Certification Program:

Planning analytics foundations

Course Code: AKPAF 

This three-day course is designed for individuals who are new to Planning Analytics. The material is tailored towards students who are participating in the budgeting and forecasting process or use planning analytics for reporting and analysis.

Enter your details, we will get back to you with available course dates ASAP.

Who is this for?

Finance Professionals

Learn about multi-dimensional modelling, how it compares to excel and get hands-on experience building a simple income statement.

IT Professionals

Learn how Planning Analytics has an advantage over other OLAP and Cube technologies as a part of your tech stack and data architecture.

Course Overview:

Day 1: Fundamentals

This module provides an overview of IBM Planning Analytics (TM1), how it compares and contrasts to Microsoft Excel and other OLAP Technologies, and the core components that constitute a Planning Analytics model. Students will get hands-on building out a simple Income Statement model to solidify their understanding of how multi-dimensional planning works.

  • NWhat PA is and why it can help your organization
  • NHands-on building a simple income statement to showcase the capabilities

Day 2: PAW Reporting

This module covers the most important interface for Planning Analytics; PAW (Planning Analytics Workspace). Using a prebuilt model, students will build a forecasting workbook containing input templates, summary views and charts, and then conduct ad-hoc analysis to understand variances, KPIs and financial performance.

This will equip students with the skills required to extract and analyze data within Planning Analytics Workspace and enable them to set up easy-to-use screens, input templates, charts and dashboards that can be used in presentations, month-end meetings, and day-to-day activities.

Day 3: PAfE Reporting

This module introduces Planning Analytics for Excel (PAfE); Planning Analytics’ Excel interface that allows users to connect to multiple models to perform both writeback and analysis. Students will create an Excel workbook that includes the five available report types in PAfE; Explorations, Quick Reports, Dynamic Reports, Custom Reports and Universal Reports. Attendees will learn the pros and cons of each report, interact with each (filtering, data entry, spreading, sandboxes, etc), and learn how to publish them to Planning Analytics Workspace (PAW).

Note that the PAW Reporting module covers some concepts that are essential in PAfE and is therefore a pre-requisite for the PAfE module.

What You will learn

  • NDifference between relational and OLAP databases
  • NWhat makes Planning Analytics a unique OLAP database
  • NWhat multi-dimensional modelling is
  • NHow Planning Analytics compares to Excel/Spreadsheets
  • NComponents of a Planning Analytics model
  • NHow to build core dimensions such as Time, GL, Departments & Scenarios
  • NWhat a cube is, how to create one and load data into it
  • NPA reporting options
  • NPlanning Analytics Workspace (PAW) roles & navigating PAW
  • NCreating tabbed books (input sheets & dashboards)
  • NCreating a cube with dimensions you've built
  • NLoading data into a cube with Turbo Integrator

Why choose actionkpi as your training provider:

IBM Gold Partner & North American Award Winner for Planning Analytics Implementations

We pride ourselves on our ability to execute and implement Planning Analytics for our clients. Learn from a team that IBM has recognized for stellar work & performance. 

Upholding Best Practice

Not all partners are created equal. We understand Planning Analytics and finance, which means we teach you both the most efficient way and the right way to leverage Planning Analytics. 

Our Clients Trust Us to Deliver

Don’t take our word for it! Check out our client case studies & testimonials for the work we have done transforming organizations & creating clarity through integrated planning technologies like Planning Analytics. 

Meet Your Instructor, Scott Baker:

Based out of Toronto, Canada, Scott is a former FPM consultant who discovered a love for teaching. Scott has been spreading his appreciation of Cognos Analytics, Planning Analytics, and Tableau for over a decade.

TRAINING TESTIMONIAL

“Athabasca University has used Planning Analytics from ActionKPI for over three years to enhance our budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis. Recently, ActionKPI provided an invaluable training session for our new and seasoned employees. The instructor was knowledgeable and engaging, drawing useful parallels between Planning Analytics and Excel, which made the material easy to understand and remember.

The training materials were comprehensive and will be valuable references in the future. The exercises were well-structured, and the trainer answered questions and clarified concepts in a way that everyone could understand. I highly recommend this training to anyone using Planning Analytics and we’re thrilled about the growth opportunities this new knowledge will bring to our team!”

Athabasca University

FAQs

Is the course online or in person?

This course can either be taken as part of our regular training schedule online, or you can request in-person on-site learning as a custom learning package. Reach out to us to inquire about in-person training. 

Do we need to own Planning Analytics to take this course?

No software will need to be installed at all! All you require is internet access and a browser (Firefox, Chrome, Edge, etc.). ActionKPI has all the required software running on our dedicated servers, students will simply be provided with login credentials. 

Do you offer additional courses after completion of this introductory course?

Yes! Please contact us for more information on our course offerrengs & custom training packages. 

Will I receive a certificate upon completion?

Yes, you will receive a certificate upon completion that you can apply towards professional development, such as CPD credits for accredited finance professionals.

Earn Verified CPD/CPE credits

If you are a designated finance professional, taking this course will help you achieve your requirements for verified CPD/CPE credits. Each participant in the course will graduate with a certification of completion that can be used for credits. 

About us

We help organizations create transformational change in the way they analyze, report, and act on performance.

Clients who work with us benefit from increased revenue and profits, thousands of hours saved in planning, and more efficient, profit-focused activities across the business.