Exporting a dashboard to PDF

You can create a PDF of your dashboard to print or to share electronically.

Before you begin

Before you export your dashboard to PDF, consider the following points:

  • Keep the default print margins in your browser print window.
  • What you see on your screen is what you see on the PDF output. For example, a large screen displays more rows in a table than a small screen and this difference is captured in the PDF.
  • Ensure that your printer device driver is set to use the maximum resolution.
  • Use print preview to see what your PDF looks like before printing.
Tip: To get the best PDF output results, you might need to try a different web browser such as Google Chrome.

About this task

Because each web browser handles printing differently, depending on which browser and operating system that you are using, you must select particular settings in the print window. When you export a dashboard to PDF, refer to the steps below for more details for your specific browser and OS.

Procedure

  1. Open a dashboard.
  2. On the app bar, click the share icon.
    share icon
  3. Select the Export tab.
  4. Select a page size and orientation.
  5. To include a list of the filters that are applied to your dashboard, select Include filters.
  6. Click Export.
    Important: The Cognos® Analytics dialog for page size and orientation is the first step to properly formatting your dashboard to export to PDF. The print window for the browser is where you must ensure that the page size and orientation are properly set.
    The print window for the browser opens.
  7. Ensure the settings in the print window for the browser match the Export to PDF options that you selected.
    For example, if you selected the Portrait orientation in the IBM® Cognos Analytics with Watson user interface, before you print the PDF, ensure that the print window for your browser is set to Portrait.
    Note: If you select the Tabloid page size, some browsers label this page size as 11x17.

What to do next

The generated PDF should look like your dashboard. However, you might see some small differences. For detailed instructions for your specific browser and OS, see the following instructions:

Windows 10, Browser: Chrome, Print Destination: Microsoft Print to PDF

Windows 10, Browser: Firefox, Print Destination: Microsoft Print to PDF

macOS or iOS, Browser: Safari

macOS, Browser: Chrome

macOS, Browser: Firefox

Windows 10, Browser: Chrome, Print Destination: Microsoft Print to PDF

Complete the following steps if you are exporting a dashboard to PDF with Chrome on Windows.

Procedure

  1. In the print window for the browser, select the print destination: Microsoft Print to PDF.
  2. In the Print dialogue, expand More settings.
  3. From the Paper size list, select the page that matches the Paper size you selected from the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson Export to PDF dialogue. The page orientation is automatically selected.
  4. Ensure Background graphics is cleared.
  5. Click Print to export your file to PDF.

Windows 10, Browser: Firefox, Print Destination: Microsoft Print to PDF

Complete the following steps if you are exporting a dashboard to PDF with Firefox on Windows.

Procedure

  1. From the Firefox application bar, select the Open menu and select Print.
  2. Click Page Setup.
  3. From the Page Setup dialogue, ensure Print Background (colors & images) is selected and Shrink to fit Page Width is cleared.
    Note: Do not adjust the default margins in the Margins & Header/Footer tab.
  4. Click OK.
  5. On the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson app bar, click the more icon.
  6. If you don't see the more icon, click the Switch to preview icon to switch to preview mode first.
  7. Select Export to PDF.
  8. Select a page size and orientation, and then click OK.

    The print window for the browser opens.

  9. Select the print destination: Microsoft Print to PDF.
  10. From the print window for the browser, click Properties.
  11. From the Microsoft Print to PDF Document Properties dialogue, click the Orientation drop-down and select the value that matches the Orientation you selected in the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson Export to PDF dialogue.
  12. Click Advanced.
  13. From the Microsoft Print to PDF Advanced Options dialogue, click the Paper Size drop-down and select the value that matches the Page size you selected from the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson Export to PDF dialogue.
  14. Click OK.
  15. Click OK to close the Microsoft Print to PDF Document Properties dialogue.
  16. Click OK to export your file to PDF.

macOS or iOS, Browser: Safari

Complete the following steps if you are exporting a dashboard to PDF with Safari on macOS or iOS.

Procedure

  1. In the print window for the browser, select the page size.
    Note: If you selected the Tabloid page size in the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson Export to PDF dialogue, select 11x17 in the macOS print window.
  2. From the print window for the browser, select the Orientation you selected in the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson Export to PDF dialogue.
  3. Enable Print backgrounds.
  4. Enable Print headers and footers.
  5. From the PDF drop-down, select Save as PDF.
  6. Type a name, select a folder location, and click Save to save your PDF.

macOS, Browser: Chrome

Complete the following steps if you are exporting a dashboard with Chrome on macOS.

Procedure

  1. In the print window for the browser, enable Headers and footers.
  2. Enable Background graphics.
  3. Click Save.
  4. Type a name, select a folder location, and click Save to save your PDF.

macOS, Browser: Firefox

Complete the following steps if you are exporting a dashboard with Firefox on macOS.

Procedure

  1. From the print window for the browser, select the page size.
    Note: If you selected the Tabloid page size in the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson Export to PDF dialogue, select 11x17 in the macOS print window.
  2. From the print window for the browser, select the Orientation you selected in the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson Export to PDF dialogue.
  3. Clear Ignore Scaling and Shrink to Page Width.
  4. Enable Print Background Colors.
  5. Enable Print Background Images.
  6. From the PDF drop-down, select Save as PDF.
  7. Type a name, select a folder location, and click Save to save your PDF.