Platform migration guide
Scoping a Cognos to Power BI migration
Cognos migration scope depends on the type of source asset. A report, a package, a data module, and a cube expose different modeling and dependency questions. CoDash’s documented Cognos to Power BI path is licensed and includes these variants, including multi-report and offline cube inputs. Begin by confirming the exact inputs and expected outputs for your estate.
Identify the source variant first
List the report IDs or files, packages, data modules, and cubes involved in the reporting area. Identify which assets share models or queries. A report count alone does not describe the amount of underlying modeling work or the reuse available in a target semantic model.
Confirm source access and input requirements during scoping. Record any missing artifacts and the owner who can provide them. Start with a representative subset that contains the modeling and reporting patterns your larger estate relies on.
Inspect prompts, queries, and model dependencies
Review how prompts shape the report and which queries supply the result. Examine determinants, layouts, and dependencies before deciding target relationships and measure definitions. Capture reference outputs for important prompt values and reporting periods.
When multiple reports share a package or business definition, evaluate that shared context together. Independent conversions can overlook an opportunity to define a consistent target model. Rationalization helps establish which reports should remain distinct and which can be consolidated.
Build a reviewable target mapping
CoDash’s documented deliverables include source inventory, prompt and dependency analysis, Power BI model and report mapping, and a migration readiness and validation queue. Use those outputs to review the intended target design and identify exceptions that need a modeling or reporting decision.
Continue in the Power BI workspace to inspect relationships, measures, and report structures. Preserve the reason for each redesign so business owners can distinguish intentional changes from defects. Scope any unsupported source behavior before committing a delivery date.
Reconcile results and release by reporting area
Validate against agreed source outputs using the same data and prompt conditions. Check detail results, totals, access requirements, and refresh behavior. Assign exceptions to an owner and obtain acceptance for the business coverage each target report provides.
Release a defined reporting area with an agreed support and recovery plan. Retain source reporting until the acceptance conditions are met. Use the completed wave to update estimates for similar packages, modules, and reports instead of applying one conversion rate to the entire Cognos estate.
- Input variants and licensing scope are confirmed.
- Shared packages, queries, and prompts are mapped.
- Target model decisions and exceptions are documented.
- Reference results and owner acceptance support cutover.