Connect to and Query Sage 50 UK Data in QlikView over ODBC



Create data visualizations with Sage 50 UK data in QlikView.

The CData ODBC drivers expand your ability to work with data from more than 200 data sources. QlikView is a business discovery platform that provides self-service BI for all business users in an organization. This article outlines simple steps to connect to Sage 50 UK data using the CData ODBC driver and create data visualizations in QlikView.

The CData ODBC drivers offer unmatched performance for interacting with live Sage 50 UK data in QlikView due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries from QlikView to Sage 50 UK, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Sage 50 UK and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations (often SQL functions and JOIN operations) client-side. With built-in dynamic metadata querying, you can visualize and analyze Sage 50 UK data using native QlikView data types.

Connect to Sage 50 UK as an ODBC Data Source

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

Note: Only Sage 50 UK 2012 and above are supported.

The User and Password properties, under the Connection section, must be set to valid Sage 50 UK user credentials. These values will be the same used to log in to the Sage 50 UK software.

Additionally, the URL property, under the Connection section, will need to be set to the address of the company dataset desired. To obtain the address, do the following:

  1. If you have not already done so, open the Sage 50 UK software.
  2. Click Tools -> Internet Options.
  3. Select the SData Settings tab.
  4. Click the Details button next to Sage 50 Accounts. A window is displayed containing a list of company names along with the address to their corresponding datasets.
  5. Set the URL property to the value in the address field next to the company desired.

When you configure the DSN, you may also want to set the Max Rows connection property. This will limit the number of rows returned, which is especially helpful for improving performance when designing reports and visualizations.

Populate a Chart with Sage 50 UK Data

The steps below supply the results of an SQL query to a visualization in QlikView. In this article, you will create a bar chart with the query below:

SELECT Name, FinanceBalance FROM TradingAccounts
  1. Click File -> Edit Script (or click the Edit Script button in the Toolbar).
  2. On the Data tab, select ODBC in the Database menu and click Connect.
  3. Select the DSN (CData Sage50UK Sys) in the resulting dialog. A command like the following is generated: ODBC CONNECT TO [CData Sage50UK Sys];
  4. Enter the SQL query directly into the script with the SQL command (or click Select to build the query in the SELECT statement wizard). SQL SELECT Name, FinanceBalance FROM TradingAccounts;

    Where possible, the SQL operations in the query, like filters and aggregations, will be pushed down to Sage 50 UK, while any unsupported operations (which can include SQL functions and JOIN operations) will be managed client-side by the CData SQL engine embedded in the driver.

  5. Close the script editor and reload the document to execute the script.
  6. Click Tools -> Quick Chart Wizard. In the wizard, select the chart type. This example uses a bar chart. When building the chart, you have access to the fields from Sage 50 UK, typed appropriately for QlikView, thanks to built-in dynamic metadata querying.
  7. When defining Dimensions, select Name in the First Dimension menu.
  8. When defining Expressions, click the summary function you want and select FinanceBalance in the menu.
  9. Finish the wizard to generate the chart. The CData ODBC Driver for Sage 50 UK connects to live Sage 50 UK data, so the chart can be refreshed to see real-time changes. Live connections are possible and effective, thanks to the high-performance data processing native to CData ODBC Drivers.

Ready to get started?

Download a free trial of the Sage UK ODBC Driver to get started:

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Sage 50 UK Icon Sage UK ODBC Driver

The Sage 50 UK ODBC Driver is a powerful tool that allows you to connect with live data from Sage 50 UK, directly from any applications that support ODBC connectivity.

Access Sage data like you would a database - read, write, and update Sage Customers, Transactions, Invoices, Sales Receipts, etc. through a standard ODBC Driver interface.