How to Migrate from QlikView to Qlik Sense: Step-by-Step Guide

Are you struggling with an outdated interface, limited mobile access, and stiff reporting features in your QlikView data visualization platform? Still waiting to update your dashboard, while you can upgrade to an interactive AI-powered analytics interface - Qlik Sense. 

QlikView to Qlik Sense solves these problems and provides faster insights, putting you ahead. While Qlik developed both QlikView and Qlik Sense, Qlik Sense stands out with its user-friendly interface.  

This guide provides a step-by-step approach to migrating your applications, data models, and user base from QlikView to Qlik Sense, ensuring a smooth QlikView to Qlik Sense migration.

What Makes the QlikView to Qlik Sense Migration Beneficial?

Both QlikView and Qlik Sense serve as Business Intelligence (BI) and data visualization platforms that were built on the same associative analytics engine (the QIX engine). While QlikView is older and a pioneer platform, it is known for its developer-driven approach and guided analytics. To fulfil the catering needs of users, migrating from QlikView to Qlik Sense will be a smart investment.

The key advantages of QlikView to Qlik Sense migration are as follows.

1. User-friendly interface: It provides a modern and intuitive drag-and-drop interface that empowers business users to explore data and create their own visuals. This gives a seamless user experience.
2. Enhanced visualization and Analytics: Qlik Sense offers cutting-edge visualizations and advanced analytics capabilities, providing deeper insights for decision-making.
3. Improved governance and security: QlikView uses a document-centric approach, whereas Qlik Sense provides a more centralized and granular system for controlling and accessing data. It is based on a rule-based security model and provides multi-layer security.
4. Scalability: Qlik Sense supports multi-cloud environments, including both on-premises and cloud deployments, providing organizations with the flexibility to scale up. This makes it more adaptable to hybrid and remote work.
5. Augmented Intelligence and AI-driven Insights: Qlik Sense goes beyond traditional BI by using augmented intelligence. It uses and utilizes Natural Language Processing (NLP), machine learning, and AI to enhance decision-making. It can suggest insights, automate processing, and improve the user’s ability to find answers within the data. It provides features like smart search, automated insights, and real-time predictive analytics.
6. Modern and Multi-cloud architecture: Qlik Sense supports deployment across SaaS or on-premise and private cloud environments.
7. Mobile-First Accessibility: In this digital landscape, access to data on the go is non-negotiable. QlikView’s mobile experience is limited and requires specific configurations. Qlik Sense gives first priority to the mobile-first philosophy. 
8. Long-Term support: Qlik Sense gets regular updates and enhancements. When we move from QlikView to Qlik Sense, we ensure ongoing support also. 
9. Future-Proofing: The Qlik Sense platform gets continuously updated with new features and enhancements. This means you are future-proofing your analytics strategy to scale up to the future demands.

Challenges faced during QlikView to Qlik Sense Migration and ways to overcome

During the QlikView to Qlik Sense migration, we can face technical, operational, and adoption challenges. Proper planning will help us to overcome these challenges.

• Rebuilding dashboard and visualizations: QlikView dashboards often use static designs, whereas Qlik Sense offers a dynamic and responsive interface. Certain UI elements like containers, text boxes, and pivot table functions do not have a direct equivalent in Qlik Sense. To handle this, involve users and stakeholders earlier in the planning and testing stages and get feedback from them. Focus on business-critical dashboards.
• Governance and security model change: QlikView has a document-based security model, but Qlik Sense follows a rule-based security model. Now migrating this is the biggest challenge since it involves governance rules, access permissions, and security configurations. To overcome this, plan your security rules and model of Qlik Sense from the start. Define clear user roles and create a new set of security rules in Qlik Management Console (QMC). Map existing governance policies and implement them in Qlik Sense’s security model.
• User adoption and Training: Some of the end users who are used to QlikView’s interface will resist shifting to the new environment. Adequate hands-on training should be given to the users regarding the new platform and the services provided by it. After that, roll out the migration in phases to build confidence.
• Script and data model compatibility issues: Though the scripting language of both QlikView and Qlik Sense remains the same, certain functions, legacy features, macros, triggers, and some chart properties and file paths from QlikView will not be supported in Qlik Sense. To overcome this challenge, do a thorough analysis of the QlikView application. Use the QlikView converter tool to identify which files are supported in Qlik Sense. If any features are unsupported, try to find out the exact replication in Qlik Sense.
• Downtime of QlikView: During migration, users will not be able to use QlikView. To mitigate this risk, plan for a phased migration with parallel runs. Keep QlikView in active mode till Qlik Sense is fully validated. This will significantly reduce the downtime.

