Cognos Powerplay Free Online Basic Self Paced Tutorial - Transformer Cubes

Create First Cognos Powerplay Transformer Cubes - self paced free online Tutorial:

Cognos Transformer is a tool to create Cognos Multidimensional cubes (MOLAP) model; Also, known as Cognos powerplay cubes.
This tool creates a metadata model file with .mdl extension, which generates a physical cube with .mdc extension.

Transformer cubes store data in .mdc file.

Lets create our first Cognos Powerplay Transformer cube.

High level Steps:
Create a Datasource.
Create Dimensions.
Add Levels to Dimensions.
Add Facts.
Inserting a PowerCube.
Create the Powercube: (Inserting data in the cube)
Publishing the cube on Cognos Server.
Accessing the Cube on Cognos Server.


Pre-requisite: You should have Cognos Transformer client installed on your machine and connected to the Cognos server.
We will create our first cube using a .csv file. Keep this file handy.

Detailed Steps:
Create a Datasource:
1- Open the Cognos Transformer Client.
2- Click on Create a new model.
3- Give a name of model, MyModel. Click Next.
4- Give a name for the datasource. From the datasource type, select Delimited field text with column titles.
5- Click Next; click Browse and navigate to the .csv file and click next.
6- Uncheck Run Autodesign and click finish.
7- You have successfuly created a datsource.

Create Dimensions:
8- A Dimension consists of one or multiple Hierarchy and a Hierarchy comprises of one or more Levels.
9- Lets create a dimension. Right Click on Dimension Map on top and select Insert Dimension.
10- Give a name to the dimension, Customer Geography Dimension.
11- Keep everything default for now and click on Ok.
12- Similarly, Insert Product Dimension.

Add Levels to Dimensions:
13- Open the datasource and drag and drop Country, City and Customer Name in the Customer Geography Dimension.
14- In the Product Dimension, drag and drop Product Category, Product Type and Product Name.

Please note: This is basic cube, please see further videos; we will use Customer Code and Name both in the Customer level; similarly for Product.


Add Facts.
15- A cube contains atleast a Fact.
16- From the datasource, drag and drop Sales Amount and Sales Quantity into the Facts Area, next to the Datasource.

Inserting a PowerCube:
17- Right click the Powercubes area, click on Insert Powercube.
18- Mention PowerCube name as MyCube.
19- Keep everything default for now and click on Ok.

Create the Powercube: (Inserting data in the cube)
20- Right click on the powercube.
21- Click on Create Selected PowerCube.
22- Cube is successfuly created.

Publishing the cube on Cognos Server:
23- Right the cube and select Publish Powercube as datasource and package.
Keep all default values. We will see the details in the later videos.
Please note, there are other methods of creating a Cube datasource and package; Look at video: Publishing a Cognos Transformer cube / Cognos Powercube.

24- Enter your credentials to connect to the Cognos Server.
25- Click on Ok.

Accessing the Cube on Cognos Server:
26- Logon to the Cognos Portal.
27- Goto Launch and select Analysis Studio.
28- Click on the Package for MyCube.
29- Click on Blank Analysis.
30- Drag and Drop Customer Geography Dimension on the Rows and Product Dimension on the Columns.
31- Drag and Drop Sales Amount in the Intersection of Crosstab.
32- Check the drill up and drill functionality.

So thats it....