Integrating Data With Anaplan and Extending Its Functionality
3 keys to Anaplan extensibility
It may be difficult to construct informed plans with the most current information if enterprise data is dispersed across functions and integrated through disparate tools. Business leaders and stakeholders have a difficult time accessing and incorporating meaningful and relevant data because of disconnected systems and data. Teams from different departments need to work together to use a single source of truth and to find common ground by pulling in data from a variety of third-party integrations.
Using Anaplan Data Integration options, you can easily integrate data with built-in extensions and third-party extensions, providing access to enterprise-wide data on a single platform. Connecting through an open platform enables teams to share information easily, allowing stakeholders to get deeper insights and generate more impactful business plans. Organizations that use Anaplan can make better decisions through its extensibility and interoperability options.
Extending an enterprise system creates interoperability with other enterprise systems. An extensible platform allows for data integration and exchange with third-party sources and systems. Using a three-pronged approach, Anaplan enables users to both bring in data for planning purposes as well as extract data to external systems:
• Connectors
• Integrations
• The use of web scripts, tools, and APIs
This three-pronged approach allows enterprises to aggregate data from different systems, execute plans based on a single source of truth, and extend the reach of tools that lead the way. Anaplan's robust ecosystem of partners and purpose-built integrations deliver what the company promises: true interoperability.
Fast and easy connections
With Anaplan connectors, you can automate imports and exports of Anaplan data using third-party services that offer simplified user interfaces, allowing you to import and export data using third-party services. Data stakeholders can easily access basic self-service options and fast access to the data they need. With simplified self-service capabilities, business leaders can quickly access the information they need to answer planning questions without having to rely heavily on IT, thereby accelerating integrations and time to value. Various connectors are available for extract, transform, load (ETL) and enterprise service bus (ESB) tools from Anaplan.
Integrations: Interoperable and intuitive
By integrating Anaplan with multiple sources, users can combine data from on-premises, SaaS, or the cloud into one platform. To create more informed plans, larger data sets can be used. In addition to simple and intuitive configuration and use, these integrations democratize data access to business users, accelerating business decisions.
Anaplan HyperConnect
With Anaplan HyperConnect powered by Informatica, both on-premises and cloud applications can be integrated with Anaplan using the technology of Informatica Cloud. Through HyperConnect, you can easily integrate data from any source into your enterprise planning system. The Informatica Cloud enables business users to connect and integrate data to and from Anaplan at a fraction of the cost. Through a single point of contact, IT involvement is reduced to get started with this integration solution.
Anaplan CloudWorks
Anaplan CloudWorks enables more intelligent and agile planning. In addition to integrating with external sources such as cloud-based data and services, the tool integrates with internal sources too, such as Anaplan models. Users can easily manage, configure, and run integrations thanks to its intuitive application user interface. Additionally, CloudWorks provides the ability to automate imports from one model to another, trigger-based event processing, workflows, processes, and import/export integrations, and will extend to seamless integrations with third-party AI services in the future. Users of Anaplan's CloudWorks interface can integrate data from Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure Blob, and Google BigQuery.
Toolkits, scripts, and APIs: Efficient and extensible
As part of Anaplan, there are also other options for integration, including a web UI, Anaplan Connect, and APIs, which can be used to extend an organization's Anaplan capability and gain insight into data. By providing easy access to data, these services drive further efficiencies throughout the organization.
Using web tools
Anaplan offers users the ability to import and export flat files directly from the user interface. To quickly extract and share files, teams can use web tools in either the classic UX or the New UX. Several file formats can be imported and exported from Web tools, including .txt, .csv, and .xlsx.
Anaplan Connect
The Anaplan Connect utility automates imports and exports using integration scripts for intranets. On a dedicated computer or server behind your network firewall, users can create integration scripts and execute them. The users of Anaplan Connect can schedule scripts to run on different operating systems as well as third-party schedulers.
Anaplan APIs
By supporting Anaplan Connect, ETL connectors, and custom integrations, Anaplan REST APIs enable better visibility into actions performed. Users can also view more information about their workspaces and models using REST APIs, in addition to supporting data imports, exports, deletions, and file downloads. Anaplan provides users with the ability to configure import and export actions and access public APIs.
The new set of Transactional APIs by Anaplan enable seamless integration and help teams quickly implement requirements. Transactional APIs are easy to configure, requiring minimal preparation and technical expertise, so users can extend Anaplan capabilities through more comprehensive integrations, gaining deeper insights into Anaplan data. Enhanced usage monitoring, reporting, and analytics provide users with a better understanding of workspaces and models. They offer deeper visibility into the models, and multiple file formats, such as CSV and JSON, enabling teams to discover new use cases.
Anaplan Transactional APIs
Both model builders and administrators are interested in automated and scripted methods for determining workspace and model usage for expanding the use cases, but this can sometimes be time consuming. Through Transactional APIs, teams can quickly understand how users are interacting with their workspaces. You can find out how many models you have, how big they are, and how much space each model takes up. The ability to respond quickly to requests and speed up decision-making is enhanced by these tools.
Summary
The wide range of Anaplan's extensibility and data integration options help enterprises integrate Connected Planning into every aspect of their business. Through their open platform and APIs, Anaplan connectors, integrations, and APIs not only enable more stakeholders to have access to critical data, but also democratize that access. With the help of flexible integrations, teams can share data across multiple departments, allowing them to create more informed plans and forecasts.