Cognos ReportNet Question & Answer Job Aid

Transcription

1 Cognos ReportNet Question & Answer

2 Page 2 of 13 Cognos ReportNet Question and Answer Q1. What if I did not receive the that contained my password for Cognos ReportNet? A. Did you have access to E-Reports prior to Cognos ReportNet implementation? Part I If yes, on an interim basis, we are requesting that you contact the Help Desk ( to initiate resolution to this issue. Call (313) during regular hours or send an message to helpdesk@wayne.edu at anytime, please be sure to include your AccessID. Part II If no, you need to request access to Cognos ReportNet: 1. Go to this Computing and Information Technology (C&IT) Website Go down a little bit on the page and you will see a table with information on WSU Administrative System Owners with links to a Banner Request Form that needs to be completed 3. For each Administrative System (Finance -- FMS; Human Resources HRMS, etc.) to which you desire access, you need to complete a separate form: a. Click on the form and then click Save to save the form on your PC b. When the next dialogue box comes up, click Open to open the form c. In the first section, fill-in your appropriate identification information d. For the next section If you have any access to a WSU Administrative System (FMS, HRMS, Student General, etc.), then you just want to "Change" your existing access. If you do not have any type of access, then you want to check "Create New..." e. In the next section, you want to check PROD access (that means production) f. Then go ahead and check E-Reporting (which means Cognos ReportNet as the form has not been updated, yet) g. In the next section, put in your Dean/Director's name or authorized designee h. In the next section, check the type of access you need: (e.g., for HR you probably want SCD [School, College, Division Access] which is at the bottom of page 4; for FMS it depends on if you were going to process encumbrances or only view the budget transactions, etc.) i. Save the form and then send the form via to the authorized person you listed on the form. The authorized person needs to forward the form via to Computing & Information Technology (security@lists.wayne.edu). By virtue of the authorized person sending your completed form to C&IT via , he/she is signing the form.

3 Page 3 of 13 Q2. How do I access Cognos ReportNet? A. 1. Open your Internet browser (Internet Explorer is strongly recommended) 2. In the Address field, type 3. Click the Go button or hit the <Enter> key The Login screen displays 4. Enter your WSU AccessID 5. Enter your AccessID password 6. Click OK Your My Pipeline page displays 7. Click on the Employee tab Your Employee page displays 8. Click on the ODS/Cognos Reporting System link in the left-hand margin under Banner Administrative Systems Q3. What if I don t have an Employee Tab to access Cognos ReportNet through WSU Pipeline? Can I still access Cognos ReportNet? A. Yes. You need to use the following address to access Cognos ReportNet. Q4. What if I am able to access Cognos ReportNet, but I don t see the appropriate folder that contains the reports I need? A. You may not have access to the reporting aspect of that administrative system. If so, see Q1: Part II above. If you are sure you have access to the reporting aspect of that administrative system, then on an interim basis, we are requesting that you contact the Help Desk ( to resolve your folder access issue. Call (313) during regular hours or send an message to helpdesk@wayne.edu at anytime. Please be sure to include your AccessID.

4 Page 4 of 13 Q5. I am having trouble printing my reports. How do I print my reports? A. We recommend changing the format of the report to a PDF format. With HTML (the default format for running a report) you can only print one page at a time. Another reason PDF format is advisable to use is because you do not need to go through the trouble of re-formatting a report. Your report will automatically be set up in the correct orientation and each page will print with column headings and page numbers. In addition, you will know how many pages your report has. 1. After your report stops running, click the PDF Icon. You will get the Your Report is Running, again. When the report stops running, it actually opens up an Adobe file in Cognos ReportNet 2. Print the report by clicking the Print Icon in the Adobe application do NOT print from the browser s button or browser s File menu Note: You can choose to have your report run in PDF format before it even runs the first time. 1. Find the report you want to run and go to the Actions Column and click on the Icon Running Your Report with Options The Run Report with Options screen is displayed 2. Under Format: Choose the PDF format by clicking the down arrow and selecting the format 3. Language: Do not use 4. Delivery: You have the option of choosing a delivery method to run the report now or run the report in the background and send it to yourself via . Click the appropriate radio button next to the delivery method you want 5. Prompt Values: A check in this box just means that you will be prompted for parameter values whether you click it or not, nothing will change 6. Run/Cancel: Click Run Now, your report will run in the format you chose (the parameters will come up if the box was checked and you will need to click Finish) P.S. Listed below is how you would navigate or save a PDF report Use this navigation bar which appears at the bottom of the screen Save the report to your PC/Network by clicking the Save Icon in the Adobe application not the Internet Explore Save As

