BI Reporting Tools Training

What is data visualization, Comparison and benefits against reading raw numbers, Real usage examples from various business domains, Some quick powerful examples using Tableau without going into the technical details of Tableau, installing Tableau, Tableau interface, connecting to DataSource, Tableau Data Types, data preparation.

Installation of Tableau Desktop, Architecture of Tableau, Interface of Tableau (Layout, Toolbars, Data Pane, Analytics Pane etc), How to start with Tableau, Ways to share and exporting the work done in Tableau

Hands-on Exercise – Play with the tableau desktop, interface to learn its user interface, Share an existing work, Export an existing work

Connection to Excels, PDFs and Cubes, Managing Metadata and Extracts, Data Preparation and dealing with NULL values, Data Joins (Inner, Left, Right, Outer) and Union, Cross Database joining, Data Blending, data extraction, refresh extraction, incremental extraction, how to build extract

Hands-on Exercise – Connect to an excel sheet and import data, Use metadata and extracts, Handle NULL values, Clean up the data before the actual use, Perform various join techniques, Perform data blending from more than one sources

Marks, Highlighting, Sort and Group, Working with Sets (Creation of sets, Editing sets, IN/OUT, Sets in Hierarchies), constant sets, computed Sets,  bins

Hands-on Exercise – Create and edit sets using Marks, Highlight desired items, Make groups, Applying sorting on result, Make hierachies in the created set

Filters (Addition and Removal), Filtering continuous dates, dimensions, measures, Interactive Filters, marks card, hierarchies, how to create folders in Tableau,  sorting in Tableau, types of sorting, filtering in Tableau, types of filters, filtering order of operations

Hands-on Exercise – Add Filter on data set by date/dimensions/measures, Use interactive filter to views, Remove some filters to see the result

Formatting Data (Labels, Annotations, Tooltips, Edit axes), Formatting Pane (Menu, Settings, Font, Alignment, Copy-Paste), Trend and Reference Lines, Forecasting, k-means Cluster Analysis in Tableau, visual analytics in Tableau, reference lines and bands, confidence interval.

Hands-on Exercise – Apply labels, annotations, tooltips to graphs, Edit the attributes of axes, Set a reference line, Do k-means cluster analysis on a dataset

Coordinate points, Plotting Longitude and Latitude, Editing Unrecognized Locations, Custom Geocoding, Polygon Maps, WMS: Web Mapping Services, Background Image (Add Image, Plot Points on Image, Generate coordinates from Image), map visualization, custom territories, Map Box, WMS Map, how we can create map projects in Tableau, how to create Dual Access Map, how to edit location.

Hands-on Exercise – Plot latitude and longitude on geo map, Edit locations on the map, Create custom geocoding, Use images of a map and plot points on it, find coordinates in the image, Create a polygon map, Use WMS

Calculation Syntax and Functions in Tableau, Types of Calculations (Table, String, Logic, Date, Number, Aggregate), LOD Expressions (concept and syntax), Aggregation and Replication with LOD Expressions, Nested LOD Expressions, Level of Details, Fixed Level of Details, Lower Level of Details, Higher Level of Details, Quick Table Calculations, how to create Calculated Fields, predefined Calculations, how to validate.

Create Parameters, Parameters in Calculations, Using Parameters with Filters, Column Selection Parameters, Chart Selection Parameters, how to use Parameters in Filter Session, how to use parameters in Calculated Fields, how to use parameters in Reference Line.

Hands-on Exercise – Create new parameters to apply on a filter, Pass parameters to filters to selet columns, Pass parameters to filters to select charts

Dual Axes Graphs, Histogram (Single and Dual Axes), Box Plot, Pareto Chart, Motion Chart, Funnel Chart, Waterfall Chart, Tree Map, Heat Map, Market Basket analysis, Using Show me, Types of Charts, Text Table, Heat map, Highlighted Table, Pie Chart, Tree map, Bar chart, Line Chart, Bubble Chart, Bullet chart, Scatter Chart, Dual Axis Graphs, Funnel Charts, Pareto Chart, Maps, Hands on Lab, Assignment, Funnel Chart, Waterfall Chart, Maps

Hands-on Exercise – Plot a histogram, heat map, tree map, funnel chart and others using the same data set, Do market basket analysis on a given dataset

