Migrating to Microsoft Power BI - Part 4: Migration Plan for Qlik

Overview

In video 4 of 7 of our series on migrating from Qlik to Microsoft Power BI we focus on understanding and discovering the complexity of the existing Qlik environment — a crucial step in the migration journey. The video emphasizes the need to thoroughly gather information about the data behind the reports, dashboards, the user interface, and overall user experience.

Key steps discussed in the video for understanding the Qlik environment include:

• Analyzing the UI and visualizations: This involves paying close attention to charts, tables, pivot tables, KPIs, gauges, filters, bookmarks, and navigation elements like drill down/through. It also includes understanding how reports are consumed and shared. Users familiar with the data and reports should be involved in this process. Assigning a complexity level to each worksheet and report is recommended.
• Understanding and documenting the data prep logic and transformations: This step starts with examining QVD files and paying close attention to variables, calculated fields, inline calculations, and especially table concatenation and joins. If the organization previously migrated from ClickView to Qlik Sense, both QVD and QVF files should be reviewed.
• Inspecting the QVDs: This involves identifying data file numbers, connections, data sources (databases, Excel, other QVDs), the amount of data processed, and load times. It's also important to check for any unexpected pre-aggregation or transformations in the QVDs.
• Reviewing and understanding the data model: This includes identifying fact and dimension tables and assigning a complexity level to the data prep and transformation layer.
• Considering report creation and security: Understanding who creates reports and any row-level security being applied is important for the Power BI migration.
• Identifying opportunities for consolidation, standardization, and enhancements: The migration is a good time to make improvements to the reports.
• Understanding the Qlik governance model: Documenting how Click is managed, how data accuracy and security are ensured, how usage and performance are monitored, and how users are trained and informed about updates is necessary for the Power BI environment.

All this analysis will help define the scope of the Proof of Concept (POC), which will be covered in the next video.

If you are exploring migrating to Microsoft Power BI from Qlik or Tableau, you may qualify for a free Proof of Concept.