CMIE

Prowess Version 3.1

Basics

By:
Ashwati Nath
(Information Officer)

CMIE

CENTRE FOR MONITORING INDIAN ECONOMY

Indias Leading Business and Economic Database and Research Company
11, Apple Heritage, 54-C, Andheri-Kurla Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai-400093
Tel: 30880099 Fax:022-26870696 E-mail: info@cmie.com
Website: www.cmie.com
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1. An Introduction to Prowess
1.1 What is Prowess?
Prowess is a database developed by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. It comprises
data (both financial and non-financial) on more than 22000 Indian companies. The coverage
includes public, private, co-operative and joint sector companies, listed or otherwise. The
database is built on a sound understanding of accounting standards and disclosures currently
prevailing in India.

1.2 What kind of company data is available in Prowess?

All relevant data required to perform an analysis of a company is present in Prowess. More than
2000 indictors are present. Data includes:
Financial Statements (Annual Reports and Interim Results)
Fund Flows
Ratio Analysis & Technical Analysis
Product and Raw material Profiles
Share Price data
Shareholding patterns
Capex Data
M & A data
Miscellaneous

1.3 What makes Prowess so powerful?

The Prowess database is highly normalized. Rich analytical reports are based on a carefully
normalized database. The database in Prowess is complemented with powerful analytical
software tools to enable extensive querying and research. These tools make data mining very
easy and less time-consuming. In other words, finding the proverbial needle in a haystack can
be done in a matter of minutes.
In short, prowess packages a normalised database in a versatile and amazingly powerful
software, which grants unlimited querying power to the user.

1.4 What is meant by normalization of the database?

Different companies present accounting information differently. Inter year comparison, growth
rates, inter-company comparisons and industry aggregates are all compromised by the uncritical
use of raw data from annual accounts. Such a scenario would lead to errors if comparision
between different companies were made. CMIE's methodological framework for database
normalization addresses this problem. Databases are also subjected to rigorous formal validation
and quality control.
Prowess inbuilt normalization ensures that comparision made between companies or on a set of
companies is totally error-free and correct down to the last detail.

1.5 Is Prowess up-to-date?

A sprawling nation-wide network to collect information, highly trained human resources and
sophisticated technologies ensure that Prowess is the most up-to-date corporate database in India.
Prowess has intra-day updates as well as daily updates that can be downloaded from the internet.

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The database is kept up-to-date at the users end by providing daily, weekly and fortnightly
updates as per users convenience.

1.6 What makes Prowess unique?

The following three features make Prowess unique and the best in its league:
Queries: Query is the most powerful feature in Prowess. It enables an unparalleled and
inexhaustible process of discovery. Every part of the database is made intelligently
queryable and all kinds of queries can be combined in infinite ways. The prowess query
system is a powerful and simplified step by step approach to access the entire database to
identify companies that meet your specifications.
Structured Selection Process: The Prowess database has been empowered with a
knowledge base to assist querying. This enables the automatic encapsulation of
intelligence in your queries. Querying thus gets more powerful and yet gets simpler. The
structured selection process, which embodies these unique characteristics through its
layered groupings simplifies querying on products, locations and ownership groups.
Expression based Selection: This is the most versatile feature of any querying system
and undoubtedly an integral part of Prowess. However, Prowess takes you a step ahead of
the usual expressions. Specially developed functions and a system of macro building
makes querying with expressions an enjoyable and exciting experience in prowess.

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2. Prowess Basics
In this chapter, all the basic functions and modules of prowess that are important are
explained.

2.1 The Welcome Screen

The following screen is observed when Prowess is opened/activated:

These are the various All the financial

submodules under a indicators are by default
particular query module mentioned in Rs. Crores

These are the

various query Indicates the data till
modules (menu) which Prowess is updated

The query module window is the window within Prowess where the various parameters/
criterion is inserted. As one can observe, the menu on the left is the query module menu. The
menu will henceforth be referred in the document as query module. Each query module is
further classified into sub modules. All the various indicators are classified into various
submodules as per the appropriate classification.
The execution of a query is always done in a query window.

2.2 The Important Icons

The third row of icons from the top, especially the first three are of prime importance. These
icons are basically used to navigate between various windows within Prowess.
Moving the mouse over the icon reveals name of these icons.

