Companies deal with lots of data, and this data can be used to create reports. Reports can have a big impact, but collecting the data and generating reports doesn’t happen instantly. Big companies have multiple sources, and gathering all this information is a big challenge. That’s where Cognos Reporting comes in to help teams turn their data into reports and dashboards.
Cognos has been in the market for many years, and many businesses see it as an older system that can be complex and expensive.
MPP BI is also a Business Intelligence platform that creates analytical reports for enterprise-level companies. This platform can be a Cognos alternative for companies that want a more modern solution and lower costs without sacrificing value.
This article provides an overview of the MPP analytical platform and explains how it can serve as a replacement for IBM Cognos Analytics.
What is Cognos Reporting and How It Works?
Cognos Reporting is a software tool made by IBM. It pulls data from different sources, organizes it into tables, charts, and dashboards, and lets companies analyze this information to make better decisions. It’s part of a larger package called IBM Cognos Analytics, which is designed for analyzing business data.
An Introduction to MPP BI as a Cognos Alternative
MPP BI is a platform that visualizes data and creates analytical reports. It lets you see your business in ways that help you understand what’s happening.
But where does this data come from, and how does it get prepared for reporting? This is where MPP ETL comes in as part of the platform. As the name suggests, it Extracts, Transforms, and Loads the data so MPP BI can use it for analysis and dashboards.
How Does MPP BI Reporting Work?
1. Connect to Data
MPP ETL works with different kinds of data such as sales numbers, inventory and records. The data is usually stored in systems or databases, so MPP ETL reads it from where it lives.
One feature that makes MPP BI stand out is that it can work with many different data sources. It is flexible and can connect directly to databases using JDBC (Java Database Connectivity), or connect to other systems through APIs.
2. Model the Data
Before reporting starts, someone needs to set up a data model. We make this easy by letting users drag and drop files in a user-friendly interface. Basically, this is a way to tell the system what data exists and how different parts relate to each other.
3. Create Customizable Reports
Users can generate instant reports in different formats that shows:
- Lists of numbers (like Excel tables)
- Summaries (like total sales per month)
- Graphs and charts (like bar charts or pie charts)
The format of the generated reports is flexible based on your company’s needs. You can export them as Excel, PDF, Word documents, or even presentations in a matter of seconds.
4. Data Visualization
Now you have clean data from different sources, ready to analyze. MPP BI helps you make this analysis faster and more efficient. The data can be displayed in different formats, such as charts, maps, tables, and text-based analytics. This allows users to view insights at a glance and create analytical reports easily.
Why does this matter? As a decision-maker, you need insights right in front of you, so you can quickly review the information and make informed decisions.
Benefits and Features of MPP BI Platform
More Affordable Alternative to Cognos
MPP BI, with integrated MPP ETL, offers two types of subscriptions: read-only users and admin users. The pricing differs for each type, which helps make the platform more affordable for customers.
In general, the monthly subscription rate can be up to 60% more affordable than IBM Cognos reporting, depending on the type of user.
Perpetual License
MPP BI also offers a perpetual license for both read-only and admin users. This option is designed for customers who want to avoid annual subscription costs, and it can be more cost-effective in the long term.
Modern and Flexible
MPP BI has a modern and easy-to-use interface that can be customized to fit your company’s needs. It works well with other tools and systems that your company uses. This is also an ideal solution for companies that have growing amounts of data, because it is fast and scalable.
Cloud and On-Premise Options
MPP BI is available both as a cloud solution and as an on-premise deployment. Companies can choose the option that fits their infrastructure and security needs.
With the on-premise version, you fully own and control your data on your own servers. With the cloud version, you can access your data easily without managing servers yourself.
Customizable Visuals
The BI platform for reporting and analytics is interactive and customizable. Even non-technical users can explore it and quickly understand how the interface works.
We also offer the option to use your company’s brand colors and logo in the interface, because we believe every company should have a system that reflects its own identity and feels familiar to its team.
Retail Case Study Example
A retail company had data coming from three sources:
- Store sales
- Online orders
- Warehouse inventory
We used MPP ETL to collect the data, clean it, and prepare it for reporting. With MPP BI, the sales manager opens the dashboard, and on the screen sees:
- A chart showing total sales this month
- A table listing the top-selling products
- A map showing which cities have the highest sales
- A simple number showing how much inventory is left
Instead of opening different systems or asking IT for reports, the manager can see everything in one place and make decisions quickly. For example, if one product is selling fast but inventory is low, they can reorder it immediately.
This is the same level of reporting many companies expect from Cognos, but at a lower cost and with more flexibility.
Why Choose Our Platform Over Cognos
For businesses looking for a modern and affordable Cognos alternative, MPP BI is worth considering. It gives you the same kind of reporting and dashboards, but faster, at lower cost, and with an easy-to-use interface.
We are a data engineering and AI/ML consulting firm based in Richmond, Virginia. We recommend a free consultation call to talk about your needs and show you sample reports so you can see how MPP BI works in practice.
