COGNOS Interview Questions for freshers experienced :-
1. What Is Model And Say About Process How To Create Model And How To Test Model?
Model in PowerPlay Transformer is combination of five windows- Dimension Map,Data Source, Measures,Power cube,Sign On. Models specify the data sources and then defining the dimensions, levels,and measures.They may also contain dimension views, user classes, user class views, and other authentication-related information. The information for a model is stored in a model file, with the extension .pyi (binary, means platform depentent) or .mdl (text,platform independent).
2. How To Create Powerplay Reports?
To create a powerplay report
- You have to create a IQD file from impromptu by saving IMR report as IQD.
- Use Frame Work manager model and externalise the query subject you want to use inpowerplay transformer and powerplay.
- When you have the IQD file published to a location such as UNC.
- Go to powerplay transformer model and select new.
3. What Are Products Of Cognos?
Cognos 6.6 7.0,7.3(PowerPlay, Impromptu)–ReportNet1.0,1.1mr1, 1.1mr22—ReportNet 8.0(latest)IWR is use by Impromptu to publish reports, PPES is used by PP, Cognos Connection is used by repornet. there are many other tools but these are the main.
4. What Are Versions Of Cognos From Starting Release To Latest In The Market?
- EP7 series is the oldest cognos series.
- cognos report net is the next series.
- cognos 8.1.
- cognos 8.3 is the latest version.
but most of the companies use cognos 8.1.
5. What Is Cognos Visualizer And Cognos Scripting?
Visualizer is a representation of data cubes in a dashboard format. We can drill through to the ground level of a hierarchy as like in power play report but cannot add or remove fields dynamically.
Cognos script editor : We can write cognos macros or programs in this tool and can fine tune or process some execution.
6. What Are The Limitations Of Cognos Reportnet? What Are The Enhancements In Reportnet ?
ADVANTAGES:
- PURELY WEB BASED REPORTING TOOL
- WE CAN CREATE MULTILINGUAL REPORTS
- IT CAN SUPPORT ANY TYPE OF OPERATING SYSTEM & DATA BASE
- WE CAN CREATE SINGLE MODEL IN FRAMEWORK MANAGER COMING FROM MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES
DISADVANTAGES:
- WE CAN’T DRILL DOWN AND DRILL UP
- IT CAN’T SUPPORT MULTI DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
7. What Is The Difference Between Group And Association?
Group: used to eliminate duplicate values in the report.
Association: used with grouped item that displays data only when the values are changed.
8. How Do Add Dynamic Titles In Pp?
PowerplayFrom format menu–>title, header & footer–>title–>insert report filename.
9. What Are The Ways To Import Data Into Catalong?
One through Database option other one though hotfile option.
10. How Can I Test Reports In Cagnos?
In cognos report net by the validate report option a report can be tested. If there will be any error, it will specify the error, unless it will give message -‘report specification is valid’.
After creating the report we will connect to the oracle and we will write the sql query and we will compare this 2 reports .
11. How Can I Schedule Reports In Cognos?
- By using Cognos Schedular, one can schedule the running reports in Impromptu to execute and save it in desired format.
- By using Cognos MACRO script language the reports can be executed and distributed to recipients by using mail applications.
- Compiled Cognos MACROs can be scheduled using Cognos Schedular.
12. How Can Create Users And Permissions In Cognos?
impromptu menu go to Catlog->User profiles -> userclass tab -> click on Creator ->you can give there folder access,table access,filters,Governor etc.
you can create users by using USERS PROFILE option..and you can give permissions using ROLE IN C8 and GOVERNERS in C7.
13. What You Mean By Drill Across And What Is The Difference Between Drill Through, Drill Across?
Drill across means when you are moving from one report to another report like country in one report and States in another Report whereas if the report is using same report from moving from country to state. In other when you are moving details level if you are using the different report it is drill across and if you are using same report it is drill through.
