Causal vs. Oracle PBCS

Product Information

When it comes to financial planning and analysis (FP&A), having the right software solution can greatly impact your efficiency and accuracy. Two popular options in the market are Causal and Oracle Planning Cloud. In this article, we will delve into a detailed comparison of these two platforms to help FP&A professionals make an informed decision.

Causal is a best-in-class business planning platform designed specifically for finance teams. It allows users to integrate their accounting software, HRIS, CRM, and other data sources directly into their financial model with just a few clicks. Causal offers a user-friendly interface and intuitive formulas, making it easy for users to onboard quickly. With Causal, users can build beautiful visuals and dashboards with 10-100x fewer formulas than Excel.

Oracle Planning Cloud is an enterprise-level solution that offers comprehensive planning capabilities. It is designed to streamline the planning and forecasting process for large organizations. Oracle Planning Cloud provides features like budget creation, data import, versioning, and what-if analysis. It also offers financial planning and analysis capabilities, consolidation, and integration with other Oracle applications.

Features

Causal Features

User-Friendly Interface: Causal offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for FP&A professionals to navigate and use the platform effectively.
Integrations: Causal allows users to seamlessly integrate data from various sources, such as accounting software, HRIS, and CRM systems, into their financial models.
Visual Dashboards: With Causal, users can create visually appealing dashboards and visuals to present financial data and insights effectively.
Real-Time Collaboration: Causal enables real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same model simultaneously, enhancing teamwork and efficiency.

Oracle Planning Cloud Features

Budget Creation: Oracle Planning Cloud offers comprehensive budget creation capabilities, allowing users to create detailed budgets and forecast accurately.
Data Import: Users can easily import data from multiple sources into Oracle Planning Cloud, eliminating manual data entry and saving time.
Versioning: Oracle Planning Cloud provides version control features, enabling users to create multiple versions of budgets and compare them easily.
What-If Analysis: With Oracle Planning Cloud, users can perform what-if analysis to simulate different scenarios and evaluate the impact on financial plans.

Pricing and Plans

Pricing is an important consideration when choosing a financial planning and analysis software solution. However, it’s worth noting that the pricing for Oracle Planning Cloud is not publicly available. On the other hand, Causal offers a transparent pricing model with three plans:

Free Plan: Causal offers a free plan that allows users to build and share models with limited features and usage.
Team Plan: The team plan is priced at $50 per user per month and includes additional features like collaboration, version history, and priority support.
Enterprise Plan: For larger organizations with more advanced needs, Causal offers an enterprise plan with custom pricing. This plan includes additional features like advanced security and dedicated support.

To get specific pricing details for Oracle Planning Cloud, it is recommended to reach out to their sales team.

Summary

Both Causal and Oracle Planning Cloud offer powerful features and functionalities for FP&A professionals. Causal excels in its user-friendly interface, integrations with various data sources, and real-time collaboration capabilities. It is well-suited for small to mid-sized businesses looking for a modern, intuitive planning platform.

On the other hand, Oracle Planning Cloud caters to larger organizations with comprehensive planning and forecasting requirements. It offers features like budget creation, data import, versioning, and what-if analysis, making it a robust solution for enterprise-level FP&A needs.

Ultimately, the choice between Causal and Oracle Planning Cloud depends on the specific requirements and size of your organization. Evaluating your needs, budget, and desired features will help you make an informed decision.

Features	Causal	Oracle Planning Cloud
User-Friendly Interface	Yes	Yes
Integrations	Yes	Yes
Visual Dashboards	Yes	No
Real-Time Collaboration	Yes	No
Budget Creation	No	Yes
Data Import	No	Yes
Versioning	No	Yes
What-If Analysis	No	Yes

In conclusion, Causal and Oracle Planning Cloud are both solid choices for FP&A professionals. Causal is a user-friendly and visually appealing platform, while Oracle Planning Cloud offers comprehensive planning capabilities for large organizations. Assessing your organization’s specific needs and budget will help you make the right decision for your FP&A requirements.

Oracle PBCS

Product Information

Oracle Planning Cloud is a leading-edge financial planning and analysis (FP&A) solution, designed to cater to the dynamic needs of businesses in managing their financial processes. It’s part of Oracle’s broader Cloud Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) suite. This solution harnesses the power of the cloud to offer scalable, flexible, and integrated planning capabilities. It enables businesses to streamline their budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes with a robust, user-friendly interface. Oracle Planning Cloud is engineered to support a wide range of financial planning activities, including operational budgeting, strategic planning, financial forecasting, and scenario modeling.

Features

Seamless Integration

Oracle Planning Cloud seamlessly integrates with various data sources and systems, ensuring data consistency and accuracy. This integration capability enhances data-driven decision-making, providing a holistic view of the company’s financial health.

Advanced Analytics and Reporting

The platform comes equipped with advanced analytics and reporting tools. These tools allow users to create detailed financial reports and dashboards, offering insights into key performance indicators (KPIs) and financial trends.

Scenario Modeling and Forecasting

With its robust scenario modeling and forecasting features, Oracle Planning Cloud empowers businesses to anticipate future financial outcomes. Users can model different financial scenarios, assess their impact, and make informed decisions.