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Query Reports Output

Window Window Sheet Analysis Chart
Work
sheet

Query Window: The various indicators required to extract information is available in the
query window. Use this icon to revert back to the query window.
Reports window: This is a pop-up window, which gives rich and detailed reports for the
selected company or set currently on the output sheet or a selected company within the query
window. After viewing reports, one can revert back to the query window by closing the pop-
up window.
Output Sheet: Is an excel-like sheet where the output of a query is displayed. In the case of
transfer pricing, a lot of juggling/toggle will be required between the query window and the
output sheet. To view a current output sheet, click on this particular icon.
Analysis Worksheet: Is a special type of output sheet that comes into display when multiple
data is available for the same indicator.
Chart: Becomes active when the output sheet is open. Used to generate graphs.

2.3 Execute Commands

Processing of the input parameters and indicators will begin only when a execute command
button is clicked using a mouse. These commands are displayed at the bottom right in the
query window.

Understanding the Execute commands: AND, NOT, ADD COL, NEW

a. New: To create a new output sheet containing the list of companies/sets on which
the user wants to run the query. This command is also used to find all those
companies, which satisfy a set of conditions input by the user.
b. Add Col: To add required financial, non-financial data in columns of the output
sheet.
c. And: Retains only those companies on the output sheet that satisfy a criteria input
by the user.
d. Not: Retains only those companies on the output sheet that do not satisfy a given
criteria input by the user.
e. Or: Retains all those companies, which satisfy any one of the multiple conditions
input by the user.
From the transfer pricing view, the execute commands NEW, ADD COL & AND are
important.

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2.4 How to save the outputs:

Output sheets need to be saved in the various format, based on need so that they can be
retrieved for future use. Icons for saving the output sheets are available in the second row
from the top in Prowess.

Open Saves as Saves output Saves as Saves as Saves as Splits

previously prowess as multiple excel file word file user set user set
saved prowess file prowess files
file

How to save output sheets for further use in future or as reference points
As an excel file (.xls): This facility to save the output as an excel file is available
to allow portability. The output saved as an excel file can then be viewed on non-
Prowess PCs. It is important to note that while data can be exported to an excel
file, it cannot be imported back into prowess.
As a prowess file (.cof): This facility enables the user to save the output in
prowess format. All files are saved by default into a folder called usercof in the
installed prowess folder. Files thus saved can later be opened using the Open File
icon.
As an analysis worksheet (.aws): In certain output sheets, each company may
consume multiple rows due to multiple data displays for selected indicators. In
such a case, the output sheet takes the form of an analysis worksheet. Following
are some of the modules within Prowess where the output is in the form of an
analysis worksheet.
i. Query by Finance Stocks/ Credit Ratings
ii. Query by Finance Stocks/ Capex
iii. Query by Finance Stocks/ Mergers & acquisitions
iv. Query by Basic Information/ Major Equity Holders Information
v. Query by Basic Information/ Location of Plants
vi. Query by Product Segments/ Product Raw Materials

As a user set (.psu): The user can create can create and save a user-defined set of
companies for future use. An important difference between a user set and prowess
output file (.cof) is that the user set saves only the name of the companies while
.cof file saves the companies along with all the other columns that are currently
displayed on the concerned output sheet.
Note: All the various methods to save the output are also available under the file menu
option
.

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2.5 The Most Commonly Used Modules

Following is a list of the most commonly retrieved information from Prowess and where
it is available:
i. Annual Report data
Query by Finance Stocks/ Audited Financial Results
ii. Quarterly Data
Query by Finance Stocks/ Interim Financial Results
iii. Stock Market Data
Query by Finance Stocks/ Stock Prices & Indicators
iv. Equity Holding Information
Query by Basic Information/ Equity Holding
Information.

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3. AUDITED FINANCIAL RESULTS

Audited Financial Results contain Annual Reports data. This information is updated
once a year. Data is available separately for Standalone and Consolidates accounts.
Required indicators should be selected by placing in a tick against the required
expression in either the S (standalone) or C (consolidated) column.

The Query of Year Field

As the year for which the data is queried for is of paramount importance, sound
understanding of this feature is vital. The year for which data is queried on is input in the
field labeled Query on year in the Audited Financial Results sub-module.
The default value in the Query on Year Field is L which stands for latest available
year.

