Frequently Asked Questions & Assistance
What is the spinning hourglass on the Cognos Report Viewer page?
How long does it take for a report to finish running?
Can I stop a report once it has started running?
How do I save a report to my computer rather than printing it?
What formats are available for the reports?
How do I convert a report to a different format?
Who has access to the HR Management Report Library?
Can I use the HR Management Report Library if I use an Apple Macintosh computer?
Who can I contact with questions regarding the HR Management Report Library?
Who can I contact for assistance with Cognos?
How can I have a different report prepared for me?
What is the spinning hourglass on the Cognos Report Viewer page?
The spinning hourglass indicates Cognos is working to produce your report. You can minimize the page with the spinning hourglass and Cognos will continue working in the background.
How long does it take for a report to finish running?
The amount of time it takes for a report to finish depends on which report you have selected, however, most reports run in less than one minute.
Can I stop a report once it has started running?
You can stop a report from running by performing one of the options below. These options will return you to the listing of reports where you can exit the system or select to run another report.
- If a report is running (the spinning hourglass will be displayed), click the Cancel button which will cause it to stop.
- If you are at a prompt page within a report, instead of selecting or entering data at the prompt(s), click the Cancel button.
- If a report is already displayed on your screen, click the Return Arrow button (upper right corner).
How do I print a report?
With the report displayed on your screen it is recommended that you first change the format from HTML to either PDF or Microsoft Excel. (See "How do I convert a report to a different format?" below). Then, click on the icon that looks like a printer. Note: The management reports may contain confidential employee information and access is restricted to Academic and Administrative Leaders and their designees. Discretion should be used when printing a report.
How do I save a report to my computer rather than printing it?
With the report displayed, click on File, Save As. When prompted, rename the document and choose where to save it. Note: The management reports may contain confidential employee information and access is restricted to Academic and Administrative Leaders and their designees. Discretion should be used when saving a report.
What formats are available for reports?
The default format for all the HR management reports is HTML. HTML is the preferred format because it provides a nice, print-ready version of the report that runs quickly. However, when viewing the first page of a multi-page report in HTML format, when you page-down or select next-page the report executes again in order to present subsequent pages. Also with a report in HTML format, if you select the print icon to print the report only the page you are viewing will print. Therefore, it is recommended that you change the format to PDF or Excel prior to printing the report.
PDF also provides a nice, print-ready version of the report, .
Microsoft Excel provides the report in spreadsheet format which gives you the ability to manipulate the data (e.g. sort, delete, edit) in the report. Note: Some of the management reports do not present well in spreadsheet format.
How do I convert a report to a different format?
With the report displayed on your screen, click on the "change format" 
icon and select one of the available formats from the list.
(back to top)
How do I email a report?
There are a couple of methods to email the report:
- When you initially request the report, you can select the 'Send me the report by email' option to email the report to yourself. You can send the report to yourself and others by clicking the "Advanced Options" hyperlink located in the right column of the page.
- After the report has been run, and with the report displayed on your screen, click on the "Keep this Version" icon and select "Email Report". On the following screen enter the email address(es) of the person to whom you are sending the report. Separate the email addresses with a semi-colon if you are sending the report to more than one person. Be sure to check the box "Attach the Report to the email". Click OK and the email with the report attached will be sent.
Note: The management reports may contain confidential employee information and access is restricted to Academic and Administrative leaders and their designees. Discretion should be used when emailing a report.
How do I run a report again?
From the Cognos Viewer page, click the "Return Arrow" button (upper right corner) which will return you to the listing of reports. From the report listing you can run the same report again, or a different report, by clicking on the Run button
located to the far right of the report name.
Who has access to the HR Management Report Library?
Access is granted exclusively to Academic and Administrative Leaders and their designees. The five-digit organization code from the organization hierarchy list (maintained by the Controller's Office) is the basis for the security controls on the management reports.
When entering criteria to run a report, why am I limited to a date "greater than or equal to July 1, 2003?
Data for the management reports is contained in the ODS database which was established with the installation of Banner/SCT. Data from the old HR database was converted with an effective date of July 1, 2003.
Who can I contact with questions regarding the HR Management Report Library?
For questions and/or assistance, please contact:
| Kim Koch | x2-6517 | kskoch@stthomas.edu |
| Nancy Peterson | x2-6506 | pete3734@stthomas.edu |
Who can I contact for assistance with Cognos?
For assistance with the Cognos application, please contact the IRT Tech Desk at ext. 2-6230. The IRT Tech Desk operator will assist you or forward your questions and concerns to the IRT Business Intelligence group.
How can I have a different report prepared for me?
If an existing report does not fit your needs you can make a request for a new report via the HR Report Request Form. Please note that requests for new reports may not always be met due to limitations within the Cognos software or existence of a comparable report, but we will do as much as possible to fulfill your needs.
