Auto Rows and/or Columns Headings in Crosstab

[bozobozo]

Data:  Relational  (NOT DIMENSIONAL)
Version: 10.2
Hello-
This question would probably pertain to RS as well as CWA...
Is there a way to automatically make data column headings appear for the Rows and/or Columns area?  For example, I drag Product, Family and Geo out to the Rows area and I want these headings to automatically appear for these items.  For the life of me, I can not figure out how to do this.  So, I manually drag out a Crossstab Space for each item and type the name in for each which is a real drag.  Is this the best practice or is there another, better way? 
I would like to hear from others if they hate this as well.  We are migrating from a competing product which offers this as a toggle on/off option...I almost always have it turned on and everyone loves it.  No one likes the current Cognos method of having to manually create unless I am ignorant of how to do this.  Thank you.

[bozobozo]

Hello again-
1. Can I assume from the fact that there are no replies that I am indeed using the best practice of creating Rows and/or Columns headings by dragging in a Crosstab Space and manually typing in the heading myself?

2. If this is indeed the best practice, I was hoping others would find this equally annoying/silly or is it just me?  I would be curious to see any complaints or suggestions from others.  Thank you

[Lynn]

Drag in a crosstab space, but instead of typing the heading manually just change the source type property to Data Item Label and then specify the data item that has the label you'd like to display.

[bozobozo]

Hello and thank you-
1. Your solution does work in RS but not in CWA since it appears I do not have those properties available to me for the crosstab space.  (However, I will use your solution in RS reports since it relieves me from manual typing step).
2. Even if I use this solution, it is still step by step work and also if I rearrange the columns in the crosstab I must then also rearrange the column headings to line up.
3. I apologize if it seems I am being difficult.  But, as I explained, in our current BI application, the creation of column (and row headings) is automatic and can be toggled on/off.  Our users almost always use it and I was flabbergasted that something like this isn't offered in Cognos.  It should be BAU IMO and I would also like the headings to move accordingly if I rearrange the associated columns.  Sure, people can guess what the columns are...but if you have 4 or 5 or 6 items in the columns area, it certainly makes sense to have headings and just looks nicer in general.
Thanks and would love to hear from others as well.

[Lynn]

1. You can modify the UI for CWA to include the crosstab space in the toolbox. I don't know the exact steps but the entire thing is very customizable.

2. True. Maybe the new version, Cognos Analytics, has some enhancements in this arena.

3. I suppose every solution has pros and cons. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find at least a few things that Cognos does better than your previous application.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bozobozo]

True, we could use User Profiles to turn this property setting on for CWA.  To be honest with you, I have not dabbled at all with User Profiles. 

I am fully expecting our infrastructure team to migrate us to Cognos Analytics this year and from what I understand that has a single authoring experience so I won't have to investigate profiles but yet will still get more oomph than our current base CWA.  But, unless, this new CA addresses my original pain point, I am in the same position.

Fully agree, many pros and cons.  Part of the reason for me posting here is my newness to Cognos and making sure I wasn't missing something silly with the column headers.  To be honest with you, I am surprised no one else has commented on this...we find it extremely frustrating.  But, maybe it is the case of not knowing what you are missing because you never had it!  Anyone else out there with a view?  Thanks again.

[bdbits]

Yes, I have often found them annoying. It's really just a thing with crosstabs, which are rather stubborn about resisting structural changes.

It would be nice if Analytics enhances this, but I won't hold my breath. Maybe someone who has it up can give it a try and let us know.  ;D

[MFGF]

...unless, this new CA addresses my original pain point, I am in the same position....

Sadly it doesn't. Think of the new CA reporting as a more intuitive skin for Report Studio, with all the same capabilities.

Cheers!

MF.