Harnessing LLMs for enhanced Anaplan planning
Author: Joe van Bolderen is a Certified Master Anaplanner and founder of Van Bolderen Consulting Group.
Introduction
AI is changing the business landscape. The integration of external AI systems, particularly Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) models, into Anaplan's ecosystem marks a significant shift for the budgeting process. This article delves into how large language models (LLM) tools — such as ChatGPT — and other advanced technologies are transforming the workflows of Anaplan users.
The Impact of LLM tools on Anaplan
Transformer neural networks (ChatGPTs revolutionary learning framework) bring a new dimension to Anaplan capabilities. These AI models can process natural language, making them invaluable for analyzing unstructured data, automating report generation, and offering predictive insights. Here are some examples of how they can be leveraged by your business today to increase productivity:
- Data analysis: LLM models can interpret and analyze user queries in natural language, simplifying data analysis. This allows planners to easily review data outside of Anaplan before and after the planning process occurs. For example, a planner can ask, "What is the projected GDP of the United States for the next quarter based on current trends?" and receive an analysis based on the latest market data.
- Data transformation: LLMs can assist in data preparation tasks such as extracting key figures from unstructured sources, converting them into a structured format suitable for Anaplan. This includes parsing financial reports, news articles, and market analysis. For instance, a financial report might be processed to extract key performance indicators relevant to the planner's needs.
- Planning insights: These tools can automatically generate insights for your business, adding another perspective to your forecast. LLMs can analyze past trends, current market conditions, and potential future changes to provide a comprehensive view of what might lie ahead. Don’t trust an LLM? Upload documents, data, or images that you want the model to reference directly and prompt a quote, and page location of the information so that you can fact check yourself.
- Support: Allow planners to ask complex queries about Anaplan, their data, and their planning process in an easily understandable format. This functionality bridges the gap between the technical aspects of Anaplan and the user, making it more accessible and user-friendly.
"Ana" GPT Assistant: An AI companion
VBCG offers the "Ana GPT Assistant," a tool designed to provide a Master Anaplanner on-demand to all. Ana, utilizing data and documentation from Anaplan Community, serves as an expert in all things Anaplan, streamlining Anaplan-related insights and suggestions.
Ana can be a game-changer in various scenarios:
- Scenario planning: Ana can help planners create and analyze hypothetical scenarios based on textual descriptions of market conditions, regulatory changes, or new business strategies.
- Custom reporting: Planners can tailor their reporting needs. Ana can understand specific reporting requirements and format data accordingly.
- Streamlining data validation: Ana assists in data validation and cleansing, ensuring that the data fed into Anaplan is accurate and reliable.
Conclusion
The utilization of LLMs, like ChatGPT, with Anaplan represents a leap forward in the planning process. These tools offer unprecedented capabilities in data analysis, preparation, transformation, and enhancing the overall workflow for Anaplan users. The introduction of the Ana GPT Assistant is a testament to the potential of this integration, offering a glimpse into a future where AI and human expertise combine to create a more efficient, accurate, and accessible planning process. With these advancements, businesses can look forward to more robust, dynamic, and insightful planning capabilities, paving the way for smarter decision-making and a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving business world.
You can find Ana GPT here, available to all for free, on ChatGPT.
Questions? Leave a comment!
Comments
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Can you get Ana GPT to generate the blueprints? Just a matter of time I suppose…
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@JaredDolich Great suggestion! Quick answer, not yet.
Ana does leverage GPT4 and other base elements of ChatGPT, such as DALLE 3. With that, DALLE isn't yet reliable for blueprinting because it does not provide an editable base format which would be necessary in tweaking an initial output.
We are actively exploring options to add actions to Ana in an effort to make it more powerful. More to come soon.
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Ok, that's a great start.
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