News and Events

During 2021, Certified Master Anaplanners demonstrated their thought leadership, technical expertise, and evangelism for the amazing ways Anaplan can solve problems, drive innovative solutions, and help organizations adapt quickly and effectively to internal and externally changing environments. As we drive forward into 2022, we want to recognize Master Anaplanners for demonstrating these traits.   Master Anaplanners must meet two key requirements during 2022 to renew their certifications for 2023. Remain/Renew Certification as a Certified Solutions Architect Complete Master Anaplanner Contribution Activities for a total of 400 points There will be a new mid-year check-in requirement for Master Anaplanners to complete half (200 points) of the annual points requirement by June 30 th , 2022, or ensure they have activities totaling 200 points lined up and confirmed by that date. There will be more to come on this!

We are excited to announce that the Master Anaplanner Certification Exam has officially launched by a third-party skills assessment and certification vendor, Kryterion Global Testing Solutions!

There’s no doubt Certified Master Anaplanners made an impact in 2020: on top of keeping their skills sharp by completing all the courses in the new training path, they up-leveled the rest of the ecosystem by training over a quarter of all new model builders, helped Anaplan get recognized as an industry leader by writing peer reviews, and created traction for model builders to learn from one another through Anaplan Live!   Many of these Anaplan experts are already making their mark this year, as evidenced by the list of published contributions at the end of this post and the reports of advocacy, talent development, and peer reviews that we’ve received. We shared the high-level details in our overview of Maintenance Requirements for Year 2021; what follows is more information on the specific contribution opportunities. Below is a starter list of activities Certified Master Anaplanners can do for maintenance credit. More opportunities – which current members can help shape – will come up throughout the year.  We are tracking everything internally for the time being and can share progress with each individual as needed. If you’re not sure if your contribution has been recorded, please contact whoever is listed under the “submission process” column. On the technical side, Certified Master Anaplanners are already Certified Solution Architects will simply need to take a short, non-proctored test (free of charge) that will validate all of their certifications for 2022. More information coming by fall 2021. Thank you for everything! We are so impressed by your work and collaborative spirit. New Contributions (Last updated: December 2021) We are adding the new opportunities below to help you complete your contribution requirements this year. Contribution Type Description Availability Submission Process Points Persona Hubs (In Development): Strategic engagements and promotions Help curate Community content for the newest Persona Hub for “Model Administrators / Junior Model Builders.” Any time Email masteranaplanners@anaplan.com with 5-10 links to existing best practices/how-to articles or thought leadership that, in your experience, are essential for individuals in this role. (If you identify gaps in existing Community content that should be filled, please let us know what those are as well!) 200 Persona Hubs (Live): Strategic engagements and promotions Help ensure member value in Persona Hubs by posting impactful, ecosystem-enabling topics (e.g., a pro tip or solution to common problem) that helps enable the ecosystem in Forums and then promoting the Hub on LinkedIn. Any time After creating your posts in the Community and sharing on LinkedIn, submit links for each to masteranaplanners@anaplan.com for validation. (See this sample post for inspiration.)  200 Anaplan Live! follow-up: Strategic engagements and promotions Help ensure long-term value from Anaplan Live! by creating impactful, ecosystem-enabling conversations in the forums for the on-demand content and sharing it on LinkedIn. Any time After creating your post(s) in the Community and sharing on LinkedIn, submit links for each to masteranaplanners@anaplan.com for validation. 200 Groups: Strategic engagements and promotions Help foster member engagement in Groups by posting impactful, ecosystem-enabling topics and promoting the Group on LinkedIn. Any time After creating your post(s) in the Community and sharing on LinkedIn, submit links for each to masteranaplanners@anaplan.com for validation. 200 Sign up to participate in the “How I Built It” video series.   (Limited to first 10 approved respondents.) Help inspire other model builders by demonstrating your skills in specific areas of the Anaplan platform. Any time; limit 1 video each Submit your interest to masteranaplanners@anaplan.com to begin the process. 200 Sign up to serve as a Group Leader   (Subject to availability) Help drive engagement within a specific Anaplan Group and ensure increased value for other Group Members. Involves engaging regularly with your Group online and at events hosted by your Group. Any time; any quantity Review Group Leader guidelines and fill out application/agreement.   Points will be awarded for this year, but will be contingent on successful completion of Group Leader onboarding, including coordinating and completing 1 virtual event by March 31, 2022.   (Interested MAs may continue as an engaged Group Leader throughout the year to secure next year’s points as well.) 400 Anaplan Community Share your expertise with the future of the ecosystem. We’re specifically looking for collaboration from the group this year. One option is to start with one of the topics in the Master Anaplanner User Group forum and work with others to create a formal post. Contribution Type Description Availability Submission Process Points Speak at Anaplan Live! Speak during a live event about a topic that has been selected by Anaplan. By invitation Anaplan will reach out to potential speakers. Points will be awarded after your speaking engagement. 400 Author content for the CoE Section of Community Share your CoE thought leadership with the ecosystem! Reach out to Beauram with your topic and she’ll advise on next steps to get it published. Any time; any quantity Email content to Beauram.Hur@Anaplan.com. Points will be awarded if your content is published. Range: 300-400 Co-author a Community How-To Article or Best Practice Share your best Anaplan tips & tricks for the model builder audience about Anaplan technical functionality or a Connected Planning business process. Should be a detailed step-by-step guide. Any time; any quantity. Publication is not guaranteed. Submit content directly in the content sandbox. Points will be awarded if your content is published.     200 Co-author a Community Blog Post Write a blog post specifically for Anaplan’s Community. Share your thought leadership about business processes, Connected Planning, career paths, etc.   Maximum 3 blog posts to count toward certification. No submissions in December. No guarantee of publication, so please submit early for best opportunity to get published. Email content to CommunityNews@Anaplan.com. Points will be awarded if your content is published.   200   Customer Advocacy   Contribution Type Description Availability Submission Process Points (Customers Only) Complete Customer Advocacy Tasks (Customer stories, reference calls etc) After meeting with the advocacy team, they will work with you to determine which opportunity you’d like to participate and will provide estimated time commitment. By invitation Advocacy Team will reach out with qualifying activities. Points will be awarded at the discretion of the team. Range: 200-400 (Customers Only) Sign up to be a Customer Advocate The advocacy program is a great way to promote the planning and operational success that your organization has achieved, grow your career by establishing yourself as an industry thought leader, learn from your peers, and build your professional network.  Sign up anytime   Complete Advocacy Program sign-up form. Points will be awarded after your onboarding for the program. 