What are the challenges of switching from Cognos to Looker?

In today’s data-driven business landscape, organizations are constantly seeking modern analytics platforms that can deliver real-time insights, centralized reporting, and improved decision-making capabilities. IBM Cognos Analytics has been a trusted reporting tool for decades, but as enterprises move toward cloud-based, scalable, and self-service analytics solutions, Looker has emerged as a leading choice. However, transitioning from Cognos to Looker comes with its own set of challenges that organizations must carefully navigate. At Squareshift, our team of certified Looker experts has guided numerous clients through this transformation, delivering measurable results such as faster reporting, improved analytics efficiency, and cost reduction.

Common Challenges in Migrating from Cognos to Looker

Switching from Cognos to Looker involves several technical and operational hurdles, including:

1. Data Model and Architecture Differences

Cognos primarily relies on framework manager models, whereas Looker utilizes LookML, a modeling language that defines relationships between tables in a database. Rebuilding complex reports in Looker requires a deep understanding of data relationships and transformations.

Squareshift Advantage: Our proven migration experience ensures that your data models are accurately replicated, optimized, and tailored for Looker’s cloud analytics environment.

2. Report Migration Complexity

Many organizations have hundreds of legacy reports in Cognos, ranging from simple dashboards to highly complex operational reports. Manually migrating these reports to Looker can be time-consuming and error-prone.

Example: One of our enterprise clients, a Fortune 500 retailer, successfully migrated over 200 complex reports to Looker in under three months, improving reporting speed by 40%.

3. User Training and Change Management

Looker offers a self-service interface, but employees accustomed to Cognos may face a learning curve. Ensuring adoption across departments is essential for realizing full benefits.

Squareshift Advantage: We provide customized training sessions, workshops, and support to help teams transition seamlessly, boosting analytics efficiency and reducing reliance on IT.

4. Data Governance and Security

Maintaining data integrity and access controls is critical during migration. Looker requires careful configuration to replicate Cognos’ role-based permissions and governance policies.

Squareshift Expertise: Our certified Looker experts implement robust security frameworks, ensuring compliance with industry standards while maintaining centralized data management.

5. Integration with Existing Systems

Enterprises often integrate Cognos with ERP, CRM, and other operational systems. Migrating these integrations to Looker can be technically challenging but is crucial for real-time analytics.

Client Success Story: A healthcare services provider trusted Squareshift to migrate all ERP and CRM analytics to Looker, resulting in 30% cost reduction in reporting infrastructure and faster decision-making.

Why Choose Squareshift for Your Cognos to Looker Migration?

  • Certified Looker Experts with hands-on migration experience
  • Recognized by clients and industry analysts for delivering reliable, measurable outcomes
  • Proven track record in enterprise adoption and cloud analytics transformations
  • Ability to provide centralized data management, cost savings, and improved analytics efficiency
  • Testimonials and case studies demonstrating successful outcomes across industries

Conclusion

While migrating from Cognos to Looker presents challenges, these hurdles can be overcome with the right expertise, structured planning, and a clear understanding of organizational needs. At Squareshift, we empower data-driven organizations to embrace Looker with confidence, achieving faster reporting, improved analytics efficiency, and significant cost reduction. By leveraging our proven migration experience, companies can unlock the full potential of cloud analytics and make smarter, faster business decisions.

Location: United States

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