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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    IBM Planning Analytics

    Score8.5 out of 10
    N/AIBM Planning Analytics, powered by IBM TM1®, is an integrated planning solution designed to promote collaboration across the organization and help keep pace with the speed of modern business. With its calculation engine, this enterprise performance management solution is designed to help users move beyond the limits of spreadsheets, automating the planning process to drive faster, more accurate results. Use it to unify data sources into one single repository, enabling users to build…

    $825

    per month 5 users

    Microsoft Excel

    Score9 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft Excel is a spreadsheet application available as part of Microsoft 365 (Office 365), or standalone, in cloud-based and on-premise editions.

    $6.99

    per month

    Pricing
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft Excel
    Editions & Modules
    Essentials
    $825
    per month 5 users
    Standard
    $1,650
    per month 10 users
    Excel with Microsoft 365
    $6.99
    per month
    Excel for 1 PC or Mac
    $139.99
    perpetual license
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft Excel
    Free Trial
    YesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    YesYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft Excel
    Considered Both Products
    IBM
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    If compared to Excel, it eliminates version control issues and manual consolidation, which saves time and reduces errors.
    On the other hand, if we compared with Hyperion, IBM Planning Analytics is more agile and user-friendly, especially with the Excel integration (PAx) and the …
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    instead several, manual maintained excel spreadsheets, we have now implemented a save repeatable process to get data in and out to the users
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    As it is related to MS Excel, IBM Planning Analytics is a much more robust and complete solution for the CFO or COO in mind. Oracle Hyperion stacks up nicely against IBM Planning Analytics. However, IBM's investment in AI allows Planning Analytics users more options and speed.
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    IBM PA is like having pivot tables on steroids. Possibilities are endless.
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    IBM Planning Analytics is easier to use and setup for me. Easier to make reports. Works fast
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    IBM Planning Analytics with Watson will be up and running more quickly and be easier to maintain if modeling flexibility, scale, and the ability to plan at greater levels of detail are important requirements.
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    I worked with Hyperion a long time ago. It was not a Oracle product yet. One great feature of this solution that was really great at the time, was the modeling process of ir, with a very robust engine for sparse cubes. the performance was excellent at the time. But today I can …
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    IBM allows to build flexible models from the scratch. IBM Planning Analytics with Watson does not include non-planning features in one package, so you don't pay for something you may not need.
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    During our process of buying a planning and forecasting tool, we found IBM planning analytics was offering an affordable price compared to others software in the market offering the same services. also, there were many positive reviews on the internet that convinced us that we …
    Incentivized
    Microsoft
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    99%
    Would buy again
    128 Answers
    99%
    Would buy again
    78 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    97%
    Delivers good value for the price
    114 Answers
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    70 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    97%
    Happy with the feature set
    125 Answers
    96%
    Happy with the feature set
    76 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    97%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    89 Answers
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    46 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    93%
    Implementation went as expected
    104 Answers
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    54 Answers
    Features
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft Excel
    BI Standard Reporting
    Comparison of BI Standard Reporting features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    7.6
    116 Ratings
    1% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Pixel Perfect reports7.6102 Ratings00 Ratings
    Customizable dashboards7.7116 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report Formatting Templates7.5109 Ratings00 Ratings
    Ad-hoc Reporting
    Comparison of Ad-hoc Reporting features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.0
    122 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Drill-down analysis8.5119 Ratings00 Ratings
    Formatting capabilities7.9120 Ratings00 Ratings
    Integration with R or other statistical packages7.992 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report sharing and collaboration7.8118 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report Output and Scheduling
    Comparison of Report Output and Scheduling features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.1
    116 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Publish to Web7.9109 Ratings00 Ratings
    Publish to PDF8.2109 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report Versioning8.3106 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report Delivery Scheduling8.298 Ratings00 Ratings
    Data Discovery and Visualization
    Comparison of Data Discovery and Visualization features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    7.5
    117 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Pre-built visualization formats (heatmaps, scatter plots etc.)8.1117 Ratings00 Ratings
    Location Analytics / Geographic Visualization7.7109 Ratings00 Ratings
    Predictive Analytics7.8107 Ratings00 Ratings
    Pattern Recognition and Data Mining6.638 Ratings00 Ratings
    Access Control and Security
