Guideline

Understanding Unexpected DrillThrough Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

Product(s): IBM Cognos 8 BI Area of Interest: Reporting

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

Copyright and Trademarks Licensed Materials - Property of IBM. Copyright IBM Corp. 2009 IBM, the IBM logo, and Cognos are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the Web at http://www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information in this document is accurate and complete, some typographical errors or technical inaccuracies may exist. IBM does not accept responsibility for any kind of loss resulting from the use of information contained in this document. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. This document is maintained by the Best Practices, Product and Technology team. You can send comments, suggestions, and additions to cscogpp@ca.ibm.com.

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

Contents
1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 2 2.1 2.2 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.3 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.4 2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3 2.5 2.5.1 2.5.2 2.5.3 2.6 2.6.1 2.6.2 2.6.3 2.7 2.7.1 2.7.2 2.7.3 2.8 2.8.1 2.8.2 2.8.3 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 4 PURPOSE .............................................................................................................. 4 APPLICABILITY ....................................................................................................... 4 EXCLUSIONS AND EXCEPTIONS .................................................................................... 4 ASSUMPTIONS ........................................................................................................ 4 SCENARIOS ................................................................................................... 4 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................ 4 DETAIL CELLS NOT DISPLAYED FOR EXCLUDED ITEMS ....................................................... 5 Source: PowerPlay Studio, Analysis Studio, Report Studio......................................5 Target: PowerPlay Studio....................................................................................5 Feature: Excluded Item(s) on an Edge.................................................................5 DRILL-THROUGH PARAMETER IGNORED DUE TO CUSTOM SET .............................................. 6 Source: Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio, Report Studio......................................6 Target: PowerPlay Studio....................................................................................6 Feature: Custom Set(s) on an Edge.....................................................................6 DRILL-THROUGH DEFINITION NOT AVAILABLE WHEN SOURCE REPORT IS OUT OF SCOPE ............ 6 Source: Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio, Report Studio......................................6 Target: Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio, Report Studio ......................................6 Feature: Drill-through Definition Scope Rules .......................................................6 CALCULATIONS DO NOT APPEAR IN THE TARGET REPORT ................................................... 7 Source: Report Studio, Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio......................................7 Target: PowerPlay Studio....................................................................................7 Feature: Calculations on Edges ...........................................................................7 TARGET REPORT DOES NOT FILTER PROPERLY WITHOUT "GO-TO" PARAMATERS ..................... 8 Source: Report Studio, PowerPlay Studio, Analysis Studio......................................8 Target: Analysis Studio.......................................................................................8 Feature: Individual, Manually Created Set(s) in Context Filter Area ........................8 EMPTY CELLS RETURNED IN A TARGET REPORT WITH EXCLUDED ITEMS.................................. 9 Source: PowerPlay Studio, Report Studio, Analysis Studio......................................9 Target: Analysis Studio.......................................................................................9 Feature: Exclude item(s) on the Edge..................................................................9 NESTED CROSSTAB ONLY FILTER ON SOME ITEMS .......................................................... 10 Source: Report Studio, Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio.................................... 10 Target: Report Studio....................................................................................... 10 Feature: Nested on the Edge - Two or More Different Dimensions - Crosstab Report 10

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose This document is intended as a reference guide for various IBM Cognos 8 BI drillthrough scenarios in which the results may be unexpected. 1.2 Applicability This document is applicable to IBM Cognos 8 BI version 8.4. The components used are IBM Cognos 8 BI PowerPlay Studio, IBM Cognos 8 BI Analysis Studio and IBM Cognos 8 BI Report Studio. 1.3 Exclusions and Exceptions Query Studio was not tested for the scenarios found in this paper; however, the same concepts apply to Query Studio where applicable. 1.4 Assumptions This document assumes prerequisite knowledge of drill-through configuration in IBM Cognos 8 BI for package-based (configured in IBM Cognos Connection), report-based drill-through (configured in Report Studio), and PowerPlay drill-through (configured in IBM Cognos Connection), as well as in-depth knowledge of features found in Report Studio, Analysis Studio, and PowerPlay Studio.

2 Scenarios
2.1 Overview This document will illustrate and explain various drill-through scenarios that produce what may be considered unexpected results. The following drill-through scenarios are organized as follows; the source and target for each drill-through is identified as well as the feature included in the target report that may cause unexpected results. The drill-through results are described, explained and accompanied by screenshots for reference.

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

2.2 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.3

Detail Cells Not Displayed for Excluded Items Source: PowerPlay Studio, Analysis Studio, Report Studio Target: PowerPlay Studio Feature: Excluded Item(s) on an Edge

Description: The Excluded on Edge feature in Analysis Studio is similar to the Hide/Show functionality in PowerPlay Studio. This can be selected by right-clicking the crosstab row/column item. In this scenario the year 2005 was hidden on the row edge. Selecting 2005 in a PowerPlay Studio, Analysis Studio, or Report Studio source report and then drilling through to the PowerPlay Studio target report results in the report shown below.

The total row displays the total values for 2005 values (if the Show Summaries option is selected for the hidden categories), but the detail cells are not displayed since the 2005 data was hidden from the report. If the drill-through value for year had been 2006 instead of 2005, the results would be different (as shown below) since the 2006 category was not hidden in the target report.

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

2.3 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3

Drill-through Parameter Ignored Due to Custom Set Source: Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio, Report Studio Target: PowerPlay Studio Feature: Custom Set(s) on an Edge

Description: In this scenario, the target PowerPlay report contains a custom subset for the year 2006. In the Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio, or Report Studio source report, drilling through on the cell intersection of 2004 and Personal Accessories, displays the following results in the target report.

