Cognos overhauls reporting tool

Cognos will hold an event Tuesday to promote its recently released ReportNet business intelligence software, which is an overhaul of the company's existing line of tools, which generate or present business data and documents such as order invoices. The Web-based reporting tool eliminates the need for companies to install special software on desktop PCs.

ReportNet introduces tools that are designed to simplify data access and document layout and uses Web services standards to better integrate it with other corporate applications. Cognos competes with companies such as Business Objects and Actuate in the business intelligence marketplace. The consolidation is driven in part by corporate customers' desire to reduce the number of business intelligence tools they use, analysts said.