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My journey on Workflow implementation — Part 1: the buildout
Author: Kevin Beltz has been a Certified Master Anaplanner since 2018 and is writing this blog on behalf of Wildflower Aspect.
Hello Anaplan Community!
Today I’m happy to share Part 1 of my Workflow journey. I segmented the blog into three sections: the state of Anaplan at my client, live build thoughts, and a summary section. These sections encapsulate my experiences and insights gained while understanding the technical aspects of Workflow. In the live build thoughts section, I documented my journey of setting up Workflow for the first time in April 2024. This journey is punctuated with enhancements, challenges, and moments of excitement.
Looking ahead, Part 2 is slated for a few months from now, by which time I anticipate having navigated through numerous workflow iterations with two distinct teams. Then I will present a comprehensive set of best practices, comparative metrics, and pre and post-release of Workflow to users. Stay tuned for that! Let’s get started…
The state of Anaplan at my client
The primary audience at 'my client' has been engaged with Anaplan for over two years. However, we have encountered resistance to the platform, and transitioning the team from Excel to Anaplan had proven to be a challenge at times. Recognizing this, our Anaplan Center of Excellence (CoE) identified Workflow as a cost-effective strategy to encourage users to adopt the Anaplan platform. We anticipate that Workflow — by providing a structured set of instructions — would facilitate a more complex business process. This, in turn, will encourage more users to review calculations and approve them, ultimately enhancing the Anaplan model and user experience.
Live build thoughts
Distribution v1 represented my initial foray into Workflow creation, characterized by its simplicity. I assigned myself as both the Assignee and Approver and found the process of receiving email notifications for each completed step enjoyable. I quickly realized that group tasks offered more flexibility than page tasks, providing backup coverage in case an employee is unavailable. The setup process for the Workflow was straightforward, intuitive, and quick for a linear workflow.
To gain further insights, I revisited the video #3 here: Lesson 3: Workflow Owner platform how-to and practice, a resource for Certified Anaplanners.
In Distribution v2, I experimented with the 'Assign to users from a line item in a module' feature to leverage boolean driven line items for submission and approval processes, aiming to drive Dynamic Cell Access in the model. However, I encountered a challenge when I realized that the workflow might not be synced to the Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) in the same way as models, which was a cause for concern.
The first step of the planning process required users to select the L1 in page selectors, fill out a form (via grid card type), and click a process button to create the L2. I created the User Workflow Module on the L1 dimension, which is the same dimension as the form. In the Workflow settings, I referenced the same item that drives Step 2 “Create ... ” in the screenshot below.
I set myself as the Amount to Allocate and Approve (two distinct Workflow steps) user and initiated the template, and quickly realized that I did something wrong. The Workflow started for all list members of L1 instead of just one member! I’m trying to create a process for events “forecasts” that are ad-hoc and are all on different schedules for each L1 member. Unfortunately, I am not able to use the more powerful “Assign users from a line item in a module” and I will go back to Distribution V1. Good thing I used the “Duplicate Template” button!
Thank goodness for the ‘cancel Workflow’ button!
I went back into the Workflow assignment on the task and discovered the “context setting.” I picked one list member.
This would be a great spot for my purposes if I could choose this context setting when kicking off the template, instead of buried down in a task. If I have 20 tasks with the same context setting, I as the Workflow owner need to update each task. You are able to do it for the time dimension but not any other lists. Anaplan needs to stop building special functionality for native time!
Update: In mid-May 2024, I discovered this in Workflow — you can sync the dimension to the Workflow. When you start the Workflow, you can check this. It would be great if you could do this for all twenty tasks at once, instead of five clicks into each task!
Distribution V3: In this version, the goal is to create a highly detailed Workflow. The process has numerous non-mandatory tasks, leading to variability in task execution. Sometimes task X is performed, while at other times, the process jumps straight to task Y. The starting point for this version is the ideal Step 1 of the process, which begins with different users, model, and app.