Collaboration and Workflow Management

Enhanced collaboration tools and workflow management capabilities are at the core of Oracle Planning Cloud. These features enable teams to work cohesively, streamline approval processes, and ensure alignment across the organization.

Customization and Flexibility

The platform is highly customizable, allowing businesses to tailor it to their unique needs. Its flexibility ensures that it can adapt to various industry-specific requirements and changing business environments.

Cloud-Based Advantage

Being a cloud-based solution, Oracle Planning Cloud offers the advantages of scalability, security, and reduced IT overhead. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses looking to leverage cloud technology for their financial planning processes.

Pricing and Plans

Oracle Planning Cloud offers a variety of pricing and plan options to suit different business sizes and requirements. While specific pricing details may vary and should be obtained directly from Oracle, the general structure includes:

Subscription-Based Model

The service operates on a subscription-based model, offering flexibility and scalability. Businesses can choose plans based on their size, user count, and required features.

Customizable Plans

Organizations can opt for customizable plans that cater specifically to their needs. This includes options for additional modules, user licenses, and support services.

Free Trials and Demos

Oracle often provides free trials or demos, allowing businesses to experience the platform’s capabilities before committing to a subscription.

Enterprise Agreements

For larger organizations, Oracle offers enterprise agreements that include customized pricing and terms, aligning with the organization’s broader IT and financial strategies.

Summary

Oracle Planning Cloud stands out as a comprehensive, cloud-based FP&A solution, offering a blend of flexibility, robust features, and integration capabilities. Its advanced analytics, reporting tools, and scenario modeling features make it a powerful tool for financial planning and decision-making. The platform’s scalability and customizable plans make it suitable for a wide range of businesses, from small startups to large enterprises. As part of Oracle’s EPM suite, it represents a key component in the digital transformation of financial processes, driving efficiency, and strategic insight in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Causal: The Modern Approach to Business Planning

Product Information

Causal: Rethinking Financial Modeling and Business Planning

Causal is designed to be the modern solution for those looking to build and automate their financial models, business plans, board reports, and forecasts. It addresses the common challenges faced by professionals who grapple with cumbersome spreadsheets, CSV wrangling, and outdated files. Instead, Causal offers a platform where users can share live reports that drive better decisions, all within a matter of minutes.

A Unified Platform for All Stakeholders

Causal serves as a single platform catering to a diverse range of users, from financial modelers and business teams to CEOs and executives. Whether you’re in finance, a startup, revenue & operations, or HR, Causal has tailored solutions to meet your specific needs.

Features

All Your Planning, Unified

Causal offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to streamline and enhance the planning process:

Automated Reporting: Shift from manual processes to automated reporting, ensuring timely and accurate insights.

Multi-dimensional Modeling & Scenario Planning: Dive deep into your data, explore various scenarios, and make informed decisions.

Live Integrations: Seamlessly integrate with ERPs, CRMs, data warehouses, and more, ensuring that your data is always up-to-date and accurate.

Templates: Get started quickly with out-of-the-box templates built on best practices. Whether you’re looking at headcount, profit & loss, or B2B SaaS revenue, there’s a template to jumpstart your planning.

Customization: Tailor your models to your needs. Adjust assumptions, tweak formulas, and create custom what-if scenarios to explore various possibilities.

Real-time Collaboration: Share dashboards with your team and collaborate in real-time. With live editing and commenting, ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Why Choose Causal?

Causal is not just another planning tool; it’s a platform designed to elevate your planning process:

Increase Productivity:
- Automate data collection
- Create a single source of truth
- Analyze granular data with interactive dashboards
Flexibility & Scalability:
- Build models that adapt to your needs
- Run scenarios with a single click
- Track your progress over time
Collaboration:
- Cut out the need for endless email threads and Slack messages
- Collaborate in real-time within Causal
- Share insights
- Embed live tables and charts in tools like Notion and Google Slides

Integrations

Causal boasts a range of integrations with popular platforms:

Accounting/ERP: Integrate with platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and more.
HRIS: Seamlessly pull data from HR platforms like Workday.
CRM: Ensure your sales data is always updated with integrations like Salesforce.
Data Warehouses: Connect with data warehouses like Snowflake to ensure a holistic view of your data.

Pricing and Plans

As with many business software solutions, the price varies depending on the organization’s unique needs and size. For a detailed breakdown of pricing and available plans, please contact Causal directly or sign up on their website for more information.

However, Causal is trusted and used by a wide range of users, from startups to established companies. The testimonials on the website highlight the platform’s effectiveness and user-friendliness, with many users praising its capabilities over traditional spreadsheet tools.

In conclusion, Causal offers a fresh and modern approach to business planning, financial modeling, and reporting. By combining the familiarity of spreadsheets with advanced features and integrations, Causal ensures that businesses have the tools they need to make informed decisions, collaborate effectively, and drive growth. Whether you’re a financial modeler, a startup founder, or a CEO, Causal provides a unified platform to meet all your planning needs.