The year 2006 is still displayed because of the custom subset in the target report. Due to the custom subset, the 2004 drill-through parameter is ignored. However, the Personal Accessories parameter is passed and filtered on successfully. 2.4 2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3 Drill-Through Definition Not Available when Source Report is Out of Scope Source: Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio, Report Studio Target: Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio, Report Studio Feature: Drill-through Definition Scope Rules

Description: When a drill-through definition is created in IBM Cognos Connection, there is an option to specify which item in the source package is in scope for the drill-through. This item can be a query subject, query item, measure, dimension, or a level. When a source report is created and the item for which the scope has been set is not in the source report, the drill-through definition will not be available to drill-

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

through to the target report. This is expected behavior. If the item for which scope has been set is added to the source report and it is selected as part of the drillthrough, then the drill-through definition will appear. 2.5 2.5.1 2.5.2 2.5.3 Calculations do Not Appear in the Target Report Source: Report Studio, Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio Target: PowerPlay Studio Feature: Calculations on Edges

Description: In this scenario a target report has calculations on the edges, Personal Accessories + 100 on the columns and 2006 + 100 on the rows as seen below.

When you drill through from a source report to the target report shown above and Personal Accessories is not returned in the filtered results, then the Personal Accessories + 100 calculation will not appear. The same applies for the year 2006. If 2006 is not returned in the filtered results for the target report, then the 2006 + 100 calculation will not appear. For example, drilling on the intersection of 2004 and Camping Equipment in a source report, the following is displayed in the target report.

Notice that neither calculation in the target report is displayed. This is because the items used in the calculations were filtered out. Drilling through on the intersection of 2006 and Personal Accessories in the source report, returns the following target report.

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

Again, the calculations are not returned in the target report even though the drillthrough parameters included the categories 2006 and Personal Accessories. The target report is filtered on those items but returns the children of 2006 and Personal Accessories not the items themselves. In order to see the calculations in the target report, drill through on the parent levels for the items used in the calculations, in this case, Time and Products. 2.6 2.6.1 2.6.2 2.6.3 Target Report Does Not Filter Properly Without "Go-To" Paramaters Source: Report Studio, PowerPlay Studio, Analysis Studio Target: Analysis Studio Feature: Individual, Manually Created Set(s) in Context Filter Area

Description: In Analysis Studio, multi-selecting two or more items from a dimension and adding them to the Context Filter area creates a list of items (a set of members from one dimension) that the analysis is filtered on. For example, Telephone, Web, Sales Visit and Special are multi-selected from Order method type and dropped onto the Context Filter area of an Analysis Studio target report. If a drill-through definition is created for this target report, and then in a source Report Studio, PowerPlay Studio, or Analysis Studio report, a drill through is done on the intersection of 2004, Camping Equipment and Special, the target report appears as shown below.

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

Notice that all Order Method types added to the context filter are returned even though Special was part of the intersection passed. In fact, all years and all Products are returned as well. This is because Analysis Studio does not dynamically filter from source reports. "Go-To" parameters must be enabled on the context filter in order to drill through and filter the reports as expected. In the Context Filter's drop down menu, select Use as "Go-To" Parameter. If the above target report was configured to use the Order method type list in the context filter as a "Go-To" parameter and the drill-definition is edited to map the appropriate item from the source to this parameter, then selecting the intersection of 2004, Camping Equipment and Special from the source report produce the following target report results.

Now the Order Method type is filtered as expected. 2.7 2.7.1 2.7.2 2.7.3 Empty Cells Returned in a Target Report with Excluded Items Source: PowerPlay Studio, Report Studio, Analysis Studio Target: Analysis Studio Feature: Exclude item(s) on the Edge

Description: In IBM Cognos 8 BI, the Analysis Studio target report can be created with a row or column item excluded on the edges. In this scenario, the year 2005 was excluded on the row edge. Keep in mind that "Go-To" parameters must be configured in the Analysis Studio target report in order to filter it on a drill-through. Selecting 2005 in a PowerPlay Studio, Report Studio, or Analysis Studio source report and drilling through to the Analysis Studio target report with the excluded item results in an empty report as shown below.

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

10

Although this may appear as an unexpected result, it is accurate since the target report consists of the years displayed but excludes the year 2005. No data is returned for the years included in the report since the report has been filtered on 2005. However, the row total for Time shows the total values for 2005 since this row is an over all total for included and excluded items. Since all the included items have been filtered out of the query, the row simply displays the values for the year 2005 which is included in the filter, but excluded from the report layout. 2.8 2.8.1 2.8.2 2.8.3 Nested Crosstab Only filter on Some Items Source: Report Studio, Analysis Studio, PowerPlay Studio Target: Report Studio Feature: Nested on the Edge - Two or More Different Dimensions - Crosstab Report

Description: Conducting a parameter-based drill-through from a source report to a Report Studio target report with two or more dimensions nested on a row or column may cause unexpected results depending on the filters applied to the target report. For example, the target Report Studio report below has the following two filters:

[sales_and_marketing_mdc].[Order method].[Order method].[Order method type]=?Order Method Type?

and

Understanding Unexpected Drill-Through Behavior in IBM Cognos 8

11

[sales_and_marketing_mdc].[Retailers].[Retailers].[Region]=?Region?

Order method type and Region both have filters, but Product line does not. A drill-through definition mapped to the appropriate parameters, in this case Order method type and Region, is created. A similar Report Studio source report is created as shown below.

When the report is run and the intersection of Outdoor protection, Northern Europe, and Telephone is selected to drill through to the target report, the following results are displayed in the target report.

The order method type and region display as expected, but all product lines are returned. This is because there are only filters on Order method type and Region and not Product line. Either another filter can be added for Product line, or the drill-through definition can be edited to allow for dynamic drill-through which would then dynamically filter Product line at run time.