IBM Cognos Reviews

The most valuable feature is the ability to quickly build cubes with Cognos Transformer. Transformer has enabled us to consolidate millions of rows of detailed data into multi-dimensional cubes. It enable business users to drill down, and slice and dice data by key business dimensions, such as product, region, customer, and time.

It has provided visibility into our customers; specifically, it has given us insight into high-value customers.

The Cognos Suite needs improvement in a number of areas. First, the products must be made more user friendly for casual users. Next, business users need the ability to quickly pull in data from non-structured sources without the need for IT to model the data. Another area for improvement is advanced charting and graphical elements that you can use in reports and dashboards.

I have been using IBM Cognos since 2012.

PowerCubes has limits and thresholds. Developers need to be aware of these when designing a cube, and take into consideration the cube performance versus the physical size.

Report Studio for operational reporting against relational data sources is very dependent on the underlying database performance and the design of your metadata model in Framework Manager. Report designers and modelers must analyze the generated SQL and tune the Framework Model and reports.

The technical support is good.

I did not use any other solution previously.

Setup for a multi-server environment is of average complexity. Tuning the environment takes time.

Negotiate on licensing and support costs.

We have often reviewed the BI landscape. For Enterprise BI, we have looked at Cognos, SAP Business Objects and MicroStrategy. These tools are very similar and leapfrog each other with each release. Newer tools such as QlikView, Tableau, and Spotfire have gained momentum and taken market share from the enterprise BI vendors. You need to analyze your needs and determine whether an enterprise BI suite is right for you, or if you need multiple tools for different capabilities.

Plan your reporting strategy. Do you intended to implement self-service reporting so that end users are creating reports? Do you need structured operational and management reporting? Cognos often requires IT resources for metadata modelling. Will you have the bandwidth and time to move at the speed your business requires?

• I love the new user interface! Finally, Cognos BI has a new face.
• New handling of JavaScript.
• Story board.
• Dashboarding with combined shared and local data.
• Backwards compatibility.

Our client was very unhappy with the v10 and earlier UX. They wanted something "sexy". Our UX team came up with a very pleasing design mock-up of the dashboards using Marvel (www.marvelapp.com/1c19h7d). I despaired that it couldn't be done in v10.2.2. However, we got v11.0.4 installed, and amazingly I was able to get very close to the "sexy" UX the client wanted! This is being done using the reports functionality of Cognos Analytics (Report Studio + Workspace Advanced + Analytics Studio + Query Studio all in one, but with a better UX).

Also, the tool UX is more more easily customised in this version.

IBM has stated that Cognos Analytics 11 will include RAVE2/D3 charting support by the end of the year. I am using v11.0.4 and it is not included. V11.0.4 is the latest release TMK.

IBM has stated that Cognos Analytics 11 will include a mapping engine (like esri) by the end of the year. I am using v11.0.4 and it is not included. V11.0.4 is the latest release TMK.

I ported a complex dashboard built in Report Studio v10.2.2 into the v11.0.04 environment. After the embedded HTML items were removed so that Full Interactive Mode could be used, and replacing that HTML functionality with external JavaScript (via Custom Controls), the same report runs slightly slower. Also, after spending a day working in the editor on a report, the UI gets slower and slower. I either have to log off close the browser, then open a new browser and log on again to restore the start of day performance, or restart the BI service to achieve the same result. I was using Firefox 49. I’m now on 45 ESR but haven’t don’t enough work yet to see if this makes a difference.

I have hidden objects (block type “none”) on the page. To edit these I need to set the “show hidden objects” on in the options. This setting sometimes sticks between editing sessions, sometimes not. I opened two separate browsers and open a different version of the same report in each. In one the hidden objects displayed, in the other they didn’t.

I have used it for two months.

I've done three installs to date (two alone and one where I supported):

• Stand-alone on a Windows machine - easiest install ever!
• Concurrent install with C10.2.2 on a Windows machine - smooth with little confusion except around SSO and WebDAV. Used port 9305 as 9300 is for 10.2.2 install.
• Upgrade on a Linux machine - quick and painless.

I have encountered stability issues. I was able to crash the browser a couple of times (Firefox, recent version). I've tested the UI with Firefox (49 & ESR 45), MS 11, Chrome, and Edge (not supported), and all appear to work fine.