The notify step was tested to understand its functionality. Initial thoughts raised questions about the need for a pre-selected user and message. While pre-selecting a user seemed logical, the inability to customize the message was seen as a limitation. Further consideration led to questioning the purpose of this step, as a change in assignee between Step 2 and Step 3 would result in the new assignee receiving a notification upon completion of Step 3.
In Distribution V3, one Page’s process has been streamlined into six sequential steps in the Workflow, mirroring the instructions on the page. The first step involves loading the most recent distribution from Model AB to Model AC. This process, which runs overnight, captures any changes from the Workflow steps "Review Process A" and "Review Process B". The machine task workflow step was utilized for this process, proving to be intuitive.
For page steps 2A and 2B, utilizing boolean driven line items to drive page step 3 could be beneficial. However, a challenge arises when the same user accomplishes all steps simultaneously, eliminating the back-and-forth interaction between User 1 and User 2. This suggests that if only one user is responsible for the entire process, it may not be the most effective solution. Further investigation is needed to understand where approvals fit into the process. Despite these challenges, the original 8 steps on the page were successfully condensed into seven workflow steps.
Upon initiating the Workflow, I discovered that it's possible to edit the users and due dates for each task, even after the workflow has started. This flexibility in editing the template post-launch is quite beneficial.
Running the detailed Workflow
Right away, I noticed is that my images are not downloading automatically in Outlook. Work with IT to get emails to automatically download from no-reply@anaplan.com, otherwise the email is ****! The second piece I noticed immediately, was that I made a typo in the Workflow name, and I am unable to change the name once the workflow is running! This is quite unfortunate, but I will carry on.
As a training exercise, I found keeping the Workflow task menu open by clicking “Go to Task Inbox” is a better experience than clicking emails that open up new tabs.
I am dazzled by the machine task. It automatically triggers when the step before it is completed. I have a UX choice — should I separate all of the pages to apply to each Workflow step and remove the blue action buttons from them? I almost triggered Step 3 process instead of hitting the “complete task”.
Early lessons learned
* It is more effective to rewatch the Workflow trainings and follow along while building live, rather than just watching the videos and their prompts.
* Group tasks are preferred over page tasks, as they allow for writeback into the Anaplan model and facilitate easier task user setup in a module.
* Users can complete the Workflow using the app/pages instead of the Workflow dropdown. This was observed during a test workflow where users insisted that the capital event was complete and data was extracted to load to our accounting system, even though the team was only at Workflow step 2 of 10.
* It may be necessary to work with IT to enable automatic email downloads from no-reply@anaplan.com, or adjust settings to automatically download if permissions allow.
* Creating Workflow-friendly pages is beneficial, especially when the page has one or more process buttons that are part of that page's workflow. Machine tasks can be used to run the process instead of a user clicking the process.
* Users should be trained to keep the Workflow menu open in their browser and navigate to the next steps from there.
* It is recommended to run through the entire workflow individually, then with power users, before opening it up to the team.
* Create a page that displays the Workflow steps and the current progress in the process is helpful.
Great things about Workflow
* Setting up Workflow in Anaplan was straightforward, with a 21-step process created in about an hour.
* Reviewing the entire planning process for a model/app is beneficial. It helped identify pain points in the processes and app that were not previously expressed by users or caught by me. At the very least, this is a great review exercise.
* The ability to export the Workflow steps after completion was appreciated, as it will be useful for audit purposes.
* Machine tasks were found to be highly effective, as they can eliminate all the buttons on pages that users often forget to hit.
* The flexibility to edit users and due dates mid-process was a valuable feature.
My thoughts on future enhancements for the Workflow team at Anaplan
* Page selectors within Workflow should sync from one workflow step to another, similar to how they do in apps.
* When initiating a Workflow based on a template, it would be beneficial to input a due date for when the Workflow needs to be completed.
* In addition to linear Workflow, branching Workflow should be considered.