Build and Format a Dashboard (Size, Views, Objects, Legends and Filters), Best Practices for Creative and Interactive Dashboards using Actions, Create Stories (Intro of Story Points, Creating and Updating Story Points, Adding Visuals in Stories, Annotations with Description), DashBoards & Stories, what is Dashboard, Filter Actions, Highlight Actions, Url Actions , Selecting & Clearing values, DashBoard Examples, Best Practices in Creating DashBoards, Tableau WorkSpace, Tableau Interface, Tableau Joins, Types of Joins, Live vs Extract Connection, Tableau Field Types, Saving and Publishing Data Source, File Types

Hands-on Exercise – Create a dashboard view, Include objects, legends and filters, Make the dashboard interactive, Create and edit a story with visual effects, annotation, description

Introduction to Tableau Prep, how Tableau Prep helps to quickly combine join, shape and clean data for analysis, create smart experiences with Tableu Prep, get deeper insights into your data with great visual experience, make data preparation simpler and accessible, integrate Tableau Prep with Tableau analytical workflow, seamless process from data preparation to analysis with Tableau Prep

Introduction to R Language, Applications and Use Cases of R, Deploying R on Tableau Platform, Learning R functions in Tableau, Integration with Hadoop

Hands-on Exercise – Deploy R on tableau, Create a line graph using R interface, Connect tableau with Hadoop and extract data

Cognos BI and Analytics tool introduction, the detailed architecture of Cognos BI, the fundamentals of data warehousing, what is ETL, the different types of OLAP, what is a Cognos Framework Manager, what is DMR model, Architecture Cognos Analytics 11, how Cognos Analytics 11 enhances the User Interface,  Advance Cognos Analytics 11 UI.

Introduction to building a query model for connecting with the report layout, how to deploy a query model for adding filters and reports, custom query creation through SQL statement editing, how to create reports by joining query results, based on relationship and other queries the process to combining data containers.

Hands-on Exercise –You will build a query model and deploy it for addition of filters and reports, and then you edit the SQL statements for getting custom queries and then create reports by joining query results.

Understanding the new UI features of Cognos 11, new navigation features, new search engine, the new unified user interface feature, three options for creating Cognos content viz. Report authoring, dashboard and data module, simplified administration pages and a complete modern look in Cognos Analytics 11.

Introduction to Cognos Analytics 11 Data Modules, creation of Data server connection, uploading of files datasets, intent driven modeling, navigation and calculations, using data modules to modulate data without using Framework Manager, understand how Cognos 11 is a huge step in data integration and modulation, data discovery through intent-based modeling, connecting to a data server, how to upload files, navigation and calculation, creating data modules with inputs from diverse set of data, other data modules, data servers, data sets, uploaded files.

The process of dashboarding in IBM Cognos, creating a dashboard by adding report content and tools, exploring the drill through feature, how to filter data in the dashboard, what is widget-to-widget communication, sorting, grouping and calculating data.

Introduction to IBM Cognos Framework Manager, learning about the workflow process, writing SQL queries, performing calculations, creating projects,  applying filters and creation of Star Schema, the difference between various data models, importing of metadata, access control to metadata, merging of metadata, working with data sources, stored procedure query subjects, work with macros, setting governors, performance improvement, parameter map, session parameters, learn about multi-facet, multi-grain, and stitch queries.

Introduction to IBM Report Studio, understanding what is Report Authoring, creating reports using Report Studio, understanding Query Studio, various types of Reports, grouping, formatting, and sorting list Reports, aggregating data, multi-facet data and Report with repeated data, new Report Studio interface in Cognos 11, reporting functions and active reports, dashboard enhancement in Cognos Analytics 11, creating dashboard and drill through feature

Performing filtering, grouping and sorting of Reports, filtering to narrow focus of Report, Cross tab Reports, formatting and sorting Cross tab Reports, creating Charts, adding context to Charts.

Hands-on Exercise – Perform filtering, grouping and sorting of Reports, Perform filtering to narrow focus of Report, Create Cross tab Reports, Format and sort Cross tab Reports, Create Charts, add context to Charts

Learning about various Prompts on Reports, working with Prompts to focus data, searching Prompt items, customization, page navigation, displaying user Prompt selection, extending Report capabilities using calculation, creation of statistical calculations, statistical charts with Cognos Report Studio.

