This presentation explains how to extract metadata from a QVD layer in a Qlik Sense environment. Then take that metadata and create a QVD profile app while adding business definitions for added value. This is a simple example that can be extended to create a very robust and rich metadata data environment.

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In Qlik Sense®

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Syntrix Consulting Group specializes in
data reporting and business analytics
for healthcare organizations.
We provide tools, processes, and
expertise to accelerate the production
and adoption of analytic applications
in healthcare.
We are a Qlik Implementation Partner
with expertise in multiple EMR systems
including Epic.
877-SYNTRIX (796-8749)
BIAdvisors@syntrixconsulting.com
www.syntrixconsulting.com

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 Importance of Metadata
 QVD Environment Overview
 Step 1: Create Qlik Sense App
 Step 2: Retrieve QVD Metadata
 Step 3: Store Metadata into QVDs
 Step 4: Create Field Level Business Definitions
 Step 5: Create Qlik Sense Metadata QVD Profile App
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 What is metadata?
• It is the detail about the data in your environment.
• It provides insight about what the data stands for and where it
came from
• It can be considered the encyclopedia about your data
 Why is it important?
• Data Linage – the metadata can provide the details on where
the data was sourced and how it was curated
• Data Impacts – the metadata can provide details on how
changes made in a source system will affect downstream
artifacts
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 The QVD Environment has a directory for each data
source
 Each directory has numerous QVDs stored in them
 QVDs stored in here are created with extract
applications
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 From the Qlik Sense hub create new app called QVD
Metadata
 Open App
 Open Data Load Editor
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 Create a script to read the metadata from each QVD in
a specified directory and then store that information
into a QVD.
 The following two Qlik Load features will be used
• XMLSimple-QVDTableHeader – this will read the QVD table
information
• XMLSimple-QVDFieldHeader – this will read the QVD field
information
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 2A. Define location and variables for script
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This line defines where the QVDs
are located and the file types you
want to iterate through
This line creates a variable that
stores the name of the QVD file for
each iteration
This line defines the name from
where the QVD was sourced.

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 2B. Read the table header information from the QVDs
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 This will create a table and load table-level metadata from
the QVD into it

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 2C. Read the field information from the QVDs and Iterate
through the directory for the next QVDs
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 This will create a table and load field-level metadata from
the QVD into it
Next will iterate back to the
for each statement and
retrieve the next QVD

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 Create a directory location and store the tables in step
2 in this location
 Use the Store command to create the metadata QVDs
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The last two statements will Store
table data into QVDs in the
00.QVDProfile folder

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 To add value for your business teams it is useful to create field
definitions and associate them to the QVD field definitions
 You can capture these definitions where you please (xls,
Access, Database…), but will need to linked them to
vFileName – FieldName Dictionary_id created in
steps 2 and 3
 Below is an example of a field dictionary in Excel
 It is recommended to create a QVD of the dictionary
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 Now you have all of the components to create a QVD
Profile Application
 Go to the Qlik Sense Hub
 Load the three QVDs and your Data Model will look like
this:
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 Now you can start creating dashboards about your
data which will provide insight and confidence for your
end users.
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 With this concept you can profile many QVD directories
with minor script changes
 You can read in the INFORMATION_SCHEMA from SQL
Server and Oracle and add rich metadata into your
QVD environment
 If you have many levels to your data environment your
can create linage scripts to create a robust metadata
rich Qlik Sense environment
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To learn more, contact us at:
877-SYNTRIX (796-8749)
BIAdvisors@syntrixconsulting.com
www.syntrixconsulting.com
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