Skip to main content
TrustRadius
Anaplan

Anaplan

Overview

What is Anaplan?

Anaplan is a transformative way to see, plan, and run your business. Using its proprietary Hyperblock™ technology, Anaplan lets you contextualize real-time performance, and forecast future outcomes for faster, confident decisions. Anaplan enables connected strategy and planning across your enterprise…

Read more
Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Anaplan has been implemented in various industries to address a wide range of business challenges. Users have found that the software …
Continue reading
Read all reviews

Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

View all 45 features
  • Flat file integration (281)
    9.5
    95%
  • Forecasting (282)
    9.3
    93%
  • Scenario modeling (284)
    9.2
    92%
  • Management reporting (283)
    8.3
    83%

Reviewer Pros & Cons

View all pros & cons
Return to navigation

Pricing

View all pricing
N/A
Unavailable

What is Anaplan?

Anaplan is a transformative way to see, plan, and run your business. Using its proprietary Hyperblock™ technology, Anaplan lets you contextualize real-time performance, and forecast future outcomes for faster, confident decisions. Anaplan enables connected strategy and planning across your…

Entry-level set up fee?

  • Setup fee optional
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.anaplan.com/pricing

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

Would you like us to let the vendor know that you want pricing?

112 people also want pricing

Alternatives Pricing

What is Kepion Planning?

Kepion is a cloud planning & analytics software company that connects all organizations' teams under a single view of their business performance. We enable more intelligent decisions to be made by companies about their financial and operational future. Kepion global offices and partners deliver…

What is PlanGuru?

PlanGuru is budgeting, forecasting and financial analytics software for SMB's, Nonprofits and the Accountants/ Advisors that work with them.

Return to navigation

Product Demos

Financial Consolidation demo

YouTube

Anaplan Demand Planning Demo

YouTube

See the Future Clearly by Planning Demand with Anaplan

YouTube
Return to navigation

Features

BI Standard Reporting

Standard reporting means pre-built or canned reports available to users without having to create them.

7.7
Avg 8.0

Ad-hoc Reporting

Ad-Hoc Reports are reports built by the user to meet highly specific requirements.

9.1
Avg 8.3

Report Output and Scheduling

Ability to schedule and manager report output.

8.8
Avg 8.2

Data Discovery and Visualization

Data Discovery and Visualization is the analysis of multiple data sources in a search for patterns and outliers and the ability to represent the data visually.

8.2
Avg 7.6

Access Control and Security

Access control means being able to determine who has access to which data.

9.2
Avg 8.7

Mobile Capabilities

Support for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.

8
Avg 8.0

Budgeting, Planning, and Forecasting

These activities are designed to assist with both data-driven operational, short-term planning and strategic long term planning

9.1
Avg 8.3

Consolidation and Close

Consolidation of data from multiple entities with currency management, reporting and audit trails.

7.2
Avg 8.0

Financial Reporting and Compliance

Financial statements and regulatory filings

8.6
Avg 8.2

Analytics and Reporting

Dashboards and scorecards for KPI monitoring and benchmarking

9
Avg 8.0

Integration

Ability to integrate with external applications.

8.8
Avg 8.3
Return to navigation

Product Details

What is Anaplan?

Anaplan is a transformative way to see, plan, and run your business. Using its proprietary Hyperblock™ technology, Anaplan lets you contextualize real-time performance, and forecast future outcomes for faster, confident decisions. Anaplan enables connected strategy and planning across your enterprise to move your business forward. Based in San Francisco, Anaplan has over 200 partners and more than 2,000 customers worldwide.

Anaplan Features

Budgeting, Planning, and Forecasting Features

  • Supported: Long-term financial planning
  • Supported: Financial budgeting
  • Supported: Forecasting
  • Supported: Scenario modeling
  • Supported: Management reporting

Consolidation and Close Features

  • Supported: Financial data consolidation
  • Supported: Journal entries and reports
  • Supported: Local and consolidated reporting
  • Supported: Detailed Audit Trails

Financial Reporting and Compliance Features

  • Supported: Financial Statement Reporting
  • Supported: Management Reporting
  • Supported: Excel-based Reporting

Analytics and Reporting Features

  • Supported: Personalized dashboards
  • Supported: Color-coded scorecards
  • Supported: Cost and profitability analysis
  • Supported: Key Performance Indicator setting

Integration Features

  • Supported: Flat file integration
  • Supported: Excel data integration
  • Supported: Direct links to 3rd-party data sources

