Choosing the right business intelligence tool is critical for data analysis and reporting. Qlikview and Azure Analysis Services are two prominent options, each with its unique strengths and use cases.
This comparison will delve into the features, performance, and scalability of Qlikview and Azure Analysis Services to inform your decision. We'll also discuss Sourcetable, offering a modernized, spreadsheet-like interface that syncs with your data, as a streamlined alternative for business intelligence tasks.
QlikView is a guided analytics solution designed for rapid development and delivery of guided analytics applications and dashboards. It features an associative engine that dynamically generates new data views, enabling an associative experience across all data used for analysis.
QlikView is a guided analytics solution designed for rapid development and delivery of guided analytics applications and dashboards. It features an associative engine that dynamically generates new data views, enabling an associative experience across all data used for analysis.
The platform is capable of compressing data and storing it in memory, which facilitates multiple users exploring this data concurrently. QlikView's direct connection to data sources, combined with its in-memory data handling, allows for efficient data analysis without the constraints of pre-defined drill paths or pre-configured dashboards.
Azure Analysis Services is an enterprise-grade analytics engine provided as a service. It facilitates the visualization of data by transforming complex datasets into a unified and comprehensible version of the truth. The service enables the combination of multiple data sources into a single Business Intelligence (BI) semantic model, streamlining the data analysis process.
Azure Analysis Services is an enterprise-grade analytics engine provided as a service. It facilitates the visualization of data by transforming complex datasets into a unified and comprehensible version of the truth. The service enables the combination of multiple data sources into a single Business Intelligence (BI) semantic model, streamlining the data analysis process.
The service is designed to be user-friendly and adopts a pay-as-you-go pricing model, eliminating upfront costs and termination fees. This approach ensures cost-effective scalability for businesses of all sizes.
Azure Analysis Services offers robust security features, including a range of compliance certifications. It is part of Microsoft’s substantial annual investment in cybersecurity and is supported by a dedicated team of over 3,500 security professionals.
Users can access Azure Analysis Services with a free Azure account, making it readily available for those looking to explore its capabilities.
Associative Engine |
The associative engine is central to QlikView's uniqueness, enabling users to explore data connections in a highly intuitive manner. |
Visual Discovery |
QlikView's intuitive visual discovery aids in the easy interpretation of data, enhancing user experience and understanding. |
Qlik Cloud Analytics and Qlik Sense |
These platforms support QlikView by promoting active analytics through AI-powered insights, with Qlik Cloud Analytics offering a cloud-based SaaS solution and Qlik Sense available as an on-premises option. |
Managed PaaS and Enterprise-Grade Data Models |
Azure Analysis Services is a fully managed platform as a service (PaaS), providing enterprise-grade data models in the cloud. The service enables advanced mashup and modeling features, allowing data from multiple sources to be combined and metrics to be defined within a trusted tabular semantic data model. |
Data Modeling and Analysis |
The tabular data model offers an easier and faster method for ad hoc data analysis. Supporting tabular models at the 1200 and higher compatibility levels, Azure Analysis Services facilitates relational modeling constructs, defined in Tabular Model Scripting Language (TMSL) and Tabular Object Model (TOM). Features include partitions, perspectives, row-level security, bi-directional relationships, and translations. |
Integration and Orchestration |
Integration with various Azure services is a key feature of Azure Analysis Services, including secure role-based access to data. It works with Azure Data Factory pipelines for data loading, and Azure Automation and Azure Functions for orchestration. |
Service Tiers |
Available in Developer, Basic, and Standard tiers, Azure Analysis Services caters to different use cases from development and testing to mission-critical applications with varying requirements for model size, user concurrency, and data refresh complexity. |
Storage and Security |
Azure Analysis Services uses Azure Blob storage to persist data and metadata. With Azure Blob Server Side Encryption (SSE), the service ensures encrypted data storage. In DirectQuery mode, only metadata is stored. An On-premises data gateway enables access to on-premises data sources. |
Data Access Modes |
Tabular models support in-memory and DirectQuery modes. In-memory is the default, supporting multiple data sources and delivering fast query responses. DirectQuery mode allows handling of extremely large data sets without complex data model refresh scenarios by leveraging the backend relational database. |
Security Features |
Row-level security is implemented across all compatibility levels of tabular models, while object-level security is available for models at the 1400 and higher compatibility levels. |
Monitoring and Management |
Azure Analysis Services integrates with Azure Monitor metrics and supports the use of Dynamic Management Views (DMVs) for monitoring and managing system performance. |
Efficiency in Data Interpretation: Qlikview's dynamic dashboards provide a platform for quick and efficient data interpretation, streamlining the process of analyzing complex datasets. Its good data visualization capabilities enhance the clarity and impact of reports.
