We performed a comparison between IBM Cognos and Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services based on real PeerSpot user reviews.
Find out in this report how the two Reporting solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI."The comprehensiveness or broadness of the software functions or business intelligence functions that it provides is valuable. It is also quite easy to use and user-friendly."
"Integration with Office can enable the 'download' mode of storytelling."
"Comparing IBM Cognos to other applications, once a person is trained on it or they have developed a skill set to operate the application, it is best in its category."
"The most valuable features are Report Development (Functionality) and Information Distribution (Flexibility)."
"Cognos' most valuable features are the bundled studios, simple UI, and advanced features like the ability to create data modules."
"We are able to generate quality reports easily which allows us to decrease response time."
"Dashboarding, reporting, and ad hoc reporting are the valuable features of IBM Cognos."
"The product is a very good reporting tool and is very flexible. It allows for the users to get a scheduled report."
"I like Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services' automated reporting feature."
"The SQL Server Reporting Services makes it very easy to get the data whenever we need it."
"It is scalable."
"The solution is known for its robust security features."
"I mainly use the solution for the ease of reporting and for executive dashboards."
"The solution's features are all just wrapped up in one nice easy package. I don't need a lot of toolsets to get everything I need done."
"We can create quality reports in real time."
"It is a stable solution."
"IBM Support can be slow at times, but they can usually deliver in a timely manner."
"I would like to have predictive and forecasting capabilities in Cognos. It's one thing to do reporting, and another thing to easily predict or forecast certain data points, which is very important for all the clients."
"I would like them to reinclude PowerPlay. One thing that I am missing in the current Cognos is what was formally named PowerPlay. They have basically removed PowerPlay from it, which is something that I fail to understand because it was the most wonderful tool for business intelligence that I've ever used. As far as I know, they don't provide this functionality anymore, so this is one thing that I dislike about Cognos."
"I would like to see is more easy building, movement in the reports, and dashboard functionality within reporting. Overall more simple elements within reports. If the elements are simple then you don't have to render a full page, but you can move separate parts in the page."
"There are some small features that are missing. It would be nice if the graphics were better. You can use external sources for charts, but it's quite complex to use and not easy to implement. If you want a new chart, you can download it from multiple tools and implement it into IBM Cognos."
"It would be better if it is was easier to implement without extensive training for it."
"They should provide improved visual reporting."
"We would like to see development of the product's UI function, to make it more of a UI tool that can be configured as required."
"It is not easy to integrate the product with other tools in the market."
"I would like the solution to add the scheduling feature for reports."
"It would be really nice to have better integration between the solution and Power BI."
"There is room for improvement in the pricing model."
"We have had issues with the refresh interval since we have too many reports scheduled. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is also expensive."
"We encounter some barriers while trying to build a report."
"The setup is difficult because you have to install different servers."
"Sometimes, we need to make sure that the configuration stays consistent across the reporting instances. They all connect to the same database. So, it shares that same backend, but the reporting services itself can also be configured. On the application level, for reporting level. And it is, based on my own experience, it is a manual effort to make sure that the reporting servers are configured the same across the environment."
More Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Pricing and Cost Advice →
IBM Cognos is ranked 4th in Reporting with 132 reviews while Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is ranked 8th in Reporting with 14 reviews. IBM Cognos is rated 8.0, while Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is rated 7.6. The top reviewer of IBM Cognos writes "Improved the quality of our KPIs, while reducing calls to the IT department". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services writes "Offers useful templates but needs to improve the connectivity offered". IBM Cognos is most compared with Microsoft Power BI, Oracle OBIEE, Tableau, SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform and Looker, whereas Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is most compared with Microsoft Power BI, TIBCO Jaspersoft, Tableau, SAP Crystal Reports and QlikView. See our IBM Cognos vs. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services report.
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We monitor all Reporting reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.
