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Anaplan vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.6
Anaplan users gain ROI from reduced costs, efficiencies, increased sales, improved decision-making, and enhanced planning accuracy.
Sentiment score
6.2
Users of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central see varying ROI; efficiency benefits reported, though timelines and outcomes differ.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.7
Anaplan's customer service is highly rated for its fast, skilled support and effective resolutions with minimal unresolved issues.
Sentiment score
4.1
Microsoft Dynamics 365 has good support, but slow responses and complex issue resolution remain areas needing improvement.
The technical support from Anaplan is amazing, with a dedicated team to assist in case of any issues.
The lack of senior technical consultants means Tier 1 support sometimes has limited experience, which could be better.
Some support personnel seem to stick to a checklist, which can be frustrating for experienced users.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
Anaplan offers excellent scalability and integration for enterprises, though initial design may impact storage costs despite recent improvements.
Sentiment score
7.1
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is scalable for SMBs with customization, but scalability varies by version and deployment type.
Anaplan had issues before, but the new Polaris engine solves them.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Anaplan is praised for its stable, high-performance cloud computing, minimizing manual tasks, and quickly resolving any rare downtimes.
Sentiment score
7.8
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers high stability, consistent performance, and few issues, making it reliable for organizational needs.
For the cloud, we have not faced any downtimes or stability issues.
 

Room For Improvement

Anaplan users seek improvements in model sizing, reporting, visualization, performance, integration, dashboards, and usability for non-technical users.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central lacks in cost management, customization, security, reporting, automation, integration, and compatibility features.
Advanced planning with AI, machine learning, and related plugins would be great to see in the future.
There's a gap in advanced features that other platforms like NetSuite handle better.
There is a need for improvement in consolidation and multi-country master data management.
 

Setup Cost

Anaplan's premium pricing involves high initial costs, scales with usage, and is justified by its leading market position.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers cost-effective, flexible subscription pricing, though implementation and partner support may incur additional costs.
The pricing is slightly on the premium side, but I do not have detailed knowledge about the exact licensing structure.
The pricing for Dynamics 365 Business Central is reasonable.
 

Valuable Features

Anaplan offers intuitive dashboards, real-time updates, user-friendly interface, scalable features, and seamless integration, enhancing business planning efficiency.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers seamless integration, customization, and robust features, appealing to SMBs with real-time data and global compliance.
Anaplan's connected planning feature is its most valuable aspect, allowing for seamless financial planning, HR planning, and updates.
The value for money is very high as it fits the business well.
It provides localized compliance for every country, covering VAT compliances, taxing policies, and corporate taxes.
 

Categories and Ranking

Anaplan
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
28
Ranking in other categories
Business Performance Management (2nd), Production Planning (5th), Predictive Analytics (4th)
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Busi...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
ERP (3rd), Activity Based Costing Software (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

Anaplan and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Anaplan is designed for Business Performance Management and holds a mindshare of 13.1%, down 15.1% compared to last year.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, on the other hand, focuses on ERP, holds 6.7% mindshare, up 6.4% since last year.
Business Performance Management
ERP
 

Featured Reviews

Antonio Flor - PeerSpot reviewer
Real-time data integration enhances operational efficiency and flexibility
As a client developer and solutions architect, I use Anaplan for building modules and deploying logic end-to-end. I work closely with the business in an agile manner to ensure the model aligns with business needs Anaplan offers flexibility in building different options within the platform. The…
StefaanVandesompele - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides end-to-end accounting and finance module at reasonable pricing
365 Business Central integrates with Office 365 to streamline the invoice approval process. This allows businesses to manage and approve invoices efficiently within a unified system. Our organization plans to transition to the Dynamics 365 environment, where various functions will be centralized. We will consolidate everything into one system instead of maintaining multiple databases for each country with local data. Dynamics 365 is fully integrated, which should address many of our challenges when we migrate to this new environment. We look forward to seeing how it performs in practice. The project is progressing well overall, though integrating it with other tools and ensuring Dynamics 365 operates smoothly can be challenging. Dynamics 365 is user-friendly and effective. However, a deeper understanding of its technical capabilities and architecture might be necessary to optimize its use fully. The software landscape is evolving, and achieving the best reporting and functionality with just a click can be complex. A clear vision of what you want to achieve with Dynamics 365 is essential. Proper preparation and configuration are crucial to achieving the desired outcomes. This principle applies not only to Dynamics 365 but to all software packages. Understanding the system's flexibility and adaptability based on your specific business needs is key to its successful implementation. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Educational Organization
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Retailer
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What are your main use cases for Anaplan?
Anaplan is an industry-leading cloud-based corporate performance management (CPM) platform that combines business planning and analytics in a single solution. It is designed to assist organizations...
Is Board better than Anaplan as a Business Intelligence (BI) solution?
We've had several FP&A departments include Anaplan in their analytics discussions, and while BI information IS generated, the focus is generally on compiling input from various sources and simu...
Is Anaplan better than SAP ERP?
There are different aspects of both Anaplan and SAP ERP that I like and dislike. Anaplan improves forecast accuracy and drives up the quality of analytics. Rather than spending all of their time co...
What do you like most about Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The platform offers a robust and comprehensive cycle for supply chain and inventory management, with features like minimum and maximum settings, dynamic monitoring of inventory levels, and integrat...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The pricing for Dynamics 365 Business Central is reasonable. The value for money is very high.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The advanced warehouse functionalities are not available and should be improved. The purchase requisition process is also lacking, and more advanced functionalities for intercompany consolidations ...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Dynamics NAV, MS Dynamics NAV
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

HP, ForeScout, DocuSign, EAT, Pandora, Aviva, Intel Security, Zalora
Harris Farm Markets, Mister Spex GmbH, Bounce Foods, Eurofin Services SA, Medica Medizintechnik, Associated Gaskets, Onduline, Sitka Surfboard Corporation, World Animal Protection
Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle, Anaplan, IBM and others in Business Performance Management. Updated: June 2025.
861,803 professionals have used our research since 2012.