If you are new to Qlik, it can be hard to know what to do first. You may have access to a Qlik Cloud tenant, or you might be thinking about starting a trial, but you are not sure how to turn that into real progress.
This short beginner roadmap gives you a simple plan for your first week with Qlik. You do not need to learn every feature. You just need a clear place to start, a safe environment to click around in, and a few basic wins to build confidence.
If you want to follow along with a video version, you can pair this guide with our Qlik Beginner Roadmap video as you go.
You can also explore how we support Qlik on our Qlik Consulting and Support page and our broader Qlik and Talend Cloud services.
Who This Qlik Cloud Beginner Roadmap Is For
This roadmap is for you if:
- You have heard of Qlik but have not built anything yet.
- Your organization is starting to use Qlik Cloud and you want to get up to speed.
- You work in healthcare, government, education, or another industry and need a simple, non-technical way to begin.
In your first week, your goals are small and clear:
- Get access to a Qlik environment.
- Learn the basic layout and navigation.
- Load a simple Excel file.
- Build your first bar chart.
- Understand how spaces, apps, data, and users fit together.
If you want more background on what Qlik is and why teams use it, you can read our post on What Is Qlik and Why Do Companies Use It? or our guide on How To Get Started With Qlik in 2026.
Step 1: Get a Working Qlik Cloud Environment
Before you can learn Qlik, you need a place to practice. This can be a trial, a company tenant, or a sandbox provided by a partner. The key is to have somewhere you can safely build and test without worrying about breaking production reports.
Here are common options:
| Option | What It Is | Best For |
| Qlik Cloud free trial | A 30-day trial of Qlik Cloud Analytics | Individuals and small teams who want to try Qlik |
| Company Qlik Cloud tenant | Your organization’s existing Qlik Cloud environment | Employees joining an existing analytics program |
| Partner sandbox | A Qlik environment set up and managed by a consulting partner | Teams that want structure, guardrails, and guidance |
You can start a free 30-day Qlik Cloud Analytics trial here:
Free 30-day trial for Qlik Cloud Analytics
If your team needs help choosing between Qlik Cloud options or setting up tenants and spaces, you can explore our Qlik Consulting Services and Qlik Support.
Step 2: Join the Right Learning Resources
Learning Qlik is easier when you are not doing it alone. Good resources give you examples, answers, and a place to ask questions when you get stuck.
In your first week, try to:
- Join Arc Academy for Qlik on Skool to learn with others and follow guided tracks.
Arc Academy for Qlik on Skool - Follow Qlik and Arc Analytics on LinkedIn for tips, updates, and examples.
Arc Analytics on LinkedIn - Bookmark helpful pages on the Arc site:
These resources will be your support system as you move beyond your first week and into more advanced topics.
Step 3: Get Comfortable With the Qlik Cloud Interface
Once you have access to Qlik Cloud, spend 30 to 60 minutes just exploring the interface. You do not need to build anything complex on day one. The goal is to feel comfortable clicking around.
Here are a few things to look for:
- Where you see spaces or streams that hold content.
- Where apps are listed and how to open them.
- Where to add or upload data, such as an Excel file.
- Where sheets and visualizations live inside an app.
Think of this like walking around a new office building. You are not trying to memorize every room. You just want to know where the main areas are and how to get back to the front door.
If your organization uses both Qlik Sense and Qlik Cloud, you can read our comparison guide Qlik Sense vs Qlik Cloud: Maximize Your ROI for more context.
Step 4: Load Sample Data from Excel
Your next goal is to get real data into Qlik, even if it is small and simple. An Excel file is a great place to start because it is familiar and easy to control.
You can use a basic file with columns like:
- Date
- Product
- Region
- Sales Amount
At a high level, your steps will look like this:
- Open Qlik Cloud and go to the space where you are allowed to build.
- Create a new app or open an empty starter app.
- Choose the option to add data or upload a file.
- Select your Excel file and let Qlik read the fields.
- Confirm that Qlik shows a simple preview of the table with your columns.
You are not building a full data model or complex transformations here. You are just taking the first step of seeing your own data inside Qlik.
If your data comes from more complex systems, such as ERP, CRM, or clinical platforms, you can learn more about integration options in our Data Integration Services and Qlik Talend Data Fabric pages.
Step 5: Create Your First Bar Chart in Qlik Cloud
Once your data is loaded, you are ready for a simple win. Building a basic bar chart helps you see the full path from data to visual insight.
A simple first chart might be:
- Total Sales Amount by Product
- Total Visits by Department
- Total Claims by Region
The high-level flow looks like this:
- Open your app and go to a sheet.
- Add a new visualization and choose a bar chart.
- Pick a dimension (such as Product or Region).
- Pick a measure (such as Sum of Sales Amount).
- Apply and see the chart appear.
From there, you can try small changes:
- Sort the bars by value.
- Change the color palette.
- Add a simple filter, like a date range.
You do not have to worry about designing a perfect dashboard. The goal is to see one chart working with your own data so you can build from there.
If you want help building more polished dashboards or adding visuals like icons, you might enjoy our guide on Adding Tabler Icons to Qlik Dashboards or learn how our Arc Analytics Toolkit speeds up Qlik development.
Step 6: Understand How Everything Fits Together
As you get more comfortable, it helps to understand the main pieces inside Qlik Cloud. You do not need every detail, but a simple mental model will make things easier when you work with your team or talk with admins.
Here are four core concepts in plain language:
| Concept | Simple Description | Beginner Tip |
| Spaces / Streams | Areas that hold apps and content for groups of users | Ask which space is safe for your testing and practice |
| Apps | Containers that hold data, sheets, and visualizations | Start with one app for your first Excel file and charts |
| Data Connections | Saved links to data sources such as files, databases, or APIs | Begin with a single file before adding more sources |
| Users and Security | Rules that control who can see and change content | Confirm your role and permissions with your admin |
In many organizations, these pieces are part of a broader data strategy that includes integration, governance, and reporting. If you want to see how Qlik fits into that bigger picture, you can explore our Data Strategy Consulting services or industry pages for Healthcare, Government, and Education.
Beginner Checklist: Your First Week With Qlik Cloud
To keep things simple, here is a quick checklist you can use to track your first week. You do not need to do everything in one day. Spread it out and give yourself time to explore.
In your first week:
- Join Arc Academy for Qlik on Skool.
- Follow Qlik and Arc Analytics on LinkedIn.
- Get access to a Qlik environment:
- Qlik Cloud trial
- Company tenant
- Partner sandbox
- Log in and explore the Qlik Cloud interface for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Load one Excel file as sample data into a new or existing app.
- Build one simple bar chart using that data.
- Learn where your spaces, apps, data connections, and user settings are managed.
If you can check all these boxes, you are officially started with Qlik. You may not feel like an expert yet, but you have done the most important part: moving from “someday” to hands-on practice.
What Comes Next in Qlik Cloud
After your first week, you can start to:
- Add more data sources beyond Excel.
- Build multiple sheets and more complex visualizations.
- Learn about data modeling and transformations.
- Work with IT or a partner on governance, security, and performance.
You can find more next-step ideas in our posts on How Qlik Cloud Improves Public Safety Outcomes and Signs Your Organization Needs a Data Consultant Now.
If you want a guided roadmap, training for your team, or help avoiding common mistakes, you can:
- Explore our Qlik Consulting Services.
- Learn about Data and Analytics Staffing if you need extra hands.
- Reach out directly through our Contact page.
Your first week with Qlik does not need to be perfect. It just needs to move you closer to clear, useful insight from your data. In our next guide and video, we will walk through the most common mistakes beginners make with Qlik and how you can avoid them.