What’s the difference between QlikView and Qlik Sense?

Blog: Professional advantage - BPM blog

If you’ve worked at one of the 24,000 organisations that use Qlik products worldwide, you’ll know that Qlik makes it effortless to consolidate, search and analyse data to gain deep business insights.

But even if you’ve used the products before, you might not know the difference between Qlik’s two main products: QlikView and Qlik Sense.

These products share a common platform that supports all business intelligence requirements:

QlikView set the benchmark for smart data visualisation that looks great
Qlik Sense is an intuitive self-service data visualisation and discovery application

In this post we’ll take you through the main differences between QlikView and Qlik Sense, give you tips on choosing the right Qlik product, and take a look at where the Qlik portfolio may go in the future.

1. What is the difference between QlikView and Qlik Sense?

There are many similarities between QlikView and Qlik Sense, but each caters to particular markets and needs, with different purposes.

QlikView

QlikView provides an in-the-box application development platform. It’s best for when you want prepared business applications for data analytics.

The data models, layouts and charts are inbuilt, so you can focus on exploring data, navigating information and drilling down into particular details.

Qlik Sense

Qlik Sense is a self-service data discovery tool for creating your own visualisations and applications. You’re not restricted to pre-made charts, which means that you can be a more active, engaged user.

Qlik Sense’s build and use approach makes it easy for you to create visualisations to extend your analytical capabilities and add extra value.

Despite their differences, QlikView and Qlik Sense have similar core capabilities and leverage the same information. They both draw upon the same underlying data models and support interactive, immersive discovery experiences that help you draw maximum value from your data.

2. Should I choose QlikView or Qlik Sense? Do I need both?

If you’re new to the Qlik product range, it’s usually best to start with Qlik Sense. It will give you self-service analytics and makes it easy for you to build the applications you need with embedded analytics.

If you already have QlikView and know your way around, you can take it to the next level with Qlik Sense. With Qlik Sense, you can make the most of self-service visualisation, custom development and embedded analytics.

If you’re already using QlikView, it makes good sense for your business to use Qlik Sense for data visualisations and analytics, while keeping your QlikView platform for other applications.

Because QlikView and Qlik Sense share the same engine, a lot of the work needed to integrate and transform data from multiple sources can be shared between two products.

Many organisations use both QlikView and Qlik Sense because of their very different characteristics and uses.

3. Will QlikView and Qlik Sense merge into one product?

Qlik Sense is not a replacement for QlikView.

Each product has different capabilities and is appropriate in particular situations.

They are separate products with their development roadmaps. QlikView is great for guided analytics while Qlik Sense is best for self-service visualisations.

Since they have different purposes, one isn’t intended to replace the other.

Because QlikView and Qlik Sense are based on the same core analytics engine, all future engine developments will benefit both product lines, and Qlik will continue investing in both platforms.

4. Why do people use QlikView and Qlik Sense?

If you haven’t used Qlik products before, here’s why users say they’re great:

They are easy to learn and simple to use
They open up a world of possibilities for making your data work harder
They help make time-saving and accurate decisions and bring a new level of insight to your data.

Professional Advantage’s team of business intelligence consultants can help you gain the maximum return from your Qlik investment – whether you choose QlikView, Qlik Sense or both.

To find out more about Qlik products or to discover how the right business intelligence solution can work for your business, call Professional Advantage today on 1800 126 499.

You can learn more about Qlik Sense at our upcoming webinar.