That time of the year is approaching when you either need to rollover your budget or you need to create new Cognos Planning Models. This requires you to make a Cognos Planning Analyst library copy. We have some clients also asking, “Can you remind me how to copy and Archive Cognos Planning Models?” However, before we start with some instructions and tips to creating a Cognos Planning Model Analyst library copy, let’s talk about a few key points.

This approach may or may not be useful for Production libraries. Deleting the objects will also delete the data. However, not deleting the objects could result in objects remaining in the Production library that are no longer needed or used. Depending on the timing, it may be better to create a new production library into which the Development objects are copied. The prior Production Cognos Planning Models library could serve as an archive or historical library.

Inter-library D-Links (source and target have different libraries), reports (linkage between more than one library), and macros (objects referenced reside in more in than one library) will require additional steps. D-Lists, which reside in a library other than where the associated d-cubes reside, will also require additional steps. However, at this point in time, the only inter-library D-cube D-list references are to the d-lists found in the Dev Common.

If unsure of the contents of a library, it is best to check the integrity. Checking the integrity of the Cognos Planning Models library will alert one to objects in other libraries with which the current library shares a reference(s).

In Analyst, go to File/Library/Objects and select the Appropriate Library. Select the Appropriate Object type. In most cases, All should be selected. It is possible to check the integrity of a specific object(s). In that instance, move only the object(s) against which an integrity check needs to be run.

Move All Objects to the bottom half of screen via the down arrow icon in middle of screen.

The following screen will appear. Review the results of the screen, especially for unexpected references e.g. a d-link saved to the source library, not the target library. It is usually most helpful to look at the Probable and Suspects. Required can also be helpful but keep in mind that if a d-cube is required, it will also list all the d-lists and even d-list formats required.

A determination needs to made for any references to other libraries; should the reference be broken/severed, copied or moved as is, copied to a new library so that the referenced item(s) is (are) updated or modified in some other manner.

File/Library/Objects. Select the appropriate Library. With referential integrity of the system, it is usually necessary to delete objects in order:

1. Reports

2. Macros

3. D-Links

4. A-Tables

5. Save Selections

6. D-Cubes

7. D-Lists

8. File Maps (as they can be used to update d-lists)

9. Formats

Next, select the Object Type and move the objects to the bottom half of screen via the down arrow icon in middle of screen. It is possible to delete all objects from a library at the same time by moving the objects to the bottom half of the screen based on the order above. However, the “All Objects” method works best with self-contained, uncomplicated libraries.

Select the Red X in the middle of the screen to delete the objects.

If the Object cannot be deleted due to references to other objects, a message similar to the one below will be returned:

The reference(s) must be broken before the object can be deleted. (In some instances the referenced object can be deleted at the same time.)

If the object can be deleted, the following message will be returned. Select Yes to complete the deletion.

File/Library/Objects and select the Appropriate Library. Select the Object Type. All Objects or Specific Objects can be selected.

Under the Name drop down, select either <> or =.  As noted, * is the wildcard so <> z* will return all objects that do not begin with z. (It is possible to use *criteria* if the string may be found anywhere within the objects’ name.) Select Okay.

All items not beginning with a z are returned.

Select the Target Library (the library to which the objects will be copied) and ensure the BETWEEN and FROM boxes are checked.

If D-cubes already exist in the target library and the data in those D-cubes should not be overwritten, also select Do not overwrite existing D-Cube data. The structure (D-lists comprising the D-cube, D-cube itself, and D-links referencing it) will be updated with the results of the copy but the underlying data will not be copied over. Data integrity may be lost if the underlying structure of the new cube differs from the existing cube i.e. new calculations or items no longer on a D-list.

If objects with the same name are found to already exist in the target library, the following warning will be returned. The name of the object must be identical. If a D-list originally named fund is renamed funds, Analyst will not recognize the rename during the copy and both objects will exist in the target library.

Answering Yes will overwrite the existing objects with the new objects. Answering no will stop the copy process.

Remove the objects from the bottom half of the selection screen by using the up arrow.

Once the list of objects to be copied has been modified, proceed as before. Once the initial copy has been completed, the newly copied D-links need to have their source modified to reflect the same environment i.e. training, development, production.

Using the File/Library/Object* method (see previous), select the D-links to be copied.

Note: Any D-links with a source existing in another library are prefixed with i*_. Integrated Expense D-links have a prefix of ie_. The filter (see previous) can be used to select the relevant D-links.

The Copy default is the BETWEEN option. Leave the default [BETWEEN] and select the original source library. If there is more than one source library for the set of D-links, each must be handled separately.

Once the D-Links are copied to the original source library, select them [from the original source library] and copy them to the corresponding source library in the new environment e.g. from Dev TA Revenue to Training TA Revenue.

Ensure both BETWEEN and FROM are selected.

Once the D-Links are copied to the new source library, select them [from the new source library].

Select the move icon from the middle of the window.

Move them to the corresponding target library in the new environment e.g. from Training TA Revenue to Training Integrated Expense.

Delete the D-Links from the original source library (the library to which the D-link were copied in step 1.) Step 1 can be done via Move instead of copy. Steps 2 through 4 remain the same regardless. Steps 1 through 4 can also be used to modify Reports with links to other libraries and Macros with objects in other libraries.

If a D-cube has D-lists residing in other libraries and the D-list references need to be modified, copy the D-cube using only BETWEEN objects, to the library in which the D-lists reside (Step 1). Copy the D-cube and the associated D-list(s) to the new D-list source library (Step 2) using BETWEEN and FROM. Move the D-cube back to the ‘D-cube starting’ library (Step 3). Delete the D-cube only from the D-list’s original source library (Step 4).

If self-contained libraries are desired, use the Copy Wizard. File/Library/Copy.

If additional information is needed before deleting an object, determine which objects are used by the object. Use the Show Using icon.

An alternative to using the Show Using option to determine the target and source of a D-link is to select the D-links and move them to the bottom of the window. This can be used to quickly determine if the aforementioned process was successful.

Finally, and to save paper, select print preview and view the source and target of the D-links on the screen.

If you are looking for more reference material check out the IBM Cognos Planning documentation on IBM’s site.

Are you running out of size in Cognos Planning Models? You can’t even add one more year to the model without blowing it up? Maybe you have too many sales people and just need to break your sales model into two separate applications? Well, the writing is on the wall! You have outgrown your Cognos Planning Models!

The good news, however, is IBM has an even better solution for you! IBM Cognos Performance Management, more commonly known as TM1, handles MUCH bigger models! It has the ability to hold 256 dimensions in a single cube.

We encourage you to start considering and defining your migration to a better tool. We suggest hopping over to our blog to learn the benefits of TM1 over Cognos Planning.

Lodestar Solutions is also creating a library of videos and templates that will help you evaluate TM1. Check out our Move to TM1 Program where there is NO COST TO YOU! If you do, however, have specific questions, please contact us at coaching@lodestarsolutions.com and one of our analytics coaches will reach out to you.