Query on Year

QUERY ON YEAR FORMAT= YYYYMM

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Illustrations for Query on Year:

To find data for Year Ending 31st March 2008.
Query on Year: 200803
To find data for both the Years viz. year ending March 2006 and March 2008.
Query on Year:200603&200803
(No space to be left between the years. Entered format should be a single string)
To execute a conditional query which has to be true for multiple Years. For
example: Year ending March 2006, March 2007 and March 2008.
Query on Year: 200603&200703&200803
To find data for at least one of the two Years or to execute a conditional query
that should be true for at least one out of two years. For example: Year ending
March 2007 or March 2008.
Query on Year: 200703|200703
(The or symbol is entered by Shift + backward slash button)
To find data from March 2005 to March 2008, use
RANGE FORMAT: YYYYMM-YYYYMM
Query on Year: 200503-200803
To query on data for all available years:
Query on Year: ALL
To find data for latest available year
Query on Year: L
To find data for latest all the latest three available years.
Query on Year: LA3
To find data for at least one of the latest five years
Query on Year: L5

Querying data for Non-March ending annual reports of companies.

In the above stated examples of Query on Year, all the examples in the yyyymm format
contained the month of March as the financial year ending. This leads to the obvious
question as to how companies, which might have their financial year endings in a non-
March month can be queried. This is a non-issue.
The Prowess software is intelligent enough to retrieve such records even if the entered
year (suppose 200803) is March ending. When the date is entered, Prowess scans the
database for all the records entered from 1st April of the previous year to 31st March of
the entered year and outputs the retrieved record. Thus, even December, September or
June financial year ending companies can be queried.

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4. INTERIM FINANCIAL RESULTS

Quarterly accounts i.e. Interim financial results are mostly available only for listed
companies within Prowess.
This data is available on a quarterly basis. Data is usually updated within a month after a
particular quarter gets over. The quarter for which data is required is input in the field
labeled Query on Period in the Interim Financial Results sub-module.

The various expressions available are divided into four categories:

SQ (Standalone Quarterly): Gives the standalone data for a quarter(s) entered in the
Query on Period field.
CQ (Consolidated Quarterly): Gives the consolidated data for a quarter(s) entered in
the Query on Period field.
SA (Standalone Annual): Unlike SQ, the data output for SA is annual in nature as
the name indicates. SA gives the unaudited annual report of a company by aggregating
values of the four available quarters for a financial year. The SA values assume particular
importance in May to September when the audited annual report of a listed company
remains unavailable (Companies have a six-month period after a financial year is over to
audit and declare their annual accounts). During such times, the user can make use of the
unaudited annual report data available here.
CA (Consolidated Annual): Is similar to SA with the only difference that it provides
unaudited consolidated annual accounts data of companies.

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QUERY ON PERIOD FORMAT= YYYYMM

Illustrations for querying data of type SQ and CQ:

To find data for period Ending 31st December 2008.

Query on Period: 200812
To find data for both the quarters. For example: Quarter ending September 2007
and September 2008.
Query on Period:200709&200809
(No space to be left between the quarters. Entered format should be a single
string)
To execute a conditional query which has to be true for multiple quarters. For
example: Quarters ending June 2008, September 2008, December 2008 and
March 2009.
Query on Period: 200806&200809&200812&200903
To find data for at least one of the two quarters or to execute a conditional query
that should be true for at least one out of two quarters. For example: quarters
ending March 2007 or March 2008.
Query on Period: 200703|200703
(The or symbol is entered by Shift + backward slash button)
To find data from June 2006 to March 2009, use
RANGE FORMAT: YYYYMM-YYYYMM
Query on Period: 200606-200903
To query on data for all available quarters:
Query on Period: ALL
To find data for latest available quarter:
Query on Period: L
To find data for latest all the latest three available quarters/ To run a conditional
query that is true for all the latest available three quarters:
Query on Period: LA3
To find data for at least one of the latest five quarters/ To run a conditional query
that is true for all the latest available five quarters:
Query on Year: L5

Querying data of type SA and CA:

Since the data values within SA and CA are annual in nature, they are queried for various
data in exactly the same way as in Audited financial results. Refer to page 8 for
illustrations.

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5. STOCK PRICES AND INDICATORS

All stock market related indicators for listed companies are available under the module
Query by Finance Stocks/stock Prices & Indicators. Te data under this module is
updated on a daily basis (depending on whether it is a trading date or not).