* It would be advantageous to have dynamic text capability in the title and instructions to match a list selection or a key input when duplicating or initiating a template.
* The ability to edit Workflow steps in the middle of the Workflow would be helpful, as most Workflow steps are quite similar and recreating them for changes can be tedious.
* Workflow templates should be ALM enabled and synced.
* The ability to change Workflow names and descriptions after they have been created would be beneficial. This would prevent the need to restart the entire process due to minor errors like typos.
* Integrating Cloudworks processes into Workflow should be considered.
* Decision tasks should be able to reference a module, similar to group tasks.
* The name and description of a Workflow template should be written into a module, ideally the same module where users are selected and their progress is tracked.
* When using a module with dimensionality, all tasks should be set to "sync to Workflow" instead of individually.
Stay tuned for part two later this year — I’ll cover best practices, comparative metrics, and the pre and post release of Workflow to users. Thanks for reading and let me know if you have questions!
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Appendix
: This is what I am calling “Workflow steps”:
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A conversation with Lis de Geus — Journey | Anaplan Community Podcast
Today we're excited to share episode 16 of Journey, an Anaplan Community podcast. Our host, Dennis Lemoine (@DennisL), Director of Customer Engagement & Experience, chats with Lis de Geus (@lis.degeus) — Certified Master Anaplanner and Principal Solution Architect at Bedford Consulting.
Lis has been in the FP&A space on both the customer side (Procter & Gamble, Booking.com, kpn) and now the partner side (with Bedford Consulting). She moved from Brazil to the Netherlands to take on an intriguing new role called “Anaplan model builder" — and her Anaplan career took off from there! In today's podcast, she talks about moving from the customer space to the consulting space, the difference between the two and what she has learned, how she approaches client conversations, and so much more. Tune in to this conversation that is guaranteed to offer perspective on Anaplan no matter what your own role in the ecosystem!
“Being alone [learning] on the customer side… it was really great to know I had Community there to go to when I needed.” - Lis de Geus
https://play.vidyard.com/8tZFKbBbcqWcFyXm1LkiiH
Thanks for tuning it, and let us know what people and topics you would like to see in future episodes.
Check Lis's blog posts in Community:
* Getting your users engaged by giving them … laptop stickers? (Mentioned in the podcast!)
* How I Built It: Waterfall calculation
* Smart Data Storage
View all past podcast episodes here.
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Level Mismatch Error
Hello All,
I am getting level mismatch error while set up the summary method as ratio, i am not able to set up the applied to and ratio as describe in the below ss simultaneously.
what is the possible reason for the error and any ideas and suggestion would be appreciated, thank you for your help.
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How I Built It: Creating functional P&Ls using line item subsets without COLLECT formula
Author: Austin van der Linden is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Senior Model Builder at Hubspot.
Hello Anaplan Community!
In this 'How I Built It' Tutorial, I show how you can build functional P&Ls using line item subsets as a mapping tool. One of the cool functionalities provided with line item subsets is that you can leverage them as a list for mappings. What is even more useful is that you can use a SUM formula to aggregate based on those mappings in the same module you used to create the line item subset. By doing this, you create a simple, dynamic, and flexible method of aggregating from base level data to a line item.
Key features:
* Dynamic properties mapping.
* Model cleanliness and efficiency by using SUM on a mapping.
* Best of both worlds: structure and mapping ability of a list AND flexibility and formatting of a line item.
* Solution does not need COLLECT() formula to work.
Check it out and let me know if you have questions!
https://play.vidyard.com/FEPf6mDiLebqicZtPpwwwd
Check out all the 'How I Built It' tutorials here.
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How I Built It: Limitless interdependent multi-select filters
Author: Daniel Badura is a Certified Master Anaplanner and Lead Architect at Dr. Oetker.
Hello Anaplan Community! In this ‘How I Built It’ tutorial, I show how you can build filters that filter filters, without using any dependent dropdowns. Each filter allows multiple selections, and they are all mapped using a single system module. This method offers a great deal of flexibility while being easy to build, maintain and extend.
