Anaplan for Sales
Introduction
Anaplan for Sales is a suite of modules that enables a company to analyze, forecast, plan and report:
- forecasted opportunities by rep and region
- pipeline by rep, region and company; and
- performance by rep, region and company.
CRM Falls Short
Many of the CRM systems available today do a good job of collecting and consolidating opportunity management data across a wide user base. However, when it comes to analyzing week-over-week shifts in the opportunity pipeline or tracking rep performance across a spectrum of measures, they fall short.
In part, this is because the architecture is not optimized to carry out the complex task of financial modeling and analysis. The data structures in most CRM systems are comprised of simple rows and tables, but dynamic modeling and analysis requires multi-dimensionality.
CRM’s also can’t provide adequate analysis because they’re usually ‘stateless’. That is to say they only track what’s happening now, without retaining history from week to week; this makes it impossible to analyze shifts in sales data.
Taking your Sales Pipeline Analysis to the Next Level
The data inside your CRM system is a treasure trove of information. The suite of modules in Anaplan for Sales is designed to take that data (via direct APi feed in the case of salesforce.com) and mine it for insight using a variety of techniques. Anaplan for Sales:
Translates data into a multi-dimensional dynamic data mart in the cloud.
Automatically retains history each week and analyzes opportunity and forecasts shifts across your entire pipeline and sales teams.
Automatically produces a number of key ‘live’ reports that gives a 360° view of the data and present and future performance.
Sales Managers can now see week-over-week changes to the forecast straight out of the CRM system and rapidly pivot, filter, and compare that data to previous weeks and periods to get a real-time look at sales performance.
The suite explores three key areas:
1. Current Opportunities & What's Changed
A. Compared to the previous weeks/periods, how has the sales forecast changed in terms of pipeline, won & lost deals, and other key metrics.
B. What are the current opportunities by rep and region and what are their associated measures such as close date, stage, etc.
2. What-if?
A. If deals are dropping out of the pipeline, Anaplan gives you the ability to perform simulations with opportunities, adjusting their close dates, amounts, stages etc. to see the impact on sales performance right across the company.
B. What-if I ramped up capacity or changed rep ramping for new reps? See the effects on your business in real-time with Anaplan.
3. Performance
A. How are my reps and teams performing today given the forecast right now?
B. How does/would capacity affect my ability to execute on the sales targets?
Key Features
- CRM current & historical pipeline & forecast cloud data mart
- Week-over-week pipeline analysis and comparison
- Pipeline movement
- Opportunity detail, by rep, by team, by region
- What-if capabilities and forecast simulations
- Rep and team performance
- Sales capacity
- Plan vs forecast vs pipeline
- Pipeline coverage
- Fully extendable;
- to operational and financial statements such as P&L, Cash Flow, and Balance Sheet
- to services delivery and pipeline so you can manage the services bench in harmony with the sales forecast in real-time.