When entering a formula or you have completed a formula and line items references by it are highlighted or shading in a conditional format when in the formula bar - similar to excel. This would really help when you have similarly named line items or really long formulae.
I believe this would be a very impactful tool for model builders and power users. The idea is to help write or verify a formula. In its most basic form, the tool would auto-indent formulas just like in an app like xcode:
IF
X = Y
AND
BooleanVariable
THEN
VariableX[
LOOKUP : LineItem
]
ELSE
VariableY[
SUM : LineItem
]
A little version of that is already available in the drill-down functionality. In fact, I tell clients to use the drill-down functionality to check their formulas. If only the basic indentation of the drill-down menu would appear when you re-open the formula input field, already this would be a big improvement. Then if colors are added, it would make it even better. I suspect, doing this may require a level of syntax check as you enter the formula. This would go hand in hand with several other requests to check the syntax before submitting a formula, one of which is already on the roadmap:
There is a third-party chrome plugin available made by a french consulting company. I fully agree that this should be incorporated into the platform but untill that is the case the chrome plugin really works for me. It includes indentation and color coding and even fills your formulas (when you start typing). You can find it on: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/a%20-for-anaplan-model-buil/najhicgfojolaebaoccdbopmobcdhp...
There are some tools that exist that work pretty well, but aren't automatically updated (need to maintain formulas, etc), but I agree this would a massive value add for model builders.
Considering Anaplan is formulated in English to an extent, having a similar approach to Python syntax and linting would be the best, in my opinion. Use tabs for nested functions, highlighting, and checking for completed parenthesis, etc.
There is a Chrome add-in called "A+ for Anaplan (Model Builder Edition)" that has worked for me pretty well over the past couple months in accomplishing some of these request. I would check it out. It does nested If/then statements; color codes items; and allows you to search for line items and names when typing out a formula. One thing to note: It only works when your formula bar is locked to the left side of the screen.
I hesitate to share because as it is maintained by a 3rd party and not Anaplan, I don't want this removed from the roadmap as the 3rd party could stop supporting the add-in whenever they feel like it.
As for Chrome extensions we cannot use them unless they are maintained by Anaplan company or another secure developer, as we found out they have access to models meta-data. So please keep built-in highlighting on the roadmap.
I too use the A+ for Anaplan (Model Builder Edition) extension for Chrome. I have found it to be incredibly helpful for long and complex formulas (especially for IF statements). I have also found it valuable particularly useful when teaching new Anaplan users the syntax used within Anaplan.
The extension is useful, but would be great to have this included natively for a more seamless experience specifically around highlighting which variable of the function you should be entering as you go.
As I remember the Chrome extention was not approved by Anaplan company. Once we found the extention too, but discovered it can send the meta data of the models somewhere. So it is not secure and not a valid workaround.