The longer I work on a report through the day, the slower the system responds.

Customer service is very good. Given that support is coming from Canada and I'm in New Zealand, a 16 hours time difference, I've usually had a response by the next morning.

The old Cognos Help Knowledgebase (pre-Rob Ash) was brilliant. The next version was so so. The move to IBM's DeveloperWorks means I struggle to find the information I need now.

We needed to connect to a PI Historian database but IBMCognos BI/CA does not certify the JDBC (Linux) driver. IBM said they would not provide a fix to support the PI drivers. The workaround is now to get PI data via a web service using IBM Integration Bus into a DB2 table, then read the data from there.

I previously used CBI10.2.2; upgraded to CA11.0.4 to get a better UX.

Initial setup was 99% straightforward; only complex in getting ports opened by a third party, implementing SSO, and WebDAV configuration.

An in-house team implemented it.

Cognos BI or Cognos Analytics comes bundled with many IBM solutions now. E.g, PMQ, Maximo. Check if your company has this supporting program license first before purchasing a new license. BUT, a bundled license is limited, so check the wording carefully.

Before choosing this product, I did not evaluate other options.

If you go with Cognos Analytics, install at least version 11.0.4. It has backwards capability for old reports and dashboards, and includes the new JavaScript API.

The Report Studio feature has more customized functionalities to create reports and analysis.

Cube reporting functionality has been simplified for analyzing daily productivity.

This product needs to be improvised by:

• Clearly pointing out the issues/errors in the description to simplify the debugging process.
• Enabling more GUI based functionality so that creation of dynamic report and dashboards by using Excel/flat file data is easier.

I have used this product for eight years.

The overall stability of the product meets expectations.

Scalability is good. We did not encounter any issues.

There is need for a faster resolution and expected time frame to resolve production issues. Whilst working on site and when support is needed for emergency issues, a quicker response time is required.

We have not used any other solutions.

The initial setup was simple and straightforward.

If your organization requires features like more stability and customization of reports, then the IBM Cognos Suite is your one stop choice as a good BI tool.

I enjoy the flexibility that the application has with Excel. Power users can use Excel functionalities for data analysis and reporting. Also, I like the integration with Excel (Xcelerator) and the ability to source data from numerous sources. Additionally, the use of Revelwood's Dynamo! allows for quick generation of reports.

The added power of Excel with Cognos TM1 allows my company to generate dynamic Excel-based reports to our customers much faster with the look and feel of Excel that they are accustomed to.

It would be more user friendly with GUI navigation. A lot of expertise is required to be able to navigate and perform simple tasks, as well as to create reports with Cognos TM1. I believe a GUI will make it easier for less technical folks (non-power users) to be able to use the tool effectively.

We’ve used Cognos TM1 for four years.

Performance of the product is usually stable and only has issues when there are lots of users during heavy reporting periods.

We have had no scalability issues.

I would rate the technical support 8/10. IBM has been pretty great with maintenance and technical support.

We have had no previous solutions.

The initial setup to install is pretty simple. You will need some technical experience to be able to successfully install the software components.

Licensing and pricing seems fair as compared to other products.

I don't know if the company evaluated other options. They were already using the product before I joined.

I believe it is important to evaluate similar products. I also advise to have a resident expert in-house to support and maintain the platform.

- We have worked with several reporting software products, and Cognos has a lot of flexibility and is very usable. It will perform most tasks that you would need.

Cognos software accesses several data sources and runs on major IBM platforms to help your business get the consistent data it needs. Also, Cognos software provides native interfaces to major ERP and legacy systems for fast access.

Cognos can improve in some data base basic connections (should be easier) mainly migrations in version 7.x to 8.x 10.x

No, because the Cognos platform has a number of features that are designed to ease administration and deployment, enhance performance, enable scalability and reduce the complexity of your BI environment.

No, scalability its very easy

IBM support is very expensive. However, there are many online materials to improve your skills, as well as other consultancies beyond IBM.

Yes, but these applications should not necessarily be changed. Home applications or simple BI tools can and should be used along with Cognos as most simple applications are not competitors. Many are even complementary.

Not very simple. It's important to get the advice of a qualified professional.

Yes, we should always be looking at other solutions in the market and competitors, it is mandatory, like TCO analysis.

