Client-Side Microsoft Excel Add-ins

You can connect to data sources for other IBM® Cognos® products in CDM by using Microsoft™ Excel add-ins.

You can connect to data sources for the following IBM Cognos products:

• IBM Cognos® TM1®
• IBM Cognos Controller
• IBM Cognos Analysis for Microsoft Excel
• IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office

If you set up IBM Cognos Access Manager authentication, you can authenticate to Cognos Access Manager in the Excel add-in outside CDM, and you are automatically authenticated in CDM. This only works with Cognos Access Manager imported users and groups. For more information, see the topics about importing users and groups from Cognos Access Manager in the CDM Administration Guide.

IBM Cognos TM1

You can use the Cognos TM1 Perspectives Excel add-in to connect to a Cognos TM1 cube in CDM. This connection is an alternative method to creating a Cognos TM1 OLAP data source in CDM Administration.

The differences between the two methods of accessing Cognos TM1 data sources are shown in the following table.

For information about configuring Excel to use the Cognos TM1 Perspectives Excel add-in, see the IBM Cognos TM1 Installation and Configuration Guide.

IBM Cognos Controller

You can use the Cognos Controller Excel add-in to connect to a Cognos Controller repository in CDM. This add-in is an alternative method to converting a Cognos Controller repository to a Cognos TM1 cube and then creating a Cognos TM1 OLAP data source in CDM Administration.

If you use the Cognos Controller Excel add-in, you do not have the dynamic refresh and locking capabilities available with a Cognos TM1 OLAP data source. For information about dynamic refresh, see Load Data into Excel Objects.

For information about configuring Excel to use the Cognos TM1 Perspectives Excel add-in, see the IBM Cognos Controller Installation and Configuration Guide.

IBM Cognos Analysis for Microsoft Excel

You can use the Cognos Analysis for Microsoft Excel add-in to connect to IBM Cognos Business Intelligence and IBM Cognos TM1 data sources in CDM.

If you use the Cognos Analysis for Microsoft Excel add-in, you do not have dynamic refresh and locking capabilities. Check out the Excel object first so that information can be saved without potential data loss.

For information about configuring Excel to use the Cognos Analysis for Microsoft Excel add-in, see the IBM Cognos Analysis for Microsoft Excel User Guide.

IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office

You can use the Cognos for Microsoft Office add-in to connect to IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Reporting products, in CDM.

If you use the Cognos for Microsoft Office add-in, you do not have dynamic refresh and locking capabilities. Check out the Excel object first so that information can be saved without potential data loss.

For information about configuring Excel to use the Cognos Analysis for Microsoft Excel add-in, see the IBM Cognos for Microsoft Office User Guide.

Add-ins Not Requiring Add-ins Mode

There are add-ins in CDM that allow Excel objects to load without putting the object in Add-ins mode.

The add-ins are listed and managed by selecting File > Options > Office Addins.

This list contains predefined items that cannot be deleted and represents the supported add-ins in CDM:

Important: These items must be identical to the name of the add-in, which is not always the same as the label displayed in the Excel add-ins list. Add-ins not on this list are not loaded in Excel objects in CDM.