5 Page 5 of 13 Q6. I can t seem to view my reports in Excel. How do I run and save my reports in Excel? A. To view, save, or print a report in an Excel format 1. You need to click the Excel 2002 Icon (Note: CSV format follows the same steps below) Once you click the icon, you will get the Your Report is Running, again Note: All WSU browsers have a Pop-Up Blocker so before you click the Excel 2002 icon; you need to hold down your Control <Ctrl> key. Do not release the Control <Ctrl> key until you see the File Download Open/Save dialogue box OR You can change your Internet Explorer security settings to avoid having to use the Control <Ctrl> key. Changing Your Internet Explorer Settings (so you can easily open a report in Excel 2002 format or open a report in CSV format) 1. On the Internet Explorer menu at the top of the screen, click Tools, and then click Internet Options which is the list menu item under Tools. This opens the Internet Options dialogue box 2. Click the Security tab (the second tab) 3. There are four security zones listed: Select Internet (the world icon), which is the first zone 4. A little lower on the same dialogue box you will see a Custom Level button. Click Custom Level, which opens the Security Settings dialogue box 5. In the Security Settings dialogue box, scroll down to find Downloads 6. Find Automatic prompting for file downloads right underneath the word Downloads 7. Underneath the Automatic Prompting for file downloads you have two choices: Disable or Enable. Click Enable 8. Click OK for the Security Settings dialogue box 9. Click OK for the Internet Options dialogue box and you are done Now, you can click the Excel 2002 format icon or the CSV format icon and not worry about holding the Control <Ctrl> button down. After your report finishes running, you will see the File Download Open/Save dialogue box 2. Now, you will either need to click Open (2a) or Save (2b)

6 Page 6 of 13 If you clicked Open (2a), the Report opened in the Internet Explorer Excel which does not have all the capabilities of the regular Excel application. Also, your report is basically still in an HTML format. At this point, you can still save it to your PC as an Excel Spreadsheet 3a. Click on File Save as 4a Locate the Folder you want to save it in, change the File Name, change the File Type to Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xls) 5a. Click Save If you clicked Open (2a), the Report opened in the Internet Explorer Excel which does not have all the capabilities of the regular Excel application. Also, your report is basically still in an HTML format. At this point, you can still print the report 6a. Click on File Print; however, it will print much like the HTML in that column headings will not appear on each page, etc. Note: Internet Explorer Excel does not have a File Print Preview so you will not know how this report will look before you print it; although File Page Set Up is available Recommendation: The report will probably print better if you saved the file in Excel first (see prior steps 3a - 5a or see steps 2b 4b below). Even after this report is saved, you will still need to use File Page Set Up to format the report as to how you want it to print, but at least you will be doing this from the actual Excel application which has a little bit more power than Internet Explorer Excel Now if you instead clicked Save (2b) from the File Download Open/Save dialogue box the Save As dialogue box displays 3b. Locate the Folder you want to save it in, change the File Name (Note: The File Type is already set on the format of an Excel Spreadsheet) 4b. Click Save Then, the Download Complete dialogue box displays 5b. Click Open The Report will open in the regular Excel application. Now you can File Save, File Page Set Up, and File Print the report as you would any Excel Report

7 Page 7 of 13 Q7. What if I don t see my Fund Code as a choice in parameters? A. This may happen with some of the reports. Computing & Information Technology is working on correcting the situation. In the meantime you might want to try using one of the other similar reports in which the parameter allows you to type the Fund Code. Q8. What if a report I run is empty or incomplete and I know there should be data? A. Double check to make sure there has not been any problems with this report or the ODS refresh that this report uses. You can do this by checking the Computing & Information Technology Website ( otherwise you can contact Operations Support at Q9. What if the data on the report I run is not correct? A. If you re positive you rant the report correctly, please contact your appropriate SWAT Team member (see table below) regarding the incorrect data on the report. Be sure to include in your a report number, your name, your AccessID, the parameters you used, when you rant the report and what data is incorrect. SWAT Team Contact List by Administrative System Administrative System Contact Name Contact Address Financial Management System James Guth ad5451@wayne.edu Human Resources Management System Mark Hansknecht hrsyssup@wayne.edu Student Records, Registration and Scheduling Kurt Kruschinska ssts@lists.wayne.edu Student Admissions James Tocco ab4468@wayne.edu Student Financial Aid Peter Filias am6848@wayne.edu

8 Page 8 of 13 Q10. What if a report I need is not in the system? A. As previously mentioned in past communications, if a critical report you routinely use is not available, you should double check if the report was ever converted by checking out the Report Crosswalk in the WSU Help System ( To Access the Report Crosswalk Click the Cognos book in the left hand margin (Contents) of the WSU Help Screen Then underneath that, click Cognos ReportNet Crosswalk Then underneath that, you may click Report Crosswalk Complete or Report Crosswalk Finance or Report Crosswalk HR or Report Crosswalk Student If the report is not on the Report Crosswalk list, to find out if it can be made available, you will need to contact the appropriate SWAT Team member designated in the Contact List (see the table in Q9 above). Please be sure to include in your your name; department; AccessID; contact phone #; and contact address as well as the report title; when the report is needed; and other report details that will help the SWAT Team member, i.e., frequency of report use, parameters used, and a sample of the report if it is available.

