QlikView vs Power Pivot: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction
Choosing the right tool for business intelligence is crucial for efficient data analysis and reporting. Qlikview and Power Pivot are both powerful solutions that offer unique features for handling complex datasets.
Qlikview is known for its comprehensive data visualization capabilities, while Power Pivot is lauded for its seamless integration with Microsoft Excel, making it a familiar option for Excel users. Both tools have their own strengths and suit different business needs.
We will compare Qlikview and Power Pivot, focusing on their functionalities, ease of use, and integration capabilities. Additionally, we'll explore how Sourcetable offers a contemporary, spreadsheet-like interface that automatically synchronizes with your data, presenting a streamlined alternative for your business intelligence requirements.
What is QlikView?
QlikView is a guided analytics solution that allows for the rapid development and delivery of analytics applications and dashboards. It is designed for data exploration and discovery, enabling users to delve into data analysis without being limited by predefined drill paths or dashboards.
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QlikView is a guided analytics solution that allows for the rapid development and delivery of analytics applications and dashboards. It is designed for data exploration and discovery, enabling users to delve into data analysis without being limited by predefined drill paths or dashboards.
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Key Features
- Associative engine that allows new data views to be generated dynamically.
- Data compression capabilities for efficient in-memory data storage.
- Support for multi-user data exploration within the in-memory data framework.
- Direct connectivity to various data sources for real-time data analysis.
- Provision of an associative experience throughout the entire dataset used for analysis.
QlikView's emphasis on in-memory processing and its associative engine provides a fluid and intuitive analytics experience, accommodating complex data analysis without predefined limitations.
What is Power Pivot?
Power Pivot is an Excel add-in that enhances Excel's data analysis capabilities. It allows users to create complex data models, which are essential for in-depth analysis and reporting. A data model in Power Pivot consists of multiple tables and relationships that help in organizing and summarizing large volumes of data efficiently.
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Power Pivot is an Excel add-in that enhances Excel's data analysis capabilities. It allows users to create complex data models, which are essential for in-depth analysis and reporting. A data model in Power Pivot consists of multiple tables and relationships that help in organizing and summarizing large volumes of data efficiently.
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Data Analysis with Power Pivot
As a tool for data analysis, Power Pivot provides advanced functionalities to process and analyze large datasets within Excel. It enables users to work with substantial amounts of data from various sources, perform information analysis, and share insights.
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Creating Data Models
Power Pivot allows for the creation of sophisticated data models. These models are collections of tables that are interconnected through relationships. The relationships between tables enable complex calculations and the ability to analyze data across multiple tables simultaneously.
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Key Features of QlikView
Associative Engine |
The associative engine is the cornerstone of QlikView's uniqueness. It enables intuitive exploration of data connections, allowing users to uncover insights across various data sources. |
Visual Discovery |
QlikView offers intuitive visual discovery features that facilitate easy understanding and analysis of complex data sets through visualization. |
Augmented Intelligence |
Qlik Cloud Analytics and Qlik Sense enhance QlikView by integrating AI-powered insights, supporting users in the transition from passive to active analytics. |
Deployment Options |
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Power Pivot Features
Data Analysis and Modeling |
Power Pivot provides advanced data analysis capabilities, allowing users to create complex data models. It can manage and analyze large datasets, importing millions of rows of data from various sources. |
Data Import and Relationships |
With Power Pivot, users can import data from multiple sources and establish relationships between different datasets. This enables more dynamic and comprehensive data analysis. |
Calculated Columns and Measures |
Users can enhance their data models by creating calculated columns and measures using DAX formulas within Power Pivot. |
Visualization Tools |
Power Pivot integrates with Excel’s visualization features, enabling the creation of PivotTables and PivotCharts for data representation. |
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) |
Power Pivot supports creating KPIs to help users measure performance against set goals. |
Advanced Modeling Features |
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Performance and Capacity |
Power Pivot supports large file sizes up to 2GB and can handle up to 4GB of data in memory, providing robust performance for extensive data models. |
Advantages of Using Qlikview for Business Intelligence
Efficient Data Analysis
Qlikview's dynamic dashboards facilitate quick data interpretation, leveraging in-memory technology for fast analytics. Its visual dashboards ensure efficient data analysis.
Enhanced Collaboration
The tool fosters teamwork by allowing multiple users to collaborate on data-driven decisions, streamlining business processes.
Implementation and Usability
Qlikview is recognized for its simplicity and ease of implementation, making it accessible for various business sizes.
Data Security and Compression
With robust data security measures and effective data compression capabilities, Qlikview ensures data is protected and stored efficiently.
