Anaplan
Anaplan LimitedExternal reviews
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Anaplan picks up from where Excel gets stuck
What do you like best about the product?
Anaplan is very good at handling complex calculations and modeling logic applied to vast amounts of data. So Anaplan can solve problems that clients have where excel just cannot handle the levels of calculations required. I have modeled many things in Anaplan, from supply chains to call centres, to investment funds and also the obvious things like P&L's, Balance Sheet, and cashflow. You build everything from scratch so you can model pretty much anything
Another great use of Anaplan is where you want to guide the user to follow a process. You can add in whatever data validations/controls, process gates, signoff/approval stages you need. And provide the user with real-time analysis of how their inputs have impacted their plan and any KPI's connected to it
The best attribute that helps Anaplan's long term success with clients is how the models can be adapted to move with the business, so as the business and its environment changes, the model can adapt and stay relevent. Which stops users reverting back to Excel
Another great use of Anaplan is where you want to guide the user to follow a process. You can add in whatever data validations/controls, process gates, signoff/approval stages you need. And provide the user with real-time analysis of how their inputs have impacted their plan and any KPI's connected to it
The best attribute that helps Anaplan's long term success with clients is how the models can be adapted to move with the business, so as the business and its environment changes, the model can adapt and stay relevent. Which stops users reverting back to Excel
What do you dislike about the product?
The focus of new features over the past few years has been very much on making the end users experience better. So model builders have been left behind somewhat, mainly from the point of view of writing and interrogating formulas, so there is scope to make our lives easier and modelling even faster. However there is an update expected soon which is promised to make the modelers lives a lot easier, so watch this space
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Integrated P&L > Balance Sheet > Cashflow
This significantly sped up the quarterly forecasting process for my client, and I also built lots of checks for account mappings to identify any holes in the mappings which could cause a variance to the balance sheet or any of the inbuild balance checks. As the model was vast so the model admins had to really stay on top of new accounts or mappings coming in
IFRS Modelling Contract Revenue
Anaplan was able to perform the calcs at a much more detailed level than excel, which was already at its limits and provides lots of analysis for the business. Although the primary purpose was for statutory reporting on the clients' contracts over the contract life
Private Equity Fund modeling
Looking backward at investor level to calculate provisions, and looking forward for the rest of the fund's life at a deal level. To determine the expected returns on investment. The main benefit for the client is providing a solid platform to bring together their actuals plus the ability to overlay what-ifs for the outlook and compare multiple scenarios against each other. The inputs being at a level high enough for fund managers to relate to, but the underlying logic is very detailed to the extent of making decisions on when to call from or distribute to investors in a more life like way
Supply vs Demand modelling
In a range of industries, including energy, telecoms, and consumer goods. The principle is fairly similar for all of these industries, matching supply and demand, identifying variances. As with previous applictaions the main benefits were related to performing the calculations at a more detailed level than Excel can handle, and providing operations with multiple scenarios to try out mutiple ways to resolve supply or demand issues
This significantly sped up the quarterly forecasting process for my client, and I also built lots of checks for account mappings to identify any holes in the mappings which could cause a variance to the balance sheet or any of the inbuild balance checks. As the model was vast so the model admins had to really stay on top of new accounts or mappings coming in
IFRS Modelling Contract Revenue
Anaplan was able to perform the calcs at a much more detailed level than excel, which was already at its limits and provides lots of analysis for the business. Although the primary purpose was for statutory reporting on the clients' contracts over the contract life
Private Equity Fund modeling
Looking backward at investor level to calculate provisions, and looking forward for the rest of the fund's life at a deal level. To determine the expected returns on investment. The main benefit for the client is providing a solid platform to bring together their actuals plus the ability to overlay what-ifs for the outlook and compare multiple scenarios against each other. The inputs being at a level high enough for fund managers to relate to, but the underlying logic is very detailed to the extent of making decisions on when to call from or distribute to investors in a more life like way
Supply vs Demand modelling
In a range of industries, including energy, telecoms, and consumer goods. The principle is fairly similar for all of these industries, matching supply and demand, identifying variances. As with previous applictaions the main benefits were related to performing the calculations at a more detailed level than Excel can handle, and providing operations with multiple scenarios to try out mutiple ways to resolve supply or demand issues
Really strong planning platform that can model almost any business scenario
What do you like best about the product?