This approach works best for big lists with many attributes, like products, campaigns, or accounts, especially when used in larger modules with few dimensions. It can be useful to uncover relationships and imbalances in master data.
Key features:
* A system module contains the mapping of each filter to the filtered list.
* Each filter has its own module with the Users list.
* The filters are displayed in single-column grids.
* Making a selection in one filter not only filters the data grid, but also the other filters.
https://play.vidyard.com/M3HtGXRVFAS9QYEXYaVh1k
Questions? Leave a comment!
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All ‘How I Built It’ tutorials can be found here.
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Updates to the Certified Master Anaplanner Exam study guide
Announcing the updated Certified Master Anaplanner Exam study guide: Essential Anaplan Topics
Achieving Certified Master Anaplanner status is a significant milestone in your Anaplan journey, demonstrating a mastery of the platform and a deep commitment to excellence in Connected Planning. To help you prepare for this achievement, we are excited to announce the release of the updated Certified Master Anaplanner Exam Study Guide!
This refreshed guide is designed to be your trusted companion as you prepare for the Certified Master Anaplanner exam. Whether you are sharpening your technical knowledge, refining your application skills, or diving deep into optimization strategies, this guide provides the comprehensive resources you need to succeed.
What you need to know about the Certified Master Anaplanner Exam
The Certified Master Anaplanner exam tests not only your foundational knowledge of the platform but also your ability to apply that knowledge in real-world scenarios. The exam format includes:
* Multiple-choice and multiple-selection questions.
* Scenario-based questions that test your application of PLANS and Anaplan best practices.
* Optimization questions that challenge your ability to design and improve models and for efficiency and scalability.
* Formula review and corrections to check appropriate model building capabilities.
You will have 90 minutes (1.5 hours) to answer 60 questions, with a passing score of 45. The mix of question types ensures that candidates demonstrate a well-rounded and expert-level understanding of the platform.
The exam fee is $550 plus local tax, per attempt. There is currently a limit of five attempts, an interval of two weeks for each attempt. There will be a summary grade for the topics provided to those who take the exam. If you do not pass, it is suggested that you review the topic categories you had a score lower than 75% percent. This can be found in the email you receive after completing the exam.
To help you feel confident and ready, the updated study guide maps the critical areas of focus and provides tips for success. It is structured to align with the skills and knowledge required to excel in the exam.
Get started today
Are you ready to begin your journey to achieving the top certification in the Anaplan Ecosystem? Be sure to review these helpful resources:
* Anaplan Solution Architect requirements (Anaplan Academy login required)
* Certified Master Anaplanner requirements (Anaplan Academy login required)
* Create a Webassesor account
* Email certification@anaplan.com for credential verification and registration
* Certified Master Anaplanner Exam FAQ
* [Now updated!] Certified Master Anaplanner Exam Study Guide: Essential Anaplan Topics
The path to achieving your status as a Certified Master Anaplanner is challenging but immensely rewarding. With the updated study guide in hand, you’re well on your way to achieving this prestigious certification and joining an incredible group of Anaplan experts who drive value throughout their organizations and the broad Anaplan Ecosystem.
Good luck, and we can’t wait to see you succeed!
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Certified Master Anaplanner Exam Study Guide: Essential Anaplan Topics
Certified Master Anaplanner Exam Study Guide: Essential Anaplan Topics
The best way to hone your expertise is practical experience. Being a certified solution architect is the first step, but we recommend one or more years of hands-on experience using Anaplan to uncover all you can do with the platform. Training can also help you advance your technical skills and learn best practices for working with Anaplan. In addition to our required training, the following materials can help you get a well-rounded understanding of the platform. Learn how you can grow your knowledge in the areas within this study guide for the Certified Master Anaplanner Exam.
