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PowerPlay (Cognos) |
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In addition to the custom exception highlighting available in version 5, PowerPlay users now have a button to automatically highlight values that deviate significantly from the expected value computed from its row and column averages. The default sensitivity is set to 1.5 standard deviations from the row and column average but a slider control can be used to set to whatever deviation is desired.
PowerPlay has reasonably good highlighting capabilities. Named exception definitions can be created to highlight automatically data that falls within up to five value ranges, and each can have its own formatting style. Either just the individual cells can be highlighted with the exception style or whole rows or columns can be highlighted based on the value of one selected cell in the row or column. However, only one exception definition at a time can be selected. In Series 7, manual exception highlighting capabilities has been extended to the Web explorer interface. With the addition of NoticeCast, PowerPlay is now also able to deliver timely alerts
Cognos acquired NoticeCast Software Ltd, a small British company, in September 2000 and the technology is now integrated into its Series 7 product line.
The ideas behind NoticeCast are simple: users determine what is important to them and let NoticeCast detect this changing or new BI content; high value information is subsequently pushed to them by email or portal. The information they receive is personalized, both in what they receive and where it should be delivered (desktop, PDAs, cell phone - by hour of day, day of week). This can be easily overridden to allow redirection to another person to handle vacations or travel. In Series 7, agents can now be created with only a web browser required on the end-users machine (zero footprint).
Cognos has made event detection an integral part of the Enterprise Business Intelligence Series user experience. Using the portal, reviewing a report via IWR, performing analysis via PowerPlay or performing ad hoc enquiries through Cognos Query, users can define the events that are important to the manage their responsibilities. These events fall into one of 3 categories as illustrated in the following diagram:
Within PowerPlay, NoticeCast alerts users when a threshold is crossed and when used in conjunction with the projection formula can give a ‘heads up’ to something that might happen in the future. Notification Emails sent via NoticeCast can contain a URL or optionally an attached file. Non-duplication capabilities (only advise the sales rep once that customer ABC exceeds the limit) prevent the creation of ‘spam’, and dynamic recipient identification (sales rep recipient address depends on the customer) provides for more flexible solutions.
NoticeCast agents can generate multiple personalized alerts to different people. For example, an operational event tracking orders from a sensitive customer may require the orders clerk to have details of the order and the items back ordered; the customer service manager would need to know when there is an order and perhaps its value; while the purchasing manager requires the inventory perspective.
THIS PAGE REPRESENTS ONLY A VERY SHORT EXTRACT FROM THE FULL REVIEW.
TO VIEW THE FULL REVIEW YOU CAN PURCHASE THE REVIEW INDIVIDUALLY OR PURCHASE AN ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION TO THE OLAP REPORT WHICH ALLOWS ACCESS TO ALL OLAP REPORT CONTENT.