IBM Cognos, User Manual, Page: 66 / 411

You can define more than one array per model. For example, you can set up one
source file with all quarterly or all monthly arrays. Or you can set up multiple
source files, with one array type in each file, using a different array for each year
of data. However, you must use the same format in all date columns and a
different name for the first month or quarter in each array.
If you use the New Model wizard to create an initial model, remember to clear the
Run AutoDesign check box. Otherwise, all the measures appear in the Measures
list before you define your array, and you must delete them before beginning the
array definition.
Note:
An array is treated as one object. Do not delete a column that is a member
of an array. If you do, all other member columns in the same array are
automatically deleted.
Before you begin
Before you import any data, ensure that your source files contain groups of
contiguous columns, such as four columns for a quarterly array, or 12 columns for
a monthly array.
Also, the data source or sources for the time array must contain at least one date
column in addition to the columns that represent the individual elements of the
array. The value in the date column must be the same for all data in the array.
To ensure that Cognos Transformer processes the array correctly, you must use the
first month of your fiscal year as the date in your date column. This specifies the
year-begin date for the year in which the array applies.
Procedure
1. Ensure that your model does not contain any objects in the Measures list.
2. Double-click the first column that you want in the time array, such as
Month_01.
3. On the Column property sheet, click the Array tab and, in the Array type box,
click 4 quarters or 12 months .
The
Data Class
of the subsequent columns automatically changes to
Array
Member
.
4. In the Date column box, click the column that contains the starting month of
your fiscal year.
This is the date column, which is usually the same value as the first month in
the array, in
YYYYMM format.
5. In the Start month box, type the number of the month in which the fiscal year
begins.
6. Click OK , and drag the column to the Measures list.
7. If you want to add another data source, click the Data Sources list, click the
Insert Data Source button, and repeat step 2.
8. In the Column name box, type a different name to distinguish this column
from the first month or quarter in the previous array. You can also enter
explanatory notes on the
Description tab.
9.
Repeat steps 3 to 6 to add this new array to your model.
10. After you specify all the arrays that you want in your model and ensure that
the
Measures list contains the initial column of each array, from the Tools
menu, click Check Model .
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IBM Cognos Transformer Version 10.1.1: User Guide