Qlik Web Connectors allows loading Excel files (xls, xlsx) hosted in online file storage services such as Box, Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive directly into QlikView and Qlik Sense without having to save the file to disk first.
Different methods need to be applied to fetch files depending on what edition of Qlik Sense is used.
- With Qlik Sense SaaS Editions (Qlik Sense Enterprise Business and Qlik Sense Enterprise on Cloud Services), Qlik offers a number of built in connectors. See Built-in Qlik Web Connectors for a list of available connectors.
- With Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows, Qlik offers Standard and Premium web connectors for install. See Data sources included in Qlik Web Connectors.
With Qlik Sense SaaS Editions:
Note that the in-built Web Connectors are available are:
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
Unavailable at the moment are:
- OneDrive
- Box
- Sharepoint getfile and download file
To connect to, for example an excel file, stored on Google Drive:
- Open a Qlik Sense App
- Navigate to Add data
- Choose Google Drive
- Click Authenticate and follow the Google Drive authentication steps
- Copy the authentication code and paste it into the provided text bar
- Click Verify
- You can now choose supported files.
More information: Managing data sources in spaces.
You can add data files and data connections directly in shared and personal spaces. This enables data sources to be added outside of apps for use by other space members.
With Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows:
We use the query GetRawFileAsBinary of the appropriate connector in Qlik Web Connectors.
Once the binary content is sucessfully loaded in Qlik Web Connectors web console, you can create a webfile connection in QlikView or Qlik Sense to load data from Qlik Web Connectors.
- Choose the connector (for this test we are using the Qlik Box Connector)
- Select the query ListFilesAndFolders to identify the ID of the Excel file you want to load
- Run the query with the Folder ID parameter left blank
- This returns all files and folders in the root folder of the Box account
- Copy the ID of the folder which the Excel file is located in and paste it into the Folder ID parameter of the ListFilesAndFolders query
- Run the query again
- This will list all the files in the subfolder
- Copy the ID of the file we want to load
- Switch to the query GetRawFileAsBinary, choose Parameters and fill in the File ID
- Click Save Inputs & Run Table
- In our example, no Data Preview is shown.
- Obtain the URL to use by switching to the QlikView tab and copying the connection string
In QlikView:
- Open QlikView and the Script Editor
- Select Web Files...
- Paste the link previously obtained into the Internet File text box
- Click Next >
- Proceed to load in the table
Related Content:
SaaS Topics:
Managing data sources in spaces.
Built-in Qlik Web Connectors
STT - Reloading Your Data in Qlik Sense Business
WebConnectors (not SaaS):
Data sources included in Qlik Web Connectors
Google Drive and Spreadsheets
OneDrive
Dropbox
Qlik Web Connectors authentication fails with error "Could not establish trust relationship for the ...