Hands-on Exercise – Use Prompts to focus data, Search Prompt items, Customizeand display user Prompt selection, Extend Report capabilities using calculation, Create statistical calculations, plot statistical charts with Cognos Report Studio

Reusing objects in the same Report, layout sharing between different Reports, working with various templates, handling Reports with no available data.Learning to customize Reports with showing, hiding and highlighting data, creating multilingual reports, rendering conditional objects, how to use the published Report in Cognos 11, drilling through the Report with Cognos Analytics 11, specifying run report options and properties of the entry, understanding the alerts and watch items.

Hands-on Exercise – Reuse objects in the same Report, Share same layout between different Reports, Use a template for reporting, Handle Reports with no available data, Customize Reports with showing, hiding and highlighting data, Create multilingual reports, Render conditional objects

Understanding the concept of Drill through, letting users find the data they want, comparing parameter-driven and dynamic drill through, drilling from one report to another, setting the scope of drill through, familiarizing with drill through assistant, enhancing report layout, combining data containers, formatting data and report objects.

Hands-on Exercise – Using Drill through, let users find the data they want, Use parameter-driven and dynamic drill through, Drill from one report to another, Set the scope of drill through, Enhance report layout, Format data and report objects

Introduction to advanced Cognos reporting, filtering reports on session parameters, navigating to specific location in report, navigating using table of contents, creating dynamic titles and headers, detailed learning of advanced report authoring, linking reports and displaying one report layer, editing SQL statements, distributing Report content to various users, creating Master-Detail Report, conditional formatting of Reports using variables, string and Boolean expressions, examining report specification and modifying it, deploying Java Scripts and HTML items for user interaction.

Hands-on Exercise – Apply filters on reports on session parameters, Navigate to specific location in report, Navigatie using table of contents, Create dynamic titles and headers, Link reports and display one report layer, Edit SQL statements, Distribute Report content to various users, create Master-Detail Report, Conditionally format Reports using variables, string and Boolean expressions, Modify a report specification, Deploy Java Scripts and HTML items for user interaction

Understanding the concept of report bursting, running a report once and dividing the results as per specific recipients, steps in report bursting, specifying burst groups, setting burst options and enabling bursting, creating burst keys and burst tables, rules of report bursting and formats supported for bursting.

Hands-on Exercise – Run a report once and divide the results as per specific recipients, Specify burst groups, Set burst options and enable bursting, Create burst keys and burst tables, Create Rules of report bursting

Learning about statistical reporting, creating statistical objects, adding cases and variables, integrating statistical objects with Cognos Report Studio, understanding descriptive statistics and statistical charts, analyzing using statistical reports and distributing results to users.

Hands-on Exercise – Create statistical objects, Add cases and variables, integrate statistical objects with Cognos Report Studio, Generate and analyze using statistical reports, Export results to users

Creating active reports using Cognos Report Studio, designing highly interactive reports, building report as per user needs, learning about the characteristics of Active Reports and deploying it to build easy to use reports, scheduling and bursting of Active Reports, understanding Active Report controls and variables.

Hands-on Exercise – Create active reports using Cognos Report Studio, Design interactive reports, Build a custom report, Schedule Active Reports

Introduction to dimensional data in reports, working with DMR and OLAP data sources in dimensional reporting, understanding dimensions, levels, hierarchies and members, learning about dimensional reporting methodology.

Hands-on Exercise – Generate dimensional reports from Cognos studio

Learning about focusing dimensional data in a cross tab, difference between relational and dimensional queries, various filtering techniques, filtering of dimensional queries based on dimensions, measures and members, learning how to use a tree prompt for dynamic filtering,Cognos Dimensional Functions, deploying it to create sets and tuples, working with OLAP queries to deploy arithmetic queries, characteristics of Cognos Dimensional Functions.

Hands-on Exercise – Focus on dimensional data in a cross tab, Write a dimensional query, Apply filters on dimensions, measures and members, Use a tree prompt for dynamic filtering, Deploy Cognos Dimensional Functions to create sets and tuples, Deploy arithmetic queries

Introduction to advanced drilling techniques, identifying the need for overriding the default drilling, deploying advancing drill down techniques, the various member sets and support functions for performing advanced drilling.

