context brochure

Add Insight

n morgan benjamin

Context allows users to add and share their insight. MB Context enables IBM® Cognos® users to add comments directly to the Report Studio

reports online. All comments are made on live reports, which automatically update each time changes are made, thereby ensuring that all users have immediate access to the most up-to-date information. All comments, with

username and timestamps, are stored in your database.

n morgan benjamin +44 (0) 1189 901 110 | www.mbdw.co.uk | [email protected]

MB Context


Information is currency in today’s economy, and this creates an ever-increasing need for access to data. But as technology enables organisations to gather, store and disseminate larger and larger amounts of data, ensuring that people can interpret the data correctly

and interact with it faster becomes ever more key.

A More Rounded Perspective

The BuSIneSS needMorgan Benjamin has extensive business intelligence consulting and technical experience over a range of industry sectors. Years of experience working as a Cognos partner and with Cognos clients has enabled us to identify a real business need amongst Cognos customers for an additional tool that not only enhances the power that users have to interact with reports but reduces the reliance on report developers. As a result we have developed a key innovation – the Cognos-endorsed MB Context.

dIReCT InTeRACTIon wITh CognoS RePoRTSBorn out of the recognition that contextual information is as important as the data on which it is based and should the refore be stored in the same way, the concept of MB Context is simple. MB Context enables Cognos users to share knowledge through inputting comments to Cognos reports online and in real-time. Required actions can be requested, completed actions flagged, and hierarchical data groups relevant to each individual user created. This additional, user-defined, interactive information is stored

in the database to form a critical element of the business intelligence cycle.

FlexIBIlITY PuTS The uSeR In ChARgeThe advantages are widespread. MB Context’s flexibility puts the user in charge, equipping them with the ability to interact with the information through supplementing reported data with context and human insight. Cognos reports containing analysis comments and/or action items are immediately accessible online to authorised users, as well as being immediately ‘print-ready’, for example before board meetings.

enSuRIng dATA ACCuRACYMB Context cuts out the need to export reports from Cognos to excel, word or PowerPoint in order to undertake the time consuming and error-inducing manual management of the data. Information therefore remains accurate and up-to-date. MB Context also removes the compliance requirement of printing out reports to be signed and filed, as the audit history is stored as part of the online documentation.


User InteractionQuite simply the user clicks the add comment icon, up pops the dialog box, the user enters their comments, adds formatting and saves


The MB Context Admin console allows developers to Manage reports contain-ing comments generate syntax for single, multi page and line Item commentary. generate pre defined drop down options for comments as opposed to free entry comments

The MB Context tool item will appear in the Standard Report studio toolbox.Stored comments are accessed via a table in the Framework and can be displayed as list items, html items or rich text items.

Admin Console

Report Creation

Developer Experience


Technical RequirementsCognos Reportnet or Cognos 8Supported databasesoracle 9i, 10g, SQl Server 2000, SQl Server 2005, IBM dB2

ArchitectureMB Context provides this enhancement to Cognos Reportnet and Series 8. It improves the way that users interact with reports and data, enabling them to take more control of their data, add ‘context’, share this information with others and even create custom groupings. In short it creates business intelligence (BI) that is tailored to the individual needs of the user.

MB Context - Java ApplicationResides on Cognos dispatcher


MB Context - JavaScript ApplicationResides on Cognos gateway

Report Studio reports


Is it possible to assign commentary within the report prior to publication, yet post rendering –i.e. pre-publication but not part of the report design phase?Yes, providing the report was developed to enable commen-tary. Comments can be added whenever the report is run in Cognos Connection. These comments can then optionally be published in a PdF version of the report.

does MB Context enable the capture of end-user comments against data represented in web reports?Yes this is exactly what it is designed to do. Comments can be entered against any Report Studio report when viewed in hTMl.

does MB Context keep a back up of comments entered into a report?Yes –All comments are archived in a database of the user’s choice. These comments are stored with the date / time of entry of a comment, the user name and the report, report component or line item that the comment refers to.

explain how MB Context gives users the ability to insert text comments for report publication e.g. explanations for variances?MB Context allows users to enter comments post rendering. Comments can be entered against Reports, Report Compo-nents (Charts, lists etc) and individual line items within a list. These comments are then stored in a database along with the comment timestamp and the user name that entered them.

Is it possible to secure the commenting so only certain users can edit the comments?

Yes. MB context uses the cognos username so can define access utilising existing security configuration.

Is it possible to set up any sort of collaboration where multiple people can have a threaded discussion?Yes. MB Context collects the comment history for an individual report, report object and line item. MB Context can be configured to display comment history either within the report or within a purpose built feedback report. Specific users can be permitted to add comments into different threads and either the entire history of comments or a configurable number can be displayed.

Is possible to version the commenting to track the history of comments?Yes. All comments are given a reference that includes report name, user name, date and time. Comments history can be displayed within the report or in separate purpose built audit reports. Comments can be versioned along with versioning contained within the database (i.e. Month end data cuts) and also against any report or report item. each comment is date / time stamped to indicate time of entry.

Is it possible to restrict the number of comments made against a report or report object?Yes, this can be configured. The default settings are for unlimited comments.

what additional skills will my developers require to enable the MB Context functionality within our Cognos reports?Standard Report Studio development skills are required. MB Context is provided with default report templates for Report, Report item and line item comments to ease development.

enhanced interactivity, better decisions

Costs (£)


Role Price per seat (£) users license Price Aunual Support

Adminstrator 3,000 1 3,000 600

user 230 10 2,300 460212 30 6,360 1,272212 40 8,480 1,696180 50 9,000 1,800150 100 15,000 3,000

context brochure

Documents

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data accuracymb context

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concept of mb context

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