Efficiency in Data Interpretation: Qlikview's dynamic dashboards provide a platform for quick and efficient data interpretation, streamlining the process of analyzing complex datasets. Its good data visualization capabilities enhance the clarity and impact of reports.
Enhanced Collaboration: The tool fosters collaboration among teams, facilitating data-driven decision-making. This is critical for businesses where cross-functional insights are key to success.
Implementation and Use: With its reputation for simplicity, Qlikview is easy to implement and adopt, reducing the time and resources typically required for BI tool integration.
Performance: The in-memory technology and QIX Engine contribute to Qlikview's high speed and good data compression, ensuring fast data processing and reduced storage requirements.
Security and Cost: Qlikview provides robust data security features, protecting sensitive business information. Additionally, its cost-effectiveness makes it an accessible solution for businesses seeking to leverage BI without excessive expenditure.
Qlikview may not be the best choice for real-time data analysis due to potential inefficiencies.
The development of applications in Qlikview requires a certain level of technical expertise, which may not be readily available in all businesses.
Embedding Qlikview with other software solutions may result in compatibility issues or an odd user experience.
Users have reported instances of less than satisfactory customer support from Qlikview.
Qlikview may feature older tools and interfaces, potentially leading to a less modern user experience.
The cost of Qlikview might be prohibitive for small or medium-sized enterprises, making it a less viable option.
Poor ratings in surveys may reflect lower user satisfaction with Qlikview's performance in business intelligence tasks.
Yes, QlikView can handle a few million rows of typical transaction data on a PC with 512MB of RAM and up to one billion rows on large servers.
QlikView can automatically join fields with the same name and can join fields with different names using an alias or AS statement.
Yes, QlikView can update a document using incremental reloads.
Yes, QlikView can read tables from web pages using the table file wizard.
QlikView can be shared with others using QlikView Server or QlikView Publisher.
Improving efficiency, customer service, and sales
Simplifying analytics with a company-wide portal
Boosting operational success
Lowering costs and reducing effort to convert loan prospects
Azure Analysis Services is a managed service, eliminating the need for manual oversight and reducing maintenance tasks. This allows businesses to focus on insights rather than infrastructure management.
The service integrates effortlessly with popular data visualization tools, facilitating seamless visualization of data to support informed decision-making.
Scalability features of Azure Analysis Services enable businesses to adjust resources in line with their requirements, ensuring cost efficiency and performance alignment with business activity levels.
Quick deployment capabilities through Azure Resource Manager streamline the setup process, accelerating the path from data to insights.
With a pay-as-you-go model, businesses have financial flexibility, paying only for the resources used, with no upfront costs or termination fees.
Azure Analysis Services simplifies data modeling, allowing the combination of various data sources into a single semantic model, clarifying data views and structures for users.
The service is designed to match business pace, providing rapid responses for time-sensitive analytics and reporting tasks, even on large, complex datasets.
Azure Analysis Services guarantees 99.9% availability, ensuring consistent access to business intelligence applications and data analytics.
Role-based security with Azure Active Directory support offers robust access control, while extensive security and compliance features, including numerous certifications, provide peace of mind regarding data protection.
Azure Analysis Services presents a high expense, making it a costly option for business intelligence and data analytics.
The complexity of the user interface can pose a challenge for users, potentially hindering efficient utilization of the service for reporting and analytics tasks.
Instances of unusual behavior may occur, affecting the reliability of the tool during critical data analysis processes.
There may be times when Azure Analysis Services becomes unstable, which can disrupt the continuity of business intelligence operations.
Effective use of this tool often requires extensive monitoring, which can add to the operational overhead for businesses.
A significant amount of platform experience is needed to navigate and manage Azure Analysis Services effectively, potentially leading to a steeper learning curve.
No, Azure Analysis Services does not use fixed IP addresses.
You must allow the full range of IP addresses in the region of your server for the firewall rules.
