Item: Workday Adaptive Planning
Rating: 10
Author: Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Adaptive Insights

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Adaptive was purchased to improve our current budget processes and make it more efficient. The software is being used by the Finance Department and key bBusiness users across the organization.

Prior to Adaptive, the organization used complex Excel spreadsheets for over 90 departments. Adaptive has taken these complex spreadsheets and incorporated them into the set up and incorporates all of the standards and assumptions, so that the end user only has to input their information one time and everything flows through to the correct budget sheets for analysis.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Adaptive's reporting function is an excellent tool for analysis. It can be used for budget formulation through monthly reporting analysis.
Adaptive makes it easy to get down to the most minute level of detail in order to quickly give analysis on the budget, through its modeled sheets, and cube sheets.

Cons

I don't see any weaknesses from the software, other than it not having the flexibility to make changes to other versions of budgets without affecting previous versions.

Return on Investment

Allowed us to be more efficient with the budget process. No excel spreadsheets to consolidate and roll-up budgets.

Alternatives Considered

I didn't look at any other budgeting products.

Other Software Used

Sage Intacct

Likelihood to Recommend

It takes away the need for so many Excel spreadsheets - from the manual preparation and edits, all the way through reporting.

Workday Adaptive Planning Feature Ratings

Using Adaptive Insights

Users and Roles

46 - Department heads & Finance

Support Headcount Required

2 - Analytical skills is the top skill requirement. Although I would suggest having a good handle on finance/accounting in general.

Business Processes Supported

Budget Forecasting
Budget Planning
Budget Variance Reporting
Currency Management

Innovative Uses

Future Planned Uses

It's possible for us to look at our billable time. We just haven't made it there yet.

Likelihood to Renew

The product is versatile and I'm able to manipulate any piece of data the way I need it.

Evaluating Adaptive Insights and Competitors

Products Replaced

Yes - Excel Spreadsheets

Key Differentiators

Product Features
Product Usability

We didn't know much about Adaptive and our 3rd-Party seller had never implement this product.

Evaluation Lessons Learned

I don't think I would change a thing.

Adaptive Insights Implementation

Implementation Rating

Be sure to think everything through before implementing to make sure that you get the most out of Adaptive. FYI-Auto calculations, standard costs, etc.

Implementation Details / Implementation Partner

Third-party professional services

Maner

Implementation Phases

Change Management Lessons

Change management was a major issue with the implementation - We were in the process of implementing an accounting system at the same time we added Adaptive. We were eager to find a robust budget system that could handle our complex services company.

Implementation Issues

None that were quantifiable.

Adaptive Insights Training

Training Types Used

Online training
Self-taught

In-Person Training

Online Training

Although the training is in depth, it would be nice to have training that is specific to our Adaptive Instance.

Ease of Workday Adaptive Planning Training

No-Training is needed.

Configuring Adaptive Insights

Product Configurability

Nothing too difficult or extensive to configure. I would recommend you work with someone at Adaptive to make sure that you hit all the bases.

Configuration Lessons

None that I can think of....

UI Customization

Some - we have done small customizations to the interface - Not sure-Our 3rd party took care of this for us.

Additional Customization Considerations

None

Adaptive Insights Support

Support Rating

Although I think the support is pretty good, most of the time it takes about 1/2 day or more to get a response.

Workday Adaptive Planning Customer Support Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Quick Resolution Good followup Knowledgeable team Problems get solved Kept well informed No escalation required Immediate help available Support cares about my success	None

Premium Support

Bug Resolution

Exceptional Examples of Workday Adaptive Planning Support

I was having issues with some items that were change during a previous services agreement. Even though that service was closed, they helped me figure out the issue with the calculation error.

Using Adaptive Insights

Usability

Overall, I believe the usability is excellent. I have no real complaints about the system.

Usability Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using	Lots to learn

Easy Tasks

All sheets flow into the budget sheet. This allows for seamless roll-ups.

Difficult Tasks

Formulas are somewhat confusing.

Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions

Adaptive Insights Reliability

Scalability

We don't use all of the modules but I believe we could do a lot more with the system and give better financial reporting with other components. Such as revenue, assets, sales, etc.

Reliability and Availability

There haven't been any lately. The only one issue I can think of is when there was an update in Adaptive that altered our reports. Before I realized there was an issue, Adaptive reached out to let me know, so that it could be fixed.

Performance

Everything can be refreshed in instant.

Integrating Adaptive Insights

Ease of Integration

Integration works great and was easy to achieve.

Systems Integrated With

We have integrated our account system - Intacct

We integrated during our initial implementation and then again after Adaptive upgraded their Integration connections. Adaptive did most of the work. We just validated data.