BI Standard Reporting Features

  • Supported: Customizable dashboards

Report Output and Scheduling Features

  • Supported: Publish to PDF
  • Supported: Report Versioning

Access Control and Security Features

  • Supported: Role-Based Security Model
  • Supported: Report-Level Access Control

Mobile Capabilities Features

  • Supported: Responsive Design for Web Access
  • Supported: Mobile Application
  • Supported: Dashboard / Report / Visualization Interactivity on Mobile

Anaplan Screenshots

Screenshot of Platform: The Anaplan platform is a unified cloud-based solution that connects people, data and plans to enable complex scenario modeling and drive growthScreenshot of OpEx Planning: Review revenue-target-setting goals by brand, season, and capacity all on one, unified, highly-visual dashboardScreenshot of Supply Planning: Break down costs across assembly production to project profitability and align your supply chain to market opportunitiesScreenshot of Territory and Quota Planning: Keep track of sales goals and quotas across territories and industries to optimize sales performanceScreenshot of Headcount Planning: Easily align workforce plans with your strategic plans and quickly see where the best qualified talent resides to fit your organization’s staffing needsScreenshot of Marketing: Eliminate spreadsheets to drive efficiency across planning and manage budget against planned activity

Anaplan Videos

The Anaplan platform supports detailed hyperscale models that can see a business from edge to edge, and plan with signals down to the transactional level.

Watch Anaplan transforms the way users see, plan, and run their businesses, to move forward with confidence in a complex and changing world.

Anaplan Integrations

Anaplan Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationApple iOS, Android, Mobile Web
Supported CountriesAll countries
Supported LanguagesMulti-lingual support

Frequently Asked Questions

IBM Cognos Analytics, Oracle Hyperion, and Prophix are common alternatives for Anaplan.

Reviewers rate Financial budgeting highest, with a score of 9.6.

The most common users of Anaplan are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).

Anaplan Customer Size Distribution

Consumers0%
Small Businesses (1-50 employees)0%
Mid-Size Companies (51-500 employees)10%
Enterprises (more than 500 employees)90%
Return to navigation

Comparisons

View all alternatives
Return to navigation

Reviews and Ratings

(479)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Anaplan has been implemented in various industries to address a wide range of business challenges. Users have found that the software replaces duplicate spreadsheets and simplifies reporting processes, resulting in one version of the truth. Anaplan's inbuilt version control and access controls have improved forecasting accuracy and simplified forecasting processes. It has also helped standardize forecasting and reporting approaches across different asset classes, benefitting functions such as HR, Finance, Accounting, and Management Controlling.

The flexibility of Anaplan allows users to customize the software to meet their specific business needs. It supports a multitude of use cases including financial planning and analysis, customer success, collections, capex forecasting, opex forecasting, headcount and personal spend forecasting, balance sheet forecasting, cash flow forecasting, P&L forecasting, collections forecasting, and management reporting. Multiple users can input forecast assumptions in real-time, enabling dynamic results. Furthermore, Anaplan allows for faster implementations by providing a single platform and source of truth for multiple planning use cases.

Anaplan's powerful calculation engine enables users to run multiple scenarios in seconds, facilitating what-if analysis and scenario comparison during budgeting and forecasting processes. The software is widely used in sales performance management for functions like territory management, account planning, quota allocation, and incentive compensation planning. In addition to its extensive use cases in finance and sales planning, Anaplan is employed across various industries including real estate development, insurance, telecommunication infrastructure, and banking. The platform empowers organizations by providing scenario planning and sensitivity analysis capabilities that enable informed decision-making. With its user-friendly interface and real-time calculations, Anaplan assists businesses in centralizing data and maintaining a golden source of truth for better planning outcomes.

Highly scalable and flexible data integration and modeling capabilities: Reviewers have praised the Anaplan platform for its highly scalable and flexible data integration and modeling capabilities, allowing for easy evolution from simple calculations to complex formulas. Many users have highlighted this as a major strength of the platform.

Real-time data capabilities enabling informed decision-making: The real-time data capabilities of Anaplan have been widely praised by reviewers for enabling informed decision-making based on up-to-date information. Several users have mentioned that this feature has greatly contributed to their ability to make agile decisions in a fast-paced business environment.

User-friendly interface contributing to high end user adoption: The user-friendly interface of Anaplan has been consistently highlighted by reviewers as a key strength of the platform. Users appreciate the intuitive design, which resembles Excel and allows for quick task completion. This ease of use has contributed to high end user adoption and overall positive feedback from customers.

Limited storage: Some users have found the limited storage in Anaplan to be a hindrance in efficiently managing their data. They have expressed difficulties in storing and organizing large amounts of information, which can impact their ability to effectively utilize the software.

