When it comes to structuring their planning and decision support systems, companies have long been forced to choose between two approaches: either packaged solutions that are quick to deploy but not very adaptable to specific business needs, or tools that are certainly more flexible, but often complex to implement and costly to develop.
Anaplan reconciles these two worlds by combining pre-configured applications based on best practices with a highly customisable platform capable of adapting to the specific needs of each organisation.
But whether you are in the initial implementation phase or replacing another solution, the success of your Anaplan project also depends on a rigorous methodology and expert support. With over 80 successful projects to its name, Beyond Plans guides you every step of the way to effective deployment and full adoption by your users.
Discover our best practices for structuring and successfully implementing Anaplan.
1. Preparation and scoping: laying the foundations for successful implementation
Before any deployment, it is essential to assess existing processes and identify the most relevant Anaplan applications based on your business objectives.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of available applications:
- Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A): Budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis for better decision-making.
- Demand Planning: Advanced forecasting models to optimize supply chain operations.
- Workforce Planning: Aligning human resources with strategic goals.
- Incentive Compensation Management: Automating commission and incentive calculations for sales teams.
- Inventory and Supply Chain Planning: Optimizing inventory levels and reducing logistics costs.
- Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP): Aligning sales forecasts with operational capabilities.
- Territory & Quota Management: Defining sales territories and tracking commercial performance.
These applications help reduce deployment time and complexity by offering ready-to-use configurations based on best practices.
However, a word of advice: since some of these applications are relatively new, it is essential to maintain close collaboration with Anaplan to benefit from the latest recommendations and updates. This coordination ensures optimal use of features and smooth adaptation to future platform developments.
And for that, choosing the right implementation partner is crucial! Relying on a certified partner like Beyond Plans is key to optimizing deployment. Industry-specific expertise and in-depth knowledge of the platform are the best guarantees for a seamless transition tailored to your company’s needs.
2. Implementation and Application Optimization
Rather than opting for a full-scale deployment, it is often preferable to take a modular approach, gradually integrating the most strategic Anaplan applications through the following steps:
- Customizing applications to align with business processes.
- Defining user roles and access based on operational needs.
- Automating data flows to synchronize applications and ensure a unified view.
Finally, before rolling out all applications, it is crucial to test each one individually in real-world conditions to assess performance, simulate different scenarios, and gather user feedback for fine-tuning configurations.
3. Adoption and Change Management
As Anaplan applications are designed to adapt to a wide range of needs, their full adoption always depends on appropriate support. This will involve the organisation of targeted training sessions based on user profiles, as well as awareness-raising sessions on the advantages of the modular approach. Finally, ongoing support should be available to maximise the use of the applications and resolve any problems encountered.
4. Best Practices and Key Success Factors
Adopting Anaplan radically transforms companies’ planning processes, enabling them to improve performance and agility. As a result, organisations that have implemented this solution are seeing a significant reduction in the time spent on planning, greater accuracy in financial and HR forecasts, and enhanced collaboration between departments, thanks in particular to the seamless interconnection between different applications.
However, to take full advantage of the platform, certain mistakes need to be avoided. For example, failing to anticipate the interconnection of applications and the synchronisation of data can quickly undermine the consistency and reliability of analyses. Similarly, neglecting change management and user training can slow down the adoption of new tools. Finally, downplaying the importance of testing and ongoing adjustments risks compromising the effectiveness of the roll-out and limiting the long-term benefits.
To ensure a successful implementation, it is essential to define a clear strategy for the applications to be deployed at an early stage, choosing between pre-configured solutions and bespoke development to meet specific needs. Effective communication about the benefits of modular solutions helps teams to buy in and adopt them. Finally, rigorous monitoring of performance indicators enables us to identify areas for improvement and adjust the models on an ongoing basis to ensure the platform is optimised on a long-term basis.