    Comparison of Access Control and Security features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.0
    122 Ratings
    5% below category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Multi-User Support (named login)8.1120 Ratings00 Ratings
    Role-Based Security Model7.7121 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multiple Access Permission Levels (Create, Read, Delete)8.0122 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report-Level Access Control7.549 Ratings00 Ratings
    Single Sign-On (SSO)8.4114 Ratings00 Ratings
    Mobile Capabilities
    Comparison of Mobile Capabilities features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    7.6
    105 Ratings
    4% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Responsive Design for Web Access7.7102 Ratings00 Ratings
    Mobile Application7.666 Ratings00 Ratings
    Dashboard / Report / Visualization Interactivity on Mobile6.676 Ratings00 Ratings
    Budgeting, Planning, and Forecasting
    Comparison of Budgeting, Planning, and Forecasting features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.4
    131 Ratings
    4% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Long-term financial planning8.0127 Ratings00 Ratings
    Financial budgeting8.4130 Ratings00 Ratings
    Forecasting8.7130 Ratings00 Ratings
    Scenario modeling8.6129 Ratings00 Ratings
    Management reporting8.6129 Ratings00 Ratings
    Consolidation and Close
    Comparison of Consolidation and Close features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.5
    122 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Financial data consolidation9.1118 Ratings00 Ratings
    Journal entries and reports9.2108 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multi-currency management8.5110 Ratings00 Ratings
    Intercompany Eliminations8.4107 Ratings00 Ratings
    Minority Ownership8.6101 Ratings00 Ratings
    Local and consolidated reporting7.8114 Ratings00 Ratings
    Detailed Audit Trails8.1115 Ratings00 Ratings
    Financial Reporting and Compliance
    Comparison of Financial Reporting and Compliance features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.8
    123 Ratings
    8% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Financial Statement Reporting8.2119 Ratings00 Ratings
    Management Reporting8.7120 Ratings00 Ratings
    Excel-based Reporting9.4122 Ratings00 Ratings
    Automated board and financial reporting9.1111 Ratings00 Ratings
    XBRL support for regulatory filing8.680 Ratings00 Ratings
    Analytics and Reporting
    Comparison of Analytics and Reporting features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.4
    125 Ratings
    11% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Personalized dashboards8.7124 Ratings00 Ratings
    Color-coded scorecards8.4119 Ratings00 Ratings
    KPIs8.1122 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cost and profitability analysis8.2120 Ratings00 Ratings
    Key Performance Indicator setting8.5119 Ratings00 Ratings
    Benchmarking with external data8.590 Ratings00 Ratings
    Integration
    Comparison of Integration features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft Excel
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.7
    123 Ratings
    7% above category average
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Flat file integration8.7120 Ratings00 Ratings
    Excel data integration9.0120 Ratings00 Ratings
    Direct links to 3rd-party data sources8.6112 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft Excel
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    Stackby
    Score8.8 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Centage
    Score9.4 out of 10
    Google Sheets
    Score8.9 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Performance Management
    Score7.2 out of 10
    Google Sheets
    Score8.9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft Excel
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.0
    (132 ratings)
    9.0
    (78 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.1
    (5 ratings)
    9.9
    (7 ratings)
    Usability
    7.8
    (69 ratings)
    8.5
    (23 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.3
    (93 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Data Sharing and Collaboration
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Data Sources
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft Excel
    Likelihood to Recommend
    IBM
    Ideal for large organization with complex multi-dimensional data, large budgets and dedicated administrator support. The performance of the TM1 data base is unmatched. The PAW and PAX options providing planners to work in both Excel and workspace environment. Higher Implementation efforts due to the greenfield implementations. Visualization features are not up to the mark.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    I don't really know another program as powerful as Excel. I've used Google Doc programs but do not feel they come close. So far, anytime I've needed a table of some sort for data, whether it's budget oriented or information off a survey, the best system has been Excel. We do web audits on occasion and we create an Excel worksheet featuring every URL of the pages we're auditing, notes, data about the content, information about files attached to the page and other information to help us determine what pages need updating, deleting or otherwise. We also use Excel primarily to export our Google Analytics to in order for us to create reports for clients that need to see specific information about their traffic.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    IBM
    • Handle very large data volumes.
    • Scale to a large number of users.
    • Not having to compromise on business complexity.
    • It can be run by business users.
    • Availability of highly qualified consultants to support businesses.
    • REST API allows for an open eco system and a variety of solutions to extend the product.
    • Vast integration possibilities.
    • AI-infused engine with IBM Watson.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • It is very good at embedded formulas and tying cells to one another
    • It allows me to compare deals terms on a side-by-side basis and talk my clients through it easily.
    • It is very helpful as well in terms of allowing me to filter/sort results in many different ways depending on what specific information I am most interested in prioritizing.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    IBM
