At a time when businesses are facing increasing challenges in financial planning and management, traditional tools like SAP BPC are showing their limitations. The rapid evolution of markets and technology demands greater agility and efficiency in financial processes.
Fortunately, a solution exists! Anaplan, a modern and high-performing alternative, integrates connected planning and, following the acquisition of Fluence Technologies, statutory consolidation. This merger enables businesses still reliant on SAP BPC to combine budgeting and financial consolidation within a single platform.
However, this transition is not something that can be achieved overnight and requires specialized support. Beyond Plans leverages its deep expertise and proven methodology to ensure a smooth migration and successful adoption of Anaplan.
The Limitations of SAP BPC in Meeting New Business Needs
SAP BPC has long been a benchmark for financial planning and consolidation. However, several limitations make it less suited to today’s requirements:
- Lack of Flexibility and Rigid Processes
SAP BPC relies on rigid structures, making adjustments complex and costly. Adapting to strategic changes is often slow, reducing an organization’s ability to respond quickly to market shifts.
- Data Fragmentation and Organizational Silos
Due to BPC’s complex and rigid cube-based modeling, functional processes are inherently siloed, limiting interactions between key budgeting functions. As a result, budget iterations take longer, and validation cycles become more cumbersome.
- No Real-Time Simulations
SAP BPC does not support real-time data processing, impacting the speed and accuracy of forecasting. Finance teams often have to wait through multiple validation cycles before obtaining actionable insights.
- Aging Statutory Consolidation Capabilities
Many businesses use SAP BPC for financial consolidation, but the tool is becoming less effective compared to more modern solutions that offer greater automation, flexibility, and better integration with other financial systems.
The integration of Fluence Technologies into Anaplan provides a comprehensive alternative, combining advanced planning and statutory consolidation in a single platform.
Anaplan: A Comprehensive Solution for Planning and Consolidation
Anaplan is redefining planning standards with an integrated and flexible approach designed to meet the needs of the most ambitious businesses.
Why Choose Anaplan?
- Centralized and Connected Platform Financial and operational data is consolidated in one place, ensuring greater transparency and a holistic view of business performance.
- Real-Time Collaboration Instant data synchronization allows teams to work simultaneously on the same models, reducing errors and duplication.
- Flexible Modeling and Dynamic Scenario Planning Companies can adjust forecasts and simulate multiple scenarios in real time, enhancing adaptability to market changes.
- Intuitive and Accessible Interface Anaplan’s user-friendly design facilitates adoption, reduces training time, and maximizes operational efficiency.
- Integrated Statutory Consolidation Thanks to Fluence, Anaplan automates consolidation and financial close processes, ensuring compliance and reliability in financial reporting.
By combining these functionalities, Anaplan enables companies to overcome the limitations of traditional solutions and embrace a more agile and efficient approach to financial management.
Strategic Support for a Successful Transition
Migrating to Anaplan is not just a tool change. It is a true transformation project that requires a structured approach and expert guidance.
As a certified and exclusive Anaplan integration partner, Beyond Plans supports businesses throughout the transition, applying a proven methodology:
- Needs and Process Diagnostics A detailed analysis of current practices to identify areas for improvement and ensure a smooth transition.
- Gradual Implementation and Risk Minimization A carefully planned migration to avoid disruptions and maintain business continuity.
- Training and Team Enablement User education and skill-building to ensure efficient and lasting adoption of the platform.
Beyond Plans goes beyond simple technical migration, ensuring that Anaplan is fully integrated into the financial and operational strategy of the business.
Case Study: PwC France and Maghreb
The Anaplan project at PwC France and Maghreb serves as a concrete example of a successful migration. With structured support, the company optimized its budgeting processes and improved integration across its financial functions.
Key Outcomes:
- 30% reduction in budget validation times through an integrated and fully collaborative process between HR and financial control teams.
- Improved forecasting accuracy via continuous monitoring processes.
- Real-time simulation capabilities available at every level of the budgeting process, governed by a customized workflow.
- A unified forecasting data repository feeding the entire information system (ERP, BI, Group Reporting, etc.).
This migration enabled PwC to adopt a more agile approach and enhance the reliability of its financial projections and analyses.
Why This Transition is a Strategic Decision
Before Migration:
- SAP BPC was used for financial and budgeting planning, but with a fragmented approach, particularly between HR and finance.
- Siloed processes slowed decision-making and complicated team coordination.
After Migrating to Anaplan:
- A single platform combining financial, operational, and HR planning.
- Daily updated financial close data accessible across all organizational levels.
- Optimized alignment between budget forecasts and financial results, ensuring greater consistency and reliability in analyses.
By eliminating silos and improving operational efficiency, this transformation enables businesses to be more responsive and competitive.