Expensive: Several reviewers feel that Anaplan is expensive and could be more cost-effective considering its features and capabilities. This pricing structure may make it less accessible for smaller businesses or organizations with budget constraints.

Glitches with the interface: Users report experiencing glitches with the interface, causing difficulties in navigating and performing tasks smoothly. These issues can disrupt workflow and decrease efficiency for users.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(101-125 of 303)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Anaplan for Incentive Compensation, Territory and Quota, Expense, and Revenue Planning and are actively evaluating other use cases. The tool addresses how quickly our business is able to come up with solutions to problems. Anaplan helps perform real-time calculations and reports back to a much wider base of users than with previous tools. Anaplan provides flexibility in how and when our business chooses to grow.

I am a model builder from within our organization and have worked on implementing Incentive Compensation, Revenue Planning, Sales Booking Planning, and other models over the last 5 years. I work actively within Anaplan for about 50% of my time and work with both admins and end-users (an admin can be an end-user). We are continuing to grow our use of Anaplan and connected planning as we get more models online and more users within Anaplan. Information sharing is improved with connected planning and we are looking to see where else in our organization we can leverage Anaplan's product offering both for analysis and reporting.
  • Real-time Calculation
  • Error avoidance
  • Business Planning
  • User Experience
  • Workflow
  • Dashboard Design
Well suited: Large volume of data, granularity, and hierarchies. Natural Roll-ups of information. Presentation of information back to a large user base at once. Security of Information.

