Database Reference
In-Depth Information
By creating a query that has attributes and zero-valued facts, you can ensure that all the items are
listed regardless of join relationships between dimension tables and fact tables.
When you convert a traditional report to using a new IBM Cognos data model, you want to verify
that the new report query returns the same results as the original. This should help report con-
sumers who are concerned that a new reporting process still matches the existing reports.
A challenge to this approach of report development is that you need special capabilities to
create customized SQL. Your IBM Cognos BI administrator will determine whether you are per-
mitted to create these types of queries.
One way is to create a report that runs the original query and the query using the new pack-
age. When the two queries are joined together, the results can be audited in a report that shows
details that match and details that do not. This report could have a summary cover page (see
Figure 4.11) and also display detailed results for direct comparison (see Figure 4.12).
Figure 4.11
Completed query audit cover page
The audit report will need to run two queries and perform a full outer join that merges all the
results from the original query and the new query.
The new query will need a calculation to categorize the merged results in the following ways:
•
There are matching results in both queries.
•
The totals are different between the queries.
•
Details exist in only the original query.
•
Details exist in only the new query.
The report should have page breaks on each category.
A cover page should summarize the results of the queries, including links to the appropriate
sections.
