Blog

Articles about the Anaplan Community and Connected Planning

Modulation in Anaplan
Author: Arun Thakar, Vice President in the banking industry. In cases where you have a single DEV model and multiple TEST and PROD models, the situation may arise where one user group asks for a feature that is not required for other users in different models. All too often the answer is to build modules, lists, and logic…
Structure is what makes AI work: Next-generation decision-making in Anaplan
Author: Miki Sato is a Product Manager, Product Management Team (Data Management) at Anaplan. Earlier this week, our CPTO Adam Thier announced a set of AI-driven innovations designed to advance enterprise decision-making. Three products — Custom Analyst, Agent Studio, and CoModeler — are now generally available, and…
How to create a dynamic time list using a numbered list
Author: Tyler Beck is a Certified Master Anaplanner at TBLB LLC, and is currently a Team Lead at CVS Health. Use case A client requests a flat list for time that will change year over year and does not want to manually update the list, and does not want to use native time. Instead of creating a production list to update…
Using territory maps with Anaplan
Author: Paola Malafaia is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Associate Consultant at Cornerstone Performance Management. After setting up Territory Maps, I had a few learnings and I thought it would be helpful for other developers to put some notes about the basic settings of this mapping feature for dummies. The goal here…
How I Built It: Dynamic driver-based planning
Author: Chris Allen is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Manager at Allitix part of Accenture. Hi Anaplan Community! This ‘How I Built It’ video shares a dynamic feature to toggle between different planning methodologies corresponding to different lines on the P&L for driver-based planning. It's a feature that can be…
Create export template for Anaplan users to import using months
Author: Tyler Beck is a Certified Master Anaplanner at TBLB LLC, and is currently a Team Lead at CVS Health. Use case An end user needs to export a template from Anaplan using Months as the time period in columns, and qualitative data in rows. When the template is exported as a CSV file the years in the dates turn to days…
Recognizing your impact: new points, badges, and ranks!
Inspired by the incredible engagement and collaboration we see in our Community every day, we want to better celebrate your contributions. We’re thrilled to introduce our updated Community ranks to clearly map out your engagement journey with us! Recognizing your Community contributions We've updated our Community ranks to…
Interviewing and onboarding Anaplanners
Author: Andrew Barnett is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Vice President at PJT Partners. Having worked at several firms in the Anaplan ecosystem, both on the partner side and as a customer, I’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to hire and develop the right Anaplan talent. Bringing an experienced Anaplanner onto your…
Discover how Anaplan turns complex workforce simulations into real-time insight
Author: Judee Dimapilis is a Certified Master Anaplanner and co-founder at Malaya Tech Consulting. Preparing for a major business launch is always complex, especially in the gaming and leisure industry where coordinating different departments, opening phases, and staffing requirements add another layer of operational…
How I Built It: Dynamic Allocation Order
Author: Kndia Davis is a Certified Master Anaplanner with five years architecting scalable Anaplan models. Dynamic allocation order is a foundational requirement across many industries, whether you’re distributing inventory, assigning capacity, or prioritizing financial allocations. In most Anaplan models, this allocation…
Combined Grids: examples in accounting and construction
Author: Jonathan Cushing is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Senior Consultant at Vuealta Consulting. As a Chartered Accountant and someone who has experience in both in-house consulting roles for housebuilding and construction companies, I was excited by the release of Combined Grids in Anaplan. For years, when end-users…
Fiscal to Gregorian calendar conversion in Polaris
Author: David Edwards is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Associate Partner at Columbus Consulting. For retail and consumer goods companies, a common issue occurs when different departments (typically supply chain and finance) utilize different calendar structures. Supply Chain teams often rely on a fiscal calendar (such…
A quick reference guide to hierarchical structures in Anaplan
Author: Arun Thakar is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Vice President in the banking industry. Lists and hierarchies are a key foundational aspect to model building. In Anaplan, lists are a critical building block of the model and depending on which structure one uses can greatly impact user experiences, model…
How I Built It: User filters with variable hierarchy properties