Cost-Effectiveness
As a cost-effective solution, Qlikview provides a high return on investment for business intelligence tasks.
Superior Data Visualization
Good data visualization capabilities enable users to create impactful reports and analytics, supported by Qlikview's powerful QIX Engine.
Performance
Disadvantages of Using Qlikview for Business Intelligence
Qlikview presents several challenges in the realm of business intelligence, particularly in scenarios requiring real-time data analysis. Its architecture may lead to inefficiencies when handling live data streams, potentially impacting decision-making processes.
Qlikview presents several challenges in the realm of business intelligence, particularly in scenarios requiring real-time data analysis. Its architecture may lead to inefficiencies when handling live data streams, potentially impacting decision-making processes.
Technical Expertise and Integration Issues
Application development within Qlikview necessitates a high degree of technical knowledge, which can be a barrier for organizations without specialized IT resources. Additionally, businesses may encounter difficulties when attempting to integrate Qlikview with other software, limiting its adaptability in diverse IT ecosystems.
Performance Constraints
Despite having fewer RAM limitations, which generally aids in handling large datasets, other performance constraints associated with old tools and interfaces can affect the overall user experience and efficiency in extracting insights from data.
Cost and Support Considerations
User Satisfaction
Surveys indicating poor ratings for Qlikview reflect user dissatisfaction, which could stem from the aforementioned issues related to integration, support, and outdated interfaces, potentially deterring new customers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Qlikview
How much memory does QlikView use when running a script compared to working in the layout?
QlikView uses 3-4 times as much memory when running a script as when working in the layout.
What is the maximum number of rows QlikView can handle on a PC with 512MB of RAM?
QlikView can handle a few million rows of typical transaction data on a PC with 512MB of RAM.
Can QlikView automatically join fields and how does it handle fields with different names?
QlikView can automatically join fields with the same name and can join fields with different names using an alias or AS statement.
How can QlikView be shared with others?
QlikView can be shared with others using QlikView Server or QlikView Publisher.
Can QlikView limit access to a document and how?
QlikView can limit who can use a document using section access.
Use Cases for Qlikview
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Improving efficiency, customer service, and sales at a global pizza delivery company
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Simplifying analytics through a company-wide portal at a financial software company
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Boosting operational success at a multinational lifestyle retail corporation
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Lowering costs and reducing effort in converting loan prospects at a financial services firm
Advantages of Power Pivot in Business Intelligence
Moving DAX Measures
Power Pivot enhances the flexibility of data models by allowing DAX measures to be easily transferred across different columns. This capability streamlines the process of data analysis and reporting.
Advanced Lookup Functionality
The use of CUBEMEMBER functions within Power Pivot provides a powerful alternative to VLOOKUP, enabling more sophisticated lookups that are essential for complex data analytics tasks.
Pivot Table Creation
Power Pivot is integral for creating pivot tables, a fundamental feature for summarizing and analyzing large datasets in business intelligence.
Disadvantages of Using Power Pivot in Business Intelligence
Steep Learning Curve
Power Pivot can be challenging for beginners to master, potentially leading to longer training periods and delayed proficiency.
Hardware Requirements
Effective use of Power Pivot demands high-performing computing resources, which could necessitate significant hardware investments.
Limited Visualization Capabilities
The tool offers fewer visualization options compared to specialized software, possibly limiting the impact of data presentations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Power Pivot
What is Power Pivot in Microsoft Excel?
Power Pivot is a feature in Microsoft Excel that provides advanced data modeling features, allowing users to analyze data, create data models, and gain insights into data.
How can I learn to use Power Pivot effectively?
Power Pivot can be learned by using a variety of resources, including tutorials, Power Pivot videos, and by practicing the use of keyboard shortcuts.
Why might Excel Power Pivot fail to work?
Excel Power Pivot could fail if there isn't enough memory or the file size is too large.
What should I do if Power Pivot does not initialize the data source?
If Power Pivot does not initialize the data source, you may need to check the data source settings and ensure that the source is properly configured and accessible.
Use Cases for Power Pivot
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Consolidating financial data from various departments for a comprehensive budget analysis
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Merging sales data from different regional systems to assess overall performance
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Creating a data model to predict inventory requirements based on historical data
Why Sourcetable Is a Superior Alternative for Business Intelligence
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Simplification of Data Management
Sourcetable streamlines the process of data management by consolidating various data streams into a unified spreadsheet-like interface. This approach contrasts with QlikView, which, despite its associative engine and visual discovery capabilities, may present a more complex environment for managing data.
