IBM Cognos 8 Planning -- Table of Contents -- IBM Cognos 8 Planning -- Credits -- About the Authors -- Acknowledgment -- About the Reviewers -- Preface -- What this book covers -- What you need for this book -- Who this book is for -- Conventions -- Reader feedback -- Customer support -- Downloading the example code for the book -- Errata -- Piracy -- Questions -- 1. Planning with IBM Cognos -- Planning in a dynamic business environment -- Common problems with the planning process -- Disconnect between operating reality and financial plan -- Confrontational versus collaborative -- Cycle times -- Ownership and accountability -- Spreadsheet-based planning -- Lack of control -- Spreadsheet error -- Lack of transparency -- Consolidation and version control -- How technology enables planning best practices -- Introducing IBM Cognos Planning -- Corporate Performance Management -- Benefits of IBM Cognos Planning -- Summary -- 2. Getting to know IBM Cognos Tools -- Scenario -- IBM Cognos Planning - Analyst -- Panda Garden Scenario -- IBM Cognos Planning - Contributor -- Contributor administration -- Panda Garden scenario -- Contributor client -- Panda Garden scenario -- IBM Cognos Excel add-in for Analyst and Contributor -- IBM Cognos Metric Designer and Metric Studio -- Metric Designer -- Metric Studio -- Panda Garden scenario -- IBM Cognos Reporting Studios -- Panda Garden scenario -- IBM Cognos Framework Manager -- Panda Garden scenario -- IBM Cognos Event Studio -- Panda Garden Scenario -- IBM Cognos Connection web portal -- Summary -- 3. Understanding the Model Development Process -- The process -- Considerations for building an Analyst planning model -- Planning functional models -- Planning cycles and horizons -- Planning approaches -- Designing the model template in Analyst -- Flowcharting the model structure.

The concept of multi dimensionality -- Understanding dimensions, datastore, and data flow -- Determining dimensions: D-List -- Building the datastore: D-Cubes -- Controlling data flow: D-Links -- What makes an optimal model? -- Principles of model building -- Efficiency -- Performance -- Maintenance -- Building the Contributor application -- Entering and reviewing plans in the Contributor Web user interface -- Publishing and reporting planning data -- Maintaining the planning models -- Example: ABC Company -- Summary -- 4. Understanding the Analyst Environment -- Getting familiar with Analyst -- Using Analyst shortcuts -- Accessing Analyst objects -- Navigating within Analyst -- The building blocks of an Analyst model -- Analyst objects -- D-List -- D-Cube -- D-Link -- Allocation Table (A-Table) -- File Map -- Saved Format -- Saved Selection -- Macro -- Organizing objects by using libraries -- Creating a library -- Deleting a library -- Considerations for creating libraries -- Types of libraries -- Common library -- Model library -- Staging library -- Archive library -- Basic administration tools -- Maintain Libraries and Users -- Rebuild the index file -- Refresh references -- Validate D-Lists -- Locate ODBC sources -- Locate Built-in Functions -- Configuring Analyst -- Changing the path to the Filesys.ini -- Changing the maximum workspace -- Changing keyboard layout -- Changing the number of undos and redos -- Summary -- 5. Defining Data Structures: D-List -- Overview of D-List -- Creating the D-List -- Manually typing the D-List Items -- Importing D-List items from an ASCII file -- Importing the D-List items from a File Map -- Importing the D-List items from an ODBC source -- Importing the D-List items from data in a D-Cube -- Importing the D-List Items from another D-List -- Setting the import parameters -- Modifying the import parameters.

