How does Anaplan save time and boost organisational efficiency?

Phil Marshall, Solutions Consultant, has worked in Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) roles for more than twenty years, across sales, implementation, training and support roles. He’s always looking to help the customer reach their desired future state in planning and reporting by not only understanding the problem they are facing, but also the root cause as well as the impact of that problem on the organisation.

How does Anaplan help in reducing the time spent on manual data entry or spreadsheet maintenance?

Anaplan helps reduce the time spent on manual data entry and spreadsheet maintenance through a connected, cloud-based platform that automates data integration from multiple sources. This reduces the need for manual input. When manual data entry is necessary, Anaplan’s intuitive interface ensures that data is quickly aggregated and processed. The platform also centralises formula management, so any changes in data are instantly reflected across all linked spreadsheets. Additionally, an audit log is maintained, which automatically records data changes, ensuring accountability and traceability. With built-in versions and scenarios, along with a workflow engine to coordinate user activity, Anaplan makes it easier and faster for teams to manage data, allowing them to focus more on analysis and strategic decision-making.

Are there any automation features that can streamline repetitive tasks?

Yes, Anaplan offers automation features that streamline repetitive tasks, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in planning and forecasting. The platform’s built-in statistical forecasting and optimisation capabilities allow for quick analysis of historical data to predict future trends, reducing the time required to run multiple scenarios.

Additionally, Anaplan’s central planning assumptions can be updated globally with a single change, such as applying a 10% decrease in sales across all markets or adjusting rates differently for specific markets, like a 5% increase in markets A and B, and a 15% increase in markets C and D. These features are designed to address business problems of inefficiency and time-consuming manual processes.

Can Anaplan integrate with other productivity tools to further improve efficiency?

Yes, Anaplan can integrate with other productivity tools. Anaplan is designed to work seamlessly with tools that organisations already use. With pre-built connectors and extensions, Anaplan’s output can be easily integrated into Microsoft 365 products, Power BI Desktop, Google Sheets, Excel, PowerPoint, and DocuSign. This ensures that the valuable insights gained from Anaplan are accessible and actionable within the familiar productivity tools used by the organisation.

Additionally, Anaplan’s own reporting capabilities are often sufficient for an organisation’s needs, offering everything from simple grids to advanced dashboards. The platform also features dynamic management reporting packs that can be used both online and offline. These packs allow for the creation of time-saving presentations that can be archived for future reference or used as a template for subsequent reporting periods.

How quickly can we expect to see tangible benefits in terms of time saved and increased productivity?

By using Bedford’s Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Accelerator app for example, your organisation can typically expect a four to six week implementation time, where the app is configured to the specifics of your organisation (e.g. accounts and entity structures etc.), linked to your sources of data required for planning, and aligned to the specifics of how you need to calculate, aggregate and generate actionable insight.

For alternative use cases, such as Sales and Operational Planning (S&OP) alternative apps are available, and where you have a requirement specific to your planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting needs, we are still talking about weeks to implement rather than many months. This rapid time to value means that your organisation can begin to realise the benefits of saving time and improving efficiencies very quickly.

Found this useful? We also have an FAQ blog on forecast accuracy and optimising your organisations performance here, and collaboration whilst managing user access here. We will be answering more frequently asked questions, have a look at our other blogs in the meantime here.