Planful vs Workiva Wdesk comparison

Planful and Workiva are both solutions in the Business Performance Management category. Planful is ranked #16, while Workiva is ranked #12 with an average rating of 7.0. Planful holds a 3.3% mindshare in BPM, compared to Workiva’s 3.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Planful users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 71% of Workiva users who would recommend it.

Planful

Read 2 Planful reviews

1,266 Views
1,076 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Workiva Wdesk

Read 7 Workiva Wdesk reviews

3,586 Views
1,040 Comparison Views

71% willing to recommend

Planful

Workiva Wdesk

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Planful and Workiva Wdesk compete in corporate performance management and financial reporting. Workiva generally has the upper hand due to advanced features and justified pricing, while Planful is favored for pricing and support.

Features: Planful offers budgeting, forecasting, and financial close tools for performance management. Workiva provides compliance management, enhanced collaboration, and data integration for seamless reporting.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Planful offers streamlined deployment and strong customer service for smooth implementation. Workiva has a more complex deployment but provides exceptional customer service and training resources.

Pricing and ROI: Planful has lower setup costs and provides strong ROI in financial planning and budgeting. Workiva has higher costs but justifies this with extensive compliance and collaboration features.

To learn more, read our detailed Planful vs. Workiva Wdesk Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Planful vs. Workiva Wdesk

April 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 893,244 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Planful

Ranking in Business Performance Management

16th

Ranking in Financial Close Software

19th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Workiva Wdesk

Ranking in Business Performance Management

12th

Ranking in Financial Close Software

6th

Average Rating

7.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

GRC (8th)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Business Performance Management category, the mindshare of Planful is 3.3%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Workiva Wdesk is 3.3%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Business Performance Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Workiva Wdesk	3.3%
Planful	3.3%
Other	93.4%

Business Performance Management

Featured Reviews

reviewer1110591

Financial Planning & Analysis - Finance Manager at a engineering company with 501-1,000 employees

It has helped us speed up the turnaround time on our consolidation, and we haven't had anything come up that the program has not been able to solve

The part that we liked about Excel is that it had a better interface in terms of just graphical illustration of our results. So, if we wanted to look at our financial trends and put it into some type of graphical interface for people to look at, we still have to leverage Excel for that. The dashboards aren't as usable as maybe some of the other solutions, such as Tableau or other BI tools. The application that we use today for our BI tools is Tableau. That's how people absorb information. We don't really use the functionality or dashboards within Planful because of the robustness of Tableau. That's our single source of data. If Planful was better or more comparable in terms of features and functionality, we could probably leverage that in Planful.

Read full review

reviewer2510292

Corporate ESG Analyst at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees

Has cross-functional connectivity but improvement is needed in script encoding

The tool's deployment is quick. Once the program is set up, you're ready to collect data and connect it to your report. The deployment team's size depends on the size of the company and how many different data providers you're utilizing. Some companies have one person doing everything, while others have a huge team. We're on the latter end of it, with many people involved. One great thing about the platform is that everything is consolidated in one place, providing a single resource for everyone. This is a benefit. The maintenance of the solution depends on the experience of the person managing the company's program. The company might have a contractor handling the back end and software management if they're low-level and only analyzing the data. However, if you have someone experienced with software and script encoding, that person might be the analyst and managing the program. Generally, most people are just analysts and not managing the software. There's an opportunity for improvement in user management of their software, and I hope they address this gap before the year ends.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It has helped us speed up the turnaround time on our consolidation. We don't have to do reporting in Excel anymore, which has cut down on the errors and the efficiency of our close time."

"Planful has probably cut our time in half, given that we can now leverage the cloud-based services to interact with our subs for getting their forecast inputs."

"I believe the ROI is very high."

"The cross-functionality between connectivity, whether through API connections between different software platforms or the connection of data collection to the actual written ESG report, is highly valuable. The connectivity of all these aspects significantly aids in data assurance, which I consider a bonus."

"It helps you to maintain a backup of your data, including the connectivity with the tables, which provides a user-friendly way to handle and access your files."

"Workiva Wdesk is pretty good in terms of getting the data from the system, automating the reporting schedules...It has a very good integration with ERP tools."

"The collaboration within the platform is valuable."

"The most valuable feature is its ability to easily upload and update financial results, creating a dynamic data sheet."

"Workiva Wdesk has a flow diagram that is standardized, making it easy for people to file documents on ECDAs, which are in HTML format."

"It makes the compliance process more efficient and more effective."

Cons

"The part that we liked about Excel is that it had a better interface in terms of just graphical illustration of our results."

"Some of the behind the scenes processing for the simulation engines has a learning curve to use in that there are certain changes that need to happen for the reporting to be "Live"."

"The part that we liked about Excel is that it had a better interface in terms of just graphical illustration of our results. So, if we wanted to look at our financial trends and put it into some type of graphical interface for people to look at, we still have to leverage Excel for that. The dashboards aren't as usable as maybe some of the other solutions, such as Tableau or other BI tools."

"At this point, I don't see a compelling reason to invest in Workiva. It may be necessary for compliance and controlling the version of SCC, but not everyone needs its high-end capabilities."

"The most critical issue is the need to shift between uppercase and lowercase."

"One area where Workiva Wdesk could improve is by ensuring that its cloud-based system is fully compatible with the most current versions of PowerPoint and Excel."

"With this product, it's more about the integrated data model where you can have a one-to-many/many-to-one relationship between your policies and processes, risks, and controls. They need to showcase how you can put those pieces together."

