Getting started in Cognos Analytics
IBM® Cognos® Analytics integrates reporting, modeling, analysis, dashboards, stories, and event management so that you can understand your organization data, and make effective business decisions.
After the software is installed and configured, administrators set up security and manage data sources. You can get started yourself by uploading local files and applying visualizations in dashboards or stories. For enterprise-level data, modelers are next in the workflow. After data modules and packages are available, report authors can then create reports for business users and analysts. Administrators maintain the system on an ongoing basis.
Whether you're an analyst, report author, data modeler, or an administrator, you start by signing in to the Welcome portal from your desktop or mobile device. There are coach marks in the user interface to help you discover what's where.
For links to videos, getting started resources, expert blogs, events, and more, you can visit the IBM Cognos Analytics community (www.ibm.com/communities/analytics/cognos-analytics/).
If you want to start with video tutorials and sample data, see Get started video tutorials and samples.
- Welcome portal
- Search for content in Team content, My content, or Recent lists; open reports, dashboards, stories and other items; upload files, check your notifications, set your preferences and home page, and review your schedules and subscriptions.
- Reporting
- Create and edit a wide range of professional reports. Use templates or customize your reports with prompts, bursting, advanced charts and visualizations.
- Dashboards and stories
- View, monitor, and communicate data insights and analysis with dashboards or stories. You can assemble a view that contains visualizations such as graphs, charts, plots, tables, maps, or any other visual representation of data. Enrich dashboards and stories with web pages and other content.
- Data modeling
- Modelers and administrators create data modules and packages and make them available to users for use with reports, dashboards, and stories. You can use the IBM Cognos Analytics web modeling tool to quickly create data modules from various sources, such as data servers, uploaded files, and previously saved data modules. The tool is intent-driven and generates a base module by using keywords that you define.
- Manage and administer
- Create and manage accounts (users, groups, and roles), schedules, or data server connections. Perform configuration tasks, and customize the product experience and user interface.