Best Practices for a Smooth QlikView to Qlik Sense Migration

A neatly executed QlikView to Qlik Sense migration will ensure a seamless transition, minimize disruption, and allow us to use the full benefits of the Qlik Sense platform. Follow the best practices below:

• Do an audit to find out the things that are necessary and clearly define the scope of your migration.
• Since both platforms use the same QIX engine, the data model and scripts can be reused. Standardize the data before moving it to Qlik Sense.
• Redesign applications to utilize Qlik Sense’s user-friendly layout.
• Define the security framework before starting to use Qlik Sense. Align operations with Qlik Cloud governance best practices.
• Parallely run both QlikView and Qlik Sense at the initial stage and uninstall QlikView gradually. 

9 Step QlikView to Qlik Sense Migration Process

A successful QlikView to Qlik Sense migration requires careful planning, detailed assessment of existing things in QlikView, and utilizing the strengths of Qlik Sense through analysis content. Migration can be done both manually and with Qlik-provided automation tools.

1. Assessment and planning: Analyze and assess the Qlik Sense environment (i.e, applications, dashboards, reports, and data models) and create a list of data sources, number of users, script complexity, and business criticality. Identify which are critical, which can be redesigned in Qlik Sense.
2. Define business requirements and migration strategy: Set clear objectives for the QlikView to Qlik Sense migration, such as improving performance, enabling self-service, or standardizing governance. List all components such as variables, KPIs, sheets, and scripts required for migration. Plan migration strategy with stakeholders' involvement.
3. Set up Qlik Sense and prepare a data model: Install and configure Qlik Sense either on-premises or in a cloud environment. This includes setting up the server, streams, and data connections. Create development, test, and production environments. Establish governance policies, security roles, and data access rules before migration. Review QlikView’s data model and copy and paste the scripts into the Qlik Sense data load editor. Update connections, optimize scripts, and ensure compatibility with the analytics engine.
4. Configure security: Since Qlik Sense is more security-oriented, we now need to plan and implement the security model. Using a rule-based engine, define user roles and streams and ensure a centralized and scalable framework.
5. Migrate data and data connections: This is an important step in QlikView to Qlik Sense migration since we are bringing up a new environment. We can migrate data from QlikView to Qlik Sense in two ways. 
   
   • QlikView Converter tool: It is an inbuilt tool available in Qlik Sense’s Dev Hub. Now drag and drop the QlikView document (a .qvw file)  into the converter and select the visualizations, dimensions, measures, and variables that need to be converted into a Qlik Sense app. Generate the new Qlik Sense app with the content, review it, and modify the objects.
   • Manual recreation: This is a time-consuming one and needs more effort. Understand the structure, data model, and user interface of QlikView and manually recreate the visualizations, dimensions, and measures by utilizing the Qlik Sense features. Modify and recreate the QlikView load script to be compatible with Qlik Sense by ensuring data integrity. Update the connections and optimize scripts to be compatible with the Qlik Sense analytics engine.‍
6. ‍Redesign the dashboard in Qlik Sense: This is a crucial step. Rather than replicating the same dashboard as QlikView, redesign the layout with new responsive features and better visualizations in Qlik Sense. For complex QlikView functionalities like macros or triggers, find equivalents such as extensions and stories in Qlik Sense.‍
7. Test and validate results: Data is copied into Qlik Sense; now we need to validate it. Do rigorous testing and compare the results with those in the Qlik Sense application and the original QlikView application. Ensure that both are the same by checking the metrics, such as KPIs, drill-downs, and filters. Next, do User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to test the new dashboards. Ensure that the new Qlik Sense app performs as expected under the load. If any performance issues are found, optimize the scripts accordingly.‍
8. User training and support:  Give training and support to help users adapt to the Qlik Sense environment. Highlight more on the benefits provided by Qlik Sense, such as augmented intelligence, Mobile access, AI-powered insights, and easier collaboration.‍
9. Deploy and Monitor: It is good to go live now. Do it in phases as it will minimize the risks and allow users to transition gradually. Continuously monitor and refine your Qlik Sense applications to improve performance and user experience.

