Item: IBM Planning Analytics
Rating: 10
Author: Charles Cardin

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

It is used for budget planning, forecasting, and re-forecasting and in the preparation of required government reporting. Used by the Financial Reporting Department.

Pros and Cons

Dimensional data modeling.
Exceptional ability to drill down and into data.
Can be used for any data analytics application, not just limited to finance!

Back end administration, re: installation can be, shall we say, an arduous journey?
The alternate hierarchies within dimension containers are nice and have tremendous promise, but is just not quite there for full-blown usage.

Return on Investment

Has vastly improved the ability to meet deadlines.
Provides greater insight into final numbers and how we got there.

Scenario Planning and What-If Analysis

Critical.

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?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of IBM Planning Analytics go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy IBM Planning Analytics again?

Yes

Could be better at listening and/or having more interaction to understand the problems reported. We have a bit too much back and forth getting points across to support and achieving their understanding of the problem when an actual conversation would illuminate the issue quicker and more fully.

Usability

Like a lot of things, it can be sold as usable right out of the box! Anyone can do it! Anyone can. But for major/enterprise-level applications, an expert application and system architect for Planning Analytics can make all the difference in the world. It is like putting a 16 year old cheerleader and a Formula One driver in a Ferrari: which one is going to win the race?

Likelihood to Recommend

Excellent for any application, financial or otherwise, where the ability to dissect and analyze data is important. Is not a good fit for a transactional system, like converting one's accounts payable system to it. I.e., do not use it for accounts payable, but to analyze the spending and transactions of the accounts payable system/dept/etc.

Excellent product, that like a thoroughbred, delivers exceptional results when handled properly.

Overall Satisfaction with IBM Planning Analytics