    • sometimes it is hard to produce pixel perfect reports from the Web UI. I know it is not made for this, but still, it'll be great
    • getting in e.g. an Excel file just by drag and drop, and the AI should "understand" what the data is all around
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Excel offers collaboration features that allow multiple users to work on the same spreadsheet, but managing changes made by different users can be challenging. Excel could improve its features by offering more granular control, better tracking of changes, and more robust conflict resolution tools.
    • Itcan be a barrier to productivity when importing and exporting data from other applications or file formats. To improve its features, it should offer better support for standard file formats and more robust error handling and reporting tools.
    • Excel can be challenging for finance students and working professionals, but it can be improved by offering more robust tutorials, better documentation, and more user communities and support forums.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    IBM
    Since IBM Cognos Express is suitable only for medium data warehouse environment, we are not sure if this tool solves the long term need as the business keeps growing rapidly. So its a 50/50 ratio to renew Express license. But having said that, the components of IBM Cognos Express are also available in other Cognos BI suites like Cognos 10.x version. So we will probably upgrade our environment to IBM Cognos 10.x which comes with more new features.
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Excel remains the industry standard for spreadsheets and has maintained simple and straight-forward formula writing methods. Although there is a learning curve to do more complex calculations, there are countless help sites and videos on the Internet for almost any need.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    IBM
    IBM Planning Analytics is generally good in terms of functionalities. It can be used reduce time for budget planning, resource planning, demand forecasting, etc. The performance of IBM Planning Analytics is acceptable, but user interface can be improved. It would be good to see new features that allow users to customise the dashboard.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    I'm giving it a 7 because it is my go to. But the fact other prefer Google Sheets when working with a team does get irritating. I've used the online version of Microsoft Excel that other teams can get into and it still seems behind Google Sheets. It's a little clanky and slow? If that's even a term.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    I have rarely, if ever, had issues with its availability.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    Excel load and performs calculations immediately. It integrate well with all Microsoft Office applications and does not slow them down.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    IBM
    IBM support has been very quick to respond and handle the very few issues we've had. We've had a third-party who partners with IBM to be our consulting team which has helped greatly reduce the need for us to contact IBM directly. I highly recommend researching and selecting a well-respected partner to help with an implementation as well as ongoing support as needed.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    I have not had to use it often, but it is good.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    IBM
    For strong technical teams and flexibility IBM Planning Analytics is the way to go. For quicker adoption and less technical teams Anaplan is the best option. If consolidation, financials, and moving from legacy tools are main focus than OneStream will be a really good choice. If deeply invested into SAP already than the SAP BPC will be the best fit to maintain the investment.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Out of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, IBM SPSS, and Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel is by far the most common tool used for anything data-related across organizations. Accordingly, our organization has also implemented Microsoft Excel as a first-step tool. We recently adopted Microsoft Power BI (the free version), and use it occasionally (mostly for creating dashboards), but it is less commonly understood by stakeholders across our organization and by our clients. Accordingly, Microsoft Excel is more user-friendly and because of its popularity, we can easily look up how to do things in the program online. Google Sheets is a comparable alternative to Microsoft Excel, but because it's cloud-based and we have sensitive data that needs to be protected, we chose against using this software. Finally, a few users (including myself) have access to and utilize IBM's SPSS. For my role, it's a helpful tool to do more rigorous analyses. However, because of its cost and limited functionality as a simple spreadsheet, we only use it for more complex analyses.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    N/A I was not involved in this process.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    Each user can use it to whatever level of expertise they have. It remains the same so users can contribute to another's work regardless of whether they have more or less expertise
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    IBM
    • Automate direct data connections to multiple data sources
    • One secured version of the the truth (for data and formulas)
    • Ability to scale to much more detailed planning with option to create predictive forecasts at detail
    • Business user friendly with powerful Excel integration
    • Very flexible and powerful modeling, can handle custom modeling needs at scale
    • Can make the same data available across finance and ops, but at the level of details and timeline that makes sense for them
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Excel has positively impacted the business as it has increased our efficiency.
    • It also saves us the time that we would have spent on making the calculations that it does for us.
    • Since it works on all devices and is compatible with both Windows and Mac, we do not have to invest in any other alternative.
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    IBM Planning Analytics Screenshots

    Screenshot of Workflow managementScreenshot of Income statementScreenshot of Margin analysisScreenshot of Metrics managementScreenshot of Income statementScreenshot of Expense analysis