Qlik Gold Client – Rethinking SAP Test Data Management

The Leading Solution for SAP Test Data Management

Oversized non-production systems, poor-quality test data, and GDPR compliance risks in test environments are among the hidden cost drivers in SAP landscapes. Qlik Gold Client addresses these challenges with precision, automation, and zero disruption to production systems. Whether you are managing daily operations, consolidating systems, or preparing for an S/4HANA migration, Qlik Gold Client gives you full control over your SAP data and costs.

What Really Drives Costs in SAP Landscapes

Many organizations underestimate the true cost of their SAP non-production environments. Development systems, test systems, sandboxes, and training environments all require data, infrastructure, and ongoing maintenance. In reality, these systems are often oversized—filled with unnecessary production data, rarely up to date, and posing ongoing compliance risks.

SAP Test Data Management Challenges – Qlik Gold Client

Qlik Gold Client addresses these challenges at the root. The solution enables you to selectively extract, copy, mask, and transfer only the relevant data from production into non-production systems—ensuring consistency, referential integrity, and significantly reduced processing time.

The result: lean, secure, and continuously up-to-date test environments that truly support your development and testing teams.

Size Does Matter!

Why Data Volume Drives Your SAP Costs

The core promise of Qlik Gold Client is simple: you don’t need a full copy of your production data to develop and test effectively.

Instead, the solution enables precise data selection based on company code, time period, organizational unit, material group, or document-level detail—exactly the data required for each specific use case.

What this means in practice:

  • Non-production systems reduced in size by 25–50%
  • Infrastructure costs reduced by more than 50% across the entire SAP landscape
  • New test clients provisioned in hours instead of days or weeks
  • No production downtime – all processes run in parallel with live operations

Especially for organizations with multiple SAP systems and complex landscapes, these efficiencies quickly translate into substantial cost savings—year after year.

SAP Data Volume Reduction with Qlik Gold Client

Key SAP Pain Points – Solved with Qlik Gold Client

SAP environments are powerful—but they come with inherent structural challenges that slow down both IT teams and business users. Here are the most common pain points—and how Qlik Gold Client addresses them:

  • Data Is Locked Inside the SAP Ecosystem

    Extracting production data in isolation is complex and often leads to data consistency or compliance issues. Qlik Gold Client solves this challenge by enabling clean, referentially intact data subsets—without manual workarounds.

  • Slow Time-to-Market

    New features, process changes, and system enhancements can only go live after successful testing. Poor-quality test data significantly slows down this process. With automated data refreshes and instantly available test environments, Qlik Gold Client dramatically accelerates the path from development request to go-live.

  • No Access to Realistic Data for Strategic Advantage

    Organizations that want to test business-critical decisions, run simulations, or validate new processes need production-like data—without using live production systems. Qlik Gold Client delivers exactly that: realistic, up-to-date data subsets in a secure and controlled non-production environment.

  • Test Data That Doesn’t Reflect Reality

    Outdated or artificially created test data leads to unreliable testing and failures in production. Through targeted data selection and automated delta refreshes, Qlik Gold Client ensures that test environments always reflect the current state of production.

  • GDPR Risks in Non-Production Systems

    Using real customer data in test environments is an often underestimated compliance risk. Qlik Gold Client mitigates this by masking personally identifiable information (PII) using static or dynamic techniques—fully, irreversibly, and in compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and LGPD.

  • Long Downtimes During System Copies

    Traditional full client copies can block production systems for hours or even days. Qlik Gold Client eliminates this bottleneck entirely—enabling data provisioning without production downtime.

Qlik Gold Client Benefits

Automated Test Data Management – From Weeks to Hours

Qlik Gold Client fundamentally transforms SAP test data management:

  • Selective Data Copy Instead of Full Copies

    Only the data you actually need is transferred—master data and transactional data, precisely based on your defined selection criteria.

  • Automated Delta Refreshes

    Test environments remain continuously up to date—no manual intervention, no outdated systems, and no unnecessary delays.

  • No Production Downtime

    All data transfers run in parallel with live production systems—no downtime, no system locks, and no disruption to business operations.

  • Powerful Data Transformation

    Data can be transformed, cleansed, and adjusted during transfer—enabling highly tailored and realistic test scenarios.

Real-World Results:

:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} reduced root cause analysis time by 50–60% and cut data preparation and testing time by 30%. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} met a critical project deadline with the help of Qlik Gold Client—while simultaneously reducing development and testing effort.

