Businesses are continuously seeking effective methods to transform their valuable data stored in SAP systems into meaningful business insights. While the SAP ecosystem provides a powerful infrastructure for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), modern analytics platforms like Qlik unlock the potential of this data, enabling strategic decision-making. In this article, we’ll examine in detail how you can analyze and visualize your SAP data with Qlik, the advantages of this integration, and the value it adds to your business.
Core Components of SAP and Qlik Integration
SAP has become the industry standard for enterprise-level data management. Data collected from critical business processes such as finance, supply chain, manufacturing, and human resources is stored in SAP databases. While this data carries strategic value for businesses, the processes of accessing and analyzing it can often be complex.
Qlik is a platform with pioneering technologies in data analysis and visualization. Qlik’s patented Associative Engine technology automatically discovers relationships between data, overcoming the limitations of traditional query-based analytics tools. This approach allows users to discover hidden connections within data and obtain unforeseen insights.
The integration of Qlik with SAP removes barriers between data silos, enabling businesses to derive maximum value from their SAP data. Through this integration, data from different SAP modules can be combined, enriched with other data sources, and analyzed in real-time. According to a recent report by TDWI Research, businesses implementing data integration and analytics solutions achieve an average 29% increase in operational efficiency.
Qlik and SAP Data Integration Strategies
There are various methods for connecting to SAP data with Qlik, including direct connection, data replication, and SAP BW/HANA integration. Qlik’s Connectors, developed specifically for SAP, greatly simplify this integration process.
The Qlik SAP Connector provides seamless connection to various SAP environments such as SAP ERP, SAP BW, SAP HANA, and SAP S/4HANA. This connector offers direct access to SAP’s complex data structures, including ABAP functions, InfoCubes, QueryCubes, SAP queries, and ODP data. The connector also optimizes data loading time and system resource usage with its delta loading feature, which loads only the changed data.
During the data preparation phase, Qlik’s ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) features stand out. Using tools such as Qlik Replicate or Qlik Compose, SAP data can be cleaned, transformed, and prepared for analysis. Data modeling is performed with Qlik’s Associative Data Modeling approach, which automatically discovers relationships between data without being bound to rigid schema structures as in relational databases.
According to Forrester Research’s “The Total Economic Impact of Qlik Data Integration” report, businesses using Qlik’s data integration solutions achieve up to 60% savings in data preparation processes. This allows IT teams to focus on more strategic projects, indirectly increasing business productivity.
Visualizing SAP Data with Qlik Techniques
One of the most effective ways to make sense of SAP data is to represent it with visual elements. Qlik’s advanced visualization features transform complex SAP data into understandable visuals, allowing decision-makers to quickly access data-driven insights.
Creating impressive dashboards is an important part of the SAP data analysis process with Qlik. Qlik Sense’s drag-and-drop interface allows for the creation of customized dashboards without requiring technical knowledge. Critical business indicators such as financial data, supply chain metrics, sales performance, and operational KPIs from SAP can be combined on a single screen to obtain a 360-degree view.
Interactive charts and tables offer users a dynamic environment for data exploration. Qlik’s patented selection feature enables all related visualizations to automatically filter when users click on any data point. This interactive data exploration approach allows for much deeper analysis compared to traditional static reports.
User-friendly interface design plays a critical role in the success of data analytics solutions. Qlik’s responsive design features ensure that analyses work seamlessly across different screens, from desktop computers to mobile devices. SAP users can access Qlik analyses without leaving their familiar interface.
Data storytelling is another important feature offered by Qlik. Insights derived from SAP data can be narrated in chronological flow, providing a better understanding of the logic behind business decisions. In Gartner’s “Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms” report, Qlik’s data storytelling features are highlighted as a platform differentiator.
Advanced Analytics Applications on Your SAP Data with Qlik
Not just reporting SAP data, but processing it with advanced analytics techniques can provide businesses with a competitive advantage. Qlik’s advanced analytics features enable sophisticated analyses such as predictive analysis, comparative analysis, and anomaly detection based on SAP data.
Predictive analytics allows for forecasting future trends using historical SAP data. Thanks to Qlik’s R and Python integration, machine learning algorithms can be applied to SAP data. For example, sales forecasts for the upcoming period can be made or customer behaviors can be modeled using sales data stored in SAP.
