Current Challenge
In Anaplan XL, the Allow Writeback option is currently configured at the workbook level and must be enabled separately for each new workbook or grid.
For teams that frequently use writeback functionality, this creates repetitive setup work and increases the risk of users forgetting to enable the setting when creating new workbooks.
Proposed Enhancement
Introduce a global Anaplan XL setting that allows users or administrators to configure Allow Writeback as the default behavior for all newly created workbooks and grids.
For example:
- Add an option in Anaplan XL Settings or Preferences:
- Enable Writeback by Default for New Workbooks
- When enabled, all newly created workbooks automatically have the Allow Writeback setting turned on.
- Existing workbook-level controls can remain available for exceptions.
Business Benefit
- Reduces repetitive manual configuration.
- Improves user experience and productivity.
- Ensures consistent workbook configuration across teams.
- Reduces onboarding and training effort for new users.
- Minimizes cases where writeback-enabled processes fail because the setting was overlooked.
Use Case
Our team regularly creates new Excel workbooks connected to Anaplan models and relies on writeback functionality for planning and forecasting activities.
Currently, users must remember to enable Allow Writeback each time a new workbook is created. A global default setting would streamline workbook setup and ensure a more consistent experience across all users.
Desired Outcome
Allow organizations to set Allow Writeback as a global or user-level default so that all new Anaplan XL workbooks automatically support writeback without requiring manual configuration each time.
