Dear Readers,
In past few weeks I saw some good marketing/Sales activities from SAS, even in some cases they were in competition with me. My prospects were asking for comparison between QlikView and SAS then I decided to share that comparison with you.
Apart from the detailed comparison bellow in my view SAS have some excellent capabilities when it come to data mining, OR and Quality Improvement, and Data Quality (By using data flux). QlikView also cover these parts but not in the way how SAS do. Instead being a good tool SAS requires a good budget also for cost of ownership as well as for cot of maintenance. Also it is not very much helpful when it come to ad-hock reporting and it is not very much helpful to End-user( Top Bosses) and become an IT tool only.
I love to see you view on my article.
# | Product | QlikView | SAS |
A | Product |
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1 | Product | QlikView: Worlds Fastest Growing BI tool. With 14. customers being added every working day. | SAS EBI |
2 | Vendor | Qliktech | SAS Institute. |
Qlikview is a IN-memory based BI tool which can be deployed in a weeks time. It comes at HALF the TCO and delivers TWICE the value compared to any OLAP based BI Solution In QUARTER of the TIME | |||
C | Applications |
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1 | Business intelligence | Qlikview is a single integrted tool for ETL, DW, Multi Dmentional Analysis, Dashboarding, Reporting, as per the Butler group user takes couple of hours training instead of weeks taken by traditional OLAP based tools | Yes |
2 | Multi dimensional view |
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3 | Strategic planning | Yes | |
4 | Budgeting | Yes | |
5 | Forecasting | Yes | |
6 | Consolidation | Yes | |
7 | Scorecarding | Yes | |
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D | Hardware and Licenses |
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1 | Warehousing is (Mandate/ Optional) | NOT REQUIRED, One of the the major advantage of usinq Qlikview is, it does not require database which saves money and very wel skilled human resource. With no datawarehouse required Qlikview can be impleted in a couple of weeks saving a lot of TIME, MONEY AND RESOURCES. | Optional |
2 | Server Licenses(Named/CPU) | Named | SAS predominantly supports CPU based licensing, however in specific scenarios named licensing is also supported. |
3 | User Licenses (Name/Concorent/Unlimited) | Named | Unlimited |
4 | Web Users | User lic | Unlimited |
5 | If preparatory Database specify (Technical and Methodology) | NO: Qlikview uses its integrated Robust ETL to Extarct data from multiple data sources and forms a data repository using its patented Technology (AQL: Associative Query Logic) This technology overcomes the efforts and time required to build datawarehouse, normalization, schema writing, creation of cubes. And Empowers the customer to be independent of the vendor to creat and use analyitcs | SAS Intelligence Storage (SPDS) which is based on OLAP technology i.e. the database is tuned for querying and reporting puposes. However SAS also natively integrates with all major database systems. |
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E | Technology |
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1 | Supported database | Any OLEDB, ODBC complaing which covers althe datbase in the world today + FLAT FILE, WEBFILE. TEXT FILE DELIMITED FILE. ALSO WORKS WITH SYBASE |
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| Microsoft SQL Server | Y | Y |
| Oracle | Y | Y |
| Pervasive SQL | Y | Y |
| IBM DB2 | Y | Y |
| Informix | Y | Y |
| Access | Y | Y |
| FoxPro | Y | Y |
| Progress | Y | Y |
| MySQL | Y | Y |
2 | Supported networks |
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| Microsoft | YES | Y |
| Linux | Y TO CONNECT TO THE DATABASE | Y |
| Unix | Y TO CONNECT TO THE DATABASE | Y |
| AIX | Y TO CONNECT TO THE DATABASE | Y |
| Novell Netware | Y TO CONNECT TO THE DATABASE | Y |
| IBM AS/400 (OS/400) | Y TO CONNECT TO THE DATABASE | Y |
3 | Development tools used to build application | NO THIRD PARTY DEVELOPMENT TOOL REQUIRED. THE CUSTOMER BECOMES VENDOR INDEPENDENT FOR ANY NEW APPLICATION/ CHANGES REQUIRED | COM, Java, SOA |
4 | Report writer used - which one(s)? | NO THIRD PARTY TOOL REQUIRED | SAS Enterprise Guide |
5 | Data Extract Transform Load (ETL) tools - which one(s)? | NOT REQUIRED: QLIK VIEW HAS ITS OWN ROBUST ETL INTEGRATED AS A QLIKVIEW SUITE. THE ETL IS WIZARD DRIVEN CAN BE LEARNT IN A FEW DAYS AND OPERATED BY CUSTOMER HENCE EMPOWER THEMSLEF TO CREAT OWN APPLICATION AS AND WHEN DEMAND ARISES | SAS Data Integration Studio |
