Item: IBM Planning Analytics
Rating: 8
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

As a Smart Solutions Consultant, one of the tools I highly recommend for efficient and custom planning and automation of workflows is IBM Planning Analytics. It is mainly used by the team of Consultants together with the financial staff. It allows us to improve planning and forecasting and most importantly, to do it automatically. For example, one of our projects with a medium-sized City Council was managed with this tool since the client was not clear about the final scenario and, therefore, its requirements. Thanks to this tool we have been able to simulate different scenarios.

Pros and Cons

Automate planning thanks to AI. Give recommendations based on the data provided.
Generate smarter, more tailored workflows since it has all the information in a single tool, without exports.
Prepare budgets according to the workflow based on certain hypotheses, for example, when we want to calculate the path of least cost.

Complex use without adequate knowledge thanks to automatic recommendations.
There is no documentation in Spanish although the documentation in English is complete.
Perhaps it has too many versions: Express, Digital Pack, for companies.

Return on Investment

Effortless and more accurate budgets thanks to their artificial intelligence recommendations
Greater control of workflows based on scenarios and hypothetical tests, before they occur
Artificial Intelligence aid for automation allows less financial personnel

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft 365 Business

We have usually been using workflow planning and budgets in Excel Sheets and doing it manually through the collaboration of financial personnel and Smart Cities Consultant. Now, thanks to the IBM Plannin Analytics tool, we can obtain a theoretical and automated planning, so we only have to review it and adjust to the simulated hypothetical plan that best suits the reality that we expect in that business or based on the requirements obtained from our conversations with public clients.

Support Rating

We have not yet had the opportunity to use IBM technical support, as its documentation is fairly adequate and correct. In any case, we blindly rely on the experience of a company like IBM to get quality, prompt technical service when needed.

Key Insights

Do you think IBM Planning Analytics delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with IBM Planning Analytics's feature set?

Yes

Did IBM Planning Analytics live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of IBM Planning Analytics go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy IBM Planning Analytics again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Microsoft Office 365, Hadoop

Likelihood to Recommend

IBM Planning Analytics adapts well to changing scenarios with multiple workflows where rough real-time planning is required. The use of the Microsoft Excel interface provides greater ease of use. It has quite useful graphs and integrated Dashboards and allows multiple tests or hypotheses to be made to make the right decision.

Know the impact of your decisions

Overall Satisfaction with IBM Planning Analytics