There are two options to accomplish this:
Place the external files within the web server directory structure and create a URL in Cognos Connection to link to the external file.
Place the external files on a network shared drive and create a URL in Cognos Connection to link to the external file.
Steps:
Option 1
1. Make sure the external files are physically stored on the web server.
2. Create a web alias on the directory where the external files are located, or copy the files to an existing web alias directory.
3. Open Cognos Connection, go to Public Folders and click ‘new URL’ icon. Enter a name for this URL and type in the URL to the external file. Select a location for the URL where it should be saved.
4. The link is created and test the link.
Option 2
1. Make sure that any user who is going to access the share from Cognos Connection can access the shared drive directly from the local computer. This requires that they have at least ‘Read’ permission on the shared drive.
2. Open Cognos Connection, go to Public Folders, and click ‘new URL’. Enter a name for this URL and type in the UNC path in the format ‘\servername\folder\file’ to the external file. Select a location for the URL where it should be saved in Cognos Connection
3. The link is created and test the link.