Comparative analyses enable performance evaluation across different dimensions. Qlik’s Set Analysis feature allows for complex comparisons in SAP data. For example, comparisons of sales performance across different regions, production efficiency across different time periods, or profitability across customer segments can be easily made.
Anomaly detection enables the automatic identification of unexpected deviations in SAP data. Qlik Sense’s Insight Advisor feature detects abnormalities in the dataset using artificial intelligence and notifies users. This allows for early detection of inventory deviations, financial inconsistencies, or problems in the supply chain.
Trend analyses allow for tracking changes over time. Qlik’s dynamic time selection tools enable easy visualization of historical trends in SAP data. These analyses play a critical role in identifying seasonal fluctuations, growth trends, or performance declines.
Success Stories of SAP and Qlik Integration in Businesses
The benefits of SAP and Qlik integration are embodied in success stories across different sectors. This integration adds value to businesses by improving data-driven decision-making processes in various sectors such as finance, retail, e-commerce, and manufacturing.
In the finance sector, a global bank optimized its risk assessment processes by analyzing SAP financial data with Qlik. The bank enabled real-time analysis of risk factors by combining customer data, transaction history, and credit information from different SAP modules on the Qlik platform. This integration resulted in a 40% acceleration in detecting risky transactions and a 25% reduction in erroneous credit assessments.
In the retail sector, an international fashion retailer improved its inventory management by analyzing data from SAP Retail with Qlik. Point-of-sale data, stock levels, and supply information were combined in Qlik dashboards, providing real-time insights to store managers. This approach resulted in a 20% reduction in excess inventory and a 30% decrease in stockout situations.
In the e-commerce field, a leading B2B platform delivered personalized customer experiences by integrating SAP Customer Experience data with Qlik. Customer profiles, order history, and product preferences stored in SAP were analyzed with Qlik’s advanced analytics features to create personalized product recommendations for each customer. This integration resulted in a 15% increase in conversion rates on the platform and a 22% improvement in customer satisfaction.
In the manufacturing sector, a large automotive supplier increased operational efficiency by analyzing SAP production data with Qlik. Production plans, quality control results, and supply chain data from SAP were integrated on the Qlik platform, enabling real-time monitoring of production lines. This approach resulted in a 30% reduction in production downtime and an 18% decrease in energy consumption.
In the telecommunications sector, a leading operator improved customer segmentation and churn analysis processes by integrating SAP CRM data with Qlik. Customer demographic information, service usage patterns, and payment history were analyzed with Qlik’s visualization features, providing a deep understanding of customer behaviors. This integration resulted in a 22% reduction in customer churn and a 28% increase in cross-selling opportunities.
Challenges and Solutions in Qlik-SAP Integration
While SAP and Qlik integration offers significant benefits to businesses, there are some challenges that need to be overcome for successful implementation of this integration. Being aware of these challenges and developing strategies to address them is critical for the success of integration projects.
Data security and governance issues are priority issues to be addressed in SAP-Qlik integration. Sensitive data in SAP systems (financial information, customer data, trade secrets, etc.) must be protected in accordance with security standards when transferred to analytics platforms like Qlik. Qlik’s security features such as role-based access control, row-level security, and section access can be used to control access to SAP data. Additionally, establishing and implementing data governance policies is important for maintaining data quality and security.
Performance optimization is another challenge encountered when analyzing large volumes of SAP data with Qlik. Millions of records stored in SAP systems can cause performance issues when processed with analytical queries. Qlik’s in-memory data processing technology increases query performance by keeping data in RAM, but if the data volume is very large, optimization strategies may be required. Optimizing the data model, removing unnecessary fields, determining appropriate aggregation levels, and optimizing data loading strategies can be used to solve performance issues.
To succeed in SAP-Qlik integration, both technical and organizational factors need to be considered. Properly designing the technical infrastructure, optimizing the data model, and implementing security standards ensure the technical success of the integration. At the organizational level, top management support, user participation, and developing a data culture ensure the adoption and sustainability of the integration.
To fully unlock the potential of your business’s SAP data and improve your data analysis strategy, we recommend evaluating Qlik’s SAP integration solutions. Our expert team will be by your side to develop solutions suitable for your needs in SAP-Qlik integration and ensure the success of your project. Contact us today to discover how you can transform your SAP data with Qlik.
References:
- TDWI Research: Data Integration and Analytics Solutions
- Forrester Research: The Total Economic Impact of Qlik Data Integration
- Gartner Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms