Looking for reliable FPandA software recommendations that work well with spreadsheets
I need to find a solid financial planning and analysis tool that connects smoothly with both Excel and Google Sheets. My current setup is causing too many headaches.
Key requirements I’m looking for:
- Quick data sync between the software and my existing spreadsheets
- Good version tracking features since we go through many iterations
- Decent forecasting capabilities beyond basic charts
- Budget-friendly pricing if possible
- Handles complex multi-department financial models
- Works reliably when consolidating data from different business units
I’ve tested a few options like Anaplan, Vena, and Pigment but haven’t found the perfect fit yet. Some feel too restrictive while others seem overcomplicated for our needs.
What FPandA tools have worked well for your team when you still rely heavily on spreadsheets? I’m especially interested in hearing about real-world experiences during busy planning cycles.
Any suggestions for software that stays stable when executives request frequent model changes would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!
planful might be worth checking out - we switched from vena last year and its been pretty solid. the excel plugin works smoothly for most of our monthly reporting and the pricing wasnt too crazy compared to other options. google sheets integration is okay but not amazing tbh. biggest plus is it doesnt crash when our vp decides to completely restructure budgets mid-cycle like our old system used to.
Adaptive Insights (now part of Workday) has been our go-to solution for three years. We transitioned from a purely Excel-based process after experiencing similar frustrations with data consolidation across departments. Adaptive handles the Excel integration particularly well - you can pull data directly from your existing models without rebuilding everything from scratch. The version control aspect has saved us countless hours during budget cycles. When our CFO inevitably requests changes halfway through the process, we can track what was modified and revert if needed. The forecasting engine is robust enough for complex scenarios but doesn’t require extensive training to operate effectively. Pricing sits in the middle range compared to enterprise solutions like Anaplan, though it scales well as your organization grows. We manage financial models for eight business units and haven’t encountered performance issues even during peak planning periods. One consideration is the learning curve for advanced features, but the core functionality works reliably for day-to-day operations. The Google Sheets integration isn’t as polished as Excel, but it’s functional for basic data exchange.
Oracle EPM Cloud has handled our complex multi-department consolidations quite effectively over the past two years. The SmartView add-in provides solid Excel connectivity that maintains formulas and formatting while syncing data bidirectionally. We process budgets for twelve divisions and the system performs well under heavy load during quarterly planning cycles. What impressed me most was the audit trail functionality - every change gets logged automatically which proved invaluable when we needed to explain variances to external auditors. The forecasting tools offer decent scenario modeling capabilities without requiring extensive technical knowledge. Google Sheets integration exists but feels like an afterthought compared to the Excel functionality. Price point is higher than some alternatives but the stability during crunch periods has justified the investment. Our previous solution would frequently timeout when executives made last-minute adjustments to assumptions. Oracle handles these changes gracefully and maintains data integrity across all connected spreadsheets. The interface takes some getting used to but the learning curve is manageable for finance professionals already comfortable with Excel.