50   Groups   Contribution Type Description Availability Submission Process Points Serve as a Group Leader Serve alongside other Group Leaders to drive engagement within a specific Anaplan Group and ensure increased value for other Group Members. Involves engaging with your Group online and hosting at least 2 events per year. Any time; any quantity Review Group Leader guidelines and fill out application/agreement. Points will be awarded after you successfully execute Group Leader duties.   400 Host a Group event Collaborate with a Group Leader to create an event on the topic of your choosing. You’ll shape the agenda, promote the event, and even present to attendees if desired. Any time; any quantity Contact the Group Leader directly with your interest or email Groups@Anaplan.com. Points will be awarded after you host the event. 300 Speak at a Group event Create a presentation on a specific topic and present at the event and/or respond to a Q&A session; you may be asked to help promote the event on social media and answer post-event questions in Group forums Any time; any quantity Contact the Group Leader directly with your interest or email Groups@Anaplan.com. Points will be awarded after you speak at the event. 200   Peer Reviews   Contribution Type Description Availability Submission Process Points (Customers Only) Complete a Gartner Peer Insights Review 20-minute online survey, vetted by Gartner before being published anonymously. Share your first-hand experiences with technology solutions through the various stages of the product/service life cycle, including evaluation, deployment, service and support, and product capabilities. Any time; 1 review/category Send proof of completed review to CustomerMarketing@Anaplan.com. Points will be awarded upon receipt of your submission.   200 (Customers and Partners Only) Complete a G2 review 10-minute online survey, vetted by G2 with an option to leave the review anonymously. G2 scores products and vendors based on reviews gathered from its user community, as well as data aggregated from online sources and social networks. Any time; 1 review/person Send proof of completed review to CustomerMarketing@Anaplan.com. Points will be awarded upon receipt of your submission.   150 (Customers and Partners Only) Complete a TrustRadius review As a top user of Anaplan, we’re interested in your feedback! Please take a few minutes to submit a review about your experience with Anaplan; your comments not only increase your credibility in the market, they can help to influence the buying decisions of your peers. Any time; 1 review/person Send proof of completed review to CustomerMarketing@Anaplan.com. Points will be awarded upon receipt of your submission.   100 (Customers Only) Complete a Dresner Wisdom of Crowds Review The Dresner Wisdom of Crowds® Business Intelligence Report surveys data professionals who rank BI vendors on metrics such as product quality, technical support, customer experience, scalability, and more. The independent study offers valuable insights such as vendor comparisons and global trends. Available until May 31 st , 2021; 1 review/person Send proof of completed review to CustomerMarketing@Anaplan.com. Points will be awarded upon receipt of your submission.   100   Talent Development   Contribution Type Description Availability Submission Process Points Submit a completed CoE Charter Build a Center of Excellence at your company and share with us your CoE Charter providing a high-level overview of your CoE. Partners can also participate in this by submitting a charter for a customer they’re supporting on the CoE journey. Any time; 1 charter/company Email completed charter to Beauram.Hur@Anaplan.com. Points will be awarded after your charter is approved.   Range: 300-400 Host a training for 3+ new Model Builders Receive credit for hosting a Level 1 Model Building workshop that includes at least 3 new Model Builders who pass the Level 1 Model Building test. Any time; any quantity After the training, email MasterAnaplanners@Anaplan.com with the date of the training and the names of people who passed Level 1. Points will be awarded once the data is verified. Range: 300-400 Mentor 1 new MB through Certified Model Builder Anyone can benefit from a Certified Master Anaplanner mentor to grow their model building skillset. Share your knowledge with someone and help them make it through Level 1, Level 2, and The Anaplan Way. Any time; any quantity After their training is complete, ask your mentee to email MasterAnaplanners@Anaplan.com and designate you as their mentor. Points will be awarded once the data is verified. 200 Help us develop future certification tests Anaplan is taking our certifications to the next level in partnership with Kryterion Global Testing Solutions. Throughout this process we will need external subject matter experts and beta testers to ensure quality and create truly world-class certifications. TBD; likely by invitation More information will be provided at a later stage in the process. TBD   2021 Published Contributions Speak at Anaplan Live! @Stacey_Gibbens: Anaplan Live! Spotlight: Transactional APIs @nebisht: Anaplan Live! Spotlight: From Business Process to UX Design @jziemer: Casual Model Building: What Does a Career as a Model Builder Look Like? @JaredDolich: Implementing Anaplan: Top 10 Anaplan Implementation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them @Brett.Francis: Implementing Anaplan: Top 10 Anaplan Implementation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them @SonalTripathi: Implementing Anaplan: Top 10 Anaplan Implementation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them @sprender: Model Building Theory: Using Management Reporting to Engage Executive Stakeholders @Taryn: Model Building Theory: Using Management Reporting to Engage Executive Stakeholders @NathanPalmer: Casual Model Building: Scenario Planning 101 in Anaplan @CommunityMember81686: Casual Model Building: Scenario Planning 101 in Anaplan @Romain_Colin: Implementing Anaplan: Planning With the Right Data at the Right Time @Andrea Milillo: Implementing Anaplan: Planning With the Right Data at the Right Time @Fwolf: Implementing Anaplan: Planning With the Right Data at the Right Time @mitchellaist: Model Building Theory: Tracking and Measuring ROI in Anaplan @fabien.junod: Model Building Theory: Tracking and Measuring ROI in Anaplan @larissa_lowe: Model Building Theory: Tracking and Measuring ROI in Anaplan @jwakefield: Leveling Up Your Model Build: Orchestrate Agile, Intelligent Data Integrations @sanjeev: Leveling Up Your Model Build: The Rise of Planual 2.0 @Misbah: Leveling Up Your Model Build: The Rise of Planual 2.0 @nebisht: Leveling Up Your Model Build: The Rise of Planual 2.0 Author content for the CoE Section of Community @usman.zia: Center of Excellence Series – Master Planning Author a How-to Article or Best Practice @kevin.cho: Python and Anaplan: Pt 1 – Setting Up Your Environment @rob_marshall: Summary Calculations With the User List @rob_marshall: Variance Reporting With Native Versions Made Easy @JaredDolich: Retail: Markdown Planning @JaredDolich: Import and Automate Current Date Import to Anaplan Using Python @DaanishSoomar: Anaplan Connect: Master Script @DaanishSoomar: Anaplan Connect: Wake-Up Script Author a Community Blog Post @Mitch_Max: Scenario Planning in Anaplan, Part 1: The Power of ‘What if’ @Mitch_Max: Scenario Planning in Anaplan, Part 2: From Insight to Action @Brett.Francis: Planning for a Company’s Most Valuable Asset – Its People @KBeltz: Planning From the Ridge @bshepley: Optimizing Your Budget For Success in Challenging Times @jruder: Leveraging the Anaplan Community in a Remote World @PhilippErkinger: Documentation: It Starts With the ‘Why’   Serve as a Group Leader @Misbah: Modelers Forum India @JaredDolich: Retail @matthewkuo: Pacific Northwest @tristan.colgate: Financial Services @daian: Financial Services @anikdas: Delhi, Modelers Forum India, Mumbai Host a Group event @JaredDolich: Q1 Retail Meetup @JaredDolich: May 18 th Retail Power Series @Misbah: Modelers Forum India April Meetup Speak at a Group event @BrentOrr: San Francisco February Meetup @einas.ibrahim: Anaplan Talent Builder Q&A

