Why Opening Qlik Sense on January 2 Always Feels Slightly Suspicious?

It’s a new year with new numbers, but the same uncomfortable questions are still there.

Author

Glenda Carnate
January 02, 2026

Read time: 2.5 minutes

When you open Qlik Sense after the holidays, you probably stop, stare, and reassess. You’re not the only one.

On January 2, you load Qlik Sense, and the numbers suddenly seem unfamiliar. The metrics don’t match what you remember, trends look a bit off, and you start to wonder if something changed while you were away. There are no alerts or explanations... just a dashboard showing a reality that doesn’t match how last year ended.

It’s not exactly panic, it’s more like unease. You realize that data keeps changing even when the team is away, and that governance, definitions, and assumptions don’t take a holiday. The dashboard isn’t broken, but it does show you something important.

What Experienced Qlik Teams Check First in January?

1. Reload schedules and source updates.

Confirm what ran automatically and what didn’t.

2. Metric definitions and model changes.

Even small edits compound over time.

3. Access and permissions.

Holiday changes often come from well-meaning hands.

4. Calendar logic and period resets.

Year boundaries expose hidden assumptions fast.

5. Trust before insight.

If confidence is missing, analysis doesn’t matter.

💡Key Takeaway: 

Opening Qlik Sense in the new year isn’t just about the technology... it’s a check on trust. Dashboards show more than data; they show how well your processes, ownership, and clarity are working. If the numbers seem off, the problem is usually not the tool, but what changed around it.

👉 LIKE this post if your January dashboards ever feel a bit suspicious.

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