A global industrial equipment manufacturer had built its entire BI function on Qlik Sense across 50+ countries. When leadership decided Qlik Sense to Power BI migration as part of a Microsoft Azure strategy, the complexity was exceptional, with hundreds of customised dashboards, heterogeneous data sources, and a strict zero-disruption requirement. Numlytics delivered complete migration success with 100% of dashboards rebuilt in Power BI, significant licensing cost reduction, and full global adoption across all regions.
The Challenge: Complex Qlik Sense Environment
The decision to replace Qlik with Power BI was clear, but executing it was not. Years of accumulated Qlik customisation including set analysis, alternate states, master items, and extensions created a migration challenge that required deep expertise in both platforms simultaneously.
- Complex Qlik data models: Highly customised associative data models required full analysis and re-engineering in Power BI's DAX-based architecture.
- Qlik-specific features: Set analysis, alternate states, and custom extensions had no direct Power BI equivalents, each requiring bespoke DAX solutions.
- Heterogeneous data sources: SQL Server, Oracle, SAP, Excel, CSV, and web services all feeding Qlik, each needing validation before migration.
- 50+ country rollout: Business users across multiple continents needed to continue working without interruption throughout the migration.
Power BI integrates natively with Microsoft 365, Azure, Teams, and SharePoint, reducing total cost of ownership while improving collaboration. For Microsoft-stack organisations, the comparison almost always favours Power BI on TCO and integration depth.
The Numlytics Solution: Qlik Sense to Power BI Migration Services
Numlytics applied its proven Power BI migration consulting methodology, five structured phases each gated before proceeding, ensuring that every Qlik capability was matched or exceeded in Power BI before any user-facing change was made.
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01Assessment and Full Documentation
Every Qlik data model, dashboard, data source, expression, and custom feature was documented by Numlytics before any Power BI work began, creating a complete migration inventory. This is the critical first step in any Qlik Sense to Power BI migration engagement.
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02Data Preparation and Model Redesign
Data sources consolidated and optimised. Data models redesigned and normalised using Power Query and SSIS, then deployed to Azure SQL Database and Azure Analysis Services with ADF-managed refresh.
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03Power BI Report Development
All dashboards rebuilt in Power BI Desktop following Microsoft best practices. Each report tested and validated against original Qlik output for accuracy, performance, and visual fidelity. Set analysis re-engineered as DAX calculated measures.
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04Deployment and Security
Reports published to Power BI Service, organised into workspaces and apps. Row-level security configured using Azure Active Directory, replacing Qlik's section access model.
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05Training and User Adoption
Comprehensive training delivered across 50+ countries. Feedback collected, issues resolved, and iterative enhancements implemented to drive adoption and ensure the migration to Power BI delivered lasting value.
The Results
- Entire BI estate locked in Qlik Sense
- Hundreds of bespoke Qlik set analysis expressions
- Heterogeneous sources with no unified model
- High per-seat Qlik licensing across 50+ countries
- 100% dashboards live in Power BI
- All Qlik logic re-engineered in DAX
- Unified Azure SQL model with ADF refresh
- Significant licensing cost reduction globally