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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Planful

    Score8.4 out of 10
    Enterprise companies (1,001+ employees)
    Planful is a cloud-based enterprise performance management (EPM) suite. It includes financial applications for modeling, planning, consolidation, reporting and analytics.N/A

    SAP Ariba

    Score7.9 out of 10
    N/AWith advanced tools to automate manual processes and support close collaboration with suppliers, SAP Ariba helps streamline source-to-pay processes across organizations.N/A
    Pricing
    PlanfulSAP Ariba
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    PlanfulSAP Ariba
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeRequiredOptional
    Additional DetailsPricing is highly dependent on the complexity and scope of the implementation.—
    More Pricing Information
    Features
    PlanfulSAP Ariba
    BI Standard Reporting
    Comparison of BI Standard Reporting features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    6.1
    64 Ratings
    21% below category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Pixel Perfect reports6.933 Ratings00 Ratings
    Customizable dashboards5.057 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report Formatting Templates6.555 Ratings00 Ratings
    Ad-hoc Reporting
    Comparison of Ad-hoc Reporting features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    7.5
    104 Ratings
    3% below category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Drill-down analysis8.4103 Ratings00 Ratings
    Formatting capabilities7.0104 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report sharing and collaboration7.197 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report Output and Scheduling
    Comparison of Report Output and Scheduling features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    7.4
    86 Ratings
    7% below category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Publish to Web8.433 Ratings00 Ratings
    Publish to PDF6.477 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report Versioning6.555 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report Delivery Scheduling8.566 Ratings00 Ratings
    Data Discovery and Visualization
    Comparison of Data Discovery and Visualization features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    6.1
    51 Ratings
    19% below category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Pre-built visualization formats (heatmaps, scatter plots etc.)5.040 Ratings00 Ratings
    Location Analytics / Geographic Visualization6.42 Ratings00 Ratings
    Predictive Analytics6.044 Ratings00 Ratings
    Pattern Recognition and Data Mining7.33 Ratings00 Ratings
    Access Control and Security
    Comparison of Access Control and Security features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    8.9
    103 Ratings
    6% above category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Multi-User Support (named login)8.496 Ratings00 Ratings
    Role-Based Security Model8.894 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multiple Access Permission Levels (Create, Read, Delete)8.595 Ratings00 Ratings
    Report-Level Access Control8.855 Ratings00 Ratings
    Single Sign-On (SSO)9.778 Ratings00 Ratings
    Mobile Capabilities
    Comparison of Mobile Capabilities features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    2.3
    42 Ratings
    105% below category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Responsive Design for Web Access2.540 Ratings00 Ratings
    Dashboard / Report / Visualization Interactivity on Mobile2.230 Ratings00 Ratings
    Budgeting, Planning, and Forecasting
    Comparison of Budgeting, Planning, and Forecasting features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    8.7
    156 Ratings
    8% above category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Long-term financial planning8.7139 Ratings00 Ratings
    Financial budgeting9.0155 Ratings00 Ratings
    Forecasting9.0146 Ratings00 Ratings
    Scenario modeling7.8131 Ratings00 Ratings
    Management reporting9.0149 Ratings00 Ratings
    Consolidation and Close
    Comparison of Consolidation and Close features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    8.0
    118 Ratings
    3% above category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Financial data consolidation9.3107 Ratings00 Ratings
    Journal entries and reports7.886 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multi-currency management7.470 Ratings00 Ratings
    Intercompany Eliminations7.673 Ratings00 Ratings
    Minority Ownership6.939 Ratings00 Ratings
    Local and consolidated reporting7.789 Ratings00 Ratings
    Detailed Audit Trails9.187 Ratings00 Ratings
    Financial Reporting and Compliance
    Comparison of Financial Reporting and Compliance features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    7.6
    152 Ratings
    7% below category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Financial Statement Reporting8.8133 Ratings00 Ratings
    Management Reporting8.8143 Ratings00 Ratings
    Excel-based Reporting7.0141 Ratings00 Ratings
    Automated board and financial reporting6.5114 Ratings00 Ratings
    XBRL support for regulatory filing7.13 Ratings00 Ratings
    Analytics and Reporting
    Comparison of Analytics and Reporting features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    5.9
    104 Ratings
    24% below category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Personalized dashboards5.191 Ratings00 Ratings
    Color-coded scorecards2.555 Ratings00 Ratings
    KPIs7.476 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cost and profitability analysis6.975 Ratings00 Ratings
    Key Performance Indicator setting6.963 Ratings00 Ratings
    Benchmarking with external data6.410 Ratings00 Ratings
    Integration
    Comparison of Integration features of Planful and SAP Ariba
    Feature
    Planful
    8.9
    140 Ratings
    10% above category average
    SAP Ariba
    -
    Ratings
    Flat file integration9.5105 Ratings00 Ratings
    Excel data integration7.8130 Ratings00 Ratings
    Direct links to 3rd-party data sources9.596 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    PlanfulSAP Ariba
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    IBM Planning Analytics
    Score8.5 out of 10
    Precoro
    Score9.5 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Performance Management
    Score7.2 out of 10
    GEP Quantum Intelligence
    Score9.1 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    PlanfulSAP Ariba
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.8
    (164 ratings)
    7.8
    (246 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    8.7
    (23 ratings)
    8.1
    (9 ratings)
    Usability
    8.2
    (21 ratings)
    7.7
    (198 ratings)
    Availability
    8.2
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    9.1
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.0
    (22 ratings)
    5.5
    (21 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    9.1