6 | Cubes supported - which one(s)? | IN ADDITION TO ITS OWN DATA REPOSITORY QLIKVIEW SUPPORTS ALL MAJOR OLAP CUBES | All OLAPs and cubes created using SAS OLAP |
7 | Existing integration to accounting and ERP systems - which systems? | ALL ODBC COMPLAINT DATABASE(all the current database in the market) IRRISPECTIVE OF THEIR FRONT END, SAP USING A SAP CERTIFIED CONNECTOR | SAP, PeopleSoft, JDE, SSA Global/BAAN, Portal integration kits |
8 | Existing integration to customer relationship management systems - which systems? | BY MEANS OF THE GLOBAL STANDARD ODBC, OLEDB CONNECTIONS (all major crm system) | Siebel and other major CRM tools |
9 | Existing integration to payroll systems - which systems? | BY MEANS OF THE WORLD STANDARD ODBC, OLEDB CONNECTIONS( all major payroll system) | All major Payroll Systems |
10 | Existing integration to HRMS systems - which systems? | BY MEANS OF THE WORLD STANDARD ODBC, OLEDB CONNECTIONS (all major hr system) | All major HR systems |
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F | Features |
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1 | Analytic functionality | YES | Yes, please see below (feature # 83) for further details |
2 | Bubble up exceptions | This feature is better handeled where the exceptions are managed at the lower level and not poped to the upper layer and confuse the user. However all precautions are taken to handle the exceptions eficiently. | Yes |
3 | Drill down | YES | Yes |
4 | Drill through to source data | DRILL DOWN TO THE TRANSACTIOANL LEVEL. AS AGAINST TO THE AGREGATED DATA IN CASE OF OLAP BASED APPLICATIONS | Yes |
5 | Ranking | YES | Yes |
6 | Sorting | YES | Yes |
7 | Restrict results by date range | YES | Yes |
8 | Includes dashboard | YES | Yes |
9 | Time trending (for example, over 12 months) | YES AS MANY YEARS AS THE DATABASE HOLDS | Yes, along with basic time series forecasting |
10 | Pareto filtering (automatically groups the categories that amount to less than 20% of a row or column total into "other") | YES | Yes |
11 | Calculations | YES | Yes |
12 | Counts | YES | Yes |
13 | Percentage of total | YES | Yes |
14 | Allocations | YES | Yes |
15 | Total and Sub-total | YES | Yes |
16 | Create OLAP cubes | NOT REQUIRED | Yes using SAS Olap Studio which created MDX compliant cubes. |
17 | Data extraction and transformation tools | INTEGRATED | Yes |
18 | Incremental extraction | YES | Yes |
19 | Impact analysis - objects impacted by change | YES | Yes. Reverse impact analysis is also possible, which means any changes in any of the DWH-BI process can be traced and impact analysis can be performed. |
20 | Can schedule process to run overnight | YES | Yes |
21 | Formatting | YES | Yes |
22 | By dimension | YES: N DIMENTION | Yes |
23 | By level | YES | Yes |
24 | By cell | YES | Yes |
25 | Zero-row suppression | ZERO/NULL FIELD SUPPRESSION | Yes |
26 | Conditional formatting by cell, e.g., highlight cells below threshold | YES | Yes |
27 | Returns text (e.g., if value > 90, returns "excellent") | YES | Yes |
28 | French version | UNICODE: CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN ANY LANGUAGE | Yes |
29 | Screens | YES | Yes |
30 | Reports | YES | Yes |
31 | Documentation | YES | Yes |
32 | Metadata | YES | Single Integrated Metadata across complete DWH-BI-AnI process. One interface to manage ETL, Business Intelligence, Dashboards, Cubes, Information Maps (semantic layer), Reporting, Analytical solutions. |
33 | OLAP functionality | NOT REQUIRED | Yes |
34 | Skip missing levels - support ragged dimensions | YES | yes |
35 | Write back | NO | Yes |
36 | With audit trail | YES | Yes |
37 | Includes charting tools | YES | yes |
38 | Access multiple cubes at a time | YES | Yes |
39 | Excel client | YES | yes |
40 | Internet Explorer client | YES | yes |
41 | Netscape client | FireFox | yes |
42 | Geographical representation | YES | Yes |
43 | Drag and drop | YES | Yes |
44 | Attach notes to cube | CUBES NOT REQUIRED SAVES TIME AND MONEY | Yes |
45 | Attach notes to cells | CELLS NOT REQUIRED SAVES TIME AND MONEY | Yes |
46 | Password security | YES: UP TO THE FIELD LEVEL( BETTER THAN THE LISTING BELOW) | Yes |
47 | By company | YES | Yes |
48 | By department or division | YES | Yes |
49 | By menu | YES | Yes |
50 | By function (view, add, change, delete) | YES | Yes |
51 | By dimension | YES | Yes |
52 | By level | YES | Yes |
53 | By cell | YES | Yes |
