One way to bring data into Qlik Sense is by uploading files directly for storage and use. This article will cover how to do that.
Qlik Sense supports the following file types:
- Text files
- HTML tables
- Excel files
- XML files
- Qlik native QVD and QVX files
- Fixed record length files
- Data Interchange Format (DIF) files
- Geographic data files
How to upload a file
There are a few places in Qlik Sense that allow you to upload files. If you are using a Qlik Cloud based product, your file will be converted to a ‘dataset’. A ‘dataset’ is a data asset, such as a specific table in a database or an uploaded file.
Data load editor
With a Qlik Sense account, you usually get a default folder to store your data assets. It is usually called ‘DataFiles’ or something similar. Note that if you have an on-premise Qlik product, your storage folders will depend on your initial set-up. This folder connection is found in the same place in the data load editor as other data connections. Click on the small table icon underneath the connection to initiate a file upload. This will launch a pop-up allowing you to drag and drop a file or click on it to choose a file from your machine. Note that if you are using a Qlik Cloud based product, the space to which your new dataset will belong will be the same as the app from which you are uploading it. This can be changed after in the space manager.
Data manager
In the data manager, in the upper left corner should be either an ‘Add data’ button or a button with a plus sign on it ‘+’. If you haven’t yet loaded any data, you will also see an ‘Add data to your app’ button in the middle of the screen here.
In the Qlik Cloud, clicking this button will give you the options to add data from the ‘Data catalog’ or from ‘Files and other sources’. To initiate a new file upload, click ‘Files and other sources’. This will launch a pop-up where you can either create a data connection or you can drag and drop a file for upload. You can also click to select a file from your machine. Note that if you are using a Qlik Cloud based product, the space to which your new dataset will belong will be the same as the app from which you are uploading it. This can be changed after in the space manager.
The Qlik Cloud Hub
If you are using a Qlik Sense product hosted in the Cloud, you can also add files directly from the hub. When adding files directly from the hub, you are able to select the space you want the resulting dataset to be assigned to.
There are a couple of places in the hub you can do this: using the ‘Add new’ button or adding data directly to a space while managing it.
The ‘Add new’ button can be found in the hub top bar. This will launch a pop-up from which you can upload a file by clicking on it or dragging and dropping it into the box.
To upload a file directly to a space, find the space in the catalog. Select manage space > data sources to view all data sources currently existing in a space. You can then use the ‘Add file’ button next to the ‘Data files’ section to initiate the upload.
How to edit a file
You are only able to edit an uploaded file in Qlik Sense on Qlik Cloud. You can edit the file name, tags and space. Editing a name and tags can be done from the catalog.
Go to the catalog and find the file you want to edit. Click ‘…’ and select ‘Edit’. A pop-up box will launch where you can edit the name, description and tags.
To edit the space the file is allocated to, go to the space manager: Catalog > Manage space > Data. Find the file you want to move under ‘Data files’ and click ‘…’. This will give you the option to move the file. Here you will also find the option to duplicate the file. This is useful if you want to add the same data file to multiple spaces.
How to delete a file
Deleting a file can be done in the data load editor and the space manager (Qlik Cloud only).
In the data load editor, find your file in the data files data connection. Next to it, there will be a bin icon which will delete the file if clicked.
In the space manager (Catalog > Manage space > Data) you can click ‘…’ next to the data file to see the delete option.
How to refresh a file
If you are uploading a file to Qlik Sense using any of the options explained in this article, you can’t refresh this file. You simply have to delete the outdated file and upload a new version. If your file is updated regularly, consider instead loading it in using a data connection. You could create a connection to a drive storing your file, such as OneDrive. In this scenario, your file could get synced to OneDrive automatically and therefore refreshed every time a Qlik connection is made to the file during an app refresh. See ‘Using Qlik Sense data connectors’ for a guide on how to connect to a data source.
How to access an existing file for app development
When developing an app, you can access existing files from the data load editor and the data manager. In Qlik Cloud based products, both the load editor and data manager also allow you to load files from the ‘catalog’ instead of accessing the data folder connection.
Note that if you are using a Qlik Cloud product, you will need to ensure you have the right space selected in the app data load editor and the data manager to see the file in your ‘DataFiles’ folder connection. There are various levels of permissions given to users within a space (Qlik Cloud only) and the Qlik Sense environment in general. Your ability to consume, edit or load files will depend on the permission you have been given. If you’re having issues with access, speak to your administrator.
