What is "Qlik Answers" & How It Can Help Your Business

Recently launched Qlik Answers - SaaS is a user-friendly "knowledge assistant" designed to work seamlessly within your cloud environment.

It allows businesses to access and retrieve insights from unstructured data (think: PDFs, PowerPoints, knowledge bases, websites, intranets) making information more accessible across all teams, not just for subject matter experts.

By leveraging advanced Generative AI and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), Qlik Answers delivers contextually relevant answers to queries (backed by an evidence trail and references) helping businesses make informed decisions.

In this article, we’ll explore what Qlik Answers is, its key features, and how it can transform the way your business interacts with structured and unstructured data.

• What is Qlik Answers Tool?
• How Does Qlik Answers Tool Work?
• Key Benefits of Qlik Answers Tool for Your Business
• Unlocking the Power of Unstructured Data
• Key Benefits of Qlik Answers Tool for Your Business
• Who is Qlik Answers Suited To?
• Getting Started with Qlik Answers Tool

What is Qlik Answers Tool?

The Qlik Answers Tool is part of the Qlik Sense - SaaS (Cloud) platform, using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to make querying data easy.

Instead of relying on gathering information from internal experts, anyone in your organisation can type (or speak) a question into Qlik Answers and receive instant insights.

For example, a user could ask, "What were the total sales last quarter?" and receive immediate, accurate results. It removes the need for manual investigation, empowering your teams to make faster, more informed decisions.

How Does Qlik Answers Tool Work?

Qlik Answers uses Generative AI and RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation), a new technology designed to retrieve and generate contextually relevant answers from unstructured content - pulling information from across your business:

• Ask questions in plain language: Employees don’t need advanced technical skills to use the tool. They simply ask questions and receive direct answers.
• Receive instant responses: Qlik Answers delivers insights in real-time, ensuring teams can act on the latest information.
• AI-suggested follow-up queries to dive deeper into the data: The tool doesn’t just answer questions—it provides suggestions for additional insights, helping teams explore data more deeply.

Unlocking the Power of Unstructured Data

Historically, businesses have struggled to make full use of unstructured data, such as documents, operational records, and knowledge bases.

Traditional search tools often fall short, providing a list of potential results instead of direct answers. Qlik Answers solves this by providing actionable insights from unstructured sources, filling a gap that has long been a barrier to decision-making.

Qlik Answers indexes unstructured content where it resides, meaning businesses don’t have to move data into a central repository.

Teams can create knowledge bases in Qlik Cloud that capture a variety of content artefacts and support users across departments.

Key Benefits of Qlik Answers Tool for Your Business

1. Speed Up Decision-Making

Delays in accessing data and information can slow down the ability to make informed decisions. Qlik Answers Tool ensures businesses get the answers they need quickly. This allows teams to respond to challenges and opportunities with greater agility.

2. Make Data More Accessible

Qlik Answers allows anyone, from marketing to finance, to ask questions and get the information they need—whether it’s from structured databases or unstructured content like policy documents or knowledge libraries.

3. Enhance Your Business Intelligence Strategy

Your business intelligence (BI) system should go beyond reporting numbers. Qlik Answers integrates seamlessly with your BI strategy, offering deeper insights and suggesting trends or additional questions to explore. It bridges the gap between structured and unstructured data, ensuring a more comprehensive BI approach.

4. Alleviate Pressure on IT Teams

By making it easier for non-technical users to access data, Qlik Answers reduces the burden on IT teams. Employees can independently access and analyse data, freeing up IT resources to focus on higher-level tasks.

5. Improve Cost Efficiency

Qlik Answers allows businesses to operate more efficiently, while reducing reliance on manual information searches and knowledge sharing between departments.

Who is Qlik Answers Suited To?

Qlik Answers is best suited to organisations that are already leveraging Qlik Cloud Analytics but want to extend their capabilities to unstructured data.

Benefits:

• Natural Language Processing: If your team needs fast, user-friendly access to data, Qlik Answers’ NLP feature makes it easy for non-technical users to query and understand both structured and unstructured data.
• Multilingual Capability: While English is the only officially supported language, Qlik Answers can process queries in most other languages with varying levels of accuracy. The responses are typically delivered in the same language as the query, making this tool adaptable for global teams.
• AI-Powered Insights: With Generative AI driving the tool, Qlik Answers delivers contextually relevant and reliable answers, reducing the time teams spend searching through large datasets.
• Seamless Integration: If your organisation is already using Qlik Cloud, the add-on integrates smoothly into your existing infrastructure, adding value to your current business intelligence setup.

Considerations:

• Separate Licensing: While Qlik Answers requires a separate licence, this offers businesses the flexibility to tailor their investment based on their specific needs. For organisations that prioritise advanced features, purchasing the add-on can unlock significant value.
• Availability: As Qlik Answers is an add-on, it provides the opportunity for organisations to selectively enhance their Qlik Cloud setup. This ensures that only those who truly need this advanced tool will integrate it into their strategy, optimising costs and deployment.
• Language Support: Although Qlik Answers primarily supports English, it has the ability to handle queries in multiple languages, offering a valuable solution for businesses operating in diverse linguistic environments. With continued improvements in language processing, its capability is constantly evolving.

If you’re already using Qlik Cloud Analytics and want to enhance your data-driven decision-making with unstructured content, Qlik Answers is a strong fit. The tool’s ability to access and process unstructured data makes it a valuable asset for companies looking to improve their business intelligence strategy.

Ready to Unlock the Potential of Qlik Answers?

At Notitia, we specialise in helping businesses turn data into actionable insights. Our team works with organisations to implement powerful tools like Qlik Answers, ensuring that you get the most out of your data—whether it’s structured or unstructured.

Let’s chat about how we can help your business take advantage of the latest in AI-driven data solutions to improve decision-making and operational efficiency.

‍