Below you will find advanced training resources for Cognos users working with student data. These include virtual instructor-led training sessions, asynchronous eLearning modules, Cognos package descriptions, how-to videos, and frequently asked questions.
If you’ve attended training and still have questions or would like to hear more about the data or a particular session’s topic during “office hours,” please email Steve Westlund at swestlund@wustl.edu.
Virtual instructor-led training sessions
Online synchronous sessions led by an instructor. Please note that the Cognos Basics e-learning module (which takes approximately 20 minutes to complete) is a prerequisite for these trainings.
| Cognos Overview for Student Data Users This introductory course for beginner-level Cognos users provides a broad overview of the Cognos BI reporting tool. Learn basic navigation, how to share reports, how to modify existing reports for your own purposes, and the basic building blocks of creating a custom report. The Cognos Basics e-learning module is a prerequisite for this course. |
| Cognos Report Authoring Foundations This course follows the Cognos Overview course and explores the foundations of authoring custom reports in Cognos. Learn how to navigate the report authoring interface, how to build your own reports, and how to sort, filter, and add summaries. List report and Crosstab report authoring are both covered in this course. It is recommended that the Cognos Overview course be taken prior to this course. |
| Cognos Report Authoring Intermediate This instructor-led course follows the Report Authoring Foundations course and takes report authors deeper into report building techniques. Learn about additional summary options, how to implement summary filters, how to implement more advanced filters such as combined filters and complex filters using expressions, and how to build calculated columns and conditional columns into your reports. It is recommended that the Cognos Report Authoring Foundations course be taken prior to this course. |
eLearning and microlearning modules
Asynchronous modules that address specific topics.
| Cognos Basics e-learning (Prerequisite for instructor-led Cognos trainings) |
| Scheduling Reports in Cognos microlearning |
| Uploading (Importing) Files in Cognos microlearning |
| Formatting Numbers in Cognos Reports microlearning |
| Changing Filters in Cognos microlearning |
| How to Connect Tableau to the WashU Data Warehouse |
Cognos package descriptions
A Cognos package description explains the data source package in detail, the fields it contains, and its intended purpose. It may also include use cases and benefits, need-to-know information, insights that could be gained, and more.
| Course Section Definition Package Allows ad hoc reporting on course section details (e.g., capacity, enrollment, and waitlist data), along with configuration info (e.g., meeting patterns, instructional formats, and instructors) |
| Program of Study Definition Package Enables reporting on academic programs—including majors, minors, and degrees—and provides insight into program areas, academic units, and credential types |
| Waitlist Utilization Package Includes daily snapshots of waitlist data—which allows for longitudinal analysis of trends across registration periods—and enables detailed reporting on course sections and waitlist activity |
| Census Academic Period Record Package Offers a point-in-time (4th and 10th week) snapshot view of students’ academic records for reporting and analysis. It includes detailed student profile data (such as demographics, citizenship, and academic history), academic performance by term (including GPA, credit hours, and financial aid status), and information about each student’s primary program of study. Note: Course section enrollment data is not included in this package. |
| Census Academic Record Package Provides a point-in-time (4th and 10th week) snapshot of each student’s academic record, capturing a range of student information for reporting and analysis. It includes detailed profile data such as demographics, citizenship, and academic history, along with academic record level, entry cohort details, general application information, and each student’s primary program of study. Note: An academic record does not need a corresponding Academic Period Record to appear in this dataset. However, the student must have active registrations at the time the snapshot is taken. |
| Census Program of Study Record Package Provides a point-in-time (4th and 10th week) snapshot of students’ Program of Study records for reporting and analysis. It includes student profile information (such as demographics and academic history), academic performance metrics (like GPA, credit hours, and financial aid status), and details about each program of study the student is pursuing, including program type, credential level, and academic units. Note: Course section enrollment data is not included in this package. |
| Census Registration Record Package Provides a detailed, point-in-time (4th and 10th week) snapshot of students’ Course Section Registrations. It includes student demographic and profile information, registration details, individual course section data (such as instructors, format, and enrollment), and general course attributes like subject, level, and ownership. This package is ideal for analyzing course enrollment patterns and student engagement at the section level. |
| Census Section Role Assignment Package Provides a point-in-time snapshot of academic appointees’ course section assignments and their roles within each section. It includes detailed information on appointee appointments (such as tenure status, academic unit, title, and rank), as well as comprehensive data on course sections and the courses themselves, including meeting patterns, instructors, enrollment, and course attributes. This package supports detailed analysis of teaching assignments and instructional responsibilities. |
Documentation
FAQs
The easiest way to resolve this error is to clear your browser cache. If that does not resolve the issue, please contact data@wustl.edu for assistance.
Contact Alicia Wilton, Technical Training Lead for Data Management & Analytics.
Visit our Student Data Access Request page for more information.
If you have registered for a Cognos instructor-led training, you can review this brief instructional document to check your access to the Cognos training environment.
Need help?
Please email us at data@wustl.edu.