phase if we find its called a BUG.

Error Life Cycle-

1) Open

2) Assigned(assigned to dev)

3) Dev-passed(after fixing)

4) Under testing(when testing team receives the fix)

5) Closed (if working fine) else reopen

Defect is the issue caught while Testing, When the as said is accepted by the developers
then the as said is called as a Bug;Error always occurs in the coding during Unit Testing by
the development team.

(Issues regarding the coding are said Error's)

A Mistake in coding is called an ERROR. This mistake detected by test engineer during
testing called defect(or) issue. This defect (or)issue accepted by defect tracking team as
code related defect called BUG.

When we found a defect /Bug we will set the status New and set the severity and then
assign to the junior senior people based on the severity they will set the priority and then
they will assign to corresponding developer based on the severity dev fix it. And again
tester again re-tested he will fix correctly close the bug, otherwise then again re assign to
the corresponding dev.

Framework manager (FM)

1.Diff b/w presentation layer and physical layer

2.How to create a model

3.Dimensions and measures in model

4.How you create a prompt in FM

5.How to publish package in network or local system

6.What errors occurred when verify the model

7.How to create filters in FM and types of filters in FM

8.What is the use of segment and how to create it

9.Governer settings in FM
10.How would you maintain the relations in FM?

11.How do you specify the joins?

12.What is parameter mapping?

13.In how many ways to provide the security in FM

14.How many kinds of quality subjects

15.Reportnet server components

16.Cognos connection components

17.How do you provide package security?

18.What type of problems arise when create a join

19.What is the use of multiple packages?

QueryStudio

How do you use prompts in Q.S

SQL

Definitions as well as syntax and queries

What is group by clause?

Example-write the query for dept wise employee

Diff b/w where clause and having clause

Def of Group by clause, having, where clause

Diff between Union and union all and intersection

Types of join in sql and explain

Report studio

1.What is cascading prompt?

2.In report page how do you create cascading prompts

3.Diff b/w section and group by

4.Types of filters and where you are using group filters and tabular filters

5.Conditional explorer where you are using

6.What is performance reporting?

7.Types of prompts

8.Tabular model,tabular reference, tabular set, tabular sql

9.How to use burst option and when

10.Diff b/w Report studio and query studio

11.What is lock and unlock objects.

12.How do you test the reports in QS

13.Do you have any idea about migration from impromptu to CRN and TF model to CRN?