The underlying modeling platform is very powerful but also fairly easy for a new user to pick up. This means that it can be used for a wide variety of use cases across an organisation, in a joined up way. For example, a very operational planning model looking at supply chain planning can be built and integrated with a more financial plan.
What do you dislike about the product?
As with any SaaS tool, the challenge is in integrating with other source systems. That said Anaplan have just released CloudWorks to do just that. Whilst it's at an early stage, that really shows some promise.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
We have a team that needs to respond 24/7 to incidents and we have a challenge ensuring that the rostering is done just right. We've used the Anaplan platform to implement a solution that uses statistical forecasting to look for trends and seasonality in our historical incident data and predict future demand. It then allows us to bring in rostering information and see where there will be a gap between demand and capacity. Finally, it allows us to model out changes to the roster so we can bridge that gap.
Scalable, customizable, and intelligent platform for all your business planning needs
What do you like best about the product?
Anaplan is not an out of the box solution that forces companies to fit their business process into a predefined mold, it allows businesses to build up models and planning processes that fit their needs and can continue to evolve as their business grows and changes. It is difficult to imagine a modeling scenario you can't build in Anaplan. The tool allows for a lot of flexibility in the type of planning a customer wants to do, and can truly be owned/managed by end users instead of by IT. This allows for much quicker turnaround on adjustments to a model.
What do you dislike about the product?
Since Anaplan is not a pre-built solution, it does require more up-front investment in time and resources to get set up. It requires participation from multiple groups across the organization to put together a well-thought out model and more importantly to maintain and update the model on a regular cadence to keep up with a growing company. This can allow for things that shouldn't exist in Anaplan to be put into Anaplan (such as data storage).
I also think ANaplan's front end and reporting capabilities could vastly improve the appeal of the platform, this could help reduce a customer's need for separate reporting/dashboarding in another tool like Tableau and further streamline processes by having robust reporting directly in Anaplan.
I also think ANaplan's front end and reporting capabilities could vastly improve the appeal of the platform, this could help reduce a customer's need for separate reporting/dashboarding in another tool like Tableau and further streamline processes by having robust reporting directly in Anaplan.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Anaplan very quickly solves a lot of issues around internal communication and transfer of information because it is cloud based. Instead of having multiple versions of documents, a "living" version of business plans sits in Anaplan where anyone from the organization can access to review and make changes. This in itself reduces a lot of the time spent on planning. Through implementing Anaplan solutions at multiple clients, across several industries and use cases, I have consistently found that having a dedicated model admin that knows how to build and adjust the model on the client side is most effective, it allows the client to view and approach using Anaplan as an App that requires regular updates and releases of updates to end users, rather than a one-time set up.
Recommendations to others considering the product:
Have a clear plan for the future state process you would like to have in Anaplan before starting on building Anaplan; this will make the build easier, faster and ultimately result in a better model output. If you try to design a process during the build, it can quickly get messy as things are built/rebuilt or the direction is changed halfway through the build.
Take back control of your planning tools with Anaplan
What do you like best about the product?
The simplicity and speed of modeling to meet a wide variety of use cases. Users quickly become autonomous on the platform. New features are released every month. The community paltform can help you find answers when you are stuck on a design point. A learning center with a lot of e-learning courses to help you gain skills on the plateform easily. The user interface has been completely revised for a much better experience.
What do you dislike about the product?
Volumetric issues that may arise when you have to cross several dimensions with a lot fo items if you have a small workspace. Reporting features are still too limited even if you can use native connectors to plug into BI Solutions (Tableau, Power BI ...)
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Finance (FP&A, Cash flow, Capex/Opex planning, Payroll ...)
Sales (Quota, Incentives, Territory planning ...)
Supply Chain (S&OP, Demand Planning ...)
Sales (Quota, Incentives, Territory planning ...)
Supply Chain (S&OP, Demand Planning ...)
Anaplan has been the main focus of my career for almost 7 years - as both a customer and partner.
What do you like best about the product?
The possibility of truly connected planning for all businesses.
What do you dislike about the product?
Occasionally, support can take longer than it should or not be helpful at all - I often know more about the issue than the support person does, which causes troubleshooting to take longer than it should.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I've solved many problems, but the most common are - easily consolidating data from many source systems, connecting multiple departments that don't usually "pass" data over the cloud, building near "real-time" P&Ls and other financial statements based on decentralized operational inputs. The benefits that I've realized have been reduction in hours used for "number crunching" and data consolidation and creating time for powerful analysis and decision making.
Anaplan Enabling Connected Planning
What do you like best about the product?
