25+ Cognos Interview Questions and Answers [BEST & NEW]

Last updated on 03rd Jul 2020, Blog, Interview Questions

Cognos is a Business Intelligence tool developed by an Ontario based company in Canada that develops business intelligence and performance management software products in which the parent organization is IBM Corporation. IBM Cognos is an analytics solution software that provides an interactive for business solutions. This is web-based and reporting as well as an analytical tool which is enterprise software.

So while preparing for a job interview in Cognos. I am sure you want to know the most common 2020 Cognos interview questions and answers that will help you crack the Cognos interview with ease. Below is the list of top Cognos interview questions and answers at your rescue.

Following is the list of 2020 Cognos Interview Questions that are  mostly asked in an interview

1)What is a Sparse Cube?

Ans:

A cube in which number of populated cells as a percentage of total cells is too low

2)What is the use of advanced windows in Turbo Integrator?

Ans:

Using the Advanced window you can create your own custom scripts.

3)What are the data sources available with TI?

Ans:

• Comma delimited text files including ASCII files
• Relational databases using ODBC Connectivity
• Other Cubes and Views
• Microsoft Analysis Services
• SAP via RFC
• IBM Cognos Packages

4)Where is Portlet used?

Ans:

Portlets are used in Cognos.

5)What are the basic features of Cognos TM1?

Ans:

• Real-time, interactive multidimensional database also with write-back functionality.
• 64-bit, in memory OLAP server capable of concentrating huge volumes of data.
• Enterprise level planning and analysis capabilities.
• Guided modeling environment to facilitate planning, analysis and forecasting.
• Rapid development of flexible models, including profitability models, without batch processing.
• Integrates with IBM Cognos Business Intelligence, to establish a single view of performance.

6)How do you use TM1 cubes in Framework Manager?

Ans:

TM1 v10.1 has the interoperability function configured to allow packages to be published from TM1.

7)How to run Turbo Integrator Process from Command Line?

Ans:

To initiate the TI process TM1RunTI is a command line interface tool.

8)Define Data Tab?

Ans:

Series of statements that manipulates values for each record in data source.

9)What are sub-tabs in advance tab of TI?

Ans:

• Prolog
• Metadata
• Data
• Epilog

10)What is the logic of Sparsity in cubes?

Ans:

On average, the more dimensions a cube has, the greater the degree of sparsity.

11)What is Under Feeding?

Ans:

Failing to feed cells that contain rules-derived values. This always results in incorrect values and must be avoided at all costs.

12)How does SKIPCHECK help TM1?

Ans:

SKIPCHECK forces TM1 to use the Sparse Consolidation algorithm in all cases.

13)What are FEEDERS?

Ans:

It creates a placeholder on cells so that cells will not be skipped during the consolidation

14)What is FEEDSTRING?

Ans:

• If the rule defines string values for any cells, then FEEDSTRINGS must be inserted as the first line of rule.
• FEEDSTRINGS declaration ensures that cells containing rules-derived strings are fed.
• Every calculation statement in a rule should have a corresponding feeder statement.

15)What are simple FEEDERS?

Ans:

FEEDERS that are applied to calculation within one dimension of one cube.

16)Define TM1 package connector?

Ans:

TM1 package connector helps to import data from packages/dimensions and custom queries.

17)What is Epilog Tab?

Ans:

Series of statements that is to be executed after the data source is processed.

18)Name the function which is used to serialize the TI process?

Ans:

Synchronized () function can be used to serialize TI processes so they can be processed sequentially.

19)What are the functions required to be called for enabling or disabling the bulk load of mode?

Ans:

• EnableBulkLoad Mode() = Enable
• Disable Bulk Load Mode() = Disable.

20)What is the limit of string length in Turbo Integrator?

Ans:

The limit of string length in Turbo Integrator is 8000 single byte character. If the length will become more than 8000 bytes then it gets truncated.

21)What is called a slice?

Ans:

The slice is used to perform the operation on one dimension of a cube and it results in a sub-cube.

22)What is a Framework manager?

Ans:

Frame manager is a tool, which is used to develop the end user layer and it can be used by Authors to build their own BI objects.

23)What is set to be Cognos configuration?

Ans:

Cognos Configuration is a BI administrative tool which is used to define the behavior of Cognos 8 version. This will manage configuration parameters.

24) What is the difference between the Standard and Metrics folder?

Ans:

• Standard Folder: This is a container of all folders and it is used for Organizational purposes. It acts like a local computer folder. It is yellow in color.
• Metrics Folder: This folder is used by Metrics studio to store metrics related information. The Metrics folder will open up directly in Metrics studio and it is dark blue in color.

25)Which studio is used to create reports?

Ans:

Report Studio is used to create more advanced business reports.

26) What is the difference between a cascading report and drill through report? 

Ans:

Cascading report is used to extract data from one prompt to another prompt.

Drill through report is used to extract the data by selecting the column in a report and it can be drilled down by clicking the column data.

27)What are all types of Batches?

Ans:

Following are the types of Batches:

• Sequential: Run the sessions one by one
• Concurrent: Run the sessions simultaneously

28)What are the initial page components of Cognos connection?

Ans:

Initial page components of Cognos connection are:

• The Studio Toolbar
• The Utilities Toolbar
• The Tab Navigator

29)  What are the different windows in Turbo Integrator?

Ans:

There are different tabs available in Turbo Integrator

• Data source
• Variable
• Maps
• Advanced
• Schedule

30)How many types of viewers are available in TM1?

Ans:

There are 3 types of viewers in TM1.

1) Cube Viewer

2) Web Sheet Viewer

3) Navigation Viewer.

31)What is the meaning of Ending Bulk Load mode?

Ans:

All the system and User threads will be resumed and user logins will also be allowed.

32)How can we generate cubes in Cognos?

Ans:

Power Play Transformer contains dimension, measure, model and cube. There are different ways to generate a cube.

Steps to be followed:

• Just right click on the cube name and build.
• We can write scripts in UNIX. Using that we can easily generate the cube.

33) How can you access TM1 web form portlet?

Ans:

There is an option to integrate TM1 viewers in cognos Portlets.

34) What are different windows in portlets?

Ans:

There are 3 types of viewers available in TM1.

• Cube Viewer
• Web Sheet Viewer
• Navigation Viewer.

35)What is the advantage of using shortcuts?

Ans:

There are two shortcuts – Local and Global. Local is used for the local repository and Global for global repository. Advantage is to reuse an object instead of creating multiple objects.

36). What is called materialized view?

Ans:

A materialized view is a view which is physically stored in a database. This view is used to increase query performance by calculating costly operations.

37)Name the data sources which are available with TI?

Ans:

• Data Sources available with TI are:
• SAP via RFC
• IBM Cognos Packages
• Microsoft Analysis Services
• Relational databases using ODBC Connectivity
• Comma delimited text files including ASCII files
• Other Cubes and Views

38)Define Sparse Cube?

Ans:

It’s a cube in which number of populated cells as a percentage of total cells is too low.

39)Define Query Subject?

Ans:

A Query Subject is a collection of Query Items. Generally query items have a defined relationship. It is primarily a database table upon which query action takes place.

40)What is Chore Commit property?

Ans:

• It allows you to specify if the processes in chores will be committed as a single transaction or either as multiple transaction.
• In a single commit mode all processes are committed as a single transaction. It is default by nature.
• In multiple commit modes any processes that need to be committed do so as they are processed.
• It is possible to change chore property only when chore is INACTIVE.

41) Define snapshot?

Ans:

• Snapshot is nothing, it’s only a copy of data, whenever we create any snapshot it only copies the exact data that is related to the particular report. It is used to compare reports.

• For example: we want to compare the report of this month with the previous month.

42) Differentiate between view and materialized view?

Ans:

Views

• It contains query whenever execute views it has read from the base tableMaterialized Materialized Views

• M views loading or replication takes place only once which gives you better query performance.

43)Define Bulk Load mode?

Ans:

• It enables TM1 to run in a special optimized Single-user mode. This mode has a capacity to maximize the performance for dedicated tasks during the time when there is no load on the server or at night time.
• It doesn’t display a message to the end-user to alert them. No new connections can be created.

44)What actually happens when Bulk Load mode starts?

Ans:

• All the scheduled chores will be deactivated
• All the processing by other threads will be paused
• Running chores and any of the existing user threads will be suspended
• TM1 top connections and all the system-specific threads will be suspended

45) Define Drill Through?

Ans:

By using Drill-through reporting you can link from one report to another. There are number of ways to Drill Through:

Drill Through id developed with two reports

• Parent Report
• Child Report

46)What is the difference between list and crosstab?

Ans:

• List report shows the data in row and column(detail information of report).
• List can be converted to Cross tab
• Crosstab
• Crosstab reports show the data in grids, dimensions in row and column and measures in cells or at intersection point.
• Crosstab can’t be converted to list. There is no direct option available in Report Studio to convert the crosstab to list.

47)Give the options which are available after importing data using TI?

Ans:

• Create Cube and populate data
• Create and Update dimensions
• Re-create Cube. It destroys the existing cube definitions and overwrites it

48) What are the themes in a data warehouse?

Ans:

The three important fundamental themes are:

1. Drilling Down
2. Drilling Across
3. Handling Time

49)What do you mean by Drill down and Drill Up?

Ans:

Drill down is addition of grouping columns from the dimension tables whereas drill up is removing grouping columns from the dimension tables.

50)What is Overfeeding?

Ans:

Defining feeders for consolidated cells. (Feeding a consolidated cell automatically feeds all children of the consolidation.)

51)What is TM1 Workflow? How do you create a process in that?

Ans:

Workflow is helping for Wide deployment, Collaborative decision making, Continuous and real-time review and refinement and Monitoring of Key Performance Indicators

To create the work.

• Need to define the Views that you need to deploy to the end users for Decision making.(It’s basically Input View)
• You need to define Approval Hierarchy
• Need to deploy

52)What is the difference between ‘macro’ and ‘prompt?

Ans:

Macro is used in running a set of instructions in order to execute the report, while prompt gives you a way of changing the report dynamically.

53)What is a Transformer?

Ans:

Transformer is used for making Cubes which are for the multidimensional structure in OLAP processing.

54)What is Cognos Impromptu?

Ans:

A Cognos Impromptu is set to be a tool that can be used to generate business intelligence reports

55) What is a Datastore in Cognos?

Ans:

It is a query database or a relational database or files which you can access through IBM Cognos.

56) What is a dimension?

Ans:

Dimension is defined as the structure of a cube. A dimension should have at least one key attribute and hierarchies can be defined by the remaining attribute.

57) What is Cognos Reporting tool?

Ans:

Cognos is an IBM reporting tool which is used to report and analyze various data from different data warehouse.

58)What is a Metrics designer?

Ans:

Metrics Designer is a tool which is used for modeling, deploying score cards and data loading procedures.

59) What is the use of Cognos scenario?

Ans:

Cognos scenario is used for finding the hidden trends and data patterns.

60)What is a Pivot?

Ans:

Pivot aids in the rotating the axis of the cube to offer a different presentation on the data

61) What is the use of Cognos decision stream?

Ans:

Cognos decision stream is a tool that is used to extract and transform the data from data sources to target source of data

62) What is Query studio?

Ans:

Query studio is one of the studios in Cognos which is used in carrying out Adhoc queries

63) What are the two types of framework manager?

Ans:

The two types of framework manager include:

• Presentation layer
• Physical layer

64)What is a folder?

Ans:

A folder consists of repository objects such as sources, transformation, targets and mapping that assist in organizing data warehouse

65) What are the advantages of Cognos?

Ans:

The advantages of Cognos include:

• Planning
• Analysis
• Forecasting
• Scorecard

66)Is it possible to join multiple Databases in a Catalog?

Ans:

No, it is impossible to join multiple databases in a catalog and it is achievable by Hotfile.

67)What is a Query Subject?

Ans:

A Query subject is a set of query items that have inherent relationship and it is a basic building block on framework manager.

68)What are all the types of report?

Ans:

Following are the types of report in Cognos:

• Blank report
• List report
• Cross report
• Chart report
• Repeater report

69)What are all types of prompt?

Ans:

Following are the types of Prompt used in Cognos:

• Value
• Textbox
• Select and search
• Date
• Time
• Date and time
• Interval
• Generated
• Prompt button

70)What are all the types of gateway used in Cognos?

Ans:

Following is the list of gateway used in Cognos:

• Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
• Internet Service Application Interface (ISAPI)
• Tomcat Server

71)What is called Cognos powerplay?

Ans:

Cognos powerplay is nothing but a multidimensional on-line analysis of data.

72)What are the types of studios present in Cognos?

Ans:

There are five types of studio are :

• Query Studio
• Metrics Studio
• Analysis Studio
• Report Studio
• Event Studio

73)What is defined as a Query studio?

Ans:

Query studio is one of the studios in Cognos which is used to perform Ad Hoc queries.

74) What are the types of folders present in Cognos?

Ans:

There are three main types of folders and they are listed below:

• Standard folder
• Package folder
• Metrics folder

75) What do you mean by drill across?

Ans:

The drill across executes queries with the help of more than one cube.

76) What are all the types of hierarchies?

Ans:

There are two types of hierarchies:

1. Attribute hierarchies
2. User defined hierarchies