Framework Manager and Transformer Tips Cognos User Group Framework Manager and Transformer Tips August 6, 2010

Topics Framework Manager Transformer Using filters Governors Diagram settings “As View” query subjects vs. “Minimized” Transformer Using categories for counts Creating “Bucket Dimensions” Time dimensions When to use a DMR model (in Framework Manager)

FM - Filters Filter Options Embedded (within query subject) Required Optional Design Mode Stand-alone Only way to make hard-coded filter optional Use screen tip so that you know what the filter is ! Studios Demo: Go to FM Show embedded filter in Orders Fact Discuss Required, Optional and Design Mode Required “permanently” applies filter to package Optional can be used in combination with a prompt. Design Mode can be used in combination with QS Preview with Limited Data run option Add stand-alone Show best practice of including it under the Order Fact query subject Paste in filter to Tool Tip property Publish package and show in QS Launch QS Go to Run Report option and point out Preview with Limited Data Set Preview with no data Insert Order Fact columns Hover over Ship Date filter for tool tip Apply filter Order Ship date ascending Run report

FM – Governors Use to improve performance by reducing system requirements “Big 5” Infolink has found useful: Max Rows Retrieved Query time limit Large Text (BLOBS) limit Cross-Product joins Usage of local cache

FM – Diagram Settings Context Explorer vs. Diagram tab Use Navigate Diagram to control defaults Shrink to fit Layout control Settings control Demo Show context explorer on Order Details in Database View Change to crows feet Close CE and re-open to show that crows feet is not saved as default Go to diagram and change default settings to update for all future models to crowsfeet Close model and re-open and show CE is now defaulted to crows feet Show shrink to fit option icon. Show auto layout icon optoin

FM – “As View” query subject Default is “Minimized” How does “As View” work? Creates in-line view Controls order of query processing Why use “As View” Accuracy Merged query subject outer join example Go to Order Fact “Test” tab to focus attention on SQL Settings Show query differences (note: With is turned off in Governors) CO Judicial merged query subject example Context Explorer on Case Master to show outer join Discuss merge solution (de-normalize further) Context Explorer on Merged tables

Transformer – Category Counts 3 types of measures in Transformer Column Calculated Category Count Category Count type measure is used to provide a distinct count of members among dimension levels of a level you specify in the Dimension Map. (note 65,536 limit)

Trans – Category Counts continued You can create a category count using multiple columns from a data source. Example: Unique employee is determined by Employee ID + Employee Record. We want to count this within our dimension levels Demo Go into Training\User Group\User Group.mdl Tip on mdl vs. pyj Show category counts to explain 65K limit per level (node) Show calculated column in data source – defines unique employee Show dimension in dimension map and set as unique Show Employee Count measure set up as category count Show diagram with suppressed dimension Show in AS with ND HCM Action Cube

Trans – “Bucket Dimensions” “Bucket Dimensions” are useful when you want to categorize measures (like employee count) into pre-determined buckets that you define within Transformer. In our example, we create our buckets using calculated columns in the data source. (Note: you can do this in FM as well) Demo Open UserGroup.mdl Show Age Bucket calculated field in query source – how it’s calculated Show Age bucket in dimensional map Explain sort using another sort calculation and applying to the sort of the dimension Show in AS with Employee Count as measure

Trans – Time Dimension Standard Time Dimension Custom Time Dimension Cognos automatically builds dimension levels from a date using a wizard. Relative time Adding additional drill path Custom Time Dimension Is a regular (non-time) dimension Create your own time categories and sorting Demo Open FinDemo.mdl Show adding time using wizard (point out start month) Generate categories and show diagram Show how you can change Date label formats Show how to add additional drill path (dimension map and diagram update) Show in AS Show custom time dimension table in SQL Server for ND Show in FM model SQL Server (TIME_DIM in infolink_demo_mart database)

FM - DMR Dimensionally Modeled Relational Data (DMR) Provides OLAP Cube style reporting Useful for real time reporting on small data sets that have a good framework model Drawbacks: Performance (typically slower than PowerCubes which are pre-aggregated) Consumes database server resources with report queries