Success Story Dorman Products

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Core Features of Qlik Gold Client for SAP

Qlik Gold Client

  • Data Protection & Compliance – Secure from the Start

    Qlik Gold Client offers two data masking approaches tailored to different compliance and security requirements:

    Static masking anonymizes personally identifiable information (PII) in existing non-production environments after data has been copied.

    Dynamic masking is applied directly during data transfer—ensuring that sensitive data never leaves production systems unprotected.

    The process is irreversible. Original source data cannot be reconstructed from masked datasets, ensuring full compliance with GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, and internal data protection policies.

    SAP Data Masking and Compliance with Qlik Gold Client

  • S/4HANA Migration – Accelerated with Qlik Gold Client

    While S/4HANA migration is not the only use case for Qlik Gold Client, this is where the solution delivers exceptional value. With the SAP 2027 deadline approaching, many teams are under pressure: limited time, constrained resources, and overwhelming data volumes.

    Learn more about SAP S/4HANA migration

    Qlik Gold Client supports every phase of the migration journey—from initial proof-of-concept environments to intensive development and testing cycles, all the way to training systems ahead of go-live. Data is selectively extracted, continuously refreshed, and securely masked—without additional manual effort. This significantly reduces the workload on internal teams and minimizes dependency on external consulting resources.

    SAP S/4HANA Migration Acceleration with Qlik Gold Client

  • Divestitures & Carve-Outs – Clean Data Separation in Record Time

    Mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures pose significant challenges for SAP system landscapes. Fast and clean data separation is critical to ensure business continuity.

    Qlik Gold Client enables precise data extraction based on company code, sales organization, purchasing organization, plant, or warehouse—exactly aligned with the entity being separated or integrated.

    SAP Divestitures and Carve-Outs with Qlik Gold Client

    Real-World Example:

    :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} successfully separated its SAP system landscape as part of a divestiture. What typically takes months was completed in just a few weeks—with a go-live in under 48 hours and no disruption to business operations.

Success Story Epta CNE

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Ideal Use Cases and Target Users for Qlik Gold Client

Industries with the Highest ROI Potential

Qlik Gold Client delivers value in any SAP environment—but in certain industries, the cost-saving potential is especially significant. Wherever SAP systems operate with very high data volumes, complex transactional histories, or highly regulated data environments, targeted data reduction delivers a disproportionate impact on ROI.

  • Utilities & Energy

    Utility providers often manage years of consumption data, meter readings, and billing transactions in SAP—resulting in extremely large data volumes. Test environments based on full copies become bloated and costly. Qlik Gold Client enables targeted data extraction by grid area, tariff group, or billing period. The result: significantly smaller non-production systems without compromising test quality.

  • Telecommunications

    Telecommunications companies face similar challenges: millions of customer contracts, usage records, and billing cycles accumulate in SAP over time. At the same time, compliance requirements around customer data are particularly strict. Qlik Gold Client enables precise data subsetting by contract type or region—combined with automated PII masking for GDPR-compliant test environments.

  • Retail & Commerce

    In retail, seasonal peaks, extensive product master data, and complex supply chains generate massive data volumes in SAP. For testing, only specific product categories, stores, or posting periods are typically required. Instead of copying entire systems, Qlik Gold Client extracts exactly the data needed—accelerating test cycles and significantly reducing infrastructure costs.

  • Manufacturing & Industrial

    Manufacturing companies manage large volumes of bills of materials, production orders, inventory histories, and quality data in SAP—often across multiple plants and countries. For development and testing scenarios, only a fraction of this data is relevant. Qlik Gold Client enables targeted selection by plant, material group, or production line—substantially reducing system copy effort and test data maintenance.

  • Life Sciences & Pharma

    The life sciences and pharmaceutical industries operate under strict data security, auditability, and compliance requirements—including GxP regulations. At the same time, SAP systems contain highly sensitive production, batch, and quality data. Qlik Gold Client delivers a dual benefit: non-production systems are reduced to the necessary minimum, while automated data masking ensures that sensitive data is handled securely and in full regulatory compliance.

Why Qlik Gold Client

Key Facts at a Glance

  • Market-leading SAP test data management solution since 1998
  • Supports ERP, HR, CRM, SCM, SRM, GTS, SAP Business Suite on HANA, SAP BW, and SAP BW on HANA
  • Deployable on-premise and in the cloud
  • Compatible with S/4HANA, ECC, and hybrid SAP landscapes
  • SAP-certified solution and recognized SAP technology partner

SAP Certification

SAP Certified

Qlik Elite Partner & SAP Consulting – All from a Single Source

Qlik Gold Client delivers its full value when technology and strategy are aligned. As a Qlik Elite Partner, we combine deep product expertise with extensive SAP consulting experience to seamlessly connect both worlds. We support you end-to-end—from analyzing your existing SAP landscape and designing a tailored test data management strategy to final implementation and go-live—without the friction typically caused by separate tool vendors and consulting partners.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Qlik Gold Client

How much can I reduce infrastructure costs?