As the Anaplan ecosystem continues to grow at a rapid rate, so does the demand for objectively qualified, third-party validated talent. With that in mind, we are excited to announce that the Master Anaplanner Certification Test is moving to a third-party skills assessment and certification vendor, Kryterion Global Testing Solutions. We are currently running a closed beta test of the new platform and will re-open the application after that process is complete. More communication will come later with specific details on how to find out if you qualify, submit an application, and register for the Master Anaplanner Certification Test. We appreciate your patience during this transition and look forward to working with you after the launch! Frequently Asked Questions   When will the application re-open? The application will re-open in about 3-5 weeks from the date of this publication. We anticipate that beta testing will take up to 2-3 more weeks and may need another 1-2 weeks to prepare for the launch after testing is complete.  How can I find out when you launch? We will post another article in our News & Events section when the new process is live. You can subscribe to this section if you would like to be informed as soon as we launch.  How do I qualify for the Master Anaplanner Certification Test? Once the closed beta test is complete and the new process is launched, all 2021 Anaplan Certified Solution Architects will automatically qualify for the Master Anaplanner Certification Test. What happens if I applied before and didn't qualify? All applicants will follow the same application-to-certification process regardless of original application date. We will reach out to prior applicants after the launch to inform them of the new process.  How will I access the Master Anaplanner Certification Test? If you are an Anaplan Certified Solution Architect, you will be able to access the Master Anaplanner Certification Test after you fill out the new application form (to be released) and create an account on Kryterion’s testing platform, Webassessor. You will have the option to sit for the proctored exam online or in-person (depending on regional openings and availability).   Is there a fee for the Master Anaplanner Certification Test? To cover the cost of the proctored examination, there is a fee of $550 plus regional taxes per scheduled exam. Customers may already have the fee covered as part of their license agreement. Does this impact Current Certified Master Anaplanners? No. Current Certified Master Anaplanners do not have to take the updated test or pay any fees as long as their certification does not expire. Published on May 20th, 2021. 