Things to Be Considered Post QlikView to Qlik Sense Migration

Completing a QlikView to Qlik Sense migration is a major milestone, but it does not stop after migration. The post-migration phase is crucial for utilizing the maximum amount of benefits provided by Qlik Sense. Some of the key things to be noted after you convert QlikView to the Qlik Sense platform are 

• Validate KPIs and business logic: Even after rigorous testing, we need to validate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), reports, and dashboards in the production environment. Establish ongoing checks to ensure that Qlik Sense output matches business requirements.
• Review security and access controls: Perform periodic audits of user access to make sure that only certain people have access to data. This will help us in maintaining data integrity and compliance.
• Strengthen governance: Refine role-based access controls, section access rules, and data governance policies to prevent unauthorized access.
• Monitor performance and optimize: Using Qlik’s built-in monitoring apps, such as Operation Monitor, License Monitor, track the hardware utilization and user activity. Check and maintain track of reload times, dashboard responsiveness, and concurrency handling. Do performance tuning as user adoption increases and data volumes grow.
• Collect feedback and iterate: Set up formal and informal channels to collect feedback from users on the new applications. Use this information to identify areas for improvement and provide guidance to the development efforts.
• Decommission QlikView: Once Qlik Sense has become stable, gradually decommission QlikView. This will save infrastructure costs and ensure user focus on the new platform.

How can Entrans help with QlikView to Qlik Sense Migration?

Migrating from QlikView to Qlik Sense isn’t just upgrading software; it is about unlocking new capabilities of the BI tool such that it brings profit to the organization. At Entrans, we specialize in QlikView to Qlik Sense migration. Our team of experts with proven experience does a seamless migration with minimal downtime and maximum efficiency. We also provide post-migration support with performance optimization, security control, and empowering teams with Qlik Sense.

Thinking of migrating from QlikView to Qlik Sense, Entrans is here to help. Contact us today to discuss your unique needs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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

The main difference between QlikView and Qlik Sense is their design. QlikView is developer-driven and an older platform. Qlik Sense is user-driven and gives interactive visualizations. 

2. Why should I migrate from QlikView to Qlik Sense?

Migrating to Qlik Sense will enable us to stay updated with new features and technologies, give better scalability, mobile-friendly dashboards, regular updates, and ongoing support.

3. How long does a typical migration take?

The duration of migration varies depending on the complexity and the number of QlikView applications. Typically, it takes a few weeks to several months for a complete shift to Qlik Sense.

4. Is QlikView discontinued?

No, it is not fully discontinued. Right now, Qlik focuses only on Qlik Sense, but it provides maintenance services for QlikView.

5. Will my existing QlikView licenses work in Qlik Sense?

No, your existing QlikView licenses will not work in Qlik Sense. Both of the licensing structures are different, but Qlik also offers a dual-use licensing option for organizations.

6. Is there an automated migration tool provided by Qlik?

Yes, Qlik provides migration tools like QlikView Converter to migrate the data to Qlik Sense. We need to validate the data, also, and redesign if needed.