Create a table of contents

You can create a table of contents that appears in the rendered output of your report. A table of contents is useful for reports that include sectioned items, grouped items, or multiple pages in the layout. The report output indicates page numbers and allows for easy navigation.

You can include multiple tables of contents in your report, which are useful if your report contains grouped lists. You can also add section numbers in front of entries in the table of contents by modifying the heading level property.

Table of contents entries are logical markers placed anywhere in a report. For example, you can place entries at the top of a page or in a list group header to mark each grouped data value. Although table of contents entries are visible in IBM® Cognos® Analytics - Reporting, they cannot be seen when a report is run.

A table of contents works only for reports produced in PDF or non-interactive HTML format. In HTML format, they work best when viewing saved report outputs, as the entire report appears in a single HTML page. When reports are run interactively, more than one HTML page may be generated, and a table of contents works only if the target exists in the page currently being viewed.

Tip: You can reduce the number of HTML pages generated when a report is run interactively by specifying a value for the Rows per page property for a data container in the report.

If you want to quickly move from one part of a report to another without using page numbers, you can add bookmarks.

Tip: The Briefing Book sample report in the GO Sales (analysis) package includes a table of contents.

Before you begin

You must first create a table of contents before adding entries in the report. All entries must be inserted after the table of contents in the report layout.

Procedure

  1. Click the Toolbox icon The toolbox icon, drag the Table of contents object to the new location, which can be anywhere in the report.

    A table of contents placeholder appears.

  2. Drag the Table of contents entry object to the location of your first table of contents marker.

    The new entry appears in the table of contents.

  3. Double-click the Double-click to edit text box of the new marker.
  4. In the Text box, type the text to appear in the table of contents and click OK.
  5. To edit the heading level of a table of contents entry, click the entry and, in the Properties pane, set the Heading level property to the level.

    The heading level is used to insert section numbers in front of entries in the table of contents using layout calculations.

  6. When you finish creating the table of contents, run the report. By clicking the arrow to the right of the run report button, you can specify whether to run the report as HTML or PDF.