Author: Erik Svensson is a Certified Master Anaplanner and a Principal Solution Architect at Anaplan. Hello Anaplan Community! Thank you for checking out my ‘How I Built It’ tutorial. In this video, I demonstrate a powerful technique for creating dynamic user filters. This solution gives your end-users the flexibility to…
Polaris: The science behind better business planning
Author: Parmod Kumar, Certified Solution Architect, and Financial Planning & Supply Chain Specialist at TCS. Reading time: approximately 8-10 minutes. Why the Polaris engine Is powerful and beautiful Polaris is Anaplan’s next‐generation calculation engine, built from the ground up to handle high dimensionality, sparse…
How I Built It: Center of Excellence App
Author: Marina Ketelslegers is a Certified Master Anaplanner and FP&A voice for Anaplan and AI passionate about CoE support, solution architecture, and training. Hello Anaplan Community! I’m sharing a short walkthrough of my Anaplan Center of Excellence (CoE) App designed to help new CoE leads set up their CoE with clarity…
A four-lens metrics system for Anaplan CoEs
Author: Marina Ketelslegers is a Certified Master Anaplanner and FP&A voice for Anaplan and AI passionate about CoE support, solution architecture, and training. I’ve seen how Anaplan Centers of Excellence (CoEs) start with strong momentum. There’s enthusiasm, executive support, and a clear ambition to make connected…
Anaplan API user reporting with Python
Author: Michael Moore is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Director, Enterprise Planning at HP. In this article I will cover: Why use Python for user administration? Prepare Begin OAuth2 login Finish OAuth2 login using redirect URL to fetch authentication token Import useful Python modules Fetch data about yourself Sort…
Share your favorite 2025 Anaplan features — November Community Challenge
As 2025 comes to a close, we're wrapping up the year with our final Community Challenge — and we want your input! Share your experiences with the Anaplan features that made a real difference in your work this year, and hear other Community member perspectives. Question for the Community Challenge: What were your favorite…
User Access Management in the UX
Author: Lis de Geus is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Customer Success Consultant at Bedford Consulting. Setting the details of a user’s access is usually a job for the workspace admin: decide their role and selective access to lists members. However, the Users tab is not always the friendliest, especially when thinking…
Share your annual rollover best practices — Community Q&A Challenge
The first Community Challenge of 2026 is officially here, and it's all about preparing your models for the future with seamless annual rollovers! A well-built Anaplan model anticipates the future. One of the most critical, yet often overlooked, aspects of model design is preparing for the annual rollover. Models are often…
Clay before carbon fibre, flat files before data full blown orchestration
Author: Alejandro Gomez Sanchez, Certified Master Anaplanner, and Principal Consultant. Data orchestration is a remarkable capability. When done well, it is genuinely transformative: comprehensive, accurate and dependable data for decision-making is available instantly. Beyond the satisfaction of well-orchestrated data, my…
Stop duplicating modules: Meet Combined Grids
Author: Vijay Pasumarthy is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Sr. Principal Consultant at Genpact. If you had two modules with a common dimension and wanted to show information from both on the same page, your options were limited: Build a new “combo” module and recreate all the line items or Drop two grid cards side by…
How I Built It: Rethinking scenario planning with Polaris
Author: Philipp Erkinger, Certified Master Anaplanner and Principal Solution Architect at Bedford Consulting. Dear Anaplan Community, The Anaplan Polaris Engine has brought a significant transformation in the way I construct and design Anaplan models. Over the past three years, I have had the privilege of working on…
Automated license and size management
Author: Anish There has 2.5 years of experience in Anaplan and is an Analyst at Deloitte. Managing user licenses and keeping track of model sizes in Anaplan can be daunting for teams juggling multiple models across DEV, QA, and PROD environments. Traditionally, consolidating user information means manually exporting from…
The new Anaplan IFP Apps: What you need to know
Author: Hardeep Dhuffar is a Certified Master Anaplanner at H8 Consulting. A real-life look at the pros, cons, and what it means for finance teams Finance teams are under more pressure than ever — faster forecasts, tighter budgets, endless scenario planning, and still somehow finding time to be “strategic partners.” Sound…
Did You Know? Anaplan Extensions
Author: Ahmed Brahim is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Senior Consultant at Atkan. Hello Anaplan Community! In this ‘Did You Know’ video, I’ll be going over the various Anaplan Extensions and covering: What Anaplan Extensions are The different add-ons available (Excel, Google Sheets, PowerPoint, etc.), Relevant use…
