Host Analytics Review
March 27, 2017
Host Analytics Review
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Modules Used
- Planning
- Consolidation
- Reporting and Analytics
Overall Satisfaction with Planful (formerly Host Analytics)
We implemented Host Analytics initially as a consolidation and reporting tool, which helped to automate the consolidation of multiple entities on different ERPs across the globe. Six months after implementation, we automated the feed from our domestic ERP into Host Analytics (integration), allowing end users to see GL account level information nearly real-time in the application. Six months after the integration, we implemented budgeting for operating expense and workforce planning relating to our corporate departments. We are currently in process of rolling out the budgeting application to our different businesses for their own use. Currently, only finance and accounting personnel at corporate and our business locations have access to the application, which will likely expand to operational individuals once businesses start budgeting in the application. Through the implementation of Host Analytics, we are now able to measure performance on a constant currency basis, and saves time in the preparation of financial information, allowing for more analysis to be able to be performed.
- Customer service and ongoing customer support
- Soliciting feedback from customers and incorporating ideas into their release / update schedules
- Facilitating one source of the truth that can be accesses by all end users with varying degrees of security
- Minor application quirks in the use functionality.
- Updates are pushed to your application during specified maintenance windows, allowing for immediate use of the new functionality whether you were prepared or understood the changes or not. Any significant changes are clearly communicated ahead of time.
- Allows for more analysis of the data as opposed to preparation of the data, and allows us to see trends in data across all of our businesses at the touch of a couple of buttons.
- Allows us to quantify our foreign exchange exposure which was not readily available before.
Host Analytics allowed for the finance and accounting department to own the process and implementation, which allowed for a quick and efficient implementation. The cost compared to other applications was in our acceptable range, and the ongoing customer support and service was seen as best in class for the EPM industry.