"The tool's script encoding needs to be updated to make it more user-friendly and less of a manual process when changes are made to a company's program. Those changes happen frequently due to mandatory or voluntary reporting requirements, leading to lost linkage connections that must be manually reset each time a change is made. This aspect is not functional now, and I see it as an opportunity for improvement."

"The speed must be improved."

"Regarding the solution, reporting has certain areas that can be considered for improvement."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Right now, everything is on a three-year term contract, and that is our main cost."

"Our clients in Asia think that the solution is too expensive."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Business Performance Management solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

893,244 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Construction Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

16%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	1
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	5

Questions from the Community

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

What needs improvement with Workiva Wdesk?

The tool's script encoding needs to be updated to make it more user-friendly and less of a manual process when changes are made to a company's program. Those changes happen frequently due to mandat...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Workiva Wdesk?

I've been working with the tool's script encoding departments and top management to address gaps in their script encoding. They are working towards closing these gaps to ensure we can continue usin...

See all answers

Comparisons

Adaptive Insights vs Planful

Compared 11% of the time

Anaplan vs Planful

Compared 8% of the time

IBM Planning Analytics vs Planful

Compared 7% of the time

Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud vs Planful

Compared 6% of the time

Oracle Hyperion vs Planful

Compared 5% of the time

More Planful Competitors

AuditBoard vs Workiva Wdesk

Compared 8% of the time

RSA Archer vs Workiva Wdesk

Compared 4% of the time

Scytale vs Workiva Wdesk

Compared 4% of the time

OneStream XF vs Workiva Wdesk

Compared 4% of the time

CCH Tagetik vs Workiva Wdesk

Compared 4% of the time

More Workiva Wdesk Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Business Performance Management

April 2026

Download Planful product report

Buyer's Guide

Workiva Wdesk

April 2026

Download Workiva Wdesk product report

Also Known As

Host Analytics

Wdesk

Overview

Planful provides collaborative financial planning and analysis, empowering businesses to streamline budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes. Ideal for data-driven professionals aiming for precision and efficiency.

Planful stands out by delivering a robust platform for financial planning and reporting. Its use case spans multiple industries where it offers seamless integration, aiding professionals with precise planning, accurate forecasting, and detailed financial reporting. Known for its flexibility, Planful caters to the demands of a data-driven user base, enhancing strategic decision-making capabilities.

What are the most important features of Planful?

Continuous Planning: Enables dynamic, ongoing forecasts adapting to changing business environments.
Predictive Analytics: Integrates advanced analytics to inform proactive business decisions.
Scenario Modeling: Provides tools for testing financial strategies against diverse scenarios.
Automated Reports: Simplifies the creation of detailed financial reports saving time.
Collaboration Tools: Facilitates teamwork by consolidating input from multiple stakeholders.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in reviews?

Time Efficiency: Noticeable reduction in time spent on planning and reporting tasks.
Enhanced Accuracy: Increased precision in forecasts and financial reports.
Scalability: Ability to support growing business needs without additional resource expenditure.
Cost Reduction: Lower operational costs through streamlined processes.

Planful finds its implementation in industries such as retail, healthcare, and manufacturing. Retail businesses leverage it for inventory forecasting and sales analysis. Healthcare institutions use it for budgeting and resource allocation, while manufacturers employ its analytics for production planning and cost management.

Planful

Workiva Wdesk specializes in updating financial results with seamless API connectivity and strong data assurance. Valued for its effective compliance processes, the platform enhances collaboration, making it efficient for financial data handling and reporting schedules.

Known for its integration with ERP tools, Workiva Wdesk supports standardized data flow, easing management and document replication for updates. Its user-friendly interface facilitates efficient collaboration for tasks like SOX, internal audit, and SEC filings. However, users point out the need for better compatibility with PowerPoint and Excel features, improved search functionality, and enhanced data linkage management. There are also concerns regarding encoding, data loss during server refreshes, and workflow inefficiencies.

What are the key features of Workiva Wdesk?

Seamless API Connectivity: Allows for easy integration with existing systems.
Data Assurance: Provides robust backup and security.
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies navigation and task management.
ERP Integration: Supports standardized data flow and document updates.
Collaboration Tools: Enhances teamwork with multiple contributors on projects.

What benefits should users expect?

Improved Financial Reporting: Streamlined report generation for SEC filings and financial reporting.
Enhanced Compliance: Effective processes for SOX and internal audits.
Efficient Data Management: Standardized data flow and document handling.
Increased Productivity: User-friendly interface aids swift adoption and use.

Workiva Wdesk is extensively used across industries for creating and managing board deck presentations, aiding teams in generating annual reports and preparing detailed reports including data tables. It facilitates collaboration in financial settings, addressing needs in compliance, risk management, and audit preparation.

Workiva

Sample Customers

Tandem Diabetes Care, Reed Exhibitions, SkyGolf, Zep Inc., Thule, Stylesight, Schumacher Group, Parsons Electric, Nextag, Groupon

Noodles Company, eBay, Winnebago, American Assets Trust, AmericanEnterprise, Calpian, Capstone Infrastructure, Cascades, Circor International, Coeur Mining, Davey, Dr Pepper Snapple

Buyer's Guide

Planful vs. Workiva Wdesk

April 2026

Free Report: Planful vs. Workiva Wdesk

Find out what your peers are saying about Planful vs. Workiva Wdesk and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

893,244 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Planful vs. Workiva Wdesk report.

See our list of best Business Performance Management vendors and best Financial Close Software vendors.

We monitor all Business Performance Management reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.