Anaplan + NetSuite Integration

The Anaplan-NetSuite integration creates an automated data pipeline between your ERP actuals and planning models. NetSuite financial data flows into Anaplan on a schedule, mapped to the correct dimensions, replacing the monthly trial balance export-and-reformat cycle.

Planning Models Are Only as Good as the Data Feeding Them

Anaplan is a powerful connected planning platform. Finance teams build models for budgeting, forecasting, revenue planning, workforce planning, and more. But those models need actuals data from NetSuite to generate variance analysis, update rolling forecasts, and validate assumptions.

Without an integration, someone is exporting a trial balance from NetSuite, reformatting the data to match Anaplan's module structure, and importing it manually. For monthly close this is annoying. For weekly or rolling forecasts, it's unsustainable.

The integration creates an automated data pipeline: NetSuite actuals flow into Anaplan models on a schedule you define, and optionally, approved budgets flow back to NetSuite for budget-vs-actual reporting.

What We Build

Actuals Data Pipeline: We extract financial data from NetSuite -- trial balance, income statement details, or transactional data depending on your model granularity -- and push it to the appropriate Anaplan modules. The extract runs on a schedule (daily, weekly, or monthly) and handles the dimension mapping automatically.

Dimension Alignment: Anaplan models have their own list structures that don't match NetSuite's segments out of the box. Account codes, departments, cost centers, and entities all need mapping. We build this as a maintained mapping layer so your FP&A team can update it when either system's structure changes. This is typically the most time-consuming part of the project.

Budget Writeback: Approved budgets from Anaplan push back to NetSuite, where they populate budget columns in financial reports. This means managers can see budget-vs-actual comparisons in NetSuite without needing Anaplan licenses.

Operational Data Feeds: Planning models often need more than GL data. Headcount, pipeline data, bookings, unit metrics -- we can pull operational data from NetSuite (or other connected systems) into Anaplan modules to support workforce planning, revenue models, and operational forecasts.

Technical Architecture: Anaplan provides a REST API and a bulk data API for large data loads. We connect to NetSuite through SuiteTalk or saved search exports, transform the data through middleware (Celigo, Workato, or custom), and push to Anaplan using their data import APIs. For complex implementations, Anaplan's CloudWorks integration hub provides pre-built connectors that simplify the connection, though they still require mapping configuration.

Key Benefits

• Automated actuals delivery. No more manual exports and imports each close cycle.
• Reliable dimension mapping. Consistent translation between NetSuite segments and Anaplan lists eliminates manual formatting errors.
• Faster planning cycles. Actuals available in Anaplan the same day you close, enabling quicker variance analysis and forecast updates.
• Budget visibility in NetSuite. Approved plans visible to budget owners in their daily tool without Anaplan access.
• Flexible scheduling. Run daily for rolling forecasts or monthly for traditional budget cycles.

Is This Right for You?

If your FP&A team uses Anaplan and your accounting runs on NetSuite, this integration is a matter of when, not if. Manual data transfer between planning and ERP systems doesn't scale, and it introduces errors at the worst possible time -- during close and planning cycles.

The exception is if you're just getting started with Anaplan and still building your first models. Get the models right first, then integrate. Building the data pipeline into a model that's still in flux wastes effort on both sides.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Anaplan NetSuite integration sync actuals data?expand_more

Can Anaplan budgets write back to NetSuite?expand_more

How long does an Anaplan NetSuite integration take to implement?expand_more

Does the integration support operational data beyond the general ledger?expand_more

Let's connect your planning platform to NetSuite