The most valuable features are the dashboards and Model Map, as they speak to the business and they are the backbone of the modelling.
Manager Cloud EPM at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
It is stable, and the dashboards and Model Map are valuable.
What is most valuable?
How has it helped my organization?
It’s very agile and we can do changes in minutes, rather than waiting for consultants and change requests. So, it’s as dynamic as the business.
What needs improvement?
- The sizing can be improved.
- Need more subsets for Versions and Time.
- Reporting can be vastly improved.
Right now, if we build a module using 3 versions, 100 GL Accounts, 25 Cost Centers, and 13 periods (12 months + 1 Year), the sizing of the model calculated would be 3*100*25*13 = 97500, irrespective of the data present in the module. I mean, even if you have only 1000 cells with data out of those 97500 cells, and the remaining cells are null, still the sizing is calculated for all the 97500 cells.
Further, we do not have an option of having only a few months or a few versions (Actual Forecast in module). We should either use them or not use them; if we can get a subset for the version and time, then we can reduce the sizing to some extent.
In the above example, if the module was only for forecasting purposes, then the sizing could be reduced to 65000 instead 97500 by reducing the number of versions to 2 from 3.
Sizing is the biggest challenge in providing solutions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for 2+ years.
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Anaplan
November 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The projects I have worked on were of medium scale and had no issues with stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The projects were of medium scale and had no issues with scalability, but sizing of the cloud server directly affects scalability and thus affects the cost.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is 8 out of 10.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we had a built-in and Excel-based solution. We switched for more agility, data control and transparency.
How was the initial setup?
Initial setup was complex to design due to the diversified planning methods used by different operating companies within the organization.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The sizing is the biggest culprit, so please get your sizing done properly by giving all the details before you decide on going with Anaplan.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Before choosing this product, we also evaluated TM1, along with SAP Business Planning and Consolidation.
What other advice do I have?
Please keep in mind the sizing; the way sizing includes even empty cells is big disadvantage. The reporting for now is not up to mark if you do not use dashboards intelligently.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Solutions Expert at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
It's simple to use and has a lot of functions
Pros and Cons
- "It's simple to use with a lot of functions."
- "Space and integration are a problem."
What is our primary use case?
You can use this solution for almost everything that you need, that includes the sales forecast, workforce, planning of technical KPIs, etc. It's not a focused solution for a specific use case.
What is most valuable?
It's simple to use and has a lot of functions suitable for many use cases. Here, you don't have to know how to code. So it's like Excel-based syntax.
What needs improvement?
Workspace allowance and integrations with external systems are the things to be improved. Apart from that, everything else works well except for the poor ETL capabilities. They should first solve the issue of integrations and modeling sparsity. That would be great.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for five years. It's a SaaS solution so it's always up-to-date.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate it nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's one of the solutions that could be scaled up quite easily if its architecture is set up correctly at the beginning of the project, compared to many others marketed by big and well-known CPM/BI providers. Currently, we have approximately 20 Anaplan users in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
I would say it was a good experience. I faced probably zero unsolved issues. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate it all nine. They're good at solving issues.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I switched due to the company's policy I work for now.
How was the initial setup?
It's not easy to start from scratch, but the complexity is something you can also find doing your planning in Excel. So, I don't think Anaplan has an outstanding complexity.
What about the implementation team?
As it is cloud-based, it doesn’t need to be deployed on your servers and it's usually deployed via partners. We just make sure it serves the needs of the organization considering the demands of the specific projects.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's not that expensive compared to the vast majority of other products. But it's not cheap, it's somewhere in the middle. I would rate the cost five out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I would very likely recommend the product to my colleagues.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Buyer's Guide
Anaplan
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Anaplan. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Project Manager at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Good support, comprehensive reporting, and supports a variety of business processes
Pros and Cons
- "Technical support has been good."
- "Automation needs to be built into this solution."
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and we take on support and integration projects. I provide resources to my clients and one of the products that they work with is Anaplan.
Anaplan is used for different business cycles. For example, in sales, we can use it for the ESD cycle, order-to-cash process, and the procure-to-pay process, to find the sales turnover.
Another use case is finding out sales demand and forecast.
What is most valuable?
There is a full set of reports available for sales.
What needs improvement?
Automation needs to be built into this solution. There are various cycles within the platform and I am not able to easily enter a single case.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Anaplan is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This product is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support has been good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. There is no complexity to it.
It is deployed with code that has been designed for Anaplan.
What about the implementation team?
We integrate this product for our clients, and we also handle the support.
What was our ROI?
ROI is not something that I see in my role.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This is an expensive product and if the price were reduced then it would attract more customers.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for anybody who is implementing this product is that they need the right partner to implement it. I am certified in Anaplan and I recommend that people use somebody who is certified. They will know the process and understand end-to-end business cycles, so it will be easy for them to implement.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Founder at Metora
Effective machine learning, constantly evolving, but price could improve
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Anaplan is machine learning. The solution is constantly evolving from feedback. Additionally, there is a wide range of training material online."
