"Quick and dirty" - why we chose Anaplan
May 10, 2023
"Quick and dirty" - why we chose Anaplan
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Anaplan
Initially, Anaplan was used in the company for FP&A - budget and monthly forecast. Gradually on the basis of Anaplan these processes were unified, the connection of versions became stronger and new reporting was added (especially after the appearance of UX).Anaplan is not a full-fledged BI product, but its capabilities are sufficient for primary analysis and tracking model results.
As the product and its value were understood, the implementation of S&OP planning, marketing block and Cash-Flow started. In the end, Anaplan allowed some of the functions to be tied together, although there was still some manual input and planning outside of the system.
The main problems that Anaplan solved were:
As the product and its value were understood, the implementation of S&OP planning, marketing block and Cash-Flow started. In the end, Anaplan allowed some of the functions to be tied together, although there was still some manual input and planning outside of the system.
The main problems that Anaplan solved were:
- Role model and data protection.
- No need to bring different Excel versions together and update parts of them (consolidation)
- A single approach and version of truth (some Excel is heavily tied to specific users)
- Flexibility of the model (compared to other systems) - easy to make changes.
- Primary & fast reporting.
- Process work-flow - process and data status.
- Speed of performance. The data from ERP is loaded into the system quickly enough and the model is recalculated instantly. A simulation environment was implemented for the CFO, where he could change macro parameters and analyze the data.
- Flexibility and speed of setup. We don't have a large IT department to allocate and maintain servers. We didn't have several months to work out the methodology. We needed to implement several models using Agile and quick feedback. Anaplan allows us to maintain the highest speed of implementation and deployment of the solution.
- It can be used in different cases: finance, logistics, marketing. Sometimes it may not be very efficient, but if you have licenses, the extra cost is sometimes negligible.
- Multi-user reporting. You can make individual filters, but if you need different people to compare different versions, then you have to complicate the architecture and waste cloud space (not always efficient). This limits your analysis capabilities.
- There is a lack of some visualizations. The addition of the bubble chart was very timely, but even years later Donat differs from Pie only in the presence of a "hole". It is impossible to make two Donat in each other for comparison. Sometimes there is not enough flexibility in text formats.
- The basic integration tool Anaplan Connect has no visual interface and it is difficult to get adequate load logs with it. Its configuration is chosen from the general logic of the ease of working with Anaplan. You will probably need help from IT to set up the integration, access certificate, and so on.
- Flexible customization and the ability to modify existing models
- Speed of operation (calculations, interface, data loading)
- Transparent calculation logic, the ability to quickly copy/"roll back" the model, a detailed history of the cell.
- Speeding up the process of closing and updating the current month forecast
- Reduced work on the preparation of reports and presentations. We used different Anaplan approaches with varying success, but the overall result was there.
- It's hard to gauge, but the overall increase in process and algorithm transparency, along with data protection, has given an excellent platform for scaling up the company's processes.
- Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Dynamics AX (Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations) and discontinued
Anaplan has obvious advantages over Excel and is a favorite in financial planning. Another important selection criterion was the SaaS format with quick startup and self-support/development of the system without the involvement of IT (No-Code philosophy). The minimal license cost package and the possibility of Agile consulting format looked quite attractive.
Do you think Anaplan delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Anaplan's feature set?
Yes
Did Anaplan live up to sales and marketing promises?
Yes
Did implementation of Anaplan go as expected?
Yes
Would you buy Anaplan again?
Yes