2. Draw up a clear and effective communication with both the technical part and the internal and external staff

• Data modeling allows for better management and flexibility in exposing data from a single data model to diverse users.
• Flexibility of customization allows for designing custom solutions with ease.
• Scalability: It is very easy to add/remove a node in the Cognos cluster.

We have several reports that users access on a daily basis. We have also created multiple custom solutions to access reports from within an external application, as well as execute and deliver reports in a batch to a network location.

I think that IBM has done a great job with regularly improving this product and keeping up with the competing products. A couple of areas of improvement could be made in alerts for the application monitoring. It is hard to set up alerts when a servicer becomes unresponsive. The other improvement would be in improving the audit capabilities (including the database) of the application. The audit database is somewhat complex in developing good system usage reports.

I have used it for eight years.

I encountered stability issues, but it was more a problem in version 8. Starting from version 10, the stability issues have significantly reduced.

I have not encountered any scalability issues. Cognos scales very easily and we have several options for scaling the environment.

Technical support is 6/10, more for the IBM partner from which we purchased the Cognos licenses. The challenge has been that most of the time, when you purchase it through IBM partners, because they are not the developers of the product, they have to go back to the IBM support and get the information and then relay it back to their customers; that adds extra time to solving the problem.

We have used this solution from the beginning, as it was part of the ERP purchase option.

Initial setup was straightforward. Cognos was very easy to install and configure and the documentation provided by IBM was very user friendly.

Cognos licensing is comparable to other competing products. IBM provides several licensing options such as named vs CPU licenses, and it is better to understand the current and future reporting needs before opting for any licensing option.

IBM Cognos was part of the ERP bundle that we purchased. Cognos was part of the package and was sold through an IBM partner.

Understand your current and future BI needs. Understand the information/insight you are looking to get from your BI application. Understand how you would calculate your ROI on your BI investment. Tool selection should be the last step in the development and deployment of any BI environment.

Consolidation capability; that's really all we use it for.

Moving away from a manual, Excel-based consolidation to a largely automated one has enabled us to reduce our reporting timelines.

Accessibility to and flexibility of consolidation rules / logic: Products like HFM are much easier to work with when one needs to change rules, etc. With Cognos, I find that a regular user needs a much better understanding of the control tables and the E rules than a regular HFM user needs of the rules file. There seem to be more steps involved in Cognos, and the order of those steps are also important. One almost has to tick a few dozen boxes in a particular sequence whereas with HFM, one just has to export the rules and do a Ctrl + Find.

The investment register is also quite painful to work with, but I suspect that's due to configuration issues.

All in all, I have used it for about 18 months.

I encountered stability issues. As with all databases, space management on the server is important; all of our stability issues are related to database size and available space.

I have not encountered any scalability issues.

I did not previously use a different solution.

I can't comment on the implementation; it was completed before I joined.

The pricing is good. It's fairly cheap compared to other products.

I understand HFM and SAP BPC were also considered before choosing this product. Cost and the relative sophistication of the user community played a big role on choosing Controller.

If one has a complex consolidation structure, regular M&A activity (and hence changes in structures and rules), unusual transactions and a large user base, then I would think twice about Controller. If not, it'll probably work fine.

• Metadata modelling using Transformer and Framework Manager
• Visualization using Dashboard

Normally for BI implementations, these are the critical aspects.

I have not worked for an organization who is a direct beneficiary of the product. I have worked for vendor companies who have implementation expertise or have worked for OEM.

• Data discovery-related features
• Visualizations
• Speed of interaction with end-user

There are no problems with these areas. IBM Cognos has been working on them, but they are not yet on par with other vendors who are leaders in data discovery. For example, features like Lasso, dynamic pivoting, etc. are not yet available.

I have used it for 11 years.

I have not encountered any stability issues.

I encountered scalability issues while reporting across multiple data sources.

Technical support is very good.

I previously used a different solution, and switched because of ease of development and the rich set of features for most use cases.

Initial setup was straightforward.

I do not have much exposure to pricing. I understand it is on par, in terms of delivered value with respect to price, with other BI vendors.

Before choosing this product, I also evaluated Qlik and PowerBI.

Please evaluate other BI vendors available in the market to make sure that you pick the right tool for your use cases.