IBM Planning Analytics Reviews & Product Details

I like how IBM Planning Analytics allows me to have financial and operational info in one place, making it easier to run scenarios and understand the impact of budgets under different circumstances. The tool helps in structuring, analyzing, and planning tasks related to supplier sourcing and contract negotiation. It's great for comparing different scenarios, costs, and potential supplier options, which is especially useful in our decision-making processes. I appreciate how it turns raw financial data into something understandable and actionable, aiding communication and decision-making for stakeholders and the financial team. The ability to explore faster 'what-if' situations is particularly beneficial, and it significantly prepares us better for negotiations by providing clear data when new suppliers come in. The report visualization for stakeholders is also a fantastic feature. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I'm a newbie in this sector, and the learning curve is challenging. It's a very useful platform, but I need more time. It's flexible and can be navigated by users who aren't deeply technical, but they are a bit scared of the complexity sometimes. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I use IBM Planning Analytics for financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting, which helps analyze business data and create accurate forecasts for better decision making. I like that it reduces manual spreadsheets and improves accuracy and collaboration. It allows quick analysis of large datasets and supports scenario planning. The Excel integration makes it easier for teams to work with familiar tools and work with data in a familiar environment while still using the power of the platform. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One thing that could be improved in IBM Planning Analytics is the user interface, which can feel a bit complex for new users. The interface can sometimes feel a bit cluttered, especially when navigating between different planning and reporting sections. The initial setup was manageable but required some technical knowledge and planning. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I appreciate IBM Planning Analytics for its ability to centralize data, which eliminates the need for multiple spreadsheets and makes collaboration much easier for my team. The platform allows us to run scenario simulations quickly, which is beneficial for planning pricing strategies, especially when dealing with variables like holiday-induced price changes. I like its flexibility and excellent Excel integration, which help us update reports, explore data quickly, and adjust assumptions to see immediate impacts on forecasts or margins. The flexibility in particular stands out. Additionally, the learning curve was manageable for me, and the onboarding process was smooth, which made getting started relatively easy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The learning curve for me was alright, but for others it seems to be a bit steep at first. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I really like the MS Excel integration in IBM Planning Analytics; it's great. The dashboards are extensive and well-designed. Even though I'm not a power user, it's impressive to see how power users can build brilliant forecasting models with it. It's also very valuable as our single source of truth for budgetary decisions focused on revenue. Additionally, it's a great tool for taking data-driven strategic decisions. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I, as a business user, find it hard to build customized dashboards. There are very few self-service capabilities. Some views of reports can be simplified to remove unnecessary details for leadership. The initial implementation can be hard, especially for business users. Without an AI builder, it gets complicated. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I love this platform for its capability to integrate with Microsoft Excel and prepare reports into excel. It makes work much easier, simpler and productive by using this platform. I also love this platform as it have a very user friendly environment to work with making things less complex. The platform can also automate workflow enabling data flow more organized and free from human input. It improves efficiency by allocating resource to more productive and critical work. This platform allows product management and planning more efficient with its superb business logic integrated into the system. A more informed Decision making can be made by using this platform. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I wish that there were more tutorials to assist users to this platform. I also felt the cost can be a bit lower. I also wish that there was better monitoring tools that would allow to review the whole processes with ease. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I use IBM Planning Analytics for budgeting, forecasting, and finance consolidation. It really helps me consolidate figures and manage data and security. I love that it enables multiple users to work at the same time. There are endless possibilities with it, and I haven't faced a problem yet that we can't solve. I value the ability to make applications that work for both advanced users and day-to-day tasks. It replaced multiple worksheets and automated a lot of previous manual work. The initial setup was easy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Depending on the who implements this for you the learning curve can be challaging for some users Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I really appreciate the Excel add-in that comes with IBM Planning Analytics because as a CPA, I work with Excel a lot and it's important to me to not have to learn a new web interface just to make a few adjustments. Being able to pull live data directly into my existing models without rebuilding them is a lifesaver. I also like that it's fast, making the process of adjusting and entering data by region or product quite smooth. It's especially beneficial during meetings because I can provide updates immediately without needing to follow up later. The automation features are incredibly valuable too, as they save us a lot of time by automating tasks like currency conversions and aggregations. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

So the licensing cost, it's a bit too much. It can be reduced. Also, they got it, like, in new app interface for their workspaces, which feels a bit flashy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

IBM’s BI stacks blends AI-driven insights with powerful performance, combining Granite- powered analytics and natural-language planning with the ultra-fast, in-memory TM1 engine for real-time analysis and what-if modeling. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Its flexibility comes with complexity, often requiring technical exchange expertise or consultants and while Excel is strong the web interfaces can still feel technical despite recent modernisation efforts. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

IBM is integrating AI/ generative-AI into BI and analytics workflows. For example, the next-gen BI in Cognos is being powered by the IBM Granite foundation models.

IBM.

Offerings such as IBM Planning Analytics now include a “Planning Analytics Assistant” plus “Multivariate AI Forecasting” to support plain-language queries, predictive insights and more autonomous planning. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Setting up dashboards, modeling data, or creating visuals often requires more clicks or technical steps. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

IBM Planning Analytics stands out for its impressive blend of flexibility and performance. The integration of TM1 with a user-friendly interface enables real-time data analysis and supports quicker decision-making. I also value how easily I can create dynamic dashboards and carry out multidimensional modeling. Its automation features greatly minimize manual work, which enhances both efficiency and accuracy across planning, forecasting, and reporting tasks. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One aspect where IBM Planning Analytics could see improvement is in its user interface and the complexity of the initial setup. Although the tool offers robust capabilities, newcomers may struggle to navigate and set up models effectively without sufficient training. Furthermore, performance can occasionally lag when working with particularly large datasets. Improving the platform’s user-friendliness, as well as its documentation and troubleshooting resources, would help create a smoother and more efficient experience for all users. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.