With Qlik Gold Client, significant infrastructure cost savings can be achieved. Based on project experience, companies can reduce their non-production costs across the entire SAP system landscape by more than 50%.

These savings are driven by targeted technical optimizations and efficiency gains:

  • Drastic reduction of system sizes through selective data copies and data cleansing
  • Lower RAM requirements on application servers due to reduced data volumes
  • Smaller SAP HANA systems are sufficient, directly impacting licensing and operational costs
  • Optimized system architecture: Instead of a few large systems, multiple smaller and more efficient systems can be operated (e.g., 4–5 smaller instead of 3 large systems)

In addition, operational, maintenance, and administrative efforts are sustainably reduced. Overall, the use of Qlik Gold Client results in a significantly leaner and more cost-efficient system landscape.

Does Qlik Gold Client work in our cloud environment?

Qlik Gold Client supports both traditional on-premise deployments and modern cloud environments equally. The solution is highly flexible and compatible with a wide range of infrastructure models.

In addition to public cloud scenarios (e.g., SAP systems running on hyperscalers), a private cloud approach is also fully supported. Organizations can operate Qlik Gold Client in dedicated, isolated cloud environments while meeting the highest standards for security, compliance, and governance.

This flexibility makes Qlik Gold Client particularly well-suited for hybrid system landscapes, where on-premise and cloud systems are operated in parallel or migrated gradually.

Is Qlik Gold Client compatible with SAP RISE?

Yes, Qlik Gold Client is certified for SAP RISE and can be seamlessly deployed in such cloud environments. The solution supports organizations before, during, and after migration by enabling targeted data reduction and selective data transfer, helping to optimize system landscapes, reduce costs, and make transformation projects more efficient and less risky overall.

How quickly can data be copied or refreshed with Qlik Gold Client?

With Qlik Gold Client, data copies and system refreshes can be significantly accelerated: processes that traditionally take several days can be completed in just a few hours, depending on data volume and selection complexity. This enables faster and more frequent refresh cycles for agile development and testing, while built-in automation allows data transfers to be scheduled and executed as recurring jobs. In addition, integrated data cleansing reduces unnecessary data volumes and improves data quality before transfer, and manual post-processing efforts are drastically minimized - typically eliminating 4–5 days of follow-up work that would otherwise require multiple consultants. 

Overall, Qlik Gold Client substantially increases efficiency in SAP data management while reducing the workload for both business and IT teams.

Is data masking with Qlik Gold Client GDPR-compliant?

Yes, Qlik Gold Client supports GDPR-compliant handling of sensitive data by masking personal information either statically or dynamically in a fully irreversible manner. In addition, the solution enables targeted anonymization, particularly for development systems, allowing developers to work with realistic but anonymized customer and personal data without requiring restricted access, while business-relevant data structures remain unchanged. 

In test systems, the risk is further reduced due to established business roles and access controls, although full legal anonymization requirements may not be completely achievable in every scenario depending on specific compliance needs.

Does Qlik Gold Client support highly customized SAP environments?

Yes, Qlik Gold Client is specifically designed for use in complex and highly customized SAP landscapes. The solution takes into account custom developments, Z-tables, and individual data models while still enabling precise, selective data transfer without impacting existing structures. This allows for consistent and reliable data copies even in heavily customized systems, without the need for extensive rework or additional custom development. As a result, Qlik Gold Client is particularly well-suited for organizations with mature SAP environments where standard tools often reach their limits.

How does Qlik Gold Client work technically and how does it differ from traditional SAP system copies?

Qlik Gold Client is based on an ABAP-developed toolset for selective system copies and operates flexibly via RFC connections or file export mechanisms. The solution is deployed as a plugin within a protected namespace in each SAP system and is controlled through classic GUI transactions (customizable if required).

In contrast to traditional client copies, Qlik Gold Client enables significantly smaller and more targeted data copies by transferring only relevant data such as master data, customizing, and selected transactional data, including cross-system scenarios (e.g., between S/4HANA and GTS) with automatic data matching.

At the same time, manual post-processing efforts are significantly reduced, as typical post-copy activities are largely eliminated and no additional post-copy automation is required, making the entire process more efficient, faster, and resource-friendly.

Qlik Gold Client - Data sheet

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