Anaplan – Enterprise Performance Management:
In this blog, we explain how Anaplan can be integrated with MuleSoft to support enterprise digital transformation through reliable system connectivity. Specifically, this approach uses the MuleSoft Anaplan connector as an alternative to Anaplan Connect. As a result, teams can design Anypoint flows that simplify and standardize data movement across platforms.
Anaplan is an enterprise performance management platform that connects people, data, and plans within a unified planning environment. Consequently, organizations can align strategy, operations, and execution more effectively.
Moreover, because Anaplan follows a modular architecture, decision-makers across Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, HR, Marketing, and other business units can model their processes independently. At the same time, integration with MuleSoft ensures that these models remain synchronized with upstream and downstream systems.
Enterprise performance management solutions help organizations plan, budget, forecast, and report on business performance. In addition, they support financial consolidation and regulatory reporting. Therefore, while finance teams primarily use these platforms, functions such as HR, Sales, Marketing, and IT also rely on Anaplan data integration for operational planning.
Anaplan Components:
When integrating Anaplan with MuleSoft, the following components play a critical role. For example, each component contributes directly to how data flows across systems.
Workspace – A private environment that stores models accessed during API-driven operations
Models – Business use cases that expose data to external systems through integration flows
Lists – Dimensions and hierarchies used during imports, exports, and synchronization
Modules – Multidimensional structures that MuleSoft reads from or writes to
Line Items – Data points that store raw and calculated values exchanged across systems
User Experience – The interface used to validate and review integrated data
Anaplan Data Integration:
Anaplan data integration supports common operations such as importing data, exporting data, deleting obsolete records, and running multi-step processes. However, when MuleSoft orchestrates these operations, teams gain additional control and flexibility. As a result, scheduling, monitoring, and error handling become more consistent.
Organizations can perform import and export operations using several interfaces. For instance, each option supports different operational needs.
- The Anaplan graphical user interface for manual import and export tasks
- Anaplan Connect, which automates batch operations using scripts
- The Anaplan application programming interface, which enables MuleSoft-based integrations
Anaplan connector for Mulesoft:
The MuleSoft Anaplan connector allows teams to build integration flows that move data between Anaplan and other enterprise systems. Therefore, organizations can standardize data exchange while reducing manual effort.
Using this connector, MuleSoft flows can perform several actions. For example:
- Import data from databases, Salesforce, CSV files, or other connected systems
- Export updated lists or modules to files or target platforms
- Perform scheduled transformations as part of a broader integration strategy
- Remove outdated records to maintain data accuracy
- Execute model-to-model transfers
- Trigger predefined Anaplan processes
Operations Involved in Mulesoft with Anaplan Connector:
The following operations are commonly used during Anaplan integration with MuleSoft to support different data movement and automation scenarios. The connector supports a wide range of operations. Consequently, teams can design both simple and advanced integration patterns.
- Execute import only
- Execute import streaming
- Execute import with files
- Describe import
- Execute export streaming
- Execute export with files
- Describe export
- Execute file upload streaming
- Execute file upload with files
- Describe Anaplan file
- Execute process
- Execute delete
Steps to Set up Anaplan MuleSoft Integration:
1. Create access for Anaplan:
First, request access through the Anaplan Community waitlist. After submitting the required documentation, Anaplan typically provides credentials within 72 hours. Therefore, teams should plan access requests in advance.
Once access becomes available, users can create and manage models. However, since administrative privileges are not included, the connector uses Basic Authentication instead of certificate-based authentication.
Meanwhile, the Anaplan Bulk API documentation explains available endpoints and supported operations in detail.
2. Set up export, import, delete actions in Anaplan
Before MuleSoft can interact with Anaplan, teams must configure all export, import, and delete actions directly in the model. Otherwise, MuleSoft cannot trigger these operations.
The Anaplan Community course “Level 1 Model Building – Introduction” provides practical guidance for building lists, modules, and actions. Subsequently, Anaplan displays these actions in the Actions tab.
To connect MuleSoft, retrieve the Workspace ID and Model ID from the “About” section.
3. Set up Anaplan Connector in Mulesoft
Next, install the connector from Anypoint Exchange using Anypoint Studio as part of the Anaplan integration setup. After installation, configuration can begin immediately.
To configure the connector correctly:
- Add it to the Mule flow
- Store connection properties in a secure configuration file
- Encrypt credentials to protect sensitive information
- Select the appropriate authentication method
4. Set up Actions in Anaplan
For successful integration, Anaplan must already contain all required import, export, delete, and upload actions. Then, MuleSoft references these actions by name during execution.
4.1 Define file upload
First, create file data sources in Anaplan. After that, MuleSoft can upload data into those sources.
4.2 Define Import Action
Next, define import actions for lists, models, or line items. During configuration, map source fields to Anaplan fields and specify unique identifiers.
4.3 Define Export Action
Similarly, define export actions by selecting the output format and saving the definition for later use.
4.4 Define Delete Action
Finally, create delete actions to remove unwanted data. As a result, teams can keep models clean and accurate.
Anaplan – Mulesoft Integration:
After configuration, MuleSoft can invoke Anaplan actions using the Workspace ID, Model ID, and action names. Consequently, integrations run in a controlled and repeatable manner.
1. Describe Import
This operation previews uploaded data before import execution. Therefore, teams can validate mappings early.
2. Describe Export
Likewise, this operation previews data before export, which helps confirm structure and content.
3. Execute import with files
This operation imports data from files stored on a server. