Cognos Report Standards

Page 1

Utilize the appropriate template when building standard content. The template contains prompt page and report page

layouts. The report page layout contains a standard page header and footer.

Report Color Standards

Purdue Accent Gold

Hex Codes: Red = E0, Green = D5, Blue = C5

Non-Hex Codes: Red = 224, Green = 213, Blue = 197

Light Grey

Hex Codes: Red = CC, Green = CC, Blue = CC

Non-Hex Codes: Red = 204, Green = 204, Blue = 204

Dark Grey

Hex Codes: Red = A7, Green = A9, Blue = AC

Non-Hex Codes: Red = 167, Green = 169, Blue = 172

Below are the formatting standards for the prompt pages and report layout types.

Prompt Page Standards

The overall concept of the prompt page is to scroll down rather than across. The key is to make the prompt page as user

friendly as possible while maintaining a clean, sleek appearance with the same look and feel.

Basic Standards

• Maintain the 3 column table in the template’s main prompt page – for scrolling down

 When this table is referenced in the document it will be called the “Main table”

• For each prompt add a table (1 column/2 rows) into one of the table cells of the 3 column table

 When this table is referenced in the document it will be called the “Prompt table”

 This will allow the author to easily move the entire prompt around the page

• Arrange the prompts in a logical order vertically based on highest to lowest hierarchy:

 Main Table Row 1 – Date prompts

 Main Table Row 2 – Fund prompts

 Main Table Row 3 – Funds Center prompts

 Main Table Row 4 – Order prompts

 Main Table Row 5 – Commitment Item prompts

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Individual prompt standards

• Prompt table – row 1 (Prompt title row)

 Use the actual field name as the title unless a special field was created in the Query; Do not use

abbreviations

 Prompt title row should contain Field name, required or optional prompt, and data example

 Note: Add a table (1 column/2 rows) to the Prompt title row. Row 1 contains a text item for the

Field name and a text item for required or optional. Row 2 contains a text item for the data

example.

 If using a Value prompt, do not need a data example in the Prompt title row as this type of

prompt lists the values.

 Prompt title row formatting

 Bold text item containing field name

 Bold and italic text item containing “Required” or “Optional”

 Bold and italic text item containing data example; Text Item padding – Left padding = 10px

(Under Text Item property>Padding)

 Prompt Table cell background color is Light grey (Under Table Cell property>Background

Color>Custom Color)

 Prompt Table cell border is Solid Line/1pt/Silver (Under Table Cell property>Border)

 Prompt Table cell padding is Top padding = 5px, Right padding = 5px, Bottom padding = 5px

(Under Table Property>Padding)

• Prompt table – row 2 (Prompt row)

 Contains only the prompt type (i.e value prompt, search and select prompt, etc)

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 In prompt, concatenate code and name of a field when applicable (for example: Funds Center Number –

Funds Center name)

 Sorting prompt values

 Sort values ascending (Under Value Prompt property>Sorting)

 Date prompts should be sorted descending with a limited number of years current year to 2006

• To limit the values, create a filter in the Prompt query where Fiscal Year >= ‘2006’

 Value prompts

 Multi selection – make prompt a list box value prompt

 Single selection – make prompt a drop down value prompt

 Category fields should be created as a value prompt

 Search and Select prompts

 Use HTML items to default the option to contains – link to

QRC – Using an HTML Item to Default

Select & Search to Contains.

 Do not use the HTML items to expand the options

 Prompt Table row formatting

 Table cell background color is Purdue gold for Required prompts (Under Table Cell

property>Background Color>Custom Color) and default for Optional prompts

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 Prompt Table cell border is Solid Line/1pt/Silver (Under Table Cell property>Border)

• Prompt Page to Select a Report

 Add a table (1 column/2 rows) to the prompt page

 Use same formatting as the Prompt table – row 1 and Prompt table – row 2

 Center the table to the page

 Add a Prompt Button (type Next) to the Select a Report prompt page

Value Prompt:

Multi selection use checkbox

Single selection use radio button

Do not use a drop down selection

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Report Page Standards

• Report Page Header

o Only change the middle section, containing Report Title and Parameters, of the page header

o Report title should be the same as the saved report name

o Parameter display should show prompt text name and parameter display in one Text Item

 One parameter display per table row

 Center in the table row

 Add Padding between Report Title and first parameter row

• List report

o Group columns from left to right when applicable

o Sort from left to right in ascending order when applicable

o Data in the column body – Left justify text data; right justify measures/amounts

o No borders around the list report

o List report formatting

 List width should be 100% (Under List Property>Size and Overflow)

 Column headers – background color is black and text color is white; bold; center

 Subtotal lines – background color is Light grey; black text; bold

 Overall total line – background color is Dark grey; black text; bold

 Measures (amounts) formatting

• Negative numbers denoted in ()

• No $ signs

• Numbers denoted with 2 decimal places

• Comma as the thousand separator

• Percentages denoted with 2 decimal places

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• Crosstab report

o Use the same grouping/sorting/bordering formatting as the list report

o Crosstab report formatting

 Rows – background color is Transparent; black text

 Column headers – background color is black and text color white; bold; center