Anaplan is real time and dynamic. It also allows businesses to be flexible in their changes and customize to their needs. While traditional planning solutions used to take months in advance to enhance, Anaplan is relatively easy to adapt.
Additionally while other solutions focus on one use case, this allows us to enable the truly connected planning environment. Cross functions are able to collaborate in ways we have not seen in the past.
Additionally while other solutions focus on one use case, this allows us to enable the truly connected planning environment. Cross functions are able to collaborate in ways we have not seen in the past.
What do you dislike about the product?
While Anaplan is great and flexible, sometimes space limitations and design considerations have to be taken into account that can limit a users flexibility in intersections when working with detailed data.
Also while the new UX is helping address some of the cosmetic features of Anaplan, there still is much improvement for filtering and ad hoc reporting for it to truly be a one stop shop.
Also while the new UX is helping address some of the cosmetic features of Anaplan, there still is much improvement for filtering and ad hoc reporting for it to truly be a one stop shop.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
We are solving complex issues in making quick decisions on key metrics across supply chain and Finance. Additionally, we are harmonizing disparate business processes within a function, and using Anaplan as a catalyst to help streamline.
We have seen teams spending less time on data aggregation and harmonization, and focus on business decisions. Additionally teams are now able to work cross functionally to make a wholistic approaches and not siloed
We have seen teams spending less time on data aggregation and harmonization, and focus on business decisions. Additionally teams are now able to work cross functionally to make a wholistic approaches and not siloed
Standardized Platform for Easier Consolidation of Data
What do you like best about the product?
Anaplan has been a great help to me and to my partners in daily/monthly collaboration .
What do you dislike about the product?
No formula or function yet for current time (equivalent to NOW() of MS Excel. Yet, this doesn't discount the major benefits.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
A lot! I had implemented it to various processes in Finance.
Recommendations to others considering the product:
Anaplan has a lot of benefits to offer. I graduated BS Accountancy but been developer of Anaplan as it's easy to follow through.
Anaplan is a great forecasting tool
What do you like best about the product?
The flexibility and scalability makes the tool powerful
What do you dislike about the product?
The new UX is clunky and not easy to build with
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
All of our processes are in excel and need to be streamlined
Anaplan Partner
What do you like best about the product?
The easiness to modeling business processes and the flexibility of the tool to be used in various areas and business processes.
The sectors in which I have used Anaplan are: Consumer Goods and Services, Beverage, Manufacturing, Utilities,
Finance and Insurance, Telecommunication Services, Aeros pace & Defense, Electronic & Electrical Equipment, Pharmaceutical, Retail, Wholesale, Automotive Supplier , Online Booking.
The sectors in which I have used Anaplan are: Consumer Goods and Services, Beverage, Manufacturing, Utilities,
Finance and Insurance, Telecommunication Services, Aeros pace & Defense, Electronic & Electrical Equipment, Pharmaceutical, Retail, Wholesale, Automotive Supplier , Online Booking.
What do you dislike about the product?
UX still to be improved (graphs, customizations and dynamicity).
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Anaplan has helped solving and improving many business cases especially in the areas of Financial Planning and Commercial Planning: Intelligent Connected Planning, Working capital analysis, Revenue Performance Management, Gross to Net, What If Analysis, Material Planning, Approval Workflow, Suppliers Allocation, Cost and Saving Model, Financial Planning Budgeting & Forecasting, P&L Planning , Finished Good Spend variance analysis, Commerical Planning, Management Reporting, Balance Sheet, Sales Budget, RFQ, New Product Introduction , COGS Planning.
Anaplan for Rolling Forecast
What do you like best about the product?
Anaplan helps businesses transform their financial systems and processes by providing a database, engine and user interface on one platform. As the data store on the cloud , it offers the power combination of one version of truth (data) and real-time result. It also empowers company to have a connected planning with one source of data across all models and enabling each to access data from the others. It also has a friendly and sleek dashboards which only contains relevant data.
What do you dislike about the product?
As for all the systems out there, there is always a big room for improvement and as for Anaplan we are looking forward to various enhancements on functionalities already on the road. Most of the enhancements are from their current visionaries, hands-on builders, and experienced end users.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
The one that I would like to highlight that Anaplan solves is the one of the biggest pain points of accountants or finance people, the large number of versions they have in their financial worksheets. With Anaplan, this different version of one financial worksheet is eliminated. It provides one set of your data (list) and one engine means one formula for all items (module).
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