The exam format is a combination of multiple-choice and multiple selection questions. There are 60 questions in the exam that need to be completed within 90 minutes (1.5 hours). The passing score is 45. There are knowledge-based questions which reference the review topics and application-based questions that check the learner’s experience using the Anaplan. To reiterate, it advisable that those planning to take the exam have sufficient model building and project implementation experience.
Other helpful links regarding the exam:
* Requirements to register for Certified Master Anaplanner Exam
* Exam FAQs
CMA Exam Topics
Data Hubs
* Data Hubs: Purpose and Peak Performance
Center of Excellence
* Building a Center of Excellence
* Introduction to Centers of Excellence
* Selecting Center of Excellence Governance Structures
* Center of Excellence Roles and Responsibilities
* Why Do I Need a Center of Excellence?
Data Integration
* Data Related Training Classes
* Get Started with Imports
* Exports from Anaplan
* Overview of Private and Default Files
* Import Data Sources
* Data Integration
* Anaplan Connect
* Guide to Data Integration using Anaplan REST API
* Anaplan API Guide and Reference
Anaplan Extensions
* Excel Add-in Version 4.0
* Third-party Data Integration
Application Lifecycle Management (ALM)
* ALM Overview
* Revision Tag Best Practices
* Save Incomplete Changes when Synchronizing in ALM
* Production Lists Overview
* Structural Information Reference
Model Building Best Practices
* Best Practices for Module Design
* Formula Optimization in Anaplan Knowledge
* Time Range Application
* Reduce Calculations for Better Performance
* PLANS–This Is How We Model Shared Best Practice
* Add Notes
Formulas and Functions
* Calculation Functions
* YEARTODATE Function
* Formula Structure for Performance
* SELECT Function
* RANK Function
Dynamic Cell Access
* Dynamic Cell Access
* Dynamic Cell OR Selective Access
* Dynamic Cell Access Learning App
Selective Access
* Selective Access (Anapedia)
* Selective Access (Academy)
Time Ranges
* Time Ranges
* Introduction to Time Ranges
* Time Ranges–The Basics
Dashboard Filtering
* Filter (Anapedia)
* Filter Best Practice
The Anaplan Way
* The Anaplan Way - OnDemand (Learning Center)
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AI and ADO brings planning innovation with Joe van Bolderen — Journey | Anaplan Community Podcast
We’re kicking off 2025 with a bang and an outstanding Community member for our first podcast of the year. Join me in welcoming Joe van Bolderen (@Joe_VBCG) to Journey, an Anaplan Community podcast along with host Dennis Lemoine, Director of Customer Engagement & Experience.
Joe has been a Certified Master Anaplanner since 2018, and is currently the Founder and Managing Partner at VBCG. Joe is passionate about helping organizations leverage AI to achieve their strategic goals with Anaplan's platform. He values innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning, and strives to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the team. We value that immensely in Community, where Joe has shared thought-leadership in articles, comments, and resources to help others.
Learn about Joe’s journey in the Anaplan ecosystem, his passion for content creation and social media, what he geeks out about (hint: how to apply AI agents on Anaplan!), the LLM tool he has created for helping others use Anaplan, and more.
“There are a lot of Anaplan instances out there that are running well, and the companies are planning better, in a central location, more powerfully than they would in Excel. But there’s a lot of room to grow, at those companies too. Never get comfortable with your planning process. Always keep pushing the boundaries, because every model we go into can have some improvements, so keep looking at it as if it’s a new model. Keep improving on it. Keep trying new things. Because there is a whole lot more impact you can be having…” - Joe van Bolderen
https://play.vidyard.com/QggAtMQxkAaUjeio1MHRBg
Be sure to check out Joe’s articles in Community:
* Harnessing LLMs for enhanced Anaplan planning
* Maximizing momentum: The pre-kickoff checklist
Thanks for tuning it!
Interested in being on our podcast? Reach out to communitycontent@anaplan.com!
View all past podcast episodes here.
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