Not Well suited: Ad-hoc reporting.
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We consult our clients about Anaplan and implement solutions tailor specific to their business needs. The solutions range from a spectrum of industries from Sales Performance Management, Workforce Management, Compensation Management and Supply Chain Management.
  • Flexibility to use
  • Easy to understand UI
  • Comparatively easy to implement against most other on-premise EPM solutions as it doesn't require complex calculation scripts and formulae structures
  • Application lifecycle management in the NUX requires tedious maintenance
  • Formatting options available in the NUX are minimum and could be increased
  • Storage options for Image library could also be provided
Anaplan is suitable for Planning and analysis but it is not recommended to use for Reporting
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We help global enterprises to leverage the power of Anaplan's capabilities for making decisions
  • Multi Use Case Planning
  • Real TIme Collaboration
  • Scenario Planning
  • Predictive and Prescriptive Analysis
  • Sparsity Management
  • User Experience to eliminate BI
  • Operational level planning
Anaplan is suited for organizations looking to tackle ever changing market conditions by being more agile and flexible in terms of planning. While eliminating the most love Spreadsheets with extremely powerful features and functionalities, it is one of the handful platforms (maybe only), which retains the same ease of use and adaptability.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We are using it for FP&A. Sales and cost planning by our segment and product use over multiple locations.
  • Fast and easy-to-use standard functions
  • Good master data structures and management
  • Efficient and easy to use new UX
  • Easy tolerant and configure for IR personnel
  • More flexible integration from other source systems
  • Easy to connect to other systems
  • ETL functionality when integrating data from other sources
  • More filters on any sections when configuring lists, module, views, etc. ( Sometimes there are filters, sometimes not, finding names are very hard when there are no filters)
  • Data Sparsity, handling multiple lists and creating concatenations beaches of size issues
  • Syncing is not there yet, when copying a model you need to manually sync the new UX (ALM in UX)
Well-structured systems with not so many members. Not suitable for very detailed planning levels, I.e orders, skis, etc Data sparsity should be eliminated. UX syncing is not supported, frustrating for users and consultants.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Anaplan is a platform where we are contracted to implement its capabilities in various industries across a wide array of use cases. Anaplan does really well in a targeted, but broadly encompassing, set of use cases - chiefly; FP&A and SPM. Anaplan helps address the problems typical of a company or enterprise that is struggling with tools that cannot handle the scale at which they need to use them. Common problems in these situations range from siloed workstreams fed by disparate data sources to lack of collaboration and transparency as well as visibility into the impact of the inputs and assumptions driving the planning process. Ultimately these kinds of problems lead to plans that are not as accurate, responsive, or timely as they could be. Anaplan alleviates a lot of those issues by being a cloud-based platform capable of handling enterprise-scale planning needs.
  • Scalability
  • The relative ease of access for those coming from another EPM tool
  • Easy to get up and running once the workspace is partitioned
  • Major improvements in UX elements have made for much-improved business planning applications
  • Data integrations are tedious to set up and adjust as everything should be coming through a "Data Hub" model. Changes in data sources or data sets can require an entire re-working of Data Hub model components
  • Functions are rigid, with no ability to create a custom function
  • BI/Reporting capabilities have come a long way, but if Anaplan sales reps are going to say it's a BI tool, then it needs to have the capabilities to compete with the real BI tools
If it's a use case in Financial Planning & Analysis then Anaplan is usually very well suited for the problem at hand. Likewise, SPM and CPM use cases where the data is clean and doesn't require a lot of munging inside the system. Additionally, Anaplan is well suited for use cases related to other forecasting functions within an enterprise (like Demand Planning) as long as complex forecasting methods aren't required. While there are workable solutions for complex forecasting methods, they do not scale as well with large volumes of data as other tools in the space can or custom-built tools using Python or R can handle. Accordingly, planning processes that require very long time horizons of 20-30+ years (e.g. Capex planning for industries with heavy investment in fixed assets like Oil & Gas) typically require some workarounds with the data in order to get it to fit the size limitations of the workspace the model resides in.
Jerry Wu | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Anaplan in our organization for sales performance management. Changes within our sales organization happen fast, and we often need to be able to pivot quickly in our sales planning and our incentive compensation management processes. Anaplan allows us to create a custom platform that caters to the needs of high growth and the changes that happen with growth.
  • Custom formulas and calculations
  • Dashboarding
  • Data Integration
  • Multi dimensional modeling
  • Transactional data processing
Anaplan works well where planning is not standard and out of the box. Anaplan is not a database so it doesn't work well as a storage or ERP system.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We currently use it as the backbone for our forecasting processes. Specifically, within my department, we use it to build the following forecasts: P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow. As part of the P&L forecast, we have ancillary models that create a bottoms-up forecast. On the backend, we integrate using 2 data hubs to centralize data going in and out of Anaplan. Non-conventional use cases include allocating results to provide a finer granularity for analysis and building a bridge analysis between forecasts & actuals. Currently, we are building out a long-range plan model and expanding our use of a rolling forecast model to allow for further visibility.
  • Security within the system is easily managed using roles. However, administrators can tighten security down to the individual node or apply dynamic access using logic built directly into the model.
  • Common integration platforms engage with Anaplan using either APIs or other methods. This allows for talent to be shared across functions that may not specifically be focused on Anaplan development.
  • Migration from development & QA to production is fairly easy and managed within the system. Centralizing this within the function allows for quick deployments and agility in hotfixes. There is also the ability to roll back a change as needed.
  • Copying & archiving models is a fairly quick exercise and gives the functions the ability to save off data without specific skillsets. The data management is smooth & makes modeling very flexible.
  • End users could use more notifications/explanations on what process is currently running. With 50+ concurrent users, the model can be requested to run multiple actions. This can cause one user to wait on another without fully understanding what is happening on the backend.
  • The model-building experience has improved significantly in the past few years. However, there is still much room for improvement like formatting & error handling. The builder should be able to know when a formula is invalid & unable to submit. This will prevent model lockup fairly quickly.
  • There could be more formalized training on best practices. Today, most companies are reliant on consulting firms to provide expertise (for the most part), and this creates a knowledge pool that is not easily accessible to all clients. Administrators internally should be able to get continued training as they progress in building their models.
Anaplan is well suited for younger and nimble companies, where talent is limited & resources are constrained. There is a low barrier to releasing new models & functionality, provided that the builder is able to incorporate some best practices. The flexibility also means it's great for larger organizations with more established processes. Where it may be more difficult to succeed if the organization does not budget sufficient resources to bring the models to light. Though Anaplan is able to self-function for the most part, to take advantage of the modular capabilities, it's recommended that there is a structure in place to support the platform. Both the business and technical requirements need to be captured and explained so that the models are built to spec. This is not unlike any other EPM product; when invested properly, the functionality can quickly be leveraged for all sorts of scenarios.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Anaplan is being used by many of our clients. It solves the purpose of the user's ask. We have implemented Anaplan model for different stakeholders working on different domains which include S&OP, FP&A, Supply Chain, Demand Planning, TQM and Production Planning. It addresses the problem of reducing the time consumption of the planning activity. Users are happier to be part of Anaplan workspace. It is more intuitive, collaborative, scalable and user friendly tool. The implementation takes probably very less time comparing to other planning tools.
  • Connected Planning connecting all people, system and data at one place
  • Highly secured and Selective access plays a big role
  • Automated AI/ML forecasting - PlanIQ
  • New User Experience
  • Data Integration
  • Optimization
  • Reporting in terms of visuals - Adding more charts, Improving the UI capabilities
  • Selectively archive the versions and not the entire model
  • Automated email to be sent - Workflow Management
  • Model data copy from version to version with respect to time
Anaplan is a multi-dimensional connected planning tool that can be well suited for all organizations for their strategic investments. Anaplan is not specific for any planning scenario, it has more capabilities and features to support all the functional areas.
July 06, 2022

