Adding a map to a dashboard

When you use a map in a dashboard, you can show data for one location measure, either as a filled region, a point, or both.

Before you begin

You must have access to the IBM Cognos samples. This procedure uses the IBM Cognos GO Sales sample data. If your administrator installed these samples, they are in Team content > Samples > Models > GO Sales (query).

About this task

This procedure shows you how to create a map that shows revenue by region and gross profit as points.
Note: Other names for a map are polygon, filled region, and choropleth.

Procedure

Create the map and add revenue by region.

  1. Click New and then click Dashboard.
  2. Leave the default values in the Select a template window and click OK.
  3. In the left pane, click the Visualizations icon Visualization types icon, and then click the Map icon.
  4. In the left pane, click Sources, and then click Add a Source.
  5. Click Team content > Samples > Models > GO Sales (query) and click Add.
  6. Expand GO Sales (query) > go_sales > Sales (query) > Sales, and drag Revenue to the Location color data slot.
  7. Expand Branch and drag City to the Locations data slot.
    The map is populated and a yellow triangle displays in the upper right corner of the map.
    Tip: Zoom in and zoom out of the map to see more or less detail. Click and drag to move around the map.
  8. Click the yellow triangle.
    A window displays the unresolved locations information. There are two types of unresolved locations: ambiguous region and unrecognized location. To resolve the first problem, add categories to refine the locations. For example, add Province or state and Country to the Location data slot. To resolve the second problem, cleanse your data by renaming the locations.
  9. To add points to the map, drag measures to the Point size and Point color data slots.
  10. Save the dashboard when you're done.