It’s amazing how quickly Anaplan models are brought to life for our customers. And it’s lovely to see the realisation dawning that they’re getting to see their data exactly as they had envisioned, and often in entirely new ways, which is incredible.
I recently attended an Anaplan walkthrough that my colleague was conducting for one of our new customers. It was a “Show and Tell” session to make sure the model built to date was ticking the right boxes, aligning with expectations, and getting buy-in from the most senior stakeholders.
During the session, the team were able to tackle questions on the spot, making changes as they went along driven by the in-session feedback discussions. They were able to show how to quickly change a global assumption that would apply to their entire income model and then how to override it for any exceptions. They were also able to rename items on the fly, as a discussion about naming conventions played out. These conversations led to further requests around different groupings which led to an extra hierarchy level being added. Other questions such as ‘Where has that number come from?’, ‘How is that calculated?’ or ‘Where is that assumption held?’ were easily answered using Anaplan’s drill-down functionality, or by reading a formula. And yes, I do mean ‘reading’. There’s no coding, no cell references, and the calculations are written in plain language and terminology.
Walkthroughs like these often spark bigger ideas that get noted for change requests or future phase improvements. It’s great to see all the lightbulbs going on in people’s heads as they grasp the power of Anaplan and how it can transform their work.
Anaplan is a Connected Planning solution used for planning, forecasting and performance management across the business. Modelling is multi-dimensional allowing for one version of the truth and is flexible and agile to scale across the business.
If you’d like to have your own lightbulb moments and want to find out more about how Anaplan can enhance your data management and decision-making processes, please get in touch, to arrange a personalised demo.
About the author
Catherine Grainger, a seasoned finance professional, brings a wealth of expertise and insight to the world of finance and technology. With a strong foundation as a CIMA qualified management accountant in the industry, Catherine boasts a career spanning over two decades in data and technology consultancy. Her exceptional knowledge and dedication have earned her recognition from her peers.
Having worked on both sides of the finance spectrum, Catherine recognises the pressures and aspirations of finance teams. Her extensive experience has shown her not only how technology can alleviate these challenges but also how strategic implementation of solutions empowers finance teams to drive better business outcomes and enhance financial resilience for the future.
In a world shaped by technology and digital disruption, Catherine understands that finance leaders must evolve beyond traditional finance skills. They must become strategic assets for their organisations, offering vital insights into current financial health and future plans.
Catherine’s insights have been honed through collaborations with numerous finance and finance technology teams in leading UK organisations. Her work with Sempre has given her a deep understanding of finance transformation, guiding organisations on critical components and common pitfalls. Catherine Grainger is a recognised leader in the evolving landscape of finance and technology.
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- Anaplan,
- Financial Planning
