Executive Summary
In August of 2021 Microsoft will withdraw support for Internet Explorer, a favorite of QlikView users. With the withdrawal of support, organizations will need to move to a different browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.), but because of technical differences in the way Internet Explorer and the other browsers access the QlikView Server, many QlikView features (like macros) will no longer be accessible without application changes. The recommended alternative is to take advantage of the Analytics Modernization Program (AMP) to upgrade from QlikView to Qlik Sense, which natively supports all modern browsers.
Microsoft withdraws support for Internet Explorer
In August 2021, Microsoft will completely withdraw support for Internet Explorer. The global internet population will move on without a shrug- barely 2% of global internet users currently use IE. One group that will feel the effects are QlikView users. many of whom continue to use Internet Explorer as their preferred browser when using QlikView.
Why do many QlikView users keep using Internet Explorer? Blame it all on the IE Qlik Plugin, a browser extension that lets the browser communicate with the company’s Qlik Server, where all the heavy lifting is done. The IE Qlik Plugin has historically allowed Internet Explorer to provide slightly better performance, especially on “heavy” UIs, than other internet browsers, which is why so many QlikView organizations made IE their standard.
Now that Microsoft is withdrawing support for Internet Explorer, organizations that have been relying on it will have to switch to a more modern browser like Chrome or Safari. Accessing QlikView via these browsers relies on a different technology to communicate with the Qlik Server, called AJAX for “Asynchronous JavaScript XML”.
AJAX has the advantage of not needing to be installed on the browser, but because it communicates with QlikView server differently, many of the QlikView features that worked on Internet Explorer will not work on AJAX-native browsers.
What QlikView functions don't work without Internet Explorer?
What QlikView features don’t work without the Internet Explorer plugin? A lot, including macros, printing, and chart animations. If your organization hasn’t upgraded its QlikView apps to work properly with AJAX and utilizes any of the affected functions, we recommend that you start thinking now about how you will provide your QlikView users the same functionality they have grown used to after support for Internet Explorer is withdrawn in August.
Your options moving forward
If you determine that you have Apps that will be affected, don’t worry because you have options. The first is migrating to Qlik Sense, which can be done painlessly and inexpensively through Qlik’s Analytics Modernization Program (AMP). The second option is to modify your Apps to function with AJAX. It is not possible to replicate all the impacted features, but we have some recommendations below to get you started.
Migrate to Qlik Sense with native AJAX support
We know, we know. You’ve heard it before- “Migrate from QlikView to Qlik Sense to take advantage of 3rd generation BI that supports self-service analytics with advanced visualizations and responsive design, all within a governed, scalable cloud-based architecture that drastically minimizes TCO… blah, blah, blah.”
And we know QlikView stalwarts out there have their reasons- usually having to do with a combination of budget cycles and a desire to retain ownership- so just allow us to say this: QlikView will continue to be supported by Qlik but is no longer being enhanced – all the development and excitement are on Qlik Sense. The migration to Qlik Sense is relatively painless and can be done in stages to minimize disruption, and an on-premise version of Qlik Sense (called “Client Managed”) is available so you can retain ownership over all your apps and data, with better security and accessibility than QlikView.
Qlik's AMP Program- keep QlikView, get Qlik Sense, and spend less money
The main vehicle for organizations ready to migrate from QlikView to Qlik Sense is the Analytics Modernization Program (AMP). Through AMP you can adopt Qlik Sense at your own pace, provide everyone in your organization a modern browser based analytics experience, and reduce Total Cost of Ownership compared to remaining with QlikView. And when migrating apps from QlikView to Qlik Sense, you can re-use your data layer and data models – those don’t change.
Each organization’s QlikView environment is different, and the amount of time required to migrate an app from QlikView to Qlik Sense is mostly dependent on the number of visualizations in the application. In general, small QlikView apps can be migrated to Qlik Sense in a single day or less, while a larger and more complex app- comprised of dozens of sheets- could take two weeks or more.
The AMP program comes in different flavors to support all customer use-cases, and if you are interested in learning more please get in touch with your Qlik rep or IPC Global for more information. Our technical sales consultants are experts in Qlik licensing and promotions and can answer all your AMP questions, obligation free. Ask about our free offer to get you started in Qlik Sense and application conversion.
Redesign QlikView Apps to replicate lost functionality
For organizations deciding to stay on QlikView and who have built their apps to run on Internet Explorer with the IE Plugin, each of your apps will need to be redesigned to work on AJAX-capable browsers. If you do not redesign your apps to work with AJAX, sometime not long after August 17th, 2021 the only way your QlikView users will be able to access all the functionalities in their apps will be through the QlikView Desktop Client.
From a development standpoint, the key issue in planning and executing your redesign is to assess necessary changes from a function verse feature perspective. This is because for many of the features debilitated by the withdrawal of the IE plugin, they simply do not work in AJAX, so alternate means of delivering the same functionality must be found.
For example, Macros are probably the most commonly used feature affected by the withdrawal of support for Internet Explorer and because each Macro in your app typically has a different function- and none of them will work- each macro/function needs to be assessed individually to determine the appropriate, AJAX-friendly alternative. You can find more information on designing for QlikView apps for AJAX here: Working with QlikView: AJAX/WebView
As with the AMP program mentioned above, and although we recommend against it as a long-term solution, if your organization wants to stay on QlikView and is need of guidance on redesigning your apps to work on AJAX-capable browsers, please get in touch with us.
About IPC Global
IPC Global is a diverse, nationwide team of experienced, engaging, and effective data analytics experts. We provide advisory, consulting and managed services to solve your organizations Enterprise Intelligence challenges.
For more than 20 years we have been the go-to source for Business intelligence & data visualization, Big data analytics, Data Integration & ETL, and Data warehousing design and implementation services.
We are a value-added reseller (VAR) for the Qlik Data Analytics & Integration Platform, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and DataRobot Enterprise AI platform, and are the most effective firm in the world at delivering innovations that combine the three.
Visit ipc-global.com/solutions to learn more about how IPC Global uses data to drive ROI at organizations like yours.
