Tailor models and plans to fit your business

• Sophisticated modeling lets you quickly create linked models that accurately reflect cross-functional dependencies and complex business logic.
• Change underlying business logic and principles quickly and easily, compare alternatives, and assess impacts in real time.
• No programming required - you can build and alter models without arcane programming languages or IT input.
• Build models in days, not months. Import data definitions from other sources like ERP and general ledger systems.
• Multidimensional analysis for data comparison and manipulation across dimensions and perspectives; compare teams and individuals with current and historical actual's and external benchmarks.
• Unified view of plan data connects with key metrics and information so you can make decisions instead of debating definitions and accuracy.

Spend less time on process, more time on analysis

• Sophisticated features like break-back, multidimensional slicing-and-dicing, and drill-down help to explore efficiently; evaluate models, and test assumptions in minutes.
• "Break-back" automatically spreads high-level targets across any profile, previous-period actual's, or projected seasonality across multiple dimensions such as products, customers, territories, or time periods without the need to define special business rules.
• Real-time information flows for flexible rolling forecasts and greater visibility into likely operating performance.
• Eliminate unproductive activities such as tracking down numbers, fixing broken links, and debugging macros.
• Open environment enables sophisticated, user-friendly reporting and analysis at the click of a mouse.
• Alternative Excel interface offers both read and write capabilities, so users can take advantage of Cognos' power with a familiar spreadsheet interface.

Empower the enterprise with distributed administration

• Continuous feedback loop minimizes the multiple iterations and negotiations that can slow down - or even shut down - the planning process.
• Consistently current data as planning contributions are automatically aggregated to let you pinpoint gaps at-a-glance.
• Real-time aggregation consolidates plan and results, displays the impact of new forecasts and plan contributions in real time - without overnight batch processing.
• Work offline to plan wherever and whenever you wish without a network connection.
• Online administration makes it easy to change data structures, user rights, model parameters, and more - 24x7 - without taking the system off-line.

Plan to extend ERP performance

• Cross-enterprise planning data stored in a single repository provides perpetually accurate information on-demand.
• Link personal spreadsheets to enterprise plans for auto-update of detailed or confidential information.
• Synchronized enterprise plans link operational and financial plans to show the impact of operational change on financial performance.
• "Break-back" helps users analyze "what-if" effects across time periods, product lines, or other parameters, with instantaneous feedback.
• Dynamic linking of individual plan components in real time facilitates consistency and accuracy.
• Quick commands allow users to modify plans and analyses, while an audit trail tracks all changes.