The cog symbol means that it is a parametric object.
On these type of objects as well as changing the size you can adjust individual elements of the object.
These options can be accessed by:
- Dragging the object into a plan.
- Right-click it and select Changes sizes
OR - Click on the General tab in the assistant on the right and select Change sizes.
The options in this menu offer significantly more options than an article that is not parametric.