In 2020, Certified Master Anaplanners demonstrated tenacity, compassion, and leadership by quickly getting up to speed on Anaplan’s newest technical trainings and giving their knowledge back to the ecosystem in turn. They responded to the unique circumstances of the year by jumping in to help their global community with Anaplan Helps, sharing their stories through authorship and public speaking, training new talent in the ecosystem, inspiring others with their use of the UX, and much more. Each person who carries a 2021 Master Anaplanner Certificate does so as proof of this accomplishment. All certificates expire January 1 st , 2022, and a new set of maintenance requirements must be complete before that date in order to become a 2022 Certified Master Anaplanner. This year the recertification maintenance requirements will have the same spirit of what we did last year, acting as a shared measure of technical certifications and ecosystem contributions. There are two things a Certified Master Anaplanner needs to do to maintain their certification: keep their technical certifications current and make an impactful contribution toward a more enabled ecosystem. Technical Requirements Be a 2022 Certified Solution Architect (for reference, see the 2021 requirements). Contribution Requirements Collect 400* contribution points for qualifying activities. Qualifying activities are determined by the Master Anaplanner Program. To qualify, a contribution will develop a customer’s connected planning landscape, directly enable emerging talent, amplify Anaplan’s brand, or contribute to the documented enablement record. We’ll be using the same points system as last year, ranking each item based on impact and amount of effort. More details for Certified Master Anaplanners are available in the Master Anaplanner User Group and will continue to come out throughout the year.   *Pro-rated based on qualification date