No, Azure Analysis Services is unable to join a VNET.
The AlwaysUseGateway server property should be used with an On-premises Data Gateway.
No, Azure Analysis Services does not support Private Links, VNETs, or Service Tags.
Enabling self-service and data discovery for business users
Reducing time-to-insights on large and complex datasets
Combining data from multiple sources into a single BI semantic model
Connecting to real-time operational data using DirectQuery
Providing secured access to BI solutions anytime, from anywhere
Sourcetable offers a unified platform that integrates data from various services, optimizing the process of data consolidation for businesses. Unlike the complex interfaces of Qlikview and Azure Analysis Services, Sourcetable provides a spreadsheet-like interface that simplifies data analysis and reporting.
The intuitive design of Sourcetable's interface reduces the learning curve and allows for easier adoption across organizations. In contrast, Qlikview's associative engine, while powerful, has a steeper learning curve, and Azure Analysis Services requires familiarity with the Microsoft ecosystem.
While Qlikview and Azure Analysis Services provide collaboration features, Sourcetable's approach to real-time collaboration is straightforward and seamless, reminiscent of working with traditional spreadsheets, which can be more accessible for team-wide strategic decision-making.
Sourcetable's centralized platform can be more cost-effective compared to the separate cloud-based and on-premises solutions of Qlikview, as well as the infrastructure costs associated with Azure Analysis Services.
Sourcetable enhances agility and speed in business intelligence tasks, providing live performance views without the need for extensive setup or specialized training, as may be required by Qlikview's Qlik Cloud Analytics and Qlik Sense or Azure Analysis Services.
Both QlikView and Azure Analysis Services are advanced analytics solutions that allow organizations to handle and analyze large datasets. Both services offer robust data modeling capabilities, enabling efficient data management and complex computational analysis. They support visual data exploration, providing intuitive interfaces for users to discover insights through data visualization.
Both QlikView and Azure Analysis Services are advanced analytics solutions that allow organizations to handle and analyze large datasets. Both services offer robust data modeling capabilities, enabling efficient data management and complex computational analysis. They support visual data exploration, providing intuitive interfaces for users to discover insights through data visualization.
QlikView and Azure Analysis Services can be deployed in the cloud, offering flexibility and scalability. QlikView with its Qlik Cloud Analytics and Azure Analysis Services both provide a SaaS deployment option, simplifying the management of infrastructure and ensuring that users can access analytics capabilities from anywhere.
Both platforms enhance business intelligence by enabling more people within an organization to use analytics tools. QlikView's associative engine and Azure Analysis Services' robust BI semantic model democratize data analysis, making it accessible to a broader range of users.
Real-time collaboration is a feature of both QlikView and Azure Analysis Services, facilitating teamwork and quicker decision-making. Users can share insights and work collectively on data analysis, enhancing organizational agility and responsiveness.
QlikView offers flexible deployment options, including cloud-based SaaS with Qlik Cloud Analytics and an on-premises solution with Qlik Sense. Azure Analysis Services is primarily a cloud-based PaaS offering, integrating with Azure's suite of cloud services.
QlikView utilizes an associative engine for data processing, which allows intuitive visual discovery and real-time collaboration. Azure Analysis Services uses a tabular model for data processing, which is optimized for complex data modeling and large-scale datasets.
QlikView's intuitive visual discovery interface caters to a broader range of business users. Azure Analysis Services is more technical, requiring a higher degree of expertise to manage data models and queries.
QlikView leverages AI-powered insights to augment human intuition, enhancing the decision-making process. Azure Analysis Services focuses on providing robust BI capabilities but requires additional Azure services to integrate AI functionalities.
Qlik Sense, the on-premises solution for QlikView, is suitable for industries with strict data regulations. Azure Analysis Services, being part of the Azure platform, offers comprehensive compliance coverage and advanced data governance features.
Qlikview is an established analytics solution with a focus on an associative engine for data processing, enabling intuitive visual discovery. This approach transformed how organizations interact with data, promoting real-time collaboration and active analytics. Qlikview offers deployment flexibility, being available both on the cloud through Qlik Cloud Analytics and on-premises with Qlik Sense. Its integration with AI aids in enhancing human intuition for insights.
