Request a Demo

Enterprise planning that works in weeks, not months—without leaving Excel

Anaplan promises flexibility but delivers complexity. Datarails delivers enterprise-grade FP&A in Excel–with fast implementation, transparent pricing, and no consultant dependency.

Request a demo

The gap is real

Implementation time
6-12 weeks & in-house
6-18 months
Works in Excel
✓ Native Excel integration with AI
✗ Proprietary interface (steep learning curve)
Native data management
✓
✗
Integrations
✓ 200+ native integrations
✗ Requires add-ons + consultants
Implementation
4-6 weeks, in-house experts
6-9 months, 100% partner-led
Support
100% in-house, US/EU-based with finance backgrounds
Partner ecosystem, Center of Excellence-dependent
Request a demo

The planning platform dilemma

Finance teams outgrow Excel but don’t want to abandon it entirely. Anaplan positions itself as the flexible enterprise solution, but much of it is rigid and expensive, including massive implementation costs, complex model management, and hiring specialized developers or expensive consultants.

Datarails was built differently. We believe finance teams shouldn’t have to choose between Excel’s familiarity and flexibility and enterprise-grade planning capabilities. Our platform delivers the power of connected planning while letting your team work exactly where they’re most productive—in Excel.

Request a demo

Key Differentiators

Weeks to value, not months of rebuilding

At Anaplan, 6-18 month implementations are standard. When you need to add a new dimension, change your reporting structure, or upgrade your model, you’re often looking at costly rebuilds. Those “upgradable” apps? You’ll lose customizations and face hidden implementation costs every time you want to adapt. At Datarails, we’re not forcing you to rebuild your entire financial logic in a proprietary system. Your Excel models, your formulas, your tribal knowledge—it all stays. We layer enterprise capabilities on top, so when your business changes, your planning system adapts instantly.

All-inclusive platform vs. Add-on ecosystem

The sticker price is just the beginning. Want to connect to your ERP without flat file uploads? That’ll be extra for Data Orchestrator, Anaplan’s data integration feature. Need their sparsity engine for better performance? Another annual charge. And here’s what they don’t advertise: Anaplan has grown by acquisition, not native development. Their financial close and consolidation runs through Fluence (acquired 2024), which still isn’t fully integrated. Datarails is a single, natively built platform with full FP&A capabilities, embedded AI, and direct system connectors all included.

True Excel integration vs. forced platform migration

Despite marketing claims, Anaplan requires finance teams to completely abandon Excel and learn their proprietary interface. The change management burden is enormous. Your team’s decades of Excel expertise? Suddenly irrelevant. Training becomes a multi-month initiative, and adoption suffers.

In-House Support vs. Offshore CoE Dependency

Anaplan has offshored most support and customer success functions to cut costs ahead of their exit. You’re increasingly reliant on a Center of Excellence (external consultants or costly in-house dedicated Anaplan teams) to manage and maintain your environment. Datarails’ support is 100% in-house, comprised of US & EU-based FP&A experts. We’re built to scale with SMBs and mid-market companies, which means responsive, knowledgeable support that understands your challenges.
Request a demo

Don't just take our word for it

“I think choosing Datarails was the greatest decision ever for our company.”

Grace Li
Origin Investments

“Thank goodness we went ahead with Datarails, because there’s no way we’d be where we are as a team without it.”

Charlotte Kelly
Head of FPu0026A, Butternut Box

“We implemented Datarails in under two months, and were fully functional within three. We do financial statements in our 18 markets with a push of a button at the end of the quarter.”

Jeff Hunt
Director of FP&A, Young Living

“It just works. As we grow, that kind of reliability is invaluable.”

Andy Austin
CFO, Carrollton Development Group

“Everything is live and interactive. We can switch views, track trends over time, and drill down where needed. It’s really easy and flexible for the team to use.”

Joel Jeselsohn
CFO, Tangoe

FAQs

Can Datarails handle complex, multi-entity consolidations?

Absolutely. We automate multi-entity, multi-currency consolidations with full intercompany eliminations.

What if we’re planning an ERP upgrade or migration?

This is actually where Datarails shines. Because we’re ERP-agnostic and sit as a layer above your systems, we preserve your historical data and financial logic throughout any transition.

Do I need to hire specialized developers or consultants?

No. Our platform is designed for finance professionals, not developers. And our in-house support team provides the guidance you need without requiring external help.

Can we keep using our existing Excel models and templates?

Yes! That’s the whole point. Your existing models, formulas, and templates work seamlessly. We enhance them with automation, connectivity, and collaboration.

Learn why finance teams choose Datarails

Request a demo