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Overview

The Writeback Extension enables users to write or edit data directly within Qlik Sense applications and store those changes in configured destinations, supporting more interactive and operational use cases.

Using Writeback, users can add new data or update existing records directly from Qlik Sense dashboards and persist those changes to external destinations such as files or databases.

Writeback is available in two variants, based on where you choose to store your data:

  • File-Based Writeback – Ideal for lightweight, straightforward writeback into flat files such as CSV, TXT, or QVD, without the need for a database connection.
  • Database-Based Writeback – Ideal for teams that need their data stored in a database, with added support for multi-user collaboration and traceability through row lock and history tracking.

Both variants share the same core writeback capabilities — data entry, flexible column selection, customizable storage, and configurable trigger actions. Choose the variant that fits your destination and workflow when configuring Writeback.

Core Features

These capabilities are available across both File-Based and Database-Based Writeback:

  • Seamless Data Writeback
    Allows users to write or edit data directly within Qlik Sense applications and persist changes to external destinations.

  • Multiple Destination Options
    Supports writing data to file-based destinations such as .csv, .txt, and .qvd files, as well as database connections.

  • Flexible Column Selection
    Enables users to select columns from the existing data model or define custom input columns for writeback.

  • Customizable Data Storage
    Allows defining specific columns to be stored in the destination and supports multiple destination configurations.

  • Configurable Action Triggers
    Supports triggering actions based on the success or failure of writeback operations, including app refresh and notifications.

Database-Based Capabilities

When writing back to a database, Writeback additionally supports:

  • Row Lock
    Locks individual rows while they're being edited, so multiple users can work on the same table without overwriting each other's changes.

  • History Table
    Automatically logs every edit who made the change and when to a dedicated history table, with no scripting required.

  • File Upload
    Lets users upload files as part of the writeback operation.

Supported Destinations

Writeback supports writing data to the following destination types.

File-Based Destinations

  • CSV
  • TXT
  • QVD

Database Destinations

  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MariaDB
  • Snowflake
  • Fabric Warehouse
  • Oracle

The Writeback Extension is added to a Qlik Sense sheet as a custom SenseOps visualization, enabling users to enter or modify data directly within the application.

All writeback operations are handled by the Writeback server, which manages validation, connectivity, and persistence of data to the configured destinations.