We’re excited to launch our September 2025 Community Challenge, focusing on one of the most critical aspects of Anaplan success: data integrations. Whether you’re just getting started with CloudWorks or Anaplan Connect, or you have built advanced orchestrations using APIs and Anaplan Data Orchestrator, integrations are at the heart of connecting Anaplan to the rest of your ecosystem.
This month’s Challenge is your chance to showcase how you move data in and out of Anaplan, share tips that have made your integrations run smoothly, and inspire others in the Community.
Challenge prompts
To help spark your ideas, here are some questions you might explore in your response.
Note: Please avoid using AI/ChatGPT when writing your Challenge response — it should come from your own expertise so the Community can learn from you!
Please select one to two prompts from the Beginner or Advanced categories below to answer!
Beginner focus
- How do you set up a simple import or export between Anaplan and a source system?
- What are your go-to tips for mapping flat files or leveraging saved views?
- Do you prefer CloudWorks or Anaplan Connect for your first integrations — and why?
Stretch goals (advanced concepts)
- How do you orchestrate multiple integrations together using Anaplan Data Orchestrator or scheduling tools?
- Have you used APIs to automate your flows? If so, what benefits did you gain?
- What error handling, monitoring, or logging practices keep your integrations reliable?
- Any advice for working with large files or optimizing performance?
Learnings
- In addition to sharing your tips, tell us about mistakes you’ve made and what you have learned from them — your experiences with data integrations can help fellow Community members succeed.
Bonus
- Share a diagram, workflow screenshot, or snippet of your integration script to illustrate your process.
How to participate
- The data integrations Best Practices Challenge kicks off today, September 9, and concludes on September 26.
- Post your response directly in this thread — whether it’s a detailed write-up, a quick list of tips, screenshots, or even a short video walkthrough. Pick one or two prompts from the beginner or advanced categories and let us know your responses! No matter your style, your perspective will help the Community grow.
- Check out tips shared by your fellow Community members.
What's in it for you?
- Recognition: Gain recognition as a data integration pro in the Community.
- Learn from your peers’ creative approaches and best practices.
- Earn a badge: As a thank you for your participation, everyone who shares their best practices will receive an exclusive Community Challenge badge. It’s a fun way to show off your contribution!
- Earn a shout-out in our upcoming event: on October 28, we’ll be hosting an event discussing data integration best practices in an upcoming ACE Spotlight event. Participants' responses will be highlighted at this event.
Ready to get started?
Share your data integration best practices below — whether you’re a beginner experimenting with your first CloudWorks schedule or an advanced builder orchestrating complex API workflows, your learnings and ideas will spark inspiration across the Community!