Azure Analysis Services is a cloud-based analytics service provided by Microsoft. It features highly scalable data modeling capabilities and serves as an enterprise-grade analytics engine. Azure Analysis Services integrates with other Azure services, ensuring seamless data management and advanced analytics within the Microsoft ecosystem. It offers developers the ability to create complex data models and use advanced mashup and modeling features.
Sourcetable is not explicitly described in the provided list of facts, thus no direct comparison can be drawn from the given information. As such, details about Sourcetable's features, deployment options, and capabilities are not included in this comparison.
Without information regarding Sourcetable, it remains an unknown variable in the comparison, emphasizing the necessity of detailed product knowledge for accurate assessment.
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet application that replaces traditional workflows done in Excel, Google Sheets, and Business Intelligence tools. It is typically used by growth teams and business operations teams who need to centralize, analyze, and model data that updates over time.
Sourcetable syncs data from over 100 applications and most databases, allowing users to access data from most 3rd party applications without needing to code.
Data integrations update every 15 minutes on the regular plan and every 5 minutes on the pro plan.
Sourcetable costs $50 per month for the starter plan and $250 per month for the pro plan. All plans come with a 14-day free trial which includes up to 5 users, with additional seats available at $20 per month each.
No, Sourcetable does not require any coding from users. They can query data, build live models, and start creating reports within minutes.
The Qlikview standard plan requires a minimum subscription for 20 full users. It offers 25 GB/year of data for analysis, integration with hundreds of data sources, interactive data visualizations, and dashboards. It also includes augmented analytics with AI, collaboration features, and 24x7 customer support.
Qlikview's premium plan enhances the standard offering by doubling the data analysis capacity to 50 GB/year. It adds features such as automated report compilation, extended data source connections, predictive analytics with machine learning, no-code automation triggers, and a personalized customer success plan.
The enterprise plan is tailored for large-scale needs, providing 500 GB/year for data analysis. It encompasses all premium features along with enterprise-grade data governance, ensuring robust control over data usage and compliance.
Qlikview alerts users proactively as they approach their data capacity limit, allowing for timely adjustments to their plan.
Azure Analysis Services offers three service tiers: developer, basic, and standard. The developer tier is aimed at scenarios such as evaluation, development, and testing, without an SLA. The basic tier caters to production solutions with small Tabular models and simple data refresh needs. For mission-critical applications with growing data models and elastic user concurrency, the standard tier is appropriate.
Billing for Azure Analysis Services is contingent on the service tier and performance level selected. Charges are computed based on the active seconds of the instance. When instances are paused, no charges are incurred, providing a cost-saving measure.
Users can control costs by pausing instances, which halts the accrual of charges. This feature allows for financial efficiency, particularly in non-continuous usage scenarios.
QlikView has garnered an overall rating of 4.3, signifying a high level of satisfaction among users. It is praised for its functionality, with a 4.5 rating, and receives solid scores for ease-of-use, customer support, and value for money, all standing at 4.
Considered a powerful business intelligence (BI) tool, QlikView excels in data visualization and is particularly useful for creating sales and inventory dashboards. Despite its strong capabilities, it is noted that QlikView's data visualization options are not best in class.
Users find QlikView versatile for combining multiple data sources to generate complex reports. However, it faces criticism for its user interface being clunky and less user-friendly when working with certain data sources such as BW and Big Data.
While QlikView is recognized for its fast data processing and in-memory processing, it is also reported to have a slow response with heavy data volumes and a slight delay in real-time data synchronization.
There is a supportive aspect noted with QlikView having a wide user group over the internet and a dedicated support forum. This makes it a valuable resource for users, including students who are writing their thesis.
Although QlikView is considered expensive, many users feel it provides a ton of value. It offers a free version that is fully featured, making it accessible for users who wish to explore its capabilities without initial investment.
QlikView allows for significant customization, enabling users to tailor reports and processes using VBA or other programming languages. Additionally, it can be used for the automation of report distribution and creation, and it supports scheduled batch jobs for ETL (Extract, Transform, Load).
In summary, Qlikview and Azure Analysis Services offer robust business intelligence solutions with different strengths. Qlikview excels with its in-memory processing and user-friendly interface, while Azure Analysis Services is highly scalable and integrates seamlessly with other Azure services.
For those seeking a more streamlined approach, Sourcetable provides a unique solution by syncing data in real-time across various services into a spreadsheet interface, simplifying the business intelligence process.