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    9.1
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    7.3
    (9 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Configurability
    8.2
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    CPA Rating
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    5.3
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    8.2
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    7.4
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    PlanfulSAP Ariba
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Planful
    Planful is initially easy to setup and if a company is already using a mid layer to transform and standardise GL data, management reports can be set up in days, not weeks or months. Budgeting template setup does get some getting used to but the training provided by Planful is sufficient to get going and learn along the way. Building custom reports is straightforward and the interface is user-friendly, therefore the accounting team can get going without the need for technical specialists getting involved. Budget and forecasting is flexible and drivers of revenue and cost can be created in Planful and customised by Unit or Geography.
    Read full review
    SAP
    If asked about SAP Ariba, I think I am likely to tell a colleague that A specific scenario would be to use SAP Ariba with an Agent to migrate the legacy contracts when a company has rolled out from scratch.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Planful
    • It aggregates data from different sources well, allowing me to report on a wide variety of metrics that interrelate.
    • I can build detailed reports so that my monthly and weekly reporting is done more efficiently
    • I like the tools that I am using to create dedicated models for forecasting and budgeting purposes
    Incentivized
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    SAP
    • Complete Procurement of Inventory step easy through GUI-Ariba integration once Purchase order is created and it is sent to the SAP Ariba Supplier Network. Vendor confirms the order and sends notification of Inbound Delivery to the warehouse through ASN and the Inbound process, Goods Receipt Process, Unloading, Put away process easy.
    • SAP Ariba integrates the different SAP Sourcing platforms, services and their tools in order to optimize operations, saves cost and meeting customer requirements through its easy to use tools. Such as integration with SAP S/4 HANA, SAP EWM using Idocs for End to End sourcing and Procurement coverage.
    • As a part of the SAP Direct Sourcing suite, it helps allow customer manage their direct materials in the single dashboard and helping customer to have view of the comprehensive info about BoM and the structure. Based on requirements, buyers can run materials and/or entire Bill of Materials. When these are sent from ERP to SAP Ariba, managers can manage them in the direct spend dashboard. Can search for desired items in the dashboard and view details of BoM or deeper view of information of the material. Buyers can run sourcing, run details for materials, create material quotes, and create pricing using book quotes.
    Incentivized
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    Cons
    Planful
    • Dashboarding could be more flexible and easier to use.
    • Dynamic Reporting has room for flexibility with nesting, dimension names showing up instead of “All,” and overall flexibility.
    • Make Analyze view in Spotlight more intuitive.
    • A high-level onboarding guide to understanding the different components of Planful, data flows, and tips & tricks.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SAP
    • While SAP Ariba offers workflow capabilities, users have suggested more advanced customization options for workflows
    • SAP Ariba has a mobile app, users have suggested improvements in terms of functionality and responsiveness. Enhancements to the mobile app could provide a more seamless and efficient experience for users on the go
    • SAP Ariba integrates well with various enterprise systems, users have reported that the initial setup and integration processes can be complex. Improvements in integration tools and documentation could facilitate a smoother onboarding experience
    • AP Ariba provides robust reporting and analytics capabilities, some users desire greater flexibility in creating and customizing reports. Improvements in the ability to generate ad-hoc reports and customize dashboards could enhance analytics capabilities
    Incentivized
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    Likelihood to Renew
    Planful
    Our new Comptroller understands the value of Planful, and we plan to utilize it further in the organization to enhance external reporting. Strangely enough, Planful had not previously been embraced by the former CFO, who argued that we were running two sets of books (of course, we were not). Fortunately, the before mentioned reconciliation of EBITDA to Net Income demonstrated that to the banks.
    Incentivized
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    SAP
    User Satisfaction: The end user are at times not very happy with the solution. Return on Investment (ROI): SAP Ariba delivered measurable benefits in terms of cost savings, efficiency. Integration Capabilities: The system is easy to integrate with backend SAP ERP system. Support from Ariba team is a bit sluggish in terms of Service Requests
    Incentivized
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    Usability
    Planful
    The tool is extremely adaptable, and it enables very quick querying to give us opportunity to gain live insights into the business. Given its adaptability, we are also able to create scenario analyses very quickly in rapidly changing environments. The formatting also enables us to provide this information in a very consumable manner.
    Incentivized
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    SAP
    Feel that over the years, there has been good improvement, and it seems like going in the right direction. All procurement activities — sourcing, contracting, invoicing — are managed in one place, reducing the need to switch between multiple systems. Users can easily track purchase orders, supplier responses, and invoice status, which adds clarity and accountability. The supplier-facing side is well-structured, allowing vendors to upload documents, view transactions, and communicate within the same interface.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Planful
    I only give a 9 rating rather than a 10 rating because it seems that every day around 2pm we see a slowdown in the use of Planful. I have requested our internal IT department verify that it is not an internal issue and have been assured it is the tool. We have not yet reached out to Planful to do extensive research to solve this issue.
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    SAP
    No answers on this topic
    Performance
    Planful