9 Page 9 of 13 Q11. Someone said I could save the parameters of my reports so I don t have to choose them all the time. How do I do that? A. See the steps outlined below: 1. Go to Public Folders and find the report you want 2. Under Actions on the same line as the report you want, click on the Report View Icon (looks like a window) to which the roll over says "Create a report view of this report..." 3. The Report View screen comes up. You can change the name of the report to include your parameters that you are using...or leave the default report name 4. You can provide a description that will appear when you are in Details View on the Page Tab or leave blank 5. You can provide a screen tip that will appear as a roll over when you move your mouse cursor over the Entry Icon in your My Folders or leave blank 6. Make sure the radio button for My Folders is clicked 7. Click Finish 8. Go to My Folders and find the Report View you just saved (if you don't see it, click the Refresh Icon from the Page Tool Bar) 9. Under Actions on the same line as the Report View you just saved, click on the Set Properties Icon (this is the first icon which looks like a finger pointing to a report) to which the roll over says "Set properties..." 10. The Set Properties screen comes up. Go to the Run Options Tab in the middle. (Additional Feature: You can specify the Format in which you want the Report View to always run by clicking in the Format Box and then clicking the down arrow next to HTML and then clicking on the Format you want) 11. Go down to Prompt Values and click Set the prompt values 12. The parameters for that report come up. Set the values you want in the prompts 13. Click Finish 14. You are returned to the Run Options Tab. If you want ALL your parameters to remain the same each time you run this report, go down to Prompt for values and click in the box to uncheck it. Now, when you run this Report View the parameter screen will NOT come up and your report will just run. (If you want the ability to change one or more of the parameters when you run this Report View, leave the box in front of Prompt for values checked. At this point, when you run the Report View, the parameter screen will come up with your saved parameter preferences highlighted. You have the opportunity to make any changes [additions/deletions] to your parameter selections.) 15. Now click OK Voila! You now have a report (Report View) that you can run all the time in your My Folders without having to change the parameters.

10 Page 10 of 13 More detailed information on using Cognos ReportNet is available through several ways 1) You can attend Cognos ReportNet Navigation Instructor-led training sessions 2) You can access the WSU Help System 3) You can contact the WSU Help Desk 1) You can attend Cognos ReportNet Navigation Instructor-led training sessions. See the available training schedule and course description below. To register for one of the sessions, you can click the appropriate link noted in the schedule below. Keep in mind that link will only work if you have already logged into WSU Pipeline. You can also proceed through the normal way you register for classes: a) Log into to WSU Pipeline b) Go to Employee Tab c) Find the Training Seminars Workshops burgundy icon and click on it. This takes you to the list of programs we offer. Locate the Cognos Navigation sessions d) Click on the appropriate Cognos Navigation ReportNet course you wish to attend e) Find the date you want and click on Sign-Up f) Put your supervisor s AccessID in the available space that pops up g) Then click Yes! Sign Me Up. You will now be registered for the session you want Note: If you attend one session under an administrative system, you do not need to attend another session under a different administration system as all navigation principles will be the same in each session, only the examples will be different. Course Description This program will familiarize you with the Cognos ReportNet. Participants will be able to: Log into Cognos ReportNet Navigate Cognos ReportNet Select and Run reports View and Run Reports in Different Formats Save and Print Reports Create Report Short Cuts Save Report Parameters

11 Page 11 of 13 Course Schedule *The links to register will only work if you are logged into WSU Pipeline Finance Cognos ReportNet Navigation Click here to register* DATE TIME LOCATION 08/29/2006CLOSED 01:30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/01/2006CLOSED 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1700 A/AB 09/08/2006CLOSED 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1700 A/AB 09/14/2006CLOSED 01:30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/20/2006CLOSED 01:30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/26/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/29/ :00 AM - 12:00 PM 1700 A/AB Human Resources Cognos ReportNet Navigation Click here to register* DATE TIME LOCATION 08/30/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/06/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/12/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/15/ :00 AM - 12:00 PM 1700 A/AB 09/21/ :30 PM - 02:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/27/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB Student Cognos ReportNet Navigation Click here to register* DATE TIME LOCATION 08/31/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/07/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/13/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/19/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB 09/22/ :00 AM - 12:00 PM 1700 A/AB 09/28/ :30 PM - 04:30 PM 1700 A/AB

12 Page 12 of 13 2) You can also access the WSU Help System You can access the first four lessons that are covered in the Instructor-led training sessions by accessing the link below which will take you straight to the ODS/Cognos information ( Note: There is actually a direct link to this site in Cognos ReportNet in the upper right hand corner of the screen -- WSU Help After you click the link above Click the Cognos book in the left hand margin (Contents) of the WSU Help Screen Then underneath that, click Cognos ReportNet Navigation Then underneath that, you may click Lesson 1 Intro to the System or Lesson 2 Navigating the System or Lesson 3 ReportNet Navigation Part II or Lesson 4 Running Reports To navigate through the pages click the arrow pointing right at the top of Contents

13 Page 13 of 13 3) You can also contact the WSU Help Desk The Help Desk ( has also been trained on the system so that if you have any questions regarding the Cognos ReportNet tool (not the reports), you may contact the Help Desk: Call (313) during regular hours Send an message to at anytime Browse/search this site (look at the left side of the page) Leave Voice Mail message at (313) Only use this if you're having difficulty getting through via the main phone line or and you cannot find an answer on the Website or the Knowledgebase