Using Icons?

R_Goza

Let's talk about images, are you using icons in your pages?  I'm interested in your feedback on the topics below: 

• What's your favorite source for finding images or icons?   
• How are you hosting your images?  Do you leverage internal systems like Box or SharePoint, or do you use free websites like Imgur?  If you leverage internal systems like SharePoint, did you have to overcome any security challenges like the user having to be logged into SharePoint to see the images in Anaplan?  
• How are you using icons in your pages? 

Feel free to share any tips or tricks, best practices, or considerations when using visuals.  

HollyRieke

Don't forget to check out this article for more tips on icons! 

Alexandru.Rosca

Personally I use images but more for communication purposes rather than icons, but the more we'll be using new UX probably we will start finding new use cases. 

As for the storage, we began using our internal shared pint sites, but always bumped into access issues (not login related but with the way we share the file with entire organization-couldn't make it work in a reliable way) -   and eventually we switched to Imgur. We also make sure no confidential data is stored on those sites. 

HollyRieke

Thanks for your feedback! I look forward to hearing about new use cases as you move forward.

guillaumechaffaut

Hi,

In our case we use icons from here. They are pretty useful for titles for example.

For images, we host them on sharepoint or cloud platforms. The problem with Sharepoint is that you have to have access to the Sharepoint...

We use our images to display for example products on pages for planning, but also our logo at the top of our pages !

Regards, Guillaume

HollyRieke

Great feedback! Thanks for sharing.

Alessio_Pagliano

@R_Goza , @HollyRieke , 

 

I created a post in the Master Anaplanners forum last week and Chris redirected me to this forum. This thread seems very relevant so I'm sharing my experience & challenges on here.

 

Firstly, I understand there is a plan for an Anaplan to host library of images directly within the tool and that there would be a phased approach, something like :

phase 1 - Central repository of icons and images that could be used by Admins 

phase 2 - Ability for admins to upload their own set of images (eg own product images, etc)

 

I'm interested in both and I've got a specific requirement, particularly for phase 2

I have created a page which is used both internally and by specific anaplan users as a collaborative tool. 

The way I built it is that we are using a public imaging hosting service to store non sensitive images, then both our users and Anaplan can provide the image URL. The end result is that everyone with access to the app would be able to visualize the image within the page (see below)

 

 

Guess what ? Our security team has now blocked access to that site and it can no longer be used. There are other public sites that aren't blocked...yet! Plus you will always have the challenge in what you should upload & share in a public site.

On the other hand we could use Sharepoint, however, people need access to it, they need to be logged in and it can't be easily shared with external partners.

 

I'm going to post on here to try and get visibility on the anaplan roadmap for this feature + any relevant experience /tricks from others 

 

Thanks,

Alessio

R_Goza

@Alessio_Pagliano, thank you for taking the time to share your input. 

 

The ability to host images in Anaplan has been added to the idea exchange (you can view it here), and it's on the roadmap for early next year. At the moment there aren't any specifics on phases or timelines. 

 

Unfortunately, I don't have any tips/tricks that you haven't already outlined.  If I think or hear of anything I'll let you know.  

 

In the meantime, it might be worth subscribing to the Releases page in Community, if you aren't already.  Any new platform enhancements would be noted here. 

DavidE

I love the idea of using icons as one way to help take a model's UX from looking like a bunch of stale tables and numbers into a more colorful and pleasant experience.

 

• How are you hosting your images?  Do you leverage internal systems like Box or SharePoint, or do you use free websites like Imgur?  If you leverage internal systems like SharePoint, did you have to overcome any security challenges like the user having to be logged into SharePoint to see the images in Anaplan?  

I use Imgur usually..and I try to keep a log of common URL's to icons I use regularly. But with finding icons, setting up a host link, creating line items and setting them up in UX all introduces about 5-6 extra steps for each icon, so I believe many SA's and MB's end up skipping it altogether simply because of the time it takes away from a build. What would be awesome would be the ability to keep a module with links already set up pointing to icon URL's  in a private workspace, and just import line items into a model being built.  Or even a common archive to do so built into the UX that didn't require URL's at all.

 

• How are you using icons in your pages? 

Sizing on the page is always a gripe for me when using icons. I find that most icons to be a square aspect ratio, which doesn't really play nice with the UX's 12 column layout and the amount of bordering white space between a card's content and the border of the card.  I rarely want the icon to be enormous, just a little image to break up the monotony on the page.  But I find they are either squished down to be too small (1 column wide) or are way too large (2 columns wide) taking up too much space.  

 

I would love the ability to reduce / remove the amount of "cushion" around the border of an image card to help solve this problem.  

 

I also prefer to show Icons on the page and page titles with their card backings hidden because I find it visually overwhelming when every card on the page has its borders showing. This means the icon I want to use needs to have a transparent backing or it'll look really bad.  With that, I generally have to go into photoshop and remove any backing to an icon, which is another step.

 

I say all that in case there are any plans to host sets of icons for easier use in Anaplan, that they be transparent versions 😉

Anren

Hi! I"m newbie here.

Thanks for sharing this siteof icons. Its good that there is a great variety of themes!