Learn how to validate one's Master Anaplanner Certification through their personalized and verifiable digital credentials.

With a clean interface and stream of newly released features, there are countless ways to customize your user experience with Anaplan. It’s easy to get lost in all of the options, so we’re creating a cookbook to spark your ideas and creativity! We asked the Master Anaplanner community to send us a screenshot of something they’re proud of to start our collection. We’ll be posting the full cookbook on the Community, including some of the images shared below.  [Image: A sample of the early submissions we received from Certified Master Anaplanners. Clockwise from top left: @brian_gallagher, @jruder, @kalbelo, @Nik.Amin, @AzeemArif, @Pat_Desmond] You’re invited to participate too! Send a public-friendly screenshot of your favorite UX achievement and a brief description of why you chose it to MasterAnaplanners@Anaplan.com if you’d like to be considered for the cookbook. What are you most looking forward to seeing in action? Stay tuned for another announcement when the project is launched. If you want to learn about Anaplan’s User Experience, you can find more information in the UX section of Community. November 13, 2020 Edit: The Master Anaplanners' UX Cookbook is now live! Check it out and let us know what you think.

As announced on February 26 th , 2020, Level 3 Model Building is now live. Effective immediately, the Master Anaplanner Program training requirements include Level 3, the next course in Anaplan's dedicated learning path*. To ensure consistency in knowledge base and guarantee that the Master Anaplanner Program hosts only the most expertly trained Anaplanners, all courses released as part of the learning path are required training for both applicants and current Certified Master Anaplanners. The path starts at Level 1, which reviews old content with a fresh, data-driven approach. Levels 2 and 3 cover topics that have never been explored in previous courses and offer tips from our internal superstars, which we are very excited to share with you! The updated courses have replaced 102 and 201, which no longer count toward qualification. Here’s what you can look forward to during your training: Level 1 Model Building: Return to the basics, with an eye for model optimization Level 2 Model Building: Go beyond our former course catalogue and learn new lessons about how your data can flow Level 3 Model Building: Take it up a notch and really prove your skills as an Anaplan implementation expert We love hearing from our customers no matter where you are in your journey. You’re invited to apply online at any time to let us know you are interested, and we will work with you along the way. Thank you for your participation in the program! We cannot wait to see where your new skills take you.

Find all the answers to your questions on the maintenance requirements. 

Learn how the Master Anaplanner Community is coming together for a global virtual hackathon to provide solutions to support the broader ecosystem.

Learn more about what you need to do to retain your certification next year.