Harnessing the power of Combined Grids: A unified experience for developers and end users
Author: Saikrishna Bandaru is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Sr. Anaplan consultant. Introduction: Why Combined Grids matter With the October 2025 Anaplan release, one of the most impactful enhancements in the UX is the Combined Grids capability. Combined Grids allow page builders to bring together data from up to five…
From alternative to essential: The expansion of private markets
Author: Daniel Dunleavy, Certified Master Anaplanner and Manager at Alpha FMC. Private markets — once the domain of large institutions and specialized investors — are now playing a central role in how businesses grow and how capital flows through the economy. As the global economy moves into 2026, private investment in…
Top 25 Anaplan features released in 2025
Author: Misbah Ansari is a Certified Master Anaplanner, Anaplan Community Moderator, Leader India User Group, and Founder at Miz Logix. Anaplan has consistently released several features monthly to stay ahead of the competition and enjoy being a leader in the Connected Planning world. 2025 was no different and there were…
Forecasting tuition revenue with confidence: A finance leader’s playbook
Author: Lucas Proa Filippi, Senior Consultant and Certified Master Anaplanner. Forecasting tuition revenue is one of the most consequential planning exercises in higher education. For many institutions, it represents the single largest source of operating revenue. Even small forecasting errors can ripple across…
A reading list to broaden your abilities beyond Anaplan technical skills
Author: Tristan Colgate is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Managing Director at Fidenda. It’s early January and, after a well-needed break over the holiday season, many of us will be returning to work with renewed energy and a desire to level-up our careers over the coming year. I hope this article gives some ideas for…
Inspired by the best: Master Anaplanner insights to close out the year
Hello, Anaplan Community! What an amazing year it’s been! As we look back on 2025, I am absolutely blown away by the spirit of collaboration and support that defines our community. Every single day, you all show up for each other, sharing knowledge, solving complex challenges, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.…
’Twas the sprint before go-live
Author: Brent Orr is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Global Data Architect at Accenture. Set to the tune of 'Twas the night before Christmas'. ’Twas the sprint before go-live ’Twas the sprint before go-live, when all through the model, Not a calc was circular, not even a toddle. The blue cells were sparse, all formatted…
User Access Models (UAM): Why managing access is hard and how to make it work
Author: Artem Shchaulov is a Senior Anaplan Consultant and Solution Architect with 8+ years' experience implementing global EPM solutions. In my experience, User Access Management (UAM) inside Anaplan works perfectly as long as the model footprint is small. The built-in UI allows administrators to add users, assign roles,…
From trade promotions to profitability: A digital oath to revenue growth management
Author: Tingting Xia is a Certified Master Anaplanner, EPM Manager and Supply Chain practice lead in Keyrus with 8 years of Anaplan experiences. She has been leading and wrapping up a trade promotion planning solution at one of the top global breweries. Client challenges prior using Anaplan First and foremost, the massive…
Key recertification updates: Deadline and holiday support
To give everyone more flexibility during the busy holiday season, the recertification exam deadline has been extended to January 31st. The details Exams must be passed, not just scheduled, by January 31st. The promotion for Professional Solution Architects to take a free attempt at the Certified Master Anaplanners exam…
Anaplan Connect, automation, and AI
Author: Steven Kraplin is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Senior Financial Analyst at The MathWorks. Anaplan Connect is an Anaplan native tool designed to facilitate automation leveraging Anaplan’s API. Combined with a scheduling tool, this allows for bulk processing of data with limited to no touch points. Recently,…
Hybrid approach to planning and execution: Anaplan for Salesforce and ADO
Author: Miki Sato is a Product Manager, Product Management Team (Data Management) at Anaplan. In my previous post, I outlined the different ways Salesforce and Anaplan integrate — from the Embedded UX experience (Anaplan Tab) to data-level integrations such as the Anaplan Data Orchestrator (ADO) Salesforce Connector. Since…
How I Built It: Codebreaker game in Anaplan
Author: Chris Stauffer is the Director, Platform Adoption Specialists at Anaplan. My kids and I enjoy code-breaking games, and so I wondered if I could build one in Anaplan. Over the years, there have been many versions of code breaker games: Cows & Bulls, Mastermind, etc. The object of this two-player game is to solve…
What happens if you miss the Anaplan recertification deadline?