The Query on Date field:

Since data in this module is updated daily, it is imperative to specify the exact date for
retrieving required information.
FORMAT FOR STOCK PRICES & INDICATORS: YYYYMMDD

The Interval field:

When large date ranges are entered into the Query on Date field, the user may need to
limit the daily frequency of retrieved data to lower frequencies like Weekly, Monthly,
Quarterly etc. The interval field indicates the frequency of the data displayed for an
entered date range in Query on Date.
Select one of the following choices based on need:
i. Daily: Is the default interval. Displays data for every single traded date entered
within Date Range
ii. Weekly: Displays data for last traded date of every week within entered date range.

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iii. Monthly: Displays data for last traded date of every month within the entered date
range.
iv. Quarterly: Displays data for last traded date of every quarter within the entered
date range.
v. Annual: Displays data for last traded date of every year within the entered date
range.

The Date Proximity Field:

Often, it may happen that while entering certain dates into the Query on date field, the
entered date might not be a traded date. In such a case, the query will fail to execute and a
error message will be displayed. Such events can be avoided by using the Date
Proximity option, which indicates the nearness of the entered date to Traded Date.
Select one of the following options based on need:
i. Exact_Date: Indicates that Entered date should exactly match the Traded date
ii. Latest: Indicates that Traded date should either match the Entered date or should
be the nearest available traded date (back-dated)
iii. -1: Indicates that the Traded date should either match the Entered date or should
be the immediately preceding traded date of the exchange (back-dated)
iv. -2: Indicates that the Traded date should either match the Entered date or should
be one of the immediately preceding two traded dates of the exchange, whichever
is closer to the entered date. (back-dated)
v. -7: Indicates that the Traded date should either match the Entered date or should
be one of the immediately preceding seven traded dates of the exchange,
whichever is closer to the entered date. (back-dated)
vi. Similar to above options, other options available within Date Proximity include
-15, -30, -90, -180 and -360.

Illustrations for Query on Date in Stock Prices & Indicators Module:

To find data for date 13th September 2008.
Query on Date: 20080913
To find data for the entire calendar year of 2008 on a weekly basis.
Query on Date: 20080101-20081231
Select Interval: Weekly
To view data for the date closest to 12th April 2009.
Query on Date: 20090412 (This is a Sunday, a non-trading day)
Select Date Proximity: Latest
To view all available data on a quarterly basis:
Query on Date: ALL
Select Interval: Quarterly
To view data for the latest 60 traded days.
Query on Date: L60

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6.USER SETS:
In the menu Select company by Name/company classifications, two frames of classification
are observed. In the left frame is the set of classifications created by CMIE as per the
commonly followed standards. The main broad classification under this frame include:
Industry Classification
Indices Classification
CMIE Indices Classification
Listed/Permitted Companies Classification

The need for user sets:

However, the user may, from time to time, need to create his own set of companies, which he
needs to work on a regular basis. An excellent example is when one wants view a portfolio of
companies. The user may create the set after subjecting the original list of companies to
many filtration criteria. The tedium of creating the required and frequently used set of
companies one uses Prowess can be eliminated by creating user sets. Such User-defined sets
can be viewed in the right-side frame of Company classifications window. All usersets are
saved by default into the usersets folder.

User Sets are

displayed in
this frame.

Refresh
Button

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Illustration No. 1:
Investor X has invested in 5 companies viz. ACC, BHEL, INFOSYS, WIPRO and TCS.
Create a user set of these companies, which will enable the investor to view data for his
portfolio easily.
Ans:
Go to Select Company by name

Select the sub-module Select Company by name

In the field labeled Start tying for auto search, enter ACC

This will lead to companies beginning with the syllable ACC.. to be
displayed in the frame below. From the list of companies in the
frame labeled company alias, double click on the name of ACC Ltd
in order to select it. (The selection will be displayed in the right-
hand side frame.)

Repeat the previous two steps again by typing BHEL in the field
labeled Start tying for auto search and double click on the display
in order to make the selection. Do the same all the other companies,
which comprise the portfolio.

Click on the NEW button after all selections are made. The output sheet will
be displayed.

From the File menu, option, choose the option Save as user set. Save the user set by
the name portfolio.psu into the default folder usersets.

The userset thus created can be viewed in the company classifications sub-menu under
the Module Select Company by name. One must click on the Refresh button
(bottom left hand side) to view the user set.