    Again, the system is very reliable and, for the most part, runs very quick and smooth. When running larger queries, it does take some time, and during budgeting season our users experienced slower loading times, but nothing that raises concerns outside of normal network issues. Occasionally, as with any software we use, it will crash and you have to restart, but that does not happen very often.
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    SAP
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Planful
    Sometimes we get great help when using Planful's support team and other times we don't. In particular, there is one person that often responds to our support tickets who is less than helpful, hence the reason for the 5 out of 10 rating. As a result, most of the time we reach out to our Planful consulting group as they provide faster and better support
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    SAP
    Customer support has always been top notch. From small configuration changes to overall process changes, support has the teammates in place with excellent knowledge and is able to provide solutions based on business challenges quickly. Their customer support through their Account teams continues to be hands on and very responsive to needs in a timely fashion.
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    In-Person Training
    Planful
    My team has attended training offered several times before/during the Planful Perform conference. This training has been extremely useful and we always learn something we didn't know prior to the training. The trainers are always very knowledgeable and more than willing to help each and every user after the training with specific questions regarding their environment. Planful also offers training and certifications on their training hub. I have completed a couple of the certifications. The courses are easy to follow along with and very informative. Additionally, Planful schedules webinars pretty regularly. They'll email their customers and allow you to register to participate live. They also record these sessions so you can refer back to them at a later date or if you are unable to attend at the time the webinar is offered, you can register anyway and get access to the recording. Their training has improved year over year!
    Incentivized
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    SAP
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    Planful
    Planful provides a lot of online training support. There's so many options for training. Admin Learning Courses, User Learning Courses. Plus they have several webinars devoted to the tool and the new features they release. New Releases can be practiced in a Sandbox Environment prior to going live in Production
    Incentivized
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    SAP
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    Planful
    After going through the initial implementation with Host Analytics and a re-implementation with Cervello (due to an ERP change, not due to a poor initial implementation), I've learned that you really must rely on your internal staff to bear most of the implementation burden. Use the vendor or partners for ideas and best-practice suggestions, and some of the easy-but-time-consuming work. Since you will ultimately be using and maintaining the application, you should be able to do most of it yourself.
    Incentivized
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    SAP
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Planful
    Prior to joining the company, we tried to implement Vena but were unsuccessful. There we're a few reasons it didn't work out, but a lot of it related to the implementation team they provided. In just the first week with Planful, we achieved more progress than we did in several months with Vena.
    Incentivized
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    SAP
    It improves over all vendor management system of an organization by providing less costly ways of procurement and making business simple. AribaSAP Ariba digitally transforms your supply chain, procurement and contract management process. acts as supply chain, procurement service to do business globally In today’s world, there is a need to control your supply chain and to collaborate with your suppliers in an efficient way. To enable healthy supply chain, you need to have suppliers with visibility to every part of procurement process so that they can maintain an efficient supply chain and help organizations to grow their and own business..
    Incentivized
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    Scalability
    Planful
    From our experience, Planful is only used in 2 overhead departments in our organization. We easily added another overhead department, but they decided against using Planful for their workforce and financial planning. Removing them from our environment was extremely easy.
    Incentivized
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    SAP
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Planful
    • Has allowed users to view a real-time P&L in a way they weren't able to do with Qlik.
    • Budget to Actual analysis has become much more streamlined and actionable
    • Long-range plan process has been significantly streamlined and a lot of time has been cut out of the process.
    Incentivized
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    SAP
    • We saved nearly 10% of planned costs due to the large database of vendors we created within the company as a whole.
    • Saving in time due to shortening of procurement cycles. Procurement activities were never on the critical path and were accomplished with less Supply Chain resources than originally planned.
    • In the process we created a huge database of Vendors and Pricing which well be beneficial in our future projects.
    • It is an excellent tool and just what are business required and could afford.
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    ScreenShots

    Planful Screenshots

    Screenshot of the Planful Planform DashboardScreenshot of Planful for FinanceScreenshot of Planful for MarketingScreenshot of ReportsScreenshot of a Capacity Planning TemplateScreenshot of Integrations

    SAP Ariba Screenshots

    Screenshot of the advanced tools that automate manual processes and support close collaboration with suppliers. The SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing solution help streamline procure-to-pay processes across organizations.Screenshot of SAP Ariba's digitalization, which covers processes from contract requests, authoring, and workflows to negotiation, approval, and execution for lower costs and improved relationships.Screenshot of an instance of SAP Ariba's support for industry-specific processes and systems. This helps process manufacturers, retailers, and discrete manufacturers that rely on external manufacturers to capture more savings by improving source-to-contract processes and supplier collaboration.Screenshot of the digitalizing and automating of invoice management over a global business network, in SAP Ariba. This delivers visibility and efficiency to capture more early-payment discounts and optimize working capital.