Institutional Analysis & Planning provides Cognos Data Cubes for use to the general public and Internal University of Waterloo staff. These data cubes allow instant, dynamic access to a broad range of information about the university.
Browser support for Cognos Cubes
At present only two internet browsers are actively supported by Cognos - Internet Explorer 7.0 and Firefox 3.0. IAP has chosen to use Internet Explorer 7.0 for all cube development and testing. Therefore, all IAP user support and training for Cognos Cubes will be provided through Internet Explorer 7.0.
There are significant differences between Firefox and Internet Explorer in cube functionality. The primary difference is that Firefox does not have drag and drop support. To describe the alternative to drag and drop in Firefox we have prepared the following tip sheet.
Since only Internet Explorer 7.0 and Firefox 3.0 are actively supported by Cognos (Internet Explorer 6.0 SP2, 6.0 SP1, 5.5 SP2, Firefox 2.0, 1.5.0.2 and 1.0.4, and Netscape 7.2 are listed as compatible), we cannot ensure other versions of Firefox, or any other internet browsers will work correctly with the cubes.
Use of data from IAP and the Registrar's Office
The data provided here is from the official count date copies (February 1st for the Winter term, July 1st for the Spring term, and November 1st for the Fall term) of our student registration system. The data is updated once each term and used for the following purposes:- Official grant submission to MTCU
- Income sharing across Faculties
- Term-to-Term and Year-over-Year comparisons
- Academic Program Reviews and Appraisals
- Program Accreditation reports
- Analytical work examining data for more than one term
- Reporting current term activity and student registrations as of the present moment
Due to the fundamental differences in the data sources, data presented by IAP and data presented by the Registrar's Office are not expected to agree. If you have any questions about whether you are using the correct source, please feel free to contact us at x35042 or analysis@uwaterloo.ca for clarification.
What are Cognos Data Cubes ?
Cognos Data Cubes are interactive databases which allow the user to dynamically assemble reports based on a wide range of specifications called dimensions (such as gender and faculty). The user can also manipulate the Cognos cube directly within the web browser. Furthermore, Cognos cube data can be converted into file formats such as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets (.xls), comma separated values (.csv), and Adobe Acrobat files (.pdf).
The public Cognos Cubes we currently have available are:
- International student registration information
- All Student registrations
- Class enrolments
- Degrees granted
- Faculty members
Internal Cognos Cubes require authentication from certain user groups within the University of Waterloo. These Cognos Cubes will provide access to confidential information available only to UW staff and Faculty.