Anaplan for Finance

Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Currently, we have two models in Anaplan: (1) group financial reporting, and (2) subscription modeling. The group model has enabled the consolidation of budget and forecasts for each of the business units, including functionality such as payroll FTE/headcount reporting, cost allocations, and FX scenario modeling. The subscription model allows the forecast of volumes and consequently subscriptions revenue and costs by using high-level assumptions, for example, renewal rates based on the subscription type.
  • Dynamic planning
  • Auditability
  • Scenario modelling
  • Replication of Excel functions
  • UX reporting and graph functionality
  • Multiple users in model at once
  • Model performance using functions such as rank
  • Model support
  • Excel and Google Sheet Add Ons
Anaplan is well suited to the finance environment when looking at a cloud-based solution to replace existing processes in legacy systems such as Excel. Furthermore, it is a bespoke solution that can be used for most business processes and has been very effective in supply chain and capacity planning solutions.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I consult using the Anaplan platform, with project implementations ranging from incentive compensation to supply chain management. Prior to consulting I was an Anaplan end user that leveraged the platform for budgeting and forecasting in the FP&A space. Each case helped address disparate connectedness, inconsistency, or slow planning processes spread across multiple teams.
  • Flexibility in its capabilities
  • Powerful yet easy to stand up
  • Product support & updates
  • Scalability
  • More visible product roadmap
It is best suited for connected planning or modeling use cases. Instances where there would be a better from either standardizing a process (regardless of complexity), or to connect several siloed processes together in a seamless way.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Anaplan is being leveraged as a consolidation engine to facilitate financial planning and forecasting across our entire finance organization. This allows our corporate FP&A team to capitalize on a leveraged model, gathering inputs from business-aligned Finance teams within a structured environment. This tool helps us to empower collaboration and data integrity and has massive calculation power for large data sets. We had stretched Excel to its capacity so it was critical that we shift to a more robust solution.
  • Calculation: In real time
  • Security: Highly customizable down to the cell level of input.
  • Flexibility: Very configurable to the requirements of any given use case. Not a list of canned options.
  • History log Mining: Data exists but not always in a highly usage fashion.
  • Formula auto-complete functionality similar to Excel.
  • Native model to model integration has improved but I would like to see more options for workflow.
Really an excellent tool for highly detailed and complex planning activities such as personnel planning at the position level. Has the ability to bring together inputs from multiple data sources that feed to a unified calculation that can then be reviewed and adjusted at a rolled-up level for end users. Less well suited for gathering large volumes of manual inputs, often these are gathered in Excel and then uploaded into the tool.
Iam Gael Garcia | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I particularly like the reporting capabilities, as you can not only create reports in the web app but also within the Excel add-in. Between each reporting tool, you can create what you need. I like that you can quickly load data into a specific scenario and a minute later it's available throughout the multi-faceted reporting system.
  • Reports can be made simple and easy for users to review
  • Task Lists in Planning are a great way to streamline a set of flows work that would otherwise be difficult for our users. They are not the most expert in the use of the software
Also, my experience with Anaplan support and the Anaplan Implementation consultants has been excellent, which is really important for a relatively new product for which there is no massive library of support information. What I like most about the solution is that it is very powerful, although it is not necessarily difficult to use on a day-to-day basis.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Anaplan is evolutional.

