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Event recording available: Managing Hierarchies with Anaplan Data Orchestrator (ADO)
If you missed our spotlight event on Anaplan Community Experience: Managing Hierarchies with Anaplan Data Orchestrator (ADO), a recording is now available!
Anaplan experts Stephen Day (Product Manager for ADO) and Jon Ferneau @JonFerneau (Data Integrations Expert, Operational Excellence Group) shared how organizations are utilizing ADO to streamline hierarchy management and support planning at scale.
The session covered:
* Centralizing data preparation: How ADO acts as a purpose-built data foundation to reduce manual data prep and ensure trusted, governed data is always planning-ready.
* Complex hierarchy building: A practical demonstration of building a four-level cost center hierarchy from two separate and disparate source systems (HR and Finance).
* Advanced transformation & direct dissemination: How to apply anti-join deduplication and dynamic list pruning, and use a single ADO link to populate all hierarchy levels without individual import actions.
* Lineage & traceability: Visualizing end-to-end data lineage from source data to the final planning model using ADO's visual data map.
Webinar - June 2026 - ADO Hierarchy Management - Copy.pdf
Check out the recording below to learn how ADO can modernize your hierarchy management.
https://play.vidyard.com/oUJiHh1iGN4UHFNTm8VR1k.html?
Chapters
0:00 - Intro and Qonto Customer Story
3:29 - What Is Anaplan?
5:57 - Why ADO Matters
9:38 - ADO Capabilities
12:20 - Meet the Demo
13:33 - Hierarchy Demo
15:56 - Source Data Setup
19:12 - Transformation Views
22:37 - Merging Hierarchies
25:57 - Leaf and Level Walk
29:42 - Linking to Anaplan
32:25 - Model Map and Push
34:41 - Workflow and Refresh
37:15 - Q&A Begins
54:43 - Closing Remark
Frequently Asked Questions
* Connectivity & Integration: Attendees were very interested in how ADO connects with other systems. This includes questions about integration with various data sources like Azure, Snowflake, Google Cloud, and on-premise solutions like Oracle.* ADO has pre-built connectors to many different systems. Each connector has it's own protocol for how it connects to the source system, for example: SQL connectors typically use JDBC as the connection protocol.
* Hierarchy Management: Many questions centered on the management of hierarchies and lists within Anaplan, a core data structure. This suggests a common challenge for users is maintaining complex and dynamic hierarchies.* ADO is very capable of assisting with hierarchy management, as demonstrated in the demo. Another powerful feature of ADO is the ability to "Balance" a ragged hierarchy. Complex hierarchy remapping that requires complex formula logic and the use of SUMS/LOOKUPS would still be best done in an Anaplan model until ADO gains new functionality to close the parity gap on what Data Hubs are doing today.
* Security & Access Control: Questions around security indicate that ensuring data governance is a key concern. This theme covers topics like user restrictions, workspace permissions, and secure data handling.* ADO utilizes "Dataspaces" to separate out different data sources or types of data based on your use case and how you choose to segregate your data. Access to ADO itself is restricted to the "Integration Admin" tenant level role. Each Integration Admin can be granted access to specific Dataspaces through Anaplan Administration. Integration Admin A might only have access to DEV and Finance dataspaces, while Integration Admin B might have access to all dataspaces.
Additional resources
Anaplan introduces Snowflake Writeback in Pipelines
Integrating your Oracle data: The Anaplan connector
Speeding up ADO data syncs with Workflow
Hybrid approach to planning and execution: Anaplan for Salesforce and ADO
For all articles on the Anaplan Community about Anaplan Data Orchestrator (ADO), click here.
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Polaris Modeling and Optimization Challenge recap — event recording available!
We recently hosted a Community Q&A Challenge inviting members to test their skills in Polaris modeling and optimization. Our internal experts developed a series of challenges, featuring a module rebuild alongside optimization challenges focused on the optimization of high calculation effort and high calculation complexity.
Theresa Reid ( @TheresaR), Architecture and Performance Director, and Seb McMillan (@seb_mcmillan), Principal Platform Adoption Specialist shared their expert perspectives as they walked through the challenges, providing insights on effective problem-solving strategies. They also shared their go-to optimization techniques and answered Polaris questions from the audience.
Watch the recording
https://play.vidyard.com/bKYZDhwscEyTkW7PTWxCw7
Timestamps
* Welcome and introductions — 00:00
* Guest hosts introduction — 1:50
* Module challenge — 2:38
* Optimization challenge: high calculation effort — 8:13
* Optimization challenge: high calculation complexity — 23:41
* Bonus questions: optimization techniques — 35:17
* Q&A — 43:13
You can check out a PDF of the event presentation below.