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Enhanced Reporting and Analytics
The intuitive interface of Sourcetable allows for straightforward reporting and analytics, making it accessible for users of all skill levels. This is advantageous over QlikView and Power Pivot, which require a steeper learning curve to fully utilize their business intelligence tools.
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Seamless Data Synchronization
Sourcetable offers seamless synchronization across multiple services, ensuring that data is up-to-date and accurate. This feature provides a clear benefit over QlikView's deployment options, which may involve more complex data integration processes.
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Optimized for User Accessibility
By focusing on user-friendly design, Sourcetable places business intelligence in the hands of more individuals, democratizing data analysis in a manner that is more intuitive than the offerings of QlikView and Power Pivot.
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Comparison Between QlikView and Power Pivot
Both QlikView and Power Pivot are analytics solutions that enhance business intelligence capabilities. They are designed to help organizations analyze data and make strategic decisions.
Both QlikView and Power Pivot are analytics solutions that enhance business intelligence capabilities. They are designed to help organizations analyze data and make strategic decisions.
Associative Engine and Data Modeling
QlikView utilizes an associative engine for data processing, which is similar to Power Pivot's use of in-memory technology for handling large datasets. Both allow for complex data modeling without extensive technical knowledge.
Visual Discovery and BI Accessibility
QlikView and Power Pivot facilitate intuitive visual discovery of data, enabling users to create and interact with dynamic visualizations. They democratize business intelligence by making it accessible to a broader range of users within an organization.
Integration and Collaboration
Both solutions integrate well with other systems and support collaboration among teams. QlikView's real-time collaboration and Power Pivot's ability to be used within Microsoft Excel encourage collective analysis and decision-making.
Deployment Flexibility
QlikView offers flexibility in deployment with both cloud-based and on-premises solutions, similar to Power Pivot's integration with Excel and Microsoft's cloud services, providing users with multiple options for managing and analyzing their data.
Qlikview vs Power Pivot
Deployment and Accessibility
QlikView is available as both a cloud-based SaaS deployment with Qlik Cloud Analytics and an on-premises solution with Qlik Sense.Power Pivot is primarily an Excel add-in, used for enhanced data analysis and modeling within Microsoft Excel.
Data Processing Engine
QlikView utilizes an associative engine for data processing, promoting intuitive visual discovery.Power Pivot uses a columnar database and data compression capabilities for handling data within Excel.
Visual Discovery and BI Accessibility
The associative engine in QlikView allows for visual discovery, putting business intelligence in the hands of more people.Power Pivot focuses on data modeling and is best suited for users already familiar with Excel’s data analysis tools.
Artificial Intelligence and Collaboration
QlikView's solutions, Qlik Cloud Analytics, and Qlik Sense use AI to provide insights and facilitate real-time collaboration and action.Power Pivot does not inherently include AI-powered insights or collaboration features, as it is a personal BI tool within Excel.
Comparison of QlikView, Power Pivot, and Sourcetable
QlikView
QlikView is an established analytics solution known for its associative engine that revolutionized data usage in organizations. This engine facilitates intuitive visual discovery, allowing more individuals to engage with business intelligence. QlikView is flexible in deployment, offering cloud-based SaaS with Qlik Cloud Analytics and on-premises solutions with Qlik Sense. It incorporates AI-powered insights and promotes real-time collaboration and action, suitable for a wide range of industries, including those with strict data regulations.
Power Pivot
Power Pivot is a data modeling tool integrated with Microsoft Excel, providing enhanced computational capabilities. It allows users to process large datasets within Excel, create complex data models, and perform advanced analytics. Power Pivot is mainly used on-premises due to its reliance on Excel and is known for its ability to handle complex calculations and data manipulation with DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) formulas.
Sourcetable
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet-based tool designed for data analysis and business intelligence. It simplifies data consolidation from multiple sources and enables users to create interactive dashboards and reports. Sourcetable focuses on user-friendliness and accessibility, aiming to make data analysis available to users without advanced technical skills. It is typically used as a cloud-based solution, facilitating collaboration and sharing of data insights.
Contrasts
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sourcetable
What is Sourcetable and who typically uses it?
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet application that allows users to access, centralize, analyze, and model data from most 3rd party applications without the need for coding. It is typically used by growth teams and business operations folks.
How does Sourcetable update data and how often?
Sourcetable syncs data from over 100 applications and most databases. On the regular plan, data integrations update every 15 minutes, whereas on the pro plan, they update every 5 minutes.
What are the pricing options for Sourcetable?
Sourcetable offers a starter plan at $50 per month and a pro plan at $250 per month. Each plan includes a 14-day free trial period. Additional seats can be added at a cost of $20 per month per user.