- "The price of the solution can improve."
What is our primary use case?
Anaplan is used for various financial planning, such as supply chain, and consolidation.
How has it helped my organization?
My clients exhibit enhanced efficiency in financial planning, supply chain management, demand planning, and financial consolidation. They possess superior visibility, enabling swift action-taking.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Anaplan is machine learning. The solution is constantly evolving from feedback. Additionally, there is a wide range of training material online.
What needs improvement?
The price of the solution can improve.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Anaplan for approximately eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is generally stable. There are tweaks that need to be made for optimum stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is highly scalable.
How are customer service and support?
We do the support ourselves and rarely needed global support from the vendor.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use another solution previously.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Anaplan is easy because it is low code or no code deployments. The full process of deployment can take six months. We do not need a lot of resources for the deployment.
What about the implementation team?
We do the difficult customization for the customers. We provide our customers with feedback.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the solution is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
If the solution is built correctly there is no maintenance needed.
The crucial aspect is to ensure that there are individuals who possess the knowledge to effectively utilize the tool. It is akin to piloting an airplane, where one must first acquire the skills to fly before attempting to operate it. Otherwise, they will crash it.
I rate Anaplan a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
Anaplan Application Analyst at a tech company with 10,001+ employees
Easy to use for many different purposes
Pros and Cons
- "The features that I have found most valuable are that it is web-based and easy to use."
- "When there is a lot of data, it sometimes takes long to load."
What is our primary use case?
We use Anaplan for a lot of different things, but mostly in sales planning.
What is most valuable?
The features that I have found most valuable are that it is web-based and easy to use.
What needs improvement?
In terms of what could be improved, when there is a lot of data, it sometimes takes long to load.
In the new experience, it does not let you pick a list in the formula box like it did in the old experience. I would like that to be included in the new release.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Anaplan for about a year and a half.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a low maintenance solution.
How are customer service and support?
The support is pretty good. They get back to you within a week.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale of one to ten, I would give Anaplan an eight.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Data Engineering Sr Analyst
A web-based business planning platform with a useful updating feature
Pros and Cons
- "I believe Anaplan is a new cloud tool, and from time to time, there's a lot of improvement that the Anaplan company deploys with the system. So, with that improvement, we need to really adapt and know the new system trends."
- "The dashboard could be better. Because within a dashboard or report, you have to do a lot of scrolling. You need to scroll down because the table doesn't fit in a single view. That's why even the users aren't happy with that kind of user experience. They need to scroll to see all the data, and it could be better if it fits in just one page. That way, you can see everything. In the next release, I want automation that's connected to Anaplan. For example, to load master data from SAP to Anaplan. I don't know if this already exists, but a log where you can see the progress and see if there's an error will also help. It would be better to give you the error message, for example, if there is an error within the automated process importing to Anaplan."
What is our primary use case?
I'm using Anaplan to provide production support for my client. The Anaplan model is already there and what I'm doing is fixing bugs updating the logic. That's my main role in the project. I will fix those queues for the business and update some processes or dashboards to better suit business needs, as per their requests.
How has it helped my organization?
I believe Anaplan is a new cloud tool, and from time to time, there's a lot of improvement that the Anaplan company deploys with the system. So, with that improvement, we need to really adapt and know the new system trends.
What is most valuable?
I like updating the current model. For example, if the business wants to see a different version or a different report style, I'm happy to work, manipulate, and do some data visualization changes for them.
What needs improvement?
The dashboard could be better. Because within a dashboard or report, you have to do a lot of scrolling. You need to scroll down because the table doesn't fit in a single view. That's why even the users aren't happy with that kind of user experience. They need to scroll to see all the data, and it could be better if it fits in just one page. That way, you can see everything.
In the next release, I want automation that's connected to Anaplan. For example, to load master data from SAP to Anaplan. I don't know if this already exists, but a log where you can see the progress and see if there's an error will also help. It would be better to give you the error message, for example, if there is an error within the automated process importing to Anaplan.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the Anaplan tool for about three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Right now, Anaplan is very stable. It has some downtime from time to time, but they're able to reinstate it to work as it is. I think many of our users have a demand planner, and they are the main users of Anaplan for our clients. Many of them are in field sales roles, and these people are in the market selling the product. I believe the number of users ranges from 30 to 50 for one country.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, Anaplan is great. Right now, there's a lot of changes that need to happen in our model, and I believe you can easily ask for an increase in size, and it can adopt the new logic that encouraged a lot of space.
How are customer service and technical support?