ACE Community Challenge Recap Polaris Modeling and Optimization.pdf
Links and resources
Below are links to articles we references in the presentation.
* Anaplan Polaris – Getting Started
* On-Demand Calculation in Polaris
* Anaplan Polaris – Optimizing Calculation Performance Using Inline Conditions
* Iterative Development in Polaris
To keep building your skills, check out our collection of Polaris articles here.
We highly recommend taking the Level 2 Model Building in Polaris course. In the words of our host, @TheresaR, it is the best way to "shift your mindset and instill the model building methods that will help you succeed in Polaris."
*In order to gain access to this training, you must have completed Level 1.
Questions? Leave a comment!
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Event recording available: CoModeler for Clear, Correct, Continuously Improved Models
If you missed our spotlight event on Anaplan Community Experience: CoModeler for Clear, Correct, Continuously Improved Models , a recording is now available. Our partners at Polestar Analytics, Steven Gnatovich and Vijay Vyakaranam shared with us how they are utilizing CoModeler in their implementations.
The session focused on exploring CoModeler and how it can be used to support model building and planning workflows within the Anaplan ecosystem. The discussion provided a practical look at how partners are leveraging the tool, including demonstrations of workflows, implementation approaches, and opportunities to improve efficiency and scalability for model builders. The event also highlighted emerging capabilities and gave attendees insight into how AI-assisted tooling may support future planning and development processes.
A recording of the event is below.
Recording
https://play.vidyard.com/34tnYngsAyNeEfUCjg1TeC.html?
Chapters
0:00 - Welcome
1:28 - Polestar Introductions
3:01 - Who is Polestar Analytics?
4:59 - CoModeler Overview
8:59 - CoModerler Demo
44:21 - Panelist Q&A
51:32 - Closing
Additional resources
CoModeler Overview | Anaplan Academy
CoModeler: Model Building Workshop | Anaplan Academy
The Future of Planning: Anaplan Co-Modeler in Action | Polestar Analytics
Request a Demo of CoModeler
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Event recording available: Anaplan Workflow expanded
If you missed our spotlight event on Anaplan Community Experience: Workflow Expanded, a recording is now available. Anaplan's Elizabeth Schera and Chris Stauffer share insights and strategies to optimize your processes.
Presenters highlighted how to thoughtfully design workflows around real business processes rather than forcing process into the tool, including when to use Workflow versus traditional model logic, how to avoid overcomplication, and how to ensure scalability. They also showed how Workflow can support cross-functional collaboration by aligning tasks with business roles and timelines, ultimately helping organizations close gaps between planning and execution. The session reinforced that strong Workflow design leads directly to better adoption, cleaner processes, and more reliable outcomes within Anaplan.
A recording of the event is below, and a PDF of the presentation can be found here:
ACE Workflow Event - 2026.04 - Copy.pdf
Recording
https://play.vidyard.com/jNik8duQnRgsEWfyXJLWgJ.html?
0:00 - Welcome
1:37 - Opening and introductions
2:29 - Agenda
4:54 - Recap from Previous Event
7:19 - Workflow Feature Update
23:31 - Workflow in Action
31:18 - Anaplan Workflow Demo
47:59 - Hierarchy Tasks Demo
51:46 - Q&A
Additional resources
Latest Platform Releases
September Release Page
Speeding up ADO data syncs with Workflow
Workflow Advanced on Anapedia
Previous Workflow in Anaplan Event
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Annual rollover best practices — event recording available!
Last month, we hosted a Community Challenge inviting members to share their annual rollover best practices. We provided prompts to encourage members to share how they prepare for this critical time-of-year activity, their strategies for a smooth and successful rollover, and to inspire others in the Community with their expertise.
Yesterday, we hosted an event to highlight the responses we received from the Community Challenge. Allison Slaught (@allison_slaught), Anaplan Intelligence Director – OEG, and Elizabeth Schera (@ElizabethS), Director of Product Utilization and Adoption, shared their expert insights on the most effective techniques for making your annual rollovers seamless and repeatable.
Allison and Elizabeth presented the insights in four key pillars: proactive time management, developing a structured plan, new feature considerations, and process changes. Check out the recording and presentation below to dive deeper into each of these pillars and how to bring these best practices into your own annual rollover process.
