Introduction
In an age of cloud dominance, Qlik Sense Software as a Service (SaaS) stands out as an advanced, flexible, and scalable data analytics and visualization solution. In this longread, we will take a deep dive into Qlik Sense SaaS, exploring its distinctive features, benefits, and use cases, illustrating why it is a go-to choice for businesses aiming for effective, cloud-based data analytics.
What is Qlik Sense SaaS?
Qlik Sense SaaS is the cloud-based offering from Qlik, designed to make the advanced analytics and visualization capabilities of Qlik Sense available in a convenient and flexible format. It frees users from the constraints of on-premise server management, and eliminates the need for hardware investments, thereby making it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes, particularly those seeking to minimize upfront capital expenditure on infrastructure.
Distinctive Features of Qlik Sense SaaS
Cloud-Based Access
The defining feature of Qlik Sense SaaS is its cloud-based nature. Users can access their data and applications from anywhere with an internet connection, enabling flexible working and collaboration.
Automatic Updates
Qlik Sense SaaS automatically provides users with the latest features and security patches. These automatic updates reduce downtime, increase productivity, and ensure your business benefits from the most recent advancements in data analytics.
Scalability
Qlik Sense SaaS’s cloud-based architecture allows businesses to easily scale up or down their data capacity based on their needs. It adapts to your business’s growth and seasonal variations without the need for expensive hardware upgrades.
Integration Capabilities
Qlik Sense SaaS can integrate with a variety of other cloud-based services and data sources, thereby facilitating a seamless flow of data across different platforms.
Security and Compliance
Qlik Sense SaaS adheres to strict security protocols and complies with a host of global and industry-specific regulations, including GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2, ensuring the protection of your business data.
Collaborative Environment
It provides a collaborative environment where users can share their work, co-develop applications, and make collective data-driven decisions.
The Benefits of Using Qlik Sense SaaS
Cost-Effective
Since Qlik Sense SaaS eliminates the need for on-premise server hardware, it reduces capital expenditure. It operates on a subscription basis, turning a large upfront cost into manageable monthly payments.
Easy Deployment and Maintenance
The SaaS model makes it incredibly easy to deploy. You won’t need a dedicated IT team to manage servers or carry out software updates – everything is handled by Qlik.
Flexibility and Accessibility
As a cloud-based solution, Qlik Sense SaaS offers unparalleled flexibility. It can be accessed from anywhere and at any time, enabling remote and flexible working.
Enhanced Collaboration
The cloud-based nature of Qlik Sense SaaS facilitates real-time collaboration among team members. Users can share insights, work together on data analytics projects, and make collective decisions based on real-time data.
Data Security
Qlik Sense SaaS takes care of data security, implementing stringent security measures, and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.
Specifics of Using Qlik Sense SaaS
Getting started with Qlik Sense SaaS is straightforward. Once you’ve signed up for a subscription, you can immediately begin importing data from various sources, creating interactive dashboards, and analyzing data.
Qlik Sense SaaS supports a wide array of data sources, including spreadsheets, databases, and cloud-based storage solutions. It also integrates with various third-party applications and services, enabling you to pull data from different platforms and consolidate it in one place for analysis.
The intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create interactive dashboards, even for users with no prior data analysis experience. Moreover, the platform offers a range of pre-built data models and visualization options, allowing you to create comprehensive analytics applications swiftly.
Collaboration in Qlik Sense SaaS is facilitated by shared spaces. These are collaborative areas where users can co-develop applications, share insights, and engage in discussions. Whether you’re working as part of a dedicated data analysis team or collaborating with colleagues in different departments, these shared spaces can significantly enhance productivity and decision-making processes.
One of the standout features of Qlik Sense SaaS is its advanced AI capabilities. With cognitive machine learning and AI-powered insight suggestions, the platform can generate automated insights and help users uncover hidden patterns and trends in their data. These AI-driven capabilities can significantly reduce the time spent on data exploration and allow users to focus on making data-driven decisions.
Qlik Sense SaaS also provides robust data governance and management capabilities. Administrators can manage user access, control permissions, and monitor usage through the management console, ensuring data is used responsibly and securely across the organization.
Extended Features of Qlik Sense SaaS
Two Deployment Options:
Qlik Sense SaaS offers users two distinct deployment options to match varying needs.
Pure SaaS
With this option, all your operations take place entirely on Qlik’s cloud services. This eliminates the need for local infrastructure and is particularly suitable for businesses that want a fully managed, hassle-free solution.
Hybrid SaaS
This option allows businesses to combine Qlik’s cloud services with their own managed environment. This setup can be ideal for organizations dealing with large data sets or sensitive data that must remain on-premise. With the hybrid model, you can enjoy the scalability and flexibility of the cloud while keeping sensitive or critical data within your own infrastructure.
Qlik Sense Hub:
The Qlik Sense Hub acts as the central access point for your users. Through this browser-based interface, you can develop, create, and use applications and reports. The adaptive design and easy drag-and-drop features simplify the process of creating and modifying data visualizations and reports tailored to your users’ needs. Built on the latest HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript standards, the Qlik Sense Hub ensures you can create applications and analyze user data on the device of your choice, be it a laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone.
Qlik Forts:
Qlik Forts is a unique feature that allows organizations to create secure spaces for sensitive data. It offers an extra layer of protection, ensuring that your most critical data remains secure while still being available for analysis and decision-making.
Qlik Lineage Connectors:
Qlik Lineage Connectors enable you to understand the lineage and usage of your data within your Qlik applications. This feature ensures you can track where your data originates from, how it’s used, and how it impacts your decision-making, contributing to improved data governance.
Active Intelligence:
Active Intelligence is Qlik Sense SaaS’s real-time data analytics and alerting feature. It ensures your business stays responsive by continually analyzing data in real-time and notifying you about significant changes or patterns. This feature keeps you informed and prepared to make timely data-driven decisions.
Qlik Reporting Service:
The Qlik Reporting Service is a dedicated reporting system for Qlik Sense SaaS clients. This feature allows you to generate comprehensive, customizable reports from your data visualizations and analytics. You can then distribute these reports across your organization, ensuring all stakeholders have access to the insights they need.
Qlik Sense SaaS is more than just a cloud-based data analytics and visualization tool. Its extensive suite of features, including deployment options, collaborative environment, data governance capabilities, and advanced reporting services, make it a comprehensive solution that can cater to a wide range of business needs. By leveraging these features, businesses can streamline their data analytics processes, foster a data-driven culture, and gain a competitive edge in today’s data-centric world.