Business users access IBM Cognos content by importing pre-authored reports and data.

Maintain security

Users login to a central Cognos Business Intelligence portal from a Microsoft® Office application and are authenticated to ensure BI content is properly administered.

When users update BI data, related Microsoft Office files are automatically updated. IT maintains version control, access rights and audit accountability directly through the Cognos Business Intelligence platform. No desktop administration required.

A familiar environment for the organization

Business users can access Cognos Business Intelligence content in a Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet, where they can work with Cognos reports, apply calculations, and use their existing Excel spreadsheet macros.

They can also import BI content into a Microsoft PowerPoint® presentation or a Word document for presentation and distribution.

Intuitive interface

• Users update data using prompts in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint or Word documents.
• Users can easily save and share templates and documents.

Centralized administration

• Centralized administration is enabled through the .NET Framework and Microsoft Smart Client technology.
• Intelligent data connections, caching and reliance on local processing minimize server demand.

Business benefits

• Present BI to users in their familiar environment.
• Make BI accessible to Microsoft Office users, who can access and modify BI data from Microsoft Office applications.
• Refreshable content keeps information up-to-date, especially for strategic planning, forecasting and business reporting.
• Keep everyone working from centrally managed data.

IT benefits

• Maintain consistent security for information access.
• Reduce IT rework and duplication thanks to the author-once, re-use anywhere reports.
• Eliminate client-side maintenance with centrally managed .NET technology.

Who’s using Cognos for Microsoft Office?

• Managers making presentations to executives every financial quarter at a Quarterly Business Review meeting.
• Governmental departments creating briefing books on their financial statements/budgets to distribute at committee meetings.
• Companies preparing annual/quarterly reports to send to the publisher for layout.