KeenVision Launches People Planning & Analytics: Sidekick to Planful’s Continuous Planning

KeenVision is rolling out a new Planful ‘Sidekick’ solution which extends the power of Planful’s WorkForce Planning application. Keen’s People Planning & Analytics tool set enhances capabilities in planning, analytics, and data visualizations.

Clients have expressed a strong interest in analyzing Compensation Costs and Activity at a deeper level – being able to assess variances and changes at the individual person level. The analytic capability of Keen’s process allows for interaction through both SpotlightXL Reporting as well as Power BI.

The design of KeenVision’s People Planning & Analytics application integrates actual payroll data by employee, general ledger bookings, and forecasting projections. Published reporting, ad hoc analysis capabilities, and advanced data visualizations are available through Planful’s reporting as well as Power BI.

KeenVision’s design enhances Planful capabilities in several key areas.

Include Planning by Strategic Initiative in Planful

Planning by Organization and Account (Cost Type) has been available through Planful’s WorkForce Planning and standard templates. KeenVision has added an optional capability to segment and tracks People activity and cost by Strategic Initiative.

This capability allows for planning, tracking, and reporting across the base business as well as strategic initiatives like channel expansion, investments in new products, organizational downsizing, and M&A efforts.

Aggregate all People Planning Data

The application aggregates all People related planning data generated in Planful – WorkForce Planning as well as other People related templates. Wherever available, the data is captured at the individual Employee level.

Data can also be mapped and integrated with an external data warehouse specifically designed to feed Power BI or other visual display applications.

Actual Payroll Data Integration

One of the key features of KeenVision’s People Planning & Analytics solution is the integration of Actual Payroll data direct from the client Payroll or HRIS application. This deep dataset can be refreshed on a frequency that aligns with the client’s business needs. Some clients refresh weekly to gain a rapid view of hourly workforce dynamics – aligning hours worked with operational productivity.

Variance Analysis at Person Level

With Planning and Actuals data at the Employee level in a common application, the ability for Finance and Business Operations teams to analyze soars to an entirely new level. Assess the impact of Attrition across the organization. Provide weekly visibility to hourly work trends. Utilize the actuals detail to improve the forecast of all compensation-related expenses.

Measures and metrics in People Planning support ready visibility of attrition rates, salary inflation, and cost differentials across regional locations.

The Strategic Initiative capability allows for quick updates on the progression of strategic headcount investment or savings actions. Finance, HR, and Business Operations can now share a common view for upcoming personnel actions.

Power BI Data Visualizations

The integration of data from Planful to Power BI enhances the data visualization capabilities for Planful clients. Planful clients can now combine the power of Planful’s Continuous Planning with the richness of Power BI’s interactive data visualizations.

The Keen solution integrates People Planning data (from all originating sources in Planful) with Actual Payroll detail by Employee. Additional data sources can also be directly integrated into Power BI including employee demographics and salary bands by position type.

Finance and HR can collaborate with the inclusion of Diversity Equity and Inclusion data and measures – helping to foster organizational change.

 

We are so thrilled to introduce People Planning & Analytics as our first Planful ‘sidekick’. This is a concept that KeenVision intends to expand as we continue to design, develop and deliver advanced client planning and analysis solutions.

The solution is designed to add-on to existing Planful applications. If you are looking for a way to enhance your financial analysis capabilities around People management, let’s connect and talk through the possibilities.

Come see our team present at Planful’s Perform conference, or if you can’t see us there, reach out and let’s explore the possibilities together.

 

Mark Davidson

Managing Partner