Relational Reporting Style

The relational reporting style is recommended for relational data sources. Relational data is best represented by lists. This data is organized in IBM® Cognos® Analytics - Reporting by query items.

In relational reporting, you summarize data by using headers and footers in lists, summary functions, and within detail aggregation. You focus data in relational reporting with summary or detail filters.

IBM Cognos Query Studio also works with relational data.

Limitations when using data modules

IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson data modules can include data from relational data sources, other data modules, uploaded files, and data sets.

The following limitations apply when you use data modules in relational reporting:

  • Data modules and Framework Manager packages cannot be combined in the same report.
  • In IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson 11.1.7 and earlier versions, only one data module can be used as a source for a report. Starting with Cognos Analytics 11.1.7 FP1, multiple data modules can be used as sources for one report.
  • Data modules that are based on dimensional data sources, such as PowerCubes, dynamic cubes, TM1 data sources, and dimensionally-modeled relational (DMR) data sources, are not supported.
  • The Build prompt page tool and the Tree prompt are not available in reports.
  • Navigation paths in data modules are not available when creating a union, except, intersect, join, or custom SQL query in Reporting.

    The navigation paths for these types of queries must be created directly in data modules. For more information, see Creating navigation paths.

For more information about data modules, see the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson Data Modeling Guide.