Updating the D-List -- Updating D-List item names from a data source -- Adding new items to a D-List -- Deleting D-List items -- Reordering D-List Items -- Implementing D-List changes -- Non-permissible characters in a D-List -- Item ID (IID) in a D-List -- Entering formulas in a D-List -- How formulas are written -- Using the Paste function when writing formulas -- Writing conditional statements -- Conflicts in calculation -- Using the D-List priority option -- Built-in functions -- Inserting a BiF into a D-List Item -- Configuring a Timescale D-List -- Formatting D-List items -- Numeric format -- Date format -- Dates in formulas -- Text format -- D-List format -- Using D-List formatted items in calculations -- Calc option -- Categorizing D-Lists -- The e.List -- Summary -- 6. Storing Planning Data: D-Cube -- Overview of the D-Cube -- Creating a D-Cube -- Order of dimensions -- Size considerations -- Working with the D-Cube -- Opening a full view of the D-Cube -- Opening a selection of the D-Cube -- Viewing different slices of the D-Cube -- Saving a selection -- Opening the saved selection -- Modifying the saved selection -- Restructuring dimensions of a D-Cube -- Adding a dimension -- Deleting a dimension -- Substituting a dimension -- Reordering D-Cube dimensions -- Formatting data using the D-Cube Format -- Numeric -- Date format -- Text format -- D-List format -- Format priority -- Exporting data from the D-Cube -- Export -- Groups -- Single vs. multiple columns -- Format -- Header/Footer -- Zeros -- Show Det/Tot -- Breakback -- Breakback on hierarchies -- Configuring D-Cube options -- Widths -- Lines -- Zeros -- Breakback -- Stored Copy -- Show Det/Tot -- AutoSum -- Entering data into D-Cubes -- Data color conventions -- Data entry commands -- Entering data using the keyboard characters -- Applying mathematical operations.

Locking, protecting, and holding cells -- Summary -- 7. Moving Planning Data: D-Links -- Overview of a D-Link -- Creating a D-Link -- Creating a D-Link between two D-Cubes -- The D-Link dialog box -- Connecting to external data sources -- File Map -- Creating a D-Link using File Map as a source -- ODBC connection -- Creating an ODBC data source name -- Creating a D-Link using an ODBC connection as the source -- Executing the D-Link -- Executing a D-Link -- Running several D-Links into a single target D-Cube -- Executing a batch of D-Links -- Allocating dimension items -- Allocating dimension items using Matched Description -- Using Cut Sub-Columns -- Allocating dimension items using a local allocation -- Matching descriptions within a local allocation table -- Selecting items from unpaired dimensions -- Many to one and one to many allocations -- Modes -- Dump option -- Special D-Links -- Limitations of special D-Links -- Look Up D-Links -- Creating a Look Up D-Link -- Accumulation D-Links -- Creating an Accumulation D-Link -- Allocation tables (A-Table) -- Creating the A-Table -- Allocation items -- Creating the source or target items from a D-List -- Creating the source or target items from a delimited ASCII file -- Creating the source or target items from a mapped ASCII file -- Creating the source or target items from an ODBC data source -- Using a D-Cube as an allocation table -- Analyst Contributor links -- Importing from IBM Cognos Package -- Analyst Cognos Finance D-Links -- Summary -- 8. Understanding the Contributor Environment -- Understanding IBM Cognos Planning components -- IBM Cognos Connection -- IBM Cognos Planning - Contributor Web Client -- IBM Cognos Planning - Contributor Administration Console -- IBM Cognos Planning - Contributor for Microsoft Excel -- IBM Cognos Planning - Analyst -- IBM Cognos Planning - Manager.

IBM Cognos Planning - Analyst for Microsoft Excel -- Understanding the IBM Cognos Planning technical architecture -- Tier 1: Web Server or Planning Gateway -- Tier 2: Application -- Content Manager -- Planning Dispatchers or Servers -- Tier 3: Data -- Content Store -- Planning Store -- Application Store -- Using the Contributor Administration Console program -- IBM Cognos Planning System settings -- Planning Store -- System settings -- Access Rights -- DataStores -- Jobs, Job Servers, and Job Server Clusters -- Upgrade the Planning Administration Domain (PAD) -- Developing applications -- Logon As… and Log Off -- Email -- Save -- Go To Production (GTP) -- Set online and offline -- Reset Development to Production -- Refresh console -- Application and Publish DataStores/Containers -- Application folders -- Macros -- Administration links -- Deploying, monitoring, and troubleshooting applications -- Deployment -- Monitor console -- Local log files -- Help -- Summary -- 9. Building, Configuring, and Updating the Contributor Application -- Creating the Contributor application -- Determining the Contributor application prerequisites -- Analyst model -- Technical environment -- e.List -- Creating the Contributor application-the process -- Understanding the post application creation steps -- The application's development and production areas -- Configuring the Contributor application for the user web interface -- Configuring commonly used options -- Navigation -- Orientation -- Breakback (Grid options) -- Multi-view -- Slice and dice -- Multiple owner -- Planner Only cubes -- Understanding uncommonly used options -- Deploying a Contributor application to the Web: The GTP and Reconciliation process -- Understanding GTP -- Executing the GTP-the process -- Understanding the Reconciliation job -- Making Analyst model changes (synchronize).

Understanding synchronization.