Planful

Although there is a learning curve when setting it up, it really is a superior planning and budgeting tool, and we continue to use more and more of its features as time goes on.

Share with the consultants the specific requirements on the financial models and drivers, and dedicate enough time and resources during the implementation.

Invest time in upfront model design – clearly define dimensions, hierarchies, and reporting requirements before implementation. A well-designed model is critical to long-term scalability and performance. Plan for training and enablement – ensure FP&A and power users receive adequate training, especially for advanced reporting, rules, and forecasting logic, to maximize value and adoption. Leverage Spotlight XL strategically – use Excel integration for advanced analysis and reporting, but maintain governance and standards to avoid inconsistent logic or duplicate calculations. Start simple and iterate – begin with core budgeting and forecasting use cases, then expand into more advanced scenarios, cash flow modeling, and dynamic reporting as users become more comfortable.

Make sure you ask a lot of questions and make sure they turn on all the bells and whistles you may need in the future. Our implementation partner did not tell us of a few features that we discovered at a later date and had to have our environment altered to accommodate the features.

Give room in your implementation timeline for things to not go well and for changes to be made. Think carefully about what dimensions you want set up at the start.

Planful is powerful, but you need at least one dedicated person in the company to do a good implementation; otherwise the implementation process can drag out. The implementation partner is key — be careful selecting it. During the sales process they say all the right things; ask for as many customer references as possible and ask a million questions.

Don’t try to build every feature on day one. Begin with core budgeting and forecasting workflows, then layer on advanced capabilities like scenario planning and reporting once the basics are solid.

Planful is a great tool for the money. It's easy for a business user to create reports and templates. It's a very flexible tool. Just plan out what you want before implementation.

Use an in‑house implementer.

Clean & structure your data first, start Small, then scale and leverage training & support.

Take the time to learn the platform during implementation. This is your primary planning tool. Time spent learning upfront is the difference between a successful implementation and a failed implementation.

Establish templates that are specific to the business unit.

Ensure to evaluate multiple vendors. When you do decide on Planful, make sure you know what the system is capable of as you may be able to find better processes.

Think through your data first, and determine what you want to see from the product, then build on that.

During implementation, make sure you have a list of non-negotiables and ask a ton of questions. The capabilities of Planful are really wide, but during our implementation we were not made aware of some options we would have liked to implement.

Provide more data dimension capabilities and improve the performance of the Excel add-in.

Include the software as list of companies to review, they have great customer service, and listen to customers on new features or features to improve.

Have two people on your team dedicated to the product (one at the managerial level and one at the staff level) who take ownership of understanding how it works. Also, make sure to choose a good implementation partner.

Find a trusted implementer and fully scope out requirements before implementing.

Vetting the implementation partner is as critical as vetting the tool itself. Have an implementation lead, but also have more than one person who can handle the behind-the-scenes work, such as setting hierarchy, building templates, etc. Use Planful Academy concurrently with implementation, as learning will go much faster than doing them consecutively.

They should be well-versed in historical accounting information. Once this is integrated, everything will be seamless.

You may have a different implementation experience depending on which team you are assigned to; some teams are better than others. Be sure to explain your full issue and all areas that may be impacted.

I would advise other companies to build a solid understanding of the fundamentals of Planful. What may seem impossible to do can often be resolved with a simple workaround. The system is not one-size-fits-all, so it's important to understand how to meet your needs within the limitations of the system.

Utilize the many different tools Planful provides.

You will see a clear ROI if you are currently Excel-based.

Have the Planful team evaluate the implementation timeline and work plan before kick-off, and identify risks as early as possible. Purchase premium support from the beginning.

Leverage KPIs to drive financial calculations within your templates or models.

Try out every tool. Spotlight, the web version of dynamic planning, structured planning, and reporting all have their strengths, but sometimes you get so set in your ways with one function that you miss out on other functions that may pair well with what you need at the time.

Assign 1-2 internal team members to fully commit to the implementation process. Having a few people take ownership of the process will help significantly in the long run and limit dependence on external sources.

Choose the vendor carefully and make sure they understand your vision and requirements first.

I would argue to do research and if they meet your requirements then the platform will do everything it mentions.

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It is a great planning reporting tool to show multiple reports based on company-specific needs.

Planful is an easy to use and flexible EPM solution for small and medium size companies.

They are worth considering as one of the best options when it comes to both speed to impact and cost/ benefit.

Be sure to spend plenty of time designing before you start working. Have a strong owner in place for the application that is interested in Technology. Fully onboard your user base with self-developed training. Use your imagination as you determine what you need, as there is probably a way for Planful to do it, even if it's not an out-of-the-box use case.

It's a great tool. Utilize training guides.

Spend the time to evaluate what dimensions are necessary as it will affect your metadata and processing times.

Before moving ahead with a new system (not just Planful), I'd take time to think of future state capabilities/ requirements and have those ready before starting the implementation project.

They are willing to work with you and I had a great personalized experience with them.

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Start with a small team but train in depth to be super users throughout the organization.

It is a great system that allows for streamlining of planning, budgeting, and producing financial reports. Very user-friendly and the data populates frequently and in a timely manner.

Best product I have used as director of clinical services for review of analytical data of budgets.

This tool is great for budgeting across multliple business functions.

Don’t rush in to build out, spend time brainstorming on what you want out of the system to prevent rework on templates and reports.

It is a solid tool and easy to run without IT help.

Have two dedicated team members to implement and be experts going forward.

Do a proof of concept.

It is very useful.

Take a lot of time during implementation because you will live with those mistakes for a long time.

Make sure that you have a Business Analyst who understands IT and Finance. At implementation, have that person shadow the consultants. This will result in less reliance on IT or consultants to maintain or develop new structures in the long run.

Listen to the Planful implementation team!

Easy use.

We talked to Planful users and that really helped us make our decision. We asked a lot of questions.

See a demo.

Spend a lot of time determining how you want to set up your hierarchy before getting started.

Have your general ledger in good order, know your requirements before seeking out a vendor.

Have the sales team test any and all scenarios specific to your company.

Be thoughtful of how you structure your hierarchy and what statistical accounts are meaningful.

Go for it! It is a great tool that can be accessed simultaneously by numerous teammates, easy to make changes to, effortless to pull data/ reports, and has a lot of automation that is very helpful. It saves time, money, and resources.

Try to see how others in your industry use it. Get a partner to implement. Set up as much automation as you can.

Really dive into their Planful Engage community.

Better for high-level usage rather than in-depth detail.

Hopefully, they get a good implementation partner like we had.

If you spend a lot of time leveraging Excel as a team and generating reports for people throughout the organization, this is a great tool. Different types of licenses come at an affordable rate to allow self-service and removed risk of external data manipulation, as you can do a majority of the analytics within the system.

Don't delay. Once you complete the sales paperwork, get started and be ready to move fast.

My advice would be to spend some time prior to starting an implementation to identify the key focus areas/requirements that need to be addressed with Planful. Additionally, if moving from another planning solution, doing some pre-work (e.g., cleaning up account/ cost center/ profit center hierarchies) will save time during the implementation project.

Have a dedicated individual who can run point and work closely with Planful or outside consultants to get the system implemented quickly and efficiently.