54 | Respect active directory authentication | YES: CAN BE INTEGRATED WITH ACTIVE DIRETORY AUTHENTICATION FOR A SINGLE LOG ON PER USER | Yes |
55 | Respect database security | YES | Yes, row level as well as colunmn level security |
56 | Portal generation that includes HTML reports | YES | Yes |
57 | Report writer | NOT REQUIRED: INTEGRATED FEATURE | Yes |
58 | Web-based | YES | Yes |
59 | Generate cube | NOT REQUIRED: OVERCOMES CUBE DRAWBACKS | Yes |
60 | Drag and drop | YES | Yes |
61 | WYSIWYG report design | YES | Yes |
62 | Technology | YES (AQL) |
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63 | API-enabled (SDK provided) | YES | Yes |
64 | Web-based (only need browser at client) | YES | Yes |
65 | For entire application | YES | Yes |
66 | Support for .NET web services | YES | Yes |
67 | Support for Java web services | YES | Yes |
68 | Transfer data to: |
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69 | Report writer | QLIKVIEW IS NOT A REPPORT WRITER HOW EVER IT SUPPORTS GENERTING REPORTS AND THIS FEATURE IS INTEGRATED PART OF QLIKVIEW. | Yes |
70 | Excel | YES | Yes |
71 | PivotTable | YES | Yes |
72 | HTML | YES | Yes |
73 | YES | Yes | |
74 | PowerPoint | COPY PASTE (CTRL+C, CTRL+V) | Yes |
75 | XML | YES | Yes |
76 | Views | YES |
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77 | Crosstabs | YES | Yes |
78 | Charts | YES | Yes |
79 | Both crosstabs and chart at the same time | YES | Yes |
80 | Work flow | Open to function with third party tools |
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81 | Alerts can be automatically triggered | YES IN THE FORM OF POPUPS AND CAN BE USED TO AUTOMATE SENDING OF MAILS, ACTIVATE/RUN OTHER APPLICATIONS | Yes |
82 | Dynamically summarizing data without having to rebuild data? | ANALYSIS AT TRANSACTION LEVEL, WITH DRILL DOWN CAPABILITY FROM THE CONSOLIDATED ANALYSIS | Yes |
83 | Ability to pre-calculate results (aggregate) when they are available, or dynamically generating result from atomic information when necessary | YES | Yes |
84 | Ability to control and design cube aggregations | DOES NOT REQUIRE CUBES WHICH CAN HANDLE 3-10 DIMENTIONS ONLY. QLIKVIEW IS BASED ON AQL THAT CAN HANDLE AS MANY DIMENTIONS AS THE FILEDS AVAILABLE | Yes |
85 | Ability to monitor cube performance and tune the cube aggregations accordingly | DOES NOT REQUIRE CUBES WHICH CAN HANDLE 3-10 DIMENTIONS ONLY. QLIKVIEW IS BASED ON AQL THAT CAN HANDLE AS MANY DIMENTIONS AS THE FILEDS AVAILABLE | Yes |
86 | Can the cube be built using either of ROLAP, MOLAP, HOLAP techniques | DOES NOT REQUIRE CUBES WHICH CAN HANDLE 3-10 DIMENTIONS ONLY. QLIKVIEW IS BASED ON AQL THAT CAN HANDLE AS MANY DIMENTIONS AS THE FILEDS AVAILABLE | Yes |
87 | A hybrid database that stores data in relational form and multidimensional form, as appropriate | QLIKVIEW DOES NOT NEED THIRD PARY DATABASE. | Yes |
88 | Is 'What-if" analysis supported | YES | Yes |
89 | GUI based Data Mining Capabilities | YES | Yes with SAS Enterprise Miner all different Data Mining Algorithms can be performed and the results can be viewed in desired format. |
90 | Enterprise Platform | YES | Yes, SAS supports Enterprise Intelligence Platform which provides capability to integrate all components of DWH-BI-AI across organization. |
| Statistical Analytical Modeling | YES |
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91 | Statistics | YES | SAS provides statistical data analysis tools to drive fact-based decisions. |
92 | Data & Text Mining | YES | SAS provides tools to build descriptive and predictive models and deploy results throughout the enterprise. |
93 | Model Management & Deployment |
| SAS provides tools to streamline the process of creating, managing and deploying analytical models. |
94 | Forecasting | YES | Forecasting tools from SAS helps to analyze and predict outcomes based on historical patterns. |
95 | Econometrics | YES | Use SAS components for applying statistical methods to economic data, problems and trends. |
96 | Quality Improvement |
| SAS provides SAS QC to identify monitor and measure quality processes over time. |
97 | Operations Research |
| Using SAS components to apply techniques such as optimization, scheduling, and simulation to achieve the best result. |
98 | Data Quality | AQL TAKES BUSINESS INTELEGENCE ONE STEP FURTHER THAN THE TREDITIONAL DATA WAREHOUSE ARCHITECHTURE - OLAP BASED SOLUTIONS | SAS has its own data quality tool (Data Flux), which is tightly integrated with SAS ETL tool. The Data quality solution comes with Indian Names and Address based Quality Knowledge base. SAS also provides Master Data Management solution. |