{DESCRIPTION} This slide shows the new IBM Cognos Express graphic including the new Express Planner module. The only integrated Reporting, Analysis and Planning solution purpose built for midsize companies {TRANSCRIPT} The most visible of the new features in version 9.5 is the Express Planner module. This new module brings even richer planning, budgeting and forecasting to the IBM Cognos Express offering.
{DESCRIPTION} This slide describes the new IBM Cognos Express 9.5 Technical and Deployment Architecture {TRANSCRIPT} This is a thumbnail view of the entire Cognos Express 9.5 system. The four dark blue boxes represent the four actual products that an Express customer can purchase, either singly, in combination, or as a “Complete” Express license. Content from any or all of these products can be combined into user-assembled dashboards using the “Cognos Connection” portal, which also manages Single Sign-On authentication. At the same level in the diagram as the Express products are the modeling tools that are delivered with Express. All users can access these tools to import personal data into the Express environment, and to develop business models for planning and analysis. In addition to these business-user oriented tools, the Administrator has access to Framework Manager, an IT-calibre tool for developing large models against corporate data sources, as well as the “Planner Administration” tool for setting up shared workflow and security for Express Planner. Within the dark gray “Express Core” box are the major components of the Cognos Express infrastructure: Security and content management based on the Cognos 8.4.1 platform An embedded Informix-based content store An embedded application server And, last but not least, the IBM Cognos Analytic Server which manages the in-memory cubes used for planning and analysis by all the other Express products Controlling the Express Core is a thin-client management console which enables administrators to add/remove Express products, users anddata sources, and to manage system security and back-ups.
{DESCRIPTION} This slide describes what IBM Cognos Express module to lead with given a prospect with a particular buying agenda. Reporting & Ad Hoc - Reporter Analysis and Visualization - Advisor Scorecards (threshold based ) - Advisor Dashboards - Advisor What -if Scenario Modeling – Xcelerator Excel-based Analysis – Xcelerator Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting - Planner {TRANSCRIPT} Here is a chart to help you match the buying agendas with the different Cognos Express modules. The chart indicates which module to LEAD with in a particular buying agenda…however this is not to say that a module does not have particular capabilities just because it does not have a check mark. For example, both Advisor and Xcelerator provide analysis capability. Advisor provides a web based tool for analysis whereas Xcelerator provides an excel based user interface for analysis. Both provide write back capabilities for what if scenario modeling and all Express modules can create dashboards and scorecards.