What are alternate states in Qlik Sense primarily used for?

Alternate states in Qlik Sense are primarily utilized to compare different selections within the same analysis. By defining distinct states, users can create multiple sets of selections that are independent of one another within the same app. This feature allows analysts to easily conduct comparative analysis without needing to switch back and forth between different dashboards or applications, thereby streamlining the analytical process.

For example, if you want to compare sales data for two different years or product lines side by side, alternate states allow you to define a selection for each state. This enables you to visualize differences or correlations between the selected data points simultaneously, which deepens the analytical insights you can derive from the dataset.

While data backup, application development, and processing speed are important concepts in Qlik Sense, they do not pertain to the specific functionality of alternate states in enabling comparative analysis. Therefore, the primary purpose of alternate states is to facilitate this complex analysis by allowing users to isolate selections within the same data model, leading to more effective decision-making based on side-by-side comparisons.