What is Qlik?

Qlik is a data analytics and business intelligence (BI) platform that helps organizations visualize, analyze, and share real-time insights from data. It enables users to create interactive dashboards, reports, and visualizations to support data-driven decision-making. Qlik’s associative data model is unique, allowing users to explore relationships between data from multiple sources in a highly flexible and interactive way.

Qlik’s Main Products:

1. Qlik Sense – For self-service data analytics and visualization.
2. QlikView – For guided analytics and dashboard reporting.
3. Qlik Cloud – Cloud-based data integration and analytics platform.
4. Qlik Data Integration – Tools for real-time data replication and integration.

---

Major Use Cases of Qlik

1. Sales and Revenue Analysis
   • Track sales performance, revenue growth, and customer segmentation.
   • Example: A retail chain uses Qlik to analyze sales trends and customer preferences across multiple stores.
2. Financial Reporting
   • Real-time insights into financial metrics like profit margins, expenses, and budget tracking.
   • Example: A CFO uses Qlik dashboards to monitor cash flow and financial KPIs in real time.
3. Customer Behavior and Marketing Analytics
   • Analyze customer journey, engagement, and campaign effectiveness.
   • Example: An e-commerce company uses Qlik to personalize marketing campaigns based on customer behavior.
4. Healthcare Analytics
   • Patient data analysis, hospital performance monitoring, and predictive analytics for treatment outcomes.
   • Example: A hospital tracks readmission rates and patient satisfaction using Qlik dashboards.
5. Supply Chain and Inventory Management
   • Optimize logistics, monitor supplier performance, and improve inventory management.
   • Example: A manufacturing company uses Qlik to reduce shipping delays and manage inventory across global warehouses.
6. Operational Efficiency and Quality Control
   • Monitor production processes, detect inefficiencies, and track quality metrics.
   • Example: An automotive manufacturer reduces production defects by analyzing real-time data with Qlik.
7. Risk Management and Compliance
   • Identify risks, monitor regulatory compliance, and reduce fraud.
   • Example: A bank uses Qlik to detect unusual transaction patterns.

---

How Qlik Works

Qlik uses a unique associative data model that allows users to explore data freely and find insights without being limited by pre-defined queries.

Steps in How Qlik Works:

1. Data Integration:
   • Connect to multiple data sources (databases, cloud services, Excel files, APIs).
   • Perform data transformations and cleaning.
2. Data Modeling and Association:
   • Qlik’s associative engine indexes data and builds relationships, allowing users to explore it interactively.
3. Data Visualization and Exploration:
   • Create visualizations, dashboards, and reports with drag-and-drop functionality.
   • Qlik recommends visualizations based on the data structure.
4. Interactive Analysis and Drill-Downs:
   • Users can filter, drill down, and interact with data in real-time without waiting for new queries.
   • Qlik instantly shows the relationships between selected and non-selected data.
5. Collaboration and Sharing:
   • Share insights with teams through dashboards, alerts, and real-time collaboration.

---

Key Features of Qlik

1. Associative Data Engine
   • Unique feature that allows users to explore relationships between different data sources without being restricted by predefined queries.
2. Self-Service Analytics
   • Non-technical users can create interactive dashboards and visualizations with minimal training.
3. AI-Powered Insights
   • Qlik’s Insight Advisor uses machine learning to suggest charts, insights, and visualizations.
4. Data Integration
   • Connects to a wide range of data sources, including cloud services, databases, and APIs.
5. Real-Time Data Analysis
   • Supports real-time data analysis and event monitoring.
6. Collaboration and Sharing
   • Share dashboards, collaborate with team members, and receive automated alerts on data changes.
7. Advanced Security and Governance
   • Role-based access control, encryption, and compliance support for large enterprises.
8. Cloud, On-Premise, and Hybrid Deployment
   • Flexible deployment options for different business needs.

---

Best Alternatives to Qlik

Here are some of the top alternatives to Qlik based on different needs:

Alternative	Description
Tableau	Known for its powerful data visualization capabilities and easy-to-use interface.
Power BI (Microsoft)	Affordable and integrated with Microsoft’s ecosystem (Excel, Azure, SharePoint).
Looker (Google Cloud)	Cloud-based BI tool with strong data modeling and analytics capabilities.
Domo	Combines BI with data integration and business process automation.
SAP Analytics Cloud	Integrated with SAP applications, focusing on enterprise-level reporting and predictive analytics.
Sisense	Known for embedding analytics into applications and strong support for big data.
IBM Cognos Analytics	Enterprise-grade analytics platform with AI-driven insights and reporting.

