Building Qlik Sense Apps with SSAS as datasource

[wdchristensen]

We have existing Excel Dashboards applications that are built on a SSAS tabular cubes (Power Query and Power Pivot) that I would like to convert to Qlik Sense application without having to duplicate the work of rebuilding the entire data model in Qlik. What options are available? 

[shaun_lombard]

https://community.qlik.com/t5/New-to-Qlik-Sense/SSAS-Tabular-connect/m-p/1206881?_ga=2.234716445.205...

I'm with Mike on this one - try getting the source SQL Server tables or SQL Server FACTS and Dimensions tables, depending on which model they are using.

[wdchristensen]

It sounds like Mike acknowledges that it a major limitation of the product and that I should give up and use the underlying database tables instead of the cube data or do a one off MDX query. I just wanted to confirm that Qlik Sense doesn't actually have a good way to harness cube data. 

[martinsahlin]

Hi,

Yes, we have developed a Qlik connector for MS SSAS Tabular Model and Multidimensional cubes.

You can read about it on Qlik Market: https://market.qlik.com/solutions/Cube_Connector_for_Multidimensional_&_Tabular_SSAS_Models

And also view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRTUqxUk7-E

Please feel free to contact me at martin.sahlin@stretch.dk if you'd like to try the connector with a trial license.

Kind regards

/Martin

[sbroaden14]

So I assume this means you can connect to a SSAS datasource but it is not a live connection, correct?  I'm looking to make a live connection to SSAS so that I can keep my cube as is and only use Qlik to do the visuals.  But it will query live as the user clicks back to the SSAS model/cube.

[martinsahlin]

Hi,

Your question regarding Live Connection and Qlik will be the same as for any other Qlik connection.

But you could use this connector and for example ODAG in Qlik to achieve what you are looking for.

Have you tested this?

Kind regards

/Martin

[wdchristensen]

I have confirmed that Qlik Sense doesn’t natively work well with SQL Server Analysis Services. Even the GUI generated scripts won’t run, since it builds out TSQL instead of MDX (Bug ID: 99620). After spending a few months trying to get QS to work with SSAS, we opted to beef up the resources on our SQL Server and ended up eliminating Qlik from the process. So far we have not encountered any functionality that Excel / Power BI could not provide that QS could and the same can’t be said for QS. Needless to say the integration between Microsoft products is pretty simple and you might not have to purchase anything extra if you are already in a Microsoft environment. Cheers! 

[robert_ramos · Accepted solution]

Go Power BI, drop Qlik like a temp table.

[martinsahlin]

Hello,

Again, please have a look at our Qlik SSAS Connector, by Stretch as it actually builds MDX. That's one of the beauties.

It works great and is the only solution where you easily can use Qlik and MS SSAS Tabular Models and Multidimensional Cubes. There are many companies all over the world using it

Video here as inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRTUqxUk7-E

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or wants to test the connector.

Kind regards

/Martin