IBM Business Analytics

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  • 1.  IBM Cognos Analytics - Forecast?

    Posted Thu May 23, 2024 12:32 PM
    Hello,
     
    We have IBM Cognos Analytics with Waston 11.2.4.  My understanding is that it has the forecast capability under the Analytics menu.  However, I did not see forecast when a line chart was selected.
     
    Is forecast something that needs to be turned on by the Cognos admin, otherwise, it will not be available?  Or, is it only available to certain chart types?  Or?
     
    Thanks


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    Quin Kan
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  • 2.  RE: IBM Cognos Analytics - Forecast?

    IBM Champion
    Posted Fri May 24, 2024 04:07 AM

    Hi Quin,

    The forecasting feature is controlled by the Forecast dialog box available at the right corner of each eligible visualization. A visualization is eligible if both the visualization type and specified data are supported for forecasting.

    To use forecasting, the visualization must be either a line, bar, or column visualization.

    In your time serie, you should have enough values or you will receive this error message : "Forecasting did not succeed for one or more series due to an insufficient number of historical data points (at least 5 non-ignored points are required). Refer to Forecasting statistical details for more information."

    Best regards,



    ------------------------------
    Patrick Neveu
    Collaboration Betters The World (CBTW)
    IBM Champion
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  • 3.  RE: IBM Cognos Analytics - Forecast?

    Posted Tue May 28, 2024 11:35 AM

    Hello Patrick,

    Thank you for your information that is helpful.  I have a line chart.  On the top right-hand corner, there are two icons.  One is "Insights," and the other one is "Narrative insights".  When I changed the chart type to either a bar or a column chart, there was no forecast option either. I think in our environment, it has not been enabled, and therefore, it is not available to us.

    Best regards,

    Quin



    ------------------------------
    Quin Kan
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  • 4.  RE: IBM Cognos Analytics - Forecast?

    IBM Champion
    Posted Tue May 28, 2024 11:43 AM

    Hi Quin

    Would you be able to test with samples data from the samples folder? Do you use a package or a data module?

    If you use a package, you need to use "Enrich package" feature.

    Best regards,



    ------------------------------
    Patrick Neveu
    Collaboration Betters The World (CBTW)
    IBM Champion
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: IBM Cognos Analytics - Forecast?

    Posted Tue May 28, 2024 11:52 AM

    Hello Patrick,

    The sample data are not available to us, so I cannot test it.  The chart uses a data module.  Good to know that if we are using a package, we need to use the "enrich package" feature.

    Thank you,

    Quin



    ------------------------------
    Quin Kan
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  • 6.  RE: IBM Cognos Analytics - Forecast?

    Posted 30 days ago

    Hello,

    Suddenly, I realized that, on the x-axis, the date field, is of text data type.  And it does not appear there is a way to change it to be date data type.  I wonder if that's the reason the forecast option is not available to us.  Perhaps we can create a new field/measure to convert it to date?

    Thanks



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    Quin Kan
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: IBM Cognos Analytics - Forecast?

    Posted 30 days ago

    Hello Patrick,

    Turned out it was due to the column that contained the month-year was being a text field instead of a date field, and therefore the forecast feature did not show up.

    Earlier, I realized that column was text, and later I did an experiment by creating some dummy date in Excel.  After importing it to Cognos and creating a line chart, I was able to see the forecast feature.  I think that confirmed the data type was the reason I was not able to see the forecast feature.

    Thanks



    ------------------------------
    Quin Kan
    ------------------------------