Author: Mikhil Agarwal, 7x Certified Master Anaplanner and Delivery Manager at VISEO USA Inc., New York.
Anaplan has a unique ability to bring teams together around a single, connected view of the business. When implemented well, it becomes more than a planning tool and becomes part of how decisions are made. However, long-term success depends on how comfortable users feel with the platform, how well they understand its value, and whether they see it as their system rather than just another corporate tool.
End user engagement is not something that happens at go-live or during initial training. It develops over time through consistent communication, thoughtful enablement, and a clear understanding of how different users interact with Anaplan in their day-to-day roles.
Start by recognizing that users interact with Anaplan differently
One of the strengths of Anaplan is its ability to serve a wide range of users from hands-on planners to senior leaders. That also means engagement looks different for each group:
- Some users work in Anaplan daily.
- Some interact with it during planning or forecast cycles.
- Some only engage when numbers look “off”.
A single engagement approach rarely works for all of them.
Segment users before deciding how to communicate
A simple but effective way to improve engagement is to group users based on how they use the platform:
- Key users: These users care about speed, clarity, and knowing exactly what has changed.
- Reviewers: Managers and controllers want confidence in the numbers and clarity on actions.
- Executives: They engage with outcomes, not technicalities.
Choose the right medium (this matters more than people think)
The medium you choose often determines whether your message is absorbed or ignored.
- For key users
- Short zoom / Teams’ videos
- Live working sessions during close or forecast cycles
- Dedicated Slack / Teams channel for quick questions
- For reviewers
- Clean emails with:
- what changed
- what action is needed
- by when
- One-page PDFs or screenshots showing “before vs after”
- For executives
- No training. Ever.
- One slide or dashboard visual explaining:
- what decision this supports
- what changed since last time
- what risk/opportunity exists
The goal is not to communicate more; it is to communicate in the way users naturally consume information.
Communicate early and consistently
Proactive communication builds confidence in the platform. Simple updates such as upcoming changes, expected data movements, or temporary performance impacts help users stay aligned and avoid confusion. Over time, this consistency reinforces Anaplan as a reliable and well-managed system.
Create visible feedback loops
Engagement improves significantly when users feel their input matters.
What works well:
- Maintain a visible backlog (even a simple SharePoint list)
- Categorize requests as:
- Planned
- Under review
- Not prioritized (with reason)
Even when requests are not implemented, transparency builds trust.
Look beyond logins to measure engagement
True engagement is reflected in behavior, not access metrics.
Better indicators:
- Are users submitting inputs on time?
- Are offline files reducing?
- Are follow-up emails decreasing each cycle?
These provide a much more accurate picture of how embedded Anaplan has become in the business.
Closing thought
Strong end user engagement turns Anaplan from a planning system into a shared decision-making platform. With the right communication strategy, tailored enablement, and consistent follow-through, organizations can ensure Anaplan continues to deliver value well beyond go-live.
Thank you for taking the time to read and for being part of such a collaborative and forward-thinking Anaplan community. The real strength of this ecosystem lies in people sharing ideas, experiences, and lessons learned. Here’s to better planning, smarter decisions, and people helping people. Until we meet again, happy Anaplanning!
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