Export and Import of Structures and Data

This chapter deals with communication between IBM® Cognos Controller installations and Cognos Controller databases and external systems. It also describes the differences between structures and data in the context of import/export.

Structure and Data

Cognos Controller distinguishes between the two concepts:

Structure
Structures include, among other things, the following:
  • Company structure
  • Account structure
  • Form structure
  • Settings in the general configuration
Data
Data relates to values saved as:
  • Company structure
  • Account structure
  • Form structure
  • Settings in the general configuration

In general, group users Export Structures and import data, while reporting sites export data and import structures. This illustration shows what the relationship looks like:

Figure 1. Relationship between group users, structures, reporting site, and data
Group users export structures to, and import data from reporting sites. Reporting sites import structures from, and export data to group users.

Restrictions

If you import or export structures and data between companies and installations, they must originate from the same version of IBM Cognos® Controller.