Sometimes, we find bugs within the system, and we don't know how to fix them. So, every year we file maybe five to ten tickets with Anaplan support to fix the bugs that we found.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used IBM Cognos TM1, which is now called Planning Analytics. I started using Anaplan because I was given an additional role, and I started supporting Anaplan simultaneously.
I think there's a lot of differences between Anaplan and IBM because Anaplan is cloud-based. But I believe IBM Planning Analytics is getting on the cloud as well. The old version of IBM is more like a remote desktop. But Anaplan is on the cloud, and you can access it via the web anywhere you go.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is quite complex because we have this one development team, and we have plenty of markets connected to one model. There's a lot of customization to tailor-fit with the market requirements and with the country requirements. Setting up a new model takes the team at least three months or five months at most.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented this solution. We followed the Agile methodology, and there were a lot of sprints for two weeks and then we released all the enhancements or deployments. It's very fast-paced.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise potential users to have a good model builder and a solutions architect to transform their business complexity into an Anaplan module or dashboard that fits and works for them. They need to have a great solutions architect, a finder, and the end model builder, which will convert this complexity in Excel and to an equivalent Anaplan report.
The biggest lesson I learned using the Anaplan is that everyone can learn to use the Anaplan tool if they have the perseverance to learn. Everything is in Google, and you can Google the logic that you need to apply to a given bug or issue with the module within the system. It's continuous learning, and you have to keep learning and using the Anaplan system every day to be more familiar with the tool.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Anaplan a nine.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Lead Consultant at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Great modeling features but limited visualization tools
Pros and Cons
- "This product has a very good modeling feature, and its graphical representation of visualizations has also been valuable."
- "The visualization tools in the product are limited in comparison to other reporting tools."
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case of this solution is to solve business scenarios, including sales and operations planning and compensation management for top FMCG clients and service provider clients.
How has it helped my organization?
Anaplan has eased a major pain point in mapping multidimensional data by combining all the necessary dimensions into a single tool. This makes it much easier for managers to understand the data coming in from their reps.
What is most valuable?
This product has a very good modeling feature, and its graphical representation of visualizations has also been valuable.
What needs improvement?
The visualization tools in the product are limited in comparison to other reporting tools.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for about three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
My impression is that this is a reliable solution that gets very good feedback at the management level.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have something called Anaplan Connect, which is like an in-built Anaplan connector, where we can connect with our third-party data sources, and we don't have any issues, especially when we do an integration perspective.
How are customer service and support?
My experience with customer support has been great, they are very responsive to any issues.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before using this solution, I used to develop using Excel macro dashboards. I switched because while Excel is a bigger environment compared to Anaplan, this product is a tool created to achieve something, not like an enterprise package.
How was the initial setup?
With Anaplan, setup is almost like solving a Rubik's cube - there are no book rules for the product. So the complexity varies depending on the business scenario and how well the people involved understand the logical requirements. However, the product's architecture is very simple, so the sync process happens in a matter of seconds.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Anaplan sell their licenses on a storage basis, which they call a bucket.
What other advice do I have?
I would personally recommend Anaplan, especially for anyone who is having issues dealing with bulk loads of Excel data or is experiencing pain in allocation or planning. Anaplan is a one-stop solution and does not require knowledge of a programming language - if you're familiar with Excel functions, that will be sufficient. I would rate this product as eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
A stable Enterprise Performance Management tool with the most powerful calculation engine
Pros and Cons
- "I am impressed with the tool’s real-time calculations and intuitive interface. The tool’s user interface is the best compared to other software that I have worked with. I also find the tool’s management reporting feature valuable."
- "The tool needs to work on its integration with MS Excel and MS Word. The tool does not allow data analysis in spreadsheets which is possible on other platforms. I want the solution to be more collaborative to facilitate decision-making in organizations."
What is our primary use case?
We concentrate now on financial planning. However, we have intentions to move towards supply planning. My company uses the tool to know the key players in the market.
What is most valuable?
I am impressed with the tool’s real-time calculations and intuitive interface. The tool’s user interface is the best compared to other software that I have worked with. I also find the tool’s management reporting feature valuable.
What needs improvement?
The tool needs to work on its integration with MS Excel and MS Word. The tool does not allow data analysis in spreadsheets which is possible on other platforms. I want the solution to be more collaborative to facilitate decision-making in organizations.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the solution for three to four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. There are around 10-20 users for the solution.
How are customer service and support?
The tool’s support is responsive but its Workaround Time is not very helpful.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We chose Anaplan based on the client’s requirements.
How was the initial setup?
The tool’s setup is easy. The tool’s deployment depends on the requirements of both users and clients. The overall deployment will not take more than four to five weeks to complete. One week is required for the determination of user requirements and another four to five weeks for the solution’s deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The tool’s pricing is reasonable and competitive with other solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate the solution a seven out of ten. This product is an important Enterprise Performance Management tool. It has one of the most powerful calculation engines called Hyperblock.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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