Hands-on Exercise – Deploy advanced drill down techniques using various member sets and support functions for performing advanced drilling

Introduction to Cognos Transformer, multi-dimensional data modeling component, defining OLAP Cube structures, building multi-dimensional analysis cubes, modeling the dimensions, customizing measures, the various components of transformers, the various categories and members, creating a model plan, relating transformer model to model plan, transformer data sources and data types, matching the business requirements.

Hands-on Exercise – Define an OLAP Cube structure, Build multi-dimensional analysis cubes, Model the dimensions, Customize measures, Create a model plan and relate transformer model to this model plan

Learning how to create PowerCubes, creating data source connection to PowerCube, publishing of Cube, optimizing PowerCube input and output, various factors affecting PowerCube building and deployment, partitioning of PowerCubes, benefits of partitioning, creating a partitioning strategy, time-based partitioning, comparing the automatic and manual partitioning, learning about multifile PowerCube.

Hands-on Exercise – Create PowerCube, Create data source connection to PowerCube, Optimize PowerCube input and output, Make partitions of PowerCubes, Create a partitioning strategy, Create time-based partitioning

Introduction to IBM Cognos Cube designer, building dynamic cubes, deploying and measuring the performance, working with star and snowflake data schema, in-memory relational OLAP functionality, benefits of Dynamic Cube, Cube Designer interface, aggregation in Dynamic Cubes, modelling a Virtual Cube and publishing with IBM Cognos Studios.

Hands-on Exercise – Build dynamic cube, Deploy dynamic cube and measure the performance, Create star and snowflake data schema, Model a Virtual Cube and publish with IBM Cognos Studios

Learning to perform Cognos Analysis in Excel, the various query settings for enhancing performance, working with Dynamic Query Analyzer, Cognos Workflow, administering IBM Cognos, understanding query service metrics, moving data from previous versions, managing and auditing the Cognos environment, enhancing the search, restricting scheduling options, disabling query service.

Hands-on Exercise – Perform Cognos Analysis in Excel, Configure query settings for enhancing performance, Work with Dynamic Query Analyzer, Create a Cognos Workflow, Restrict scheduling options, Disable query service

Cognos 11 self-service options, customizable UI, better search feature, automatically selecting the best visualization, quick report formatting and styling, simple drag-and-drop functions, web-based modeling, testing and validating the models, building quick interactive reports, geospatial analytics and customizing the analytics environment, improved administration capabilities, working with the Cognos Mobile, understanding the Cognos Mobile architecture, the various supported products, how to deploy Cognos Analytics for Excel.

Creating compelling stories with IBM Cognos Analytics 11, using various formats like slideshows, infographics, interactive stories, intent-based authoring, automatic visualizations, collecting assets, choosing formats and templates, organizing the story, using amination and timing.

Business Analytics: Basic concepts, Business Intelligence & Data Warehousing Concepts, Conceptual differences: RDBMS & Data warehousing, Benefits & advantages of Data warehousing

What is IBM Cognos Insight?, Why use IBM Cognos Insight?, Add data to your Workspace, Identify Data Terms, Explore the Workspace, Filter Content using Explore Points, Navigate and Explore Data

Import Data, Use Quick Import, Import from a File, Define Data for Mapping, Map the Cube, Map Dimensions and Measures, Import from Microsoft Excel, Import form a Relational ODBC Source, Data Source, Refresh Data, Import Inventory Data from a Relational Data Source

Analyze Data, Calculate Data in a Workspace, Create Custom Calculations, Undo Changes, Restructure Data, Change the Way Measures are Summarized, Add Calculations During an Import

Choose an effective Chart, Choose a Chart Type, Area Charts, Bar Charts, Column Charts, Line Charts, Pie Charts, Point Charts, Specify Chart Options

Add Contents using Widgets, Examine Widget Types, Modify Widget Bbehavior Organize your Workspace, Enhance Appearance with Themes

Format and Enter Data, Understand Data Entry Colors, Use Numeric and Text Data, Use Date, Use Pick Lists, Add Annotations, Enter data Quickly using Shortcuts, Data Entry Commands

Further Learning Roadmap:

To learn analytics further and orient your career in that direction, following are the recommended study areas –

Big Data & Analytics, Text/Content Analytics, Big Data Programming, Predictive Analytics and Data Modelling