PM49754: CSV FILE OUTPUT FROM IBM COGNOS IS MUCH BIGGER THAN SAVING AN EXCEL OUTPUT INTO CSV THROUGH MICROSOFT OFFICE

APAR status

• Closed as suggestion for future release.

Error description

• Customer has noticed that when they produced a csv output of the
  report, the size is significantly larger than when they are
  producing the output in the Microsoft Excel format and then
  trying to save it into the CSV format
  

Local fix

Problem summary

Problem conclusion

Temporary fix

Comments

• The .csv outputs are different sizes because of the different ap
  proaches taken by IBM Cognos BI and Microsoft Excel when creatin
  g this type of outputs.  When Cognos BI creates a .csv output it
   fully populates all the columns.  The .csv export directly from
   Excel, however, replicates the appearance of the html or PDF re
  port output.  When the data is grouped, this often results in em
  pty columns in the Excel produced .csv where Cognos produced .cs
  v files are fully populated, resulting in a larger output size.
  
  For example, using the sample report "2011 Quarterly Sales repor
  t", Excel produces an output similar to the following:
   A             B                           C
  D
  Americas
  Quarter    Product line            Product type    Sales Forecas
  t
  Q1 2011    Camping Equipment    Cooking Gear    $4,889,600.00
  
                                          Lanterns            $2,2
  17,300.00
                                          Packs            $5,734,
  700.00
                                          Sleeping Bags    $5,335,
  400.00
                                          Tents
   $9,191,200.00
              Camping Equipment        $27,368,200.00
  
  
  Where the Cognos BI created .csv is of the form:
  Region    Quarter    Product line    Product type    Sales Forec
  ast Target
  Americas    Q1 2011    Camping Equip.    Cooking Gear    4889600
  
  Americas    Q1 2011    Camping Equip.    Lanterns            221
  7300
  Americas    Q1 2011    Camping Equip.    Packs            573470
  0
  Americas    Q1 2011    Camping Equip.    Sleeping Bags    533540
  0
  Americas    Q1 2011    Camping Equip.     Tents
     9191200         27368200
  
  The Cognos output is less sparsely populated, resulting in a lar
  ger .csv output, but is easier to manipulate after the export.
  This behavior is intended.
  

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

Applicable component levels