Microsoft SSRS vs Qlik Sense: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this article, we will be comparing Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) and Qlik Sense, two popular business intelligence tools. We will be discussing the key differences between the two, highlighting their unique features and functionalities.

1. Design and Visualization: Microsoft SSRS primarily focuses on providing pixel-perfect, paginated reports with a wide range of formatting options. It offers a drag-and-drop report designer, which allows users to create highly formatted and print-ready reports. On the other hand, Qlik Sense emphasizes self-service and data discovery. It offers a responsive and interactive visualization environment, allowing users to explore data through intuitive dashboards and visualizations.

2. Data Connectivity: SSRS is tightly integrated with Microsoft SQL Server and easily connects to various data sources commonly used in Microsoft ecosystems. It provides native access to SQL Server databases, Analysis Services, and other Microsoft technologies. In contrast, Qlik Sense offers broad data connectivity, supporting a wide range of data sources including databases, flat files, cloud services, and web-based APIs. It also allows for data blending and transformation during the load process.

3. Interactive Analysis: Qlik Sense excels in offering powerful associative data modeling where users can dynamically explore data relationships. It allows users to make selections on data points and see how their choices affect the rest of the visualizations, enabling a data-driven approach to analysis. SSRS, on the other hand, provides limited interactivity, mainly focusing on static reports where consumers can filter and drill down within pre-defined parameters.

4. Data Preparation and Data Governance: Qlik Sense provides robust data preparation capabilities, allowing users to cleanse, transform, and enrich data within the tool itself. It also offers data governance features, enabling data stewards to define and enforce business rules and data quality standards. SSRS, being primarily a reporting tool, lacks these comprehensive data preparation and governance capabilities.

5. Collaboration and Sharing: Qlik Sense provides collaborative capabilities, allowing users to create and share visualizations, apps, and dashboards with their colleagues. It offers a central hub for sharing and organizing analysis results, fostering collaboration across teams. SSRS, being traditionally used for scheduled reporting, provides limited collaboration features and is more focused on delivering pre-defined reports via subscriptions or email.

6. Pricing Model: Microsoft SSRS is included as part of the SQL Server licensing and does not incur additional costs for SQL Server users. However, advanced features and functionalities may require additional licenses. Qlik Sense, on the other hand, is licensed on a subscription basis, with pricing tiers based on the number of users. This might make Qlik Sense more expensive for organizations with a large number of users.

In summary, while SSRS excels in providing formatted, paginated reports and seamless integration with Microsoft technologies, Qlik Sense stands out with its self-service and data discovery features, interactive analysis capabilities, and comprehensive data preparation and governance tools. Pricing models and collaboration features also vary significantly between the two.