1. Introduction to Qlik Sense

In this tutorial, we will introduce you to Qlik Sense and its key concepts to help you understand the software better.

To master any software, it's crucial to be familiar with its key concepts. These fundamentals define the basic design of the software. In this introduction to Qlik Sense, we will explore the important concepts that form the backbone of Qlik Sense. Understanding these concepts is essential for working efficiently in the software, as every task and analysis you perform in Qlik Sense will rely on these elements.

Let's dive into the introduction to Qlik Sense.

2. Qlik Sense Key Concepts

In this section, we will cover the basic concepts of Qlik Sense:

i. Associative Selections
Making selections is a reliable way to search for data and its relationships. In Qlik Sense, you can select field values, and the associative model ensures that any related data values are filtered and displayed, showing only the data relevant to the selected value. The output is visually represented with different colors to indicate the selection states:

Green (with a tick mark) indicates Selected.

White represents Possible.

Light Gray shows Alternative.

Dark Gray signifies Excluded.

Dark Gray (with a tick mark) means Selected Excluded.

ii. Applications
An application in Qlik Sense is like a file that you use for analysis. You can create multiple applications, and each app consists of data dimensions, measures, visualizations, sheets, sheet objects, stories, etc. These apps are saved with a .qvf extension. An app can be divided into two parts: the Foundation (basic elements) and the Structure & Visualization part (visualizations, bookmarks, stories, etc.).

iii. Sheets
Sheets in Qlik Sense apps are similar to pages in a book. There can be multiple sheets within an app, and each sheet acts as a container for visualizations and sheet objects. The associations between data tables are maintained across all sheets in the app.

iv. Visualizations
Once you load data into Qlik Sense, you can visualize it in various ways, such as charts, tables, maps, KPIs, and more. You can easily drag and drop visualizations into the editing pane and modify them as needed. Each visualization has its own exploration menu to allow dynamic modifications.

v. Dimensions
Dimensions are fields in a data table that contain descriptive values. They are typically used for categorical data and cannot be used for mathematical operations. For example, dimensions are often displayed on the x-axis of bar charts or in the slices of pie charts.

vi. Measures
Measures are data fields that contain numeric values, which can be used for mathematical operations. Measures are typically plotted on the y-axis of graphs or charts and are used in expressions that apply aggregation functions such as Sum, Min, Max, Avg, and Count.

vii. Data Searching
Qlik Sense provides a data search tool located at the top left of the app to search across all data within the app. The search tool uses Qlik Sense’s associative engine to perform text searches within the app.

viii. Navigation
The navigation option at the top left of the app window gives you access to important features like data management and app components. You can use the Data Manager, Data Load Editor, and Data Model Viewer for managing your data.

ix. Data Model and Data Model Viewer
Every Qlik Sense app creates a data model based on its data tables. The data model visually represents the structure of the data within the app. The best practice for a data model is a normalized star schema or snowflake schema without circular references. You can view your app's data model using the Data Model Viewer.

x. Data Load Script
Data can be loaded from external sources and manipulated in the Data Load Script. You can use scripting features like functions, variables, and expressions to modify the data and create your own custom code.

xi. Bookmarks
Bookmarks allow you to save the current state of selections made in the app. You can create bookmarks using the bookmark icon and return to the same state whenever needed.

xii. Snapshots
Snapshots capture the current state of a visualization in Qlik Sense, allowing you to save a static image of the data. These snapshots can be used in stories, and the visualizations are saved as images that do not change with data updates.

xiii. Story
Qlik Sense's storytelling feature allows you to summarize data analysis and present it as a narrative. Stories consist of slides containing images, text, and shapes to emphasize key data points.

xiv. Streams and Publishing
In Qlik Sense, apps are part of streams, which control access to the applications. Users can be granted either "Publish" or "Read" access to apps in specific streams. Publish access allows users to publish their own apps into a stream, while Read access only allows viewing and analysis of apps without modifying them.

xv. Authorization and Access
The Qlik Sense System Administrator manages user access and modification rights. By default, only the creator of an unpublished app can modify it. Once an app is published, it cannot be modified by others unless granted the necessary access.

3. Conclusion

In this introduction to Qlik Sense tutorial, we covered essential concepts like associative selections, applications, sheets, visualizations, dimensions, measures, data searching, data models, bookmarks, snapshots, streams, and publishing. Understanding these concepts will help you work more effectively with Qlik Sense as you dive deeper into the software.