In additional to connected planning and scenario analysis, it almost fully automate companies accounting process. It is able to connect to the upstream data source via ETL tools, perform multi-dimensional calculation without the worries of excel crushing, and send the result back to the same or downstream data source. There are so many cases that Anaplan saved hundreds of professional hours each month.
  • connected planning
  • multi-dimensional modeling
  • easy to learn
  • full UX experience
  • expand more features
Anaplan is well suited for FP&A, Accounting monthly closing, complex calculation Less appropriate for procedure not connected to other information source. Anaplan is an expensive choice
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Anaplan Predictive Insights to determine prospects that have a propensity to buy and who are currently searching for software solutions that compete with what we do. It helps guide us to accounts that are currently evaluating software solutions for planning and forecasting within Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, and Marketing.
  • Scoring accounts with propensity to buy
  • Segments different lines of business
  • Provides contacts that are linked to Salesforce, can also see where you need to add more contacts
  • Difficult to understand what the scoring means
  • Lots of columns and rows to read, could use a better UX/UI
  • Would be nice to be able to populate contacts from ZoomInfo into SFDC through Mintigo
It's a great platform and provides valuable insights on where the sales team should be spending time and also where you probably should not be spending time prospecting into because there is not a high enough propensity to buy. I'd rate higher if there was a better dashboard that would show the highest scoring prospects in one space rather than needing to search individual columns and rows.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Anaplan Predictive Insights as a customer intelligence platform to get a comprehensive view of our customers, especially for sales and marketing teams on which customers to target and which ones to engage through marketing campaigns. We use Anaplan Predictive Insights as an addendum to Oracle CX Sales because Anaplan’s predictive insights are more streamlined to our sales planning and target group of customers. A typical business problem addressed is scoring the target customers based on internal parameters using an AI engine. The predictive intent signals and their integration with our customer database are a good fit for what we wanted to achieve.
  • Predictive intent signals
  • Integration with complex databases
  • Integration with CRM for creating marketing campaigns
  • Excellent insights for marketing folks for segmentation based analysis
  • Building models
  • UI/UX could be more intuitive
  • Pricing could be based on usage esp if average usage is low or is restricted to a smaller team
  • Issues with integration with Marketo ended up with us letting go of Marketo
  • Reporting functionality could be developed
  • Training on some of the internal workings of the predictive engine could help us model the data better so that better output is achieved
It is really well suited for the marketing and sales team. Marketing teams can create targeted campaigns based on their predictive engine. The sales team can actually predict targeted buyers so that the overall possibility of deal closures manifolds. A few integrations with selected 3rd party software completely failed to achieve its target objective.
March 07, 2022