Place a tick in the checkbox against the desired user set and click on the NEW button
to load the set of companies.

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Analysis:
The resultant output sheet contains the list of companies comprising the portfolio of the investor.
The user can then run queries on this set of companies. The creation of such user sets allows the
user to effectively save time in cases where data is frequently sought for a set of companies
(which are regularly accessed).
Usersets can also be easily edited as per the changes occurring in the portfolio.
To edit a user set:

Load the user set on the output sheet using the company classifications menu.

Delete the unwanted companies by using the Delete Row icon.

To add companies to the user set, go to the sub-module Select company by name under the
module Select Company by name and key in the desired company and make the selection.

Click on the ADD button after the required companies have been selected.

The user set thus modified can again be saved as a user set with a different name (or replaced)
using the Save as user set option under the File menu.

Illustration No. 2:
Find all the Create a user set of listed real estate companies, which possess the financials for both
2007 and 2008.
Ans:
Go to Select Company by name

Select company classifications

Choose Real Estate under the classification industry by placing a tick
in the square provided (Industry/Non-Financial/ Construction/ Real
Estate)

Execute New button

Go back to Query Window

Go to Select Company by Name/Company Classifications

Unselect Cement by removing the tick against it.

Select Listed / Permitted cos in CMIE sets in company
classifications

Execute AND

Go back to Query Window

Go to Query by Finance Stocks/ Audited Financial Results

In the list of expressions, select the very first expression Finance Year by
placing a tick in the S column.

In the Query on Year field, type: 200703&200803

Execute AND button.

Analysis:
The resultant output sheet contains the list of companies satisfying the users criteria. It can be
saved as a user set by using the Save as user set option under file menu. This file has a .psu
extension and must be saved in the default folder viz. usersets.
After the creation of a new user set, click on the Refresh button (bottom left hand side) of the
Company classifications module window. The newly created user set will now be displayed in
the usersets frame within the Company Classifications sub-module.

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7. OUTPUT FORMATS
By default, on execution of a query, the company is always displayed in the Row of the output
sheet while Indicators and Dates are displayed in the columns. Often, it may happen that the
resultant output is not very reader-friendly due to this output format. This happens when the user
needs to scroll horizontally owing to many columns but few rows.
Output Sheets are more reader-friendly when then contain fewer columns than rows in case of an
output grid. Three kinds of data are displayed in an output grid:
i. The company/set.
ii. The expressions i.e. indicators selected by the user.
iii. The year/period/date on which the query runs.

Based on whichever data type is maximum in number, the same can be set to appear in the row
of the output sheet. For example, if for a single company, a single indicator is to be viewed for
30 different dates, it is prudent to make changes to the settings so that the date appears in the row
(and not the default type company).

Following are the various sub-modules in which the Rows and Columns can be interchanged:
Query by Finance Stocks/Audited Financial Results
Query by Finance Stocks/Interim Financial Results
Query by Finance Stocks/Stock Prices and Indicators
Query by Basic Information/ Equity Holding Information
Select Indices/Index Numbers
Perform Aggregates/Aggregate Financial Results
Perform Aggregates /Aggregate Interim Results
Perform Aggregates /Aggregate Stock Indicators

In the query tab of each of these sub-modules, two fields viz. Output Type and Source Type
is given.

The field Output Type indicates what will appear in the row of an output sheet. Default
type is Company

The field Source Type indicates what will appear in the column of an output sheet. Default
type is None which indicates parameters other than the company type appear in columns.

Illustration:
Compare the Income Details of Infosys from March 2002 till March 2008.
Solution:

Go to module Select Company by name

Go to sub-module Select company by name

Enter Infosys. Double click on the displayed entry to select it.

Execute New

Go back to Query Window

Go to Query by Finance / Stocks

Go to Audited Financial Results

The third expression in the Query tab is Income. Using control +
Click, place a tick against Income in the S column. This will select
all the various break-ups of the income details.

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In query on year, enter: 200203-200803

Select Output type Indicator

Execute New
Analysis:
The query entered had 70 indicators (there are 70 hierarchical break-ups of the indicator
income), one company and seven years. Therefore, the output becomes reader-friendly if the
indicators (which are maximum in number) are displayed in the rows. The resultant output for
above example will display the indicators in rows while the seven years queried are displayed in
columns.

Make multiple
selections of a
hierarchy by using
control + click

Change Output type to Indicator

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