Maximize your Anaplan experience: Tips to unlock the power of the platform
Author: Shivankur Sharma is a Certified Master Anaplanner and assistant manager in the consulting industry.
Anaplan is a versatile cloud-based planning and performance management platform that empowers businesses to make informed decisions and drive operational excellence. But it can be overwhelming to get started in the ecosystem! In this article, we will explore what users new to Anaplan can do to optimize your experience, along with the tools I recommend to take advantage of to unlock the full power of the platform.
New to Anaplan? Make sure you…
- Understand your business requirements
Before diving into Anaplan, it is crucial to thoroughly understand your business requirements. Identify the key objectives, challenges, and processes that you aim to address using the platform. This understanding will help you design and build Anaplan models that align with your unique requirements, ensuring the platform delivers maximum value for your organization. By mapping your business processes and data flows, you can ensure that Anaplan models accurately represent your organization's operations. Having that information decided and the stakeholders united, you can then begin! Get started by writing your project manifesto. - Leverage Anaplan's App Hub and Support sites
Anaplan offers a wide range of templates in the App Hub, to help you build models and complex solutions. These resources can serve as valuable starting points for your planning and modeling processes. By utilizing these templates, you can accelerate your implementation and benefit from proven approaches tailored to your industry. Also utilize Support for an extensive library of guidelines, expertise, and step-by-step articles from internal experts. By leveraging these resources you can save time, improve efficiency, and ensure that your models adhere to best practices. - Collaborate and share knowledge in the Community
The Anaplan Community is a vibrant hub where Anaplan users can connect, collaborate, and exchange knowledge. Engage with the Community by participating in forums, read and comment on articles, and learn from recent events. Don’t be afraid to share your own experiences, ask questions, and learn from others. By actively participating in the Community, you can tap into the collective wisdom of the user base and leverage their insights to enhance your Anaplan experience. And then pay it forward by helping others! I especially recommend the Best Practice articles from the OEG team (Operational Excellence Group)! - Embracing Anaplan's agility and flexibility
Anaplan offers a highly flexible platform that allows you to adapt and evolve your models as your business requirements change. Leverage this flexibility to experiment, iterate, and fine-tune your models to achieve the desired outcomes. Anaplan's agile planning capabilities enable you to make real-time adjustments and collaborate seamlessly across teams and departments. By embracing this agility, you can respond rapidly to market changes, optimize your planning processes, and drive better decision-making within your organization. This article is a great reminder about how model building is a fluid process: Building in Anaplan while avoiding perfectionism. - Invest in Anaplan training and certifications
To unlock the full potential of Anaplan, invest in training and certification programs offered by the Anaplan Academy. These programs provide in-depth knowledge about the platform's functionalities, advanced modeling techniques, and best practices. By becoming a Anaplan model builder, Solution Architect, or Certified Master Anaplanner, you can demonstrate your expertise and gain a deeper understanding of how to utilize Anaplan effectively. Training programs also offer hands-on experience and practical insights that can help you navigate complex modelling scenarios you may be presented with in your company. By investing in ongoing training, you can enhance your skills, maximize your efficiency, and become a more proficient Anaplan user. There are also On-Demand short lessons available! - Continue to optimize and enhance your models
Anaplan is a dynamic platform that allows you to continuously optimize and enhance your models. Regularly evaluate your model performance, review the data inputs and outputs, and refine your formulas and calculations. By actively monitoring and refining your models, you can ensure their accuracy, reliability, and relevance to your business. Also, stay on top of Platform releases and updates to ensure you’re up-to-date on the latest features and functionality.
Conclusion
Anaplan is a powerful platform that empowers organizations to streamline their planning and performance management processes. By understanding your business requirements, leveraging Anaplan's resources, actively participating in the Community, embracing agility and flexibility, investing in training, and continuously optimizing your models, you can unlock the full potential of Anaplan and drive transformative outcomes for your organization.
What other resources would you recommend to people new to the ecosystem to maximize their Anaplan experience?