Maintaining your Anaplan certification is crucial for validating your expertise and staying current with the platform's latest advancements. Missing the recertification deadline means you will lose your certification status and need to start the certification process over from the beginning. This article outlines the…
How I Built It: Customizing Summary Methods
Author: Mitch Aist is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Principal Consultant at Tru Consulting. In this How I Built It video, I share a unique method for creating custom logic for Summary Methods. Learn how to create line items that can identify the hierarchy level of list items. You can even use this technique to utilize…
End user documentation made easy with Anaplan
Author: Hillary Sich is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Senior Manager at Accenture. Do you actually enjoy creating end user documentation for the models we build? Are you creating end user documentation as a Word document with multiple screen shots per page? If so, then this article is NOT for you! Why not leverage…
Planning, pie, and people: What I’m thankful for in the Anaplan Community
Author: Mikhil Agarwal, Certified Master Anaplanner and Delivery Manager at VISEO USA Inc. As we dive into the holiday season, a time for family, reflection, and maybe just one more slice of pie, I’ve found myself thinking about a different kind of table I sit at throughout the year. Not the one in the dining room, but the…
Recording available: Tackling frequently missed certification exam topics
Thank you to those who attended our recent event. If you missed it or would like to re-watch, here is the recording and a few resources to help with your recertifications! Don't wait to get the process started — you'll be glad you took the time to do it now before the holidays. Recording…
Unlocking AI's potential: How Anaplan's new data layer ends planning chaos
Author: Miki Sato is a Product Manager, Product Management Team (Data Management) at Anaplan. Your data is now harmonized, normalized, and ready for the AI era. 1. The scale AI needs Are you ready to truly leverage AI, but constantly hit a wall because of data chaos? In today's fast-paced environment, planning needs to be…
How I Built It: User Access Management
Author: Kevin Dale Bandelaria is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Solutions Delivery Head at OmniQuest, Inc. Solution overview The User Management process in Anaplan was developed to simplify how administrators set up and maintain model roles and selective access settings for users. Traditionally, configuring access in…
How to navigate a list index reset while preserving your planning data
Author: Evan Groetch is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Business Intelligence Manager at Fresenius Medical Care. Seeing that your list import has failed due to the index hitting its maximum value can be a frustrating experience. Cursory research on Anapedia will show you there is a “Reset” button at the bottom of the…
Less granular, more accurate: The "granularity = responsibility" principle in FP&A
Author: Taichi Amaya, Certified Master Anaplanner, and Financial Planning and Analysis Specialist at Pasona Group, Inc. Reading time: approximately 5-6 minutes. "We need more detail in our forecasts. Let's have each sales rep submit their numbers individually — that way, we'll be more accurate." Sounds reasonable, right?…