Anaplan review

Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Anaplan allows faster implementations and therefore allows providing a ready-to-use product in less time. Moreover, Anaplan allows having a single platform and a single source of truth connecting several planning use cases (Connected Planning). Anaplan is capable to support advanced planning needs with real-time calculations and a user-friendly interface.
  • Supporting planning processes
  • Connecting different planning processes
  • Real-time calculation
  • Data sparsity management
  • Notifications management
  • Cells attachments/comments management
Depending on the specific requirements there are areas in which some tools perform better than others or are more adequate than others. For example, Anaplan doesn’t offer the on-premises solution being a natively cloud SaaS; instead, Anaplan allows real-time calculations and refresh of the entire model with the possibility to fully drill down the results. Therefore, a preliminary software selection would be desirable to select the software that best fits the requirements. Anaplan is capable to support and connect very well any planning process, instead, it is not the most appropriate tool for use cases like detailed transactions storage.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We've been able to save clients time, money and energy [by eliminating the hassle of] complex spreadsheets [with the help of] Anaplan. The [implementation of Anaplan's platform makes for] straightforward modeling which is auditable [and] logic-driven, with a modern cutting-edge user experience. We've found that processes that were taking our client's days can now be completed [within] minutes, [in] particular facilitating collaboration between departments. The platform goes from strength to strength with every update [along with the] quantity and quality of [both] the user [and] community support. [The] learning material has made our life a breeze [with the ability] to enable and upskill our customers on how to get the best out of their investment. The best thing is that the team listens to what [the] customers, users and partners say and incorporates that into the roadmap. There aren't many systems out there that have the capability and flexibility that Anaplan does, all while being delivered inside a robust [and] secure environment.
  • Forecasting
  • Modelling
  • Processing
  • Logic Development
  • Listen to Customer Feedback
  • Platform enhancements
  • Training Material
  • Managing of sparsity (but a lot of this can be solved by build methodology / expertise)
  • Flexibility around titling (i.e. disconnect line items to front end management reporting titles)
[If you need a spreadsheet] where you might have a specific tab for a department, and subsequently many tabs for multiple departments, or a multi-step calculation that a spreadsheet might struggle with, Anaplan can handle [all this] with ease. [Perhaps] you have a system that is currently being managed with protected sheets or passwords and you need better security; or you need a system that is more suitable for multi-user concurrency [requiring] proper security rules built into it which also allows [for] real-time collaboration. With Anaplan such things are already built into the platform making your work secure and user compliant.
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Prior to Anaplan, the firm has used Excel spreadsheets that had to be cleaned up regularly so that the users were even able to open them. After the data collection and build phase, we are currently in the time-consuming, yet rewarding process, of replacing spreadsheets with Anaplan models. Anaplan helped us with standardizing the forecasting and reporting approach to all asset classes. Thanks to all assets being already in the single standardized framework, we are able to run additional ad-hoc analytics required by the business as well as start expanding the model into additional areas.
  • Industry and use case agnostic.
  • Powerful engine.
  • User friendly audit trail and history.
  • Focus on expertise in use cases outside FP&A and Supply Chain.
  • Management reporting.
  • Workflow.
Anaplan is best suited for sizable standardized cases (units, departments, products) that require collaboration among multiple people - e.g. budgeting or forecasting as well running ad-hoc stress analysis of the uncertain economic environment. Anaplan is not appropriate for organizations with unclear business processes, which have to be defined and agreed upon prior to the implementation start. Additionally, given that Anaplan's success within the organization depends greatly on the business users' involvement, the end-users have to be willing to commit time to implement and test the solution.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Anaplan for core Financial Planning & Analysis needs to create annual budgets, quarterly forecasts, as well as intra-quarter projections. We also utilize the tool to plan and forecast position level personnel expense and headcount. I personally oversee the creation and maintenance of the platform for these needs. I was involved in the creation of all 5 models as a model builder, as well as an end user of all models as a Financial Analyst. The tool has been a great asset to our FP&A activities with it's ability to plan and forecast at the most granular of levels and provide a consolidated location for all data. We have reduced our usage of excel and passing spreadsheets back and forth because of Anaplan, which has been a huge time saver and great way to connect all teams.
  • Flexibility - the tool can be built the suite the company's needs. It allows for maximum customization for even the most complex business models.
  • Data Integrations - the tool has the ability to connect to many different data sources so that data can be passed seamlessly.
  • Connected Planning - the tool allows for teams across the organization to pass information and data back and forth between models, enhancing the ability to do connected planning
  • Anaplan struggles with hierarchies where children list items have multiple parents. In our organization, we like to slice and dice the data many different ways as the solutions we sell don't fit just 1 single product hierarchy. You cannot assign more than 1 parent to a list item, which means you have to create duplicate list items and map them together in order to achieve your desired goal of looking at the single piece of data in different hierarchies.
  • Speed can sometimes we an issue. If we have too many users in the model at the same time, there can be some lag in saving data inputs. Also, structural changes, such as updating a formula, can sometimes take several minutes to save if there are other processes running within the model at the same time. This makes it difficult to have more than 1 model builder making structural changes at the same time.
  • Anaplan doesn't do a good job of conditional formatting. I find the functionality very limited and hard to use in a way that pleases our end users. The color options are less than ideal as well.
Anaplan is well suited for financial planning use cases. It can easily conquer the creation of annual budgets and quarterly forecasts and then share them across different models. It does a great job at allowing you to create multiple iterations of a scenario and then compare them against one another. However, if you have large hierarchies and multiple lists that you need to pull into a single module for calculations, it can consume a considerable about of size and processing power.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I have used Anaplan for the following use cases: Workforce Planning (e.g. headcount, compensation, non-compensation) Cost of Goods Sold Distribution Expense Price Mix Analytics Production Planning and Scheduling Inventory Management Statistical Volume Forecasting Anaplan is an ideal planning tool because it allows the creation of a single source of truth. For example, Anaplan's leading practice is to create a Data Hub to maintain all lists and metadata. Rather than having disparate users pull data on their own to generate their forecasts and reports in Excel, end-user can simply reference the Data Hub. Also, Anaplan allows multiple users to view and input forecast assumptions and dynamically see the results of their inputs in real-time.
  • Transparency. Anaplan allows end-users to drill into individual cells to see the underlying assumptions and/or calculations. End users can also see inputs provided by other end users.
  • Security. Anaplan allows administrators to set up selective access and/or dynamic cell access to control what end users are able to read and/or write throughout the model.
  • Connected Planning. Anaplan allows hundreds, if not thousands, of users to interact with a model in real-time. Anaplan can also handle various use cases. For example, a company can create an FP&A model and a Workforce Planning model and be able to enhance communication and transparency between Finance and Human Resources.
  • Sparsity. Anaplan presently has size constraints. Customers do have an option to purchase Hyper models. Overall, size constraints are a constant challenge in Anaplan. Typically to mitigate size constraints models have to be built using flat/concatenated logic which can result in overly complex models to implement and ultimately for end-users to adopt.
  • Security. Anaplan has very robust security capabilities but is related to the sparsity issue, if models are built using flat/concatenated logic then it can lead to overly complex solutions to enable security.
  • Perception. This is more so related to customers' understanding of Anaplan. There's a tendency to assume that Anaplan should replace everything, which is often not the case. There's also a tendency to underestimate the time and/or a number of resources required to successfully implement Anaplan.
Historically Anaplan has been successfully implemented for FP&A, Workforce Planning, and Supply Chain use cases such as Production Planning and Scheduling. A common pitfall is for customers to want to forecast at extremely granular levels of detail. Often customers can have a very accurate forecast at more aggregate levels. Anaplan is capable of forecasting at granular levels of detail but often the model is overly complex for end-users to adopt and maintain.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I am implementing Anaplan at a wide range of different customers. I have done financial planning, financial consolidation, workforce planning, demand planning, supply planning, the list goes on and on.