---

Conclusion

Qlik is an excellent tool for organizations that need flexible, interactive analytics with a focus on data exploration and self-service BI. Its unique associative data engine sets it apart from competitors like Tableau and Power BI, especially for complex data relationships.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Use Qlik

This guide will walk you through the basics of using Qlik Sense (modern Qlik platform) to connect data, create visualizations, and analyze data.

---

Step 1: Install Qlik or Access Qlik Cloud

1. Qlik Cloud: Visit https://qlik.com and sign up for the cloud version.
2. Qlik Sense Desktop: Download and install Qlik Sense Desktop if you prefer offline access.

---

Step 2: Connect to Your Data

1. Click on “Add Data” to connect to various data sources:
   • Local files (Excel, CSV, etc.)
   • Databases (SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL)
   • Cloud sources (Google Analytics, Salesforce, AWS, Azure)
2. Data Preparation: Use Qlik’s built-in data transformation tools to clean and shape the data.

Example: If your data has duplicate rows or missing values, Qlik will suggest transformations.

---

Step 3: Build Your Data Model

Qlik uses an Associative Data Model to link different datasets.

1. Qlik will automatically detect relationships between tables based on common fields.
2. You can edit relationships to ensure your data model is correct.

Example:

• Sales data can be linked to customer data through the Customer_ID field.
• Inventory data can be linked to product details via the Product_ID field.

---

Step 4: Create Visualizations and Dashboards

1. Go to the Dashboard Editor.
2. Use drag-and-drop widgets to create charts, tables, KPIs, and other visualizations.
3. Select the data fields for your visualization, and Qlik will suggest appropriate chart types.

Common Chart Types:

• Bar Chart: Compare metrics like sales by region.
• Line Chart: Track trends over time.
• Pie Chart: Show distribution of a category (e.g., market share).
• Heat Map: Visualize data density or relationships.

Example: Create a dashboard with:

• Total Sales by Region (Bar Chart)
• Monthly Sales Trend (Line Chart)
• Product Performance (Table)

---

Step 5: Add Filters and Interactions

1. Add Filters: Drag a filter object to your dashboard for fields like Date, Region, or Customer.
2. Interactive Analysis: Click on chart elements to drill down into specific data.
3. Export and Share: Share dashboards with team members or export them as PDFs or images.

---

Step 6: Use Qlik’s Insight Advisor (AI-Powered Suggestions)

1. Open Insight Advisor to get automated suggestions for visualizations and insights.
2. Qlik will analyze your data and propose charts that reveal interesting patterns.

Example: Qlik might suggest a sales trend line or a correlation between Sales and Marketing Spend.

---

Step 7: Publish and Collaborate

1. Publish your dashboard to share with your team or make it accessible to external users.
2. Use real-time collaboration to allow multiple users to analyze the data simultaneously.

---

Step 8: Monitor and Automate Alerts

Set up data alerts to notify you when KPIs reach critical thresholds.
Example: Receive an alert if monthly sales fall below $50,000.

---

---

Qlik vs. Tableau vs. Power BI – Comparison Table

Feature	Qlik	Tableau	Power BI
Primary Focus	Data discovery and associative analytics	Data visualization and storytelling	Business analytics and Microsoft integration
Data Model	Associative data engine for flexible exploration	Relational data model	Relational data model
AI-Powered Insights	Yes (Insight Advisor)	Yes (Ask Data)	Yes (Power BI AI visualizations)
Ease of Use	Moderate learning curve	Easy to use	Easy, especially for Excel users
Deployment Options	Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid	Cloud, On-premise	Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid
Integration	Multiple databases and cloud platforms	Strong with Salesforce and Google	Best for Microsoft ecosystem (Excel, Azure, SharePoint)
Customization	Highly customizable	Strong customization options	Moderate customization
Cost	Mid-range to high	High (for larger deployments)	Affordable, especially for SMBs
Best For	Data exploration and advanced analytics	Visual analytics and dashboards	Business users and Microsoft environments

---

Which Tool to Choose?

• Qlik: Best for data discovery, complex data relationships, and real-time analytics.
• Tableau: Ideal for stunning visualizations and interactive dashboards, especially for data storytelling.
• Power BI: Perfect for business users and organizations using Microsoft tools (Office 365, Azure, SharePoint).

---