Cloud-Based Planning on the Rise: Global Survey Reveals Usage Trends

• The Planning Survey 23 is based on feedback from over 1,300 professionals worldwide.
• Key trends in enterprise planning: integration of planning with analytics and adoption of cloud-based planning
• Many companies face challenges implementing predictive planning.

Würzburg, June 7, 2023 – The leading analyst firm BARC presents the results of The Planning Survey 23. The ninth edition of the annual study gathers the experiences and opinions of over 1,300 professionals regarding the selection and use of software for planning, budgeting and forecasting.

“The survey results underline the increasing importance of integrating planning with analytics and the growing adoption of cloud solutions. At the same time, the use of predictive planning still presents challenges. These findings provide valuable insights for companies looking to optimize their planning and forecasting processes,” commented Dr. Christian Fuchs, Senior Analyst at BARC and co-author of the study.

The Planning Survey 23 highlights three key trends that are significantly shaping the development of software for enterprise planning:

Trend 1: Integration of planning with analytics

The integration of planning with analytics is becoming increasingly important. The market for software solutions is evolving as pure planning tools are being supplanted by comprehensive CPM platforms that also support analytics and corporate consolidation. Many companies still use separate software tools for their various performance management processes, which can involve extra effort and risks. An integrated approach addresses these issues and enables the seamless connection of operational sub-plans with financial planning and corporate consolidation. Companies with merged controlling and accounting teams, as well as aligned structures and processes, benefit particularly from this integration.

Figure 1: Adoption of trend technologies 2016-2023
2016: n=573, 2017: n=1,169, 2018: n=812, 2019: n=932, 2020: n=908, 2021: n=884, 2022: n=832, and 2023: n=783, Source: The Planning Survey 23, Copyright: BARC

Trend 2: Adoption of cloud-based planning solutions

The adoption of cloud-based planning solutions continues to progress. Today, new implementations are predominantly cloud-based. Reasons for this include increasing cost pressures, the efficient processing of large volumes of data, flexibility, scalability and a lack of IT resources within organizations. Cloud-based solutions can be quickly implemented, leading to positive time-to-value. ompanies with globally distributed users are especially likely to benefit from cloud deployments as they enable web-based access from anywhere in the world and can better handle seasonal peaks in workload. The maintenance of SaaS-based solutions is handled by the provider, which is especially attractive for companies with limited IT resources.

Trend 3: Disillusionment with predictive planning

The use of predictive planning continues to be challenging. Although predictive planning software is progressing, potential buyers remain cautious. Companies face the challenge of preparing and improving their data foundation to fully leverage the potential of this technology. Companies face the challenge of preparing and improving their data foundation to fully leverage the potential of this technology.

Figure 2: What challenges do you see in the use of predictive planning and forecasting in your company?
2018: n=1097, 2019: n=1055, 2020: n=1100, 2021: n=696, 2022: n=620, 2023: n=634
Source: The Planning Survey 23, Copyright: BARC

About the study

The results of The Planning Survey 23 are incorporated into the extensive BARC Reviews database. BARC Reviews is the leading German-language platform for comprehensive assessments of software in the areas of data, analytics, business intelligence and corporate performance management. Users can make informed software decisions by comparing market-relevant providers on the basis of user and analyst evaluations.

To the BARC Reviews: barc.com/de/reviews/

About The Survey

The Planning Survey 23 is the ninth edition of BARC’s annual study on the selection and use of planning software. The results are based on a global survey of 1,321 planning users, consultants, and vendors conducted from November 2022 to February 2023. The study includes a comparison of 19 leading planning solutions based on user feedback about their selection and use, as well as current data on market developments. As in previous years, BARC pledged €1 for each completed survey. This year, a donation of €1,350 is being made to WeForest, a climate change non-profit.

The results of the Planning Survey 23 flow into the extensive BARC Reviews database: barc.com/en/reviews/

For more information, see: bi-survey.com/planning-survey-about

Aggregated product-specific results and an online product comparison tool can be found at: bi-survey.com/planning-software-comparison