Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.1 (32 bit)
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 (64 bit)
Microsoft Excel 2010 (32 bit)

Symptom:
Get error message when you start excel from inside Cognos Controller 10 client on the server.
Cognos Controller is installed on a Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 server, and you test the Controller client by starting ccr.exe from the D:\Program Files (x86)\ibm\cognos\c10\webcontent\ccr folder.

Error message:
IBM Cognos Controller Link
Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.

Possible Cause:
Excel reads from the ccr.exe.config file to find the way to the Cognos Controller files.
The file will have this row if it is not working:

File ccr.exe.config, that excel is using, is found in folder C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Cognos\ccr

If changed to this it will work

Solution:
Instead of test Cognos Controller by starting the ccr.exe direct, you should install Cognos Controller client on the server.

Ensure you have Microsoft Excel installed on the server
Ensure you have Adobe Reader installed on the server
Ensure you have Net framework 3.5 installed on the server
Ensure you have User Account Control Settings to lowest value

Copy the excel.exe.config file to the same folder as excel.exe
Run a batch file to set trust to the controller server in net framework 2.00
Ensure that the controller server name is in trusted zone in Internet Explorer on the server.

Run CCRLocalClient.msi from folder D:\Program Files (x86)\ibm\cognos\c10\webcontent\ccr
to install the client.

Select Typical and enter the following for the WSSUrl
http://servername/ibmcognos/controllerserver

Enter the following for the HelpUrl
http://servername/ibmcognos/controllerhelp

Leave “CacheDir” blank and press next.

After installation, you start Cognos Controller Client from the Start menu.

Note:
Replace servername above with your name of your Cognos Controller server.
More information about how to install the Controller client can be found here:
http://addedo-support.com/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=view&parentcategoryid=6&pcid=0&nav=0