Watch the recording
https://play.vidyard.com/teUbNzZEbu9TZoowZ2T7F7
Timestamps:
* Welcome and introductions — 0:00
* Guest hosts introduction — 2:07
* Community Challenge participants recognition — 3:53
* Annual rollover best practices key pillars overview — 4:49
* Time management — 5:19
* Develop a structured plan — 7:51
* Checklist content examples — 9:08
* New feature considerations — 24:03
* Process changes — 27:44
* Q&A — 34:43
* Closing — 42:54
You can check out a PDF of the event presentation below:
ACE Annual Rollover Best Practices Challenge Recap.pdf
Questions? Leave a comment!
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Event recording available: Introducing Combined Grids
If you missed our Power Hour event on Combined Grids, a recording is now available. This event covered how Anaplan’s new Combined Grids feature brings data from multiple modules into a single, unified view. We shared more about what makes this capability powerful, and heard from Anaplan customers who are already using it to simplify planning, and make faster, more confident decisions.
Speakers:
* Calvin Magondo, Product Manager at Anaplan
* Irina Ryabtseva, LMA (Local Market Activation) Manager / Market Activation Lead at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)
* Kartick SV, Unilever Development Lead / Fervid Pro Partner
* Steve Prendergast, Senior Principal Product Manager at Anaplan
Watch the recording
https://play.vidyard.com/9Tf4h5zsinLyi1KFZyNDDR
Timestamps:
* 0:00 Welcome & introductions
* 1:16 Anaplan presentation
* 11:58 JLR presentation
* 18:10 Unilever presentation
* 25:40 Q&A
* 48:26 Closing
Event presentation [PDF]
Anaplan's slides:
Combined Grids Webinar.pdf
JLR's slides:
Combined Grids - JLR.pdf
Unilever's slides:
Combined Grids - Unilever.pdf
Questions? Leave a comment!
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Recording now available! October 29 platform release event
If you missed our October 29, 2025 platform release event, the recording is now available!
In this webinar, we highlighted the most recent feature releases and how to take advantage of these in your environment. Our expert-led session demonstrated new features and innovations, provided a technical deep-dive and “how-to”, followed by a question and answer session with the audience.
Topics covered include:
* Enhance planning experience: See features in action that streamline the user experience and improve planning efficiency
* Improved page management: Explore enhancements that make page management faster and easier, including UX page dependency which shows model builders which UX pages are linked to each module
* Polaris functions: Check out functions now available in Polaris, including two Polaris-only functions
* Anaplan Data Orchestrator: See how you can now export inventory pages and datasets to CSV
Recording
https://play.vidyard.com/xLcspJhaSyd6EMXbF3MP44
Q&A
* What is the size limit for the export to CSV in Anaplan Data Orchestrator? 500 MB
* When exporting to CSV in Anaplan Data Orchestrator, do you specify the delimiter? No.
* For external URL navigation, can you direct to both an Anaplan link and an external link (ex. documentation outside of Anaplan)? Yes!
* Does the 'undo' feature work in the modeling experience? Yes, it works in both the UX and the modeling experience.
* Does the 'undo' feature work for copy across and copy down? Yes, it works for the most recent copy across/down action.
* For Workflow email notifications, can we customize the message based on the line item (ex. adding comments line item)? Any line item can be included in the email, including comments line items.
Note: There may be additional Q&A included in the recording that was answered live.
Catch up on recent releases:
* July* Release notes
* Supplemental blog
* August* Release notes
* Supplemental blog
* September* Release notes
* Release notes - Workflow Advanced
* Supplemental blog
Follow along for future events!
Stay up to date with all platform release announcements by subscribing to the platform release page on the Anaplan Community, and all platform events by subscribing to the events page. Look for the “bell” icon on the page to subscribe.
Questions? Leave a comment!
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Register for our October 29 platform release webinar!
Anaplan's next quarterly platform release webinar will be held October 29, 2025 at 8 a.m. Pacific Time. During this session, we will explore the latest features so you can optimize your Anaplan experience.
Our expert-led session will equip you with a practical guide and live demonstrations to help you get the most out of new features and innovations. Get your questions answered live during Q&A.
Features to be demo'd:
* Enhanced planning experience: See features in action that streamline the user experience and improve planning efficiency
* Improved page management: Explore enhancements that make page management faster and easier, including UX page dependency which shows model builders which UX pages are linked to each module
* Polaris functions: Check out functions now available in Polaris, including two Polaris-only functions
* Anaplan Data Orchestrator: See how you can now export inventory pages and datasets to CSV
Can't make it? Register for the event and a recording will be sent to all who register. A recap and recording will also be posted on Community.
Register here.