How quickly can users start creating reports with Sourcetable?
Users can start creating reports with Sourcetable within minutes.
Does Sourcetable require any coding skills to use?
No, Sourcetable does not require any coding skills to use.
Qlikview Pricing Plans
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Standard Plan
The Standard Plan of Qlikview requires a minimum subscription for 20 full users. This plan provides 25 GB of data for analysis per year. Features include connecting to hundreds of data sources, interactive visualizations, dashboards, augmented analytics with AI, team collaboration, and 24x7 customer support.
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Premium Plan
Qlikview's Premium Plan extends the Standard Plan offerings by doubling the data analysis capacity to 50 GB/year. Additional benefits include automated report delivery, advanced predictive analytics, no-code automation triggers, and enhanced data governance.
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Enterprise Plan
The Enterprise Plan includes all Standard and Premium features, with a significant increase in data analysis capacity to 500 GB/year. It also offers a personalized customer success plan to support enterprise-scale requirements.
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Additional Features
- Automated report compilation and delivery
- Additional data source connections
- Predictive analytics with machine learning
- No-code automation builder triggers
- Enterprise-grade data governance
- Personalized customer success plan
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Usage Alerts
Qlikview provides alerts to users as they approach their data capacity limit, ensuring proactive management of resources.
Power Pivot Pricing
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Free and Pro Versions
Microsoft Fabric Preview includes Power Pivot at no cost. For users requiring advanced features, Power Pivot Pro is priced at $10 per user/month.
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Premium Subscriptions
Power Pivot Premium is available for $20 per user/month. Organizations may opt for Premium per capacity SKUs starting at $4,995 per month, which supports content consumption without additional per-user fees.
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Licensing Requirements
Use of Power Pivot Premium and Fabric Capacity SKUs mandates a Power Pivot Pro license. These can be procured individually or through the Microsoft 365 admin center.
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Self-Service Purchase Option
Self-service purchase is possible for Power Pivot Pro and Premium subscriptions, enhancing ease of access and management for users.
User Reviews of QlikView
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Overall Ratings and Specific Aspects
QlikView has garnered an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5. Its functionality is particularly appreciated with a rating of 4.5, while ease-of-use, customer support, and value for money each have a solid rating of 4.
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Functionality and Performance
Users recognize QlikView as a versatile tool for data visualization and report creation by combining multiple data sources. However, it encounters performance issues with heavy data volume and has a slight delay in real-time data synchronization.
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Usability
The software is noted for its intuitive interface and in-memory processing, contributing to its reputation for speed and ease of implementation. Despite this, QlikView's user interface is considered clunky, and it is less user-friendly with certain data sources such as BW and Big Data.
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Support and Community
There is a wide user group and a support forum available for QlikView users, proving helpful for various groups, including students writing their thesis.
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Limitations
- QlikView's data visualization options are not the best in class.
- It does not allow exporting a list of all currently licensed users.
- R integration and write-back to the database are not possible with QlikView.
- When compared with other BI tools like Qlik Sense, Tableau, and PowerBI, QlikView is not as competitive, especially in visualization capabilities and detailed reporting.
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Cost
While QlikView provides a ton of value and is available in a free version, it is considered expensive compared to other options in the market.
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Additional Features
Users can customize reports and automate report distribution and creation, with the ability to use VBA or other programming languages. Scheduled batch jobs for ETL are also a feature of QlikView.
User Reviews and Ratings of Power Pivot
Power Pivot has garnered an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 56 reviews. The distribution of ratings is indicative of generally positive feedback.
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Power Pivot has garnered an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 56 reviews. The distribution of ratings is indicative of generally positive feedback.
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Breakdown of Ratings
- 46% of reviewers rated the book at 5 stars.
- 25% provided a 4-star rating.
- 15% gave it 3 stars.
- 9% rated the book with 2 stars.
- 5% of the reviews were 1-star ratings.
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Content Feedback
- Customers highlight the book's value for beginners in Power Pivot.
- The book is praised for its coverage of new PowerPivot features.
- It is frequently recommended as a starting point for learning Power Pivot.
Conclusion
In comparing Qlikview and Power Pivot, it's evident that both tools offer robust capabilities for business intelligence. However, they cater to different user needs and levels of complexity in data analysis.
Qlikview is recognized for its comprehensive data discovery capabilities, whereas Power Pivot is often praised for its seamless integration with Microsoft Excel, making it a familiar choice for users accustomed to the Excel environment.
Sourcetable offers a simplified alternative by syncing data in real-time across various services into an easily understandable spreadsheet interface, potentially reducing the learning curve and streamlining the data analysis process.
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