The product help my customers save time on coming up with the plan, meaning they can spend more time analyzing and coming up with action plans.
  • Connect people
  • Connect processes
  • Simulations and scenarios
  • User interface
  • Optimization
  • Statistical tools
Anaplan is excellent for true integrated business planning. However, there are specific areas where the tool might not be a perfect fit. One such example is detailed production planning where the tool is lagging because of it is limited linear optimization capabilities. As of right now, Anaplan only support linear optimization.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
As an Anaplan implementation firm, I support businesses in their implementation of the Anaplan software to solve business issues. We support a wide range of business cases, from financial planning and analysis to sales performance management to supply chain and operations planning. The use cases within each can range from standard, which all companies may see in their business, to business-specific. Overall, the flexibility of Anaplan allows each business to standardize when available, yet customize when necessary.
  • Financial Planning & Analysis
  • Sales Performance Management
  • Sales & Operations Planning
  • Connected Revenue Forecasting
  • Executive and Management Reporting
  • Hierarchy flattening
  • Connection between back-end modules and front-end apps/dashboards
  • Segmented revision management
Anaplan is well-suited to businesses that know what questions they need to be answered and are willing to work to the optimal solution for scalability, feasibility, and usability. This includes specific processes that need transfer out of a legacy system, as well as new problems that the team is willing to invest time and effort to solve. Anaplan is less appropriate for companies that are looking for completely out-of-the-box solutions that would fit any company. The flexibility and customization is an immense asset to Anaplan, so if it is viewed as a hindrance then the solution may not be the right fit.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Anaplan adresses HR, Finance, Accounting and Management Controlling business cases. Everyone of those business cases usually involve a few users at first (around 100) and can grow to several hundred of users, for exemple Financial Controllers, Management Controllers, Accountants, Accounting directors, HR Controllers ect...
  • Anaplan calculations within a single model are real time.
  • The platform's felxibility allows to adress many uses cases
  • Anaplan's functionalities are always improving and updated.
  • The volumetric and space impacts needs to be weighed in before choosing an option for every new development
  • Model to model communications are not real time.
  • Imports from outside systems into Anaplan can be improved
Anaplan is very well suited to adress real-time reporting needs and budgetary planning and rolling forecasts needs. It is not as much appropriate when the users' primary concerns are the beauty of the visualization, although it has improved.
December 31, 2021

Powerful EPM Tool!

Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Anaplan is used for multiple used cases like 1. Financial consolidations 2. FP&A Reports 3. Demand Planning 4. Procurement It helps users avoid wasting time in data collection & use their time in solving business problems efficiently.
  • Powerful engine
  • Ease of development and implementing subsequent changes
  • Few customizations needed in New User Experience are missing
  • The automated mail notification feature is missing
  • One cannot build BI reports without increasing the model size
Well suited for a huge amount of data, a large number of users Not suited for complex workflow management, automated mail notification
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Anaplan is a tool we use to build business applications for our clients. It starts as a blank (empty) model that is then developed into a fully-fledged app that meets the needs of a business process. Specific use cases we have recently implemented are: - Budget planning - Meeting complex disclosure requirements (15c, IFRS 16) - Performance management (cost allocation & profitability analysis).
  • Planning, budgeting & forecasting.
  • Cost allocation.
  • Data cleansing.
  • Ad-hoc analysis of large data sets.
  • Native data integration capabilities could be improved (and are being improved with Cloud Works).
  • Slice and dice reporting is possible but can be a bit constrained compared to other OLAP tools, particularly if multiple large hierarchies are used at once. There are good reasons for this (it is an inherent part of why it is very good at performing other tasks), but should be considered if Anaplan is to take over all analytical capabilities for an organisation.
- Great for planning & forecasting - you can quickly and easily build a custom planning process for your organisation with complete flexibility, planning one part of your business in one way and another in a completely different way before bringing all the parts together in a consolidated forecast. - A good use case is a complex cost allocation processes. You can set it up to add processes controls and support reporting to make the processes clear, auditable & efficient. - Really strong for building data cleansing/master data management.
Return to navigation