We believe all FP&A models in Anaplan should contain scenario planning as standard. In 6 steps this is how we implemented it for our clients...

We have designed an approach to delivering scenario planning which gives our clients access to this functionality without consuming excessive resources or disrupting business as usual.

This is how we did it...

1 - We identified all the reporting data sources.

Mapping out the whole model and identifying all the key modules which fed into the P&L. We utilised the 'referenced by' column in the modules summary page to achieve this.

2 - We consolidate these sources into modelling cohorts.

We categorised each module into modelling cohorts, groups who share common combinations of modelling dimensions. Where there were more than one module using common dimensions we consolidated them into a single source.

3 - We utilised an 'in use?' query for each consolidation.

Using a series of boolean formatted line items we queried each module to identify which list items were 'in use.'

4 - We designed an archive list build process.

Using the 'in use?' queries we created sequentially built and encoded an archive list. Each dimension had a dedicated module which was used to query the in use status of list items and to add them to the growing archive list. The outcome was a flat list whose code contained a complete reference to all possible in use combinations of dimensions in use across the consolidated cohorts.

5 - We built an update archive process.

We then created a module dimensioned by our new archive list to map our forecast data into a new data module. We could now see the sum total of our forecast in this new flat module. We then created a new module containing our archive list and a new scenarios list used to classify and store our various scenarios against. An action to import data from our first archive module into this new module was then created with the ability to assign the import to any given scenario added each time the action was run. We were now left with a new module completely isolated from the live calculation engine containing data encoded against every in use combination of forecasting dimensions.

6 - Ww updated the archive for all relevant forecasts/scenarios.

The new design relied on using only one native forecast version. Therefore, we needed to update the archive to retain all versions that we wanted to keep as once theses other versions were removed this data would be lost. What remained was a single forecast version which we renamed, 'current forecast.'

7 - We updated our reporting.

With a single native 'current forecast' version remaining we updated our reporting. We added the new scenarios dimension and updated the formulas to reference and map data from our archive module for all forecasts which were not being driven by the live calculation engine.