14. What Is Loop In Frameworkmanager?
Loop: loop is a closed path (relation) that exists among 3 (or) more tables. For example, if we have ‘3’ tables T1, T2, T3 then, a loop exists among these tables only when we create joins in the following fashion:
Loop: T1 —> T2 —> T3 —> T1
To resolve the above problem, we have to create a shortcut (or) Alias to the Table T1.
No Loop: T1 —> T2 —> T3 —> Alias (or) Shortcut of T1
15. How Create Measures And Demensions?
You can create measure once you import all the data into the data source.You can create measures and dimensions by draging the required source from datasource into dimension map and measure tab.(need to find scope of measures for all the dimensions)
16. What Is Meant By Alternate Drill Down With Ex?
Alternate drill down path means there will be two path to opt. For example- We will have time dimension now the client requirement is they want two type of year -one is calender year(Jan-Dec) and another is fiscal year(Apr-Mar).
17. What Is The Difference Between Enterprise Data Warehouse And Data Warehouse?
Big Organizations have a lot of diversified sources of data.There might be a dataware house exclusively for transport and others for data related to the project the company runs.In such case the complete enterprise’s(company’s) data warehouse is a big combination of all and is known the Enterprise data Warehouse(EDW).
18. How You Drill From Powerplay To Impromptu? Explain All Steps?
- go to transformer,
- build the cube
- right click on the cube and open properties
- go to drill through tab and select your report from that browse option
19. Give Me Any Example Of Semi And Non Additive Measures?
- Semi-Additive: Semi-additive facts are facts that can be summed up for some of the dimensions in the fact table, but not the others.
- Non-Additive: Non-additive facts are facts that cannot be summed up for any of the dimensions present in the fact table. Current Balance and Profit Margin are the facts.Current Balance is a semi-additive fact, as it makes sense to add them up for all accounts , but it does not make sense to add them up through time (adding up all current balances for a given account for each day of the month does not give us any useful information). Profit Margin is a non-additive fact, for it does not make sense to add them up for the account level or the day level.
20. What Is Drill Down And Slicing And Dicing Whats The Difference Between Them?
- Drilling lets you quickly move from one level of detail to another to explore different aspects of your business.
- Drilling down moves you down in the hierarchy.
- drilling up moves you up in the hierarchy.
- Slicing and Dicing While you can drill to look at information at any level, you can slice and dice to select the exact information you want in your report.
21. What Is The Difference Between A Cascading Report And Drillthru Report?why Do We Go For Drill Thru Report?
Cascading report works based on the condition but drill thru work based on the data item what we select as a drill thru options.
22. What Junk Dimension Contains?
it contains the miscellaneous attributes such as flags , which does belong to the main dimension table.
for eg; In a sales order fact table ,some informations like, web-order , whether this is a online order or not new_cust-Is this person a new customer , verification- whether the order has been verified.
23. What Is Catalog And Types Of Catalogs In Cagnos And Which Is Better?
A catalog is a file containing the information (Database tables) that Impromptu users need to create reports.
- personal
- distributed
- shared
- secured
shared catalog is better.
24. What Is Meant By Junk Dimension?
The junk dimension is simply a structure that provides a convenient place to store the junk attributes.
25. Suppose You Run A Report With Empty Data, How Will You Inform The End User That It Has No Data While Running The Report In Report Studio? Is It Possible, If So How?
Add a list footer and a text messsage inside “No Data”. create a boolean conditional variable “Test” with code “rownum()>0”. Select the complete list footer and set Style Variable, if Yes, Box Type of the List footer should be set to “none”.
26. What Is The Difference B/w Macros And Prompt?
Macro-A macro is a set of instructions that can run applications.
Example : A macro can open your catalog,select a report(say for instance) convert that to another format and export it to any specified location,provided the code (Program)is such.
Prompt-A prompt specifies the manner in which data in the reports are to be displayed.
A Prompt can be defined at the catalog level either or during report generation.
27. What Is Cognos Powerhouse And What Is It Used For?
Cognos Powerhouse is High-Productivity Application Development Solutions equips you with high-productivity development environments for creating your data-driven business solutions faster,whether for Web-based, client/server, or traditional terminal-based access. PowerHouse has gained a worldwide reputation for productivity, reliability, performance, and flexibility.
28. How Can We Create A Dynamic Column Name In Cognos?
Select Properties, and then click the Headers/Footers tab.
29. What Is Transformer?
Transformer is used for building the Cubes (Multidimensional Structure used for OLAP processing).
30. What Is The Difference Between Filter And Condition?
A Filter is a restriction that reduces the amount of data displayed in the report.
The report filters are non-reusable and specific to the report.
Filters are
before aggregation: non-aggregated records are filtered(details record)
after aggregation: summary records are filtered
31. What Is The Security Module Used In Cognos?
The security module used in cognos is cognos access manager.
32. 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.
33. What Is Difference Between Drill Through And Drill Down?
drill through allows you 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.
34. 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 you want to save then save it.
35. 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.
36. 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.
37. 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.
38. 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.
39. 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.
40. 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.
41. 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 relationships Cardinality is the nature of the relation between two query items.
42. 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
43. How You Create Security To Reports?
Basically there are two types of securities for any object Levels of Securities:
- Database level Security
- 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.
44. 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 you can set for win2000 server.
45. 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.
46. 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:-
- Apply list column title styles
- Apply list column body styles
- Apply table styles.
47. 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 you 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 your report on report viewer screen.
48. 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.
49. How To Perform Single Sign 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.
50. How You Migrate Reports To Cognos 8 From Previous Versions?
using deplyement tool we can migrate the reports.
51. What Are The Filters In Framework Manager And Report Studio?
Filters in framework manager are
- Standalone filters
- Embedded filters
Report studio Filters are
- Detail filters
- Summary filters
52. 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.
53. 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
54. How You Create Iqd In Reportnet Framework?
Open framework manager click on any query subject and go Open the properties dialogue box and you can observe the EXTERNALIZE METHOD you change the iqd.
55. How To Pass Multiple Values From Pick List Prompt To Sub Report Filter?
#parameter1#. Give this in ur filter where u pass multiple values
56. 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.
57. 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.
58. What Is Cube Size?
2.0 GB (It depends on your project requirements).
59. What Is Log In Cognos?
While creating reports or creating models logs have all information till session closed.
60. 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.
61. 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.
62. 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.
63. What Are The Different Ways Of Adding Data In Transformer?
In transformer you import metadata from architect or catalog to create a cube. We just import metadata. we don’t add data to it.
64. 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.
65. What Are The Names Of The Reports That You Prepared?
List report, Cross tab report, pie charts etc.
Master detail, Drill through, CascadingList, Cross tab, Chart, Map report are the basic report of Cognos.
66. 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.
67. What Is Exact Catalog Size?
There is no limit for catalog size. It may be 3MB or 4MB.
68. 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.
69. How Many Levels Can Be Used In Drill Through Reports?
Two levels: summary and detail.
70. Where You 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.
71. 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.
72. How To Create 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.
73. How You Burst The Reports? If You Are Bursted Reports Is Not Reached To Destination How You 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.
74. How To Create Measures And Dimensions?
By using the Framework Manager we can create measures and dimensions according to our business needs.
75. 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.
76. What Are The Migration Tools Available In The Market With Respect To Cognos Such As Impromptu Reports Are Migrated To Cognos Reportnet?
Reportnet1.1 migration tool is available to migrate the impromptu report to reportnet.
77. Can Reportnet Supports Cubes?
No
78. How You Provide Security To Reports? How You Provide Security To Packages ?
For framework manager packages, before you head away with creating a new package it asks whether or not you want to have security set up for the package in use. Even if you haven’t defined any security at this stage, you can always goto the actions >> package >> Edit package settings and there you can define the security settings for the package.
For reports, you can either give report-level or folder- level security by going to the properties of that and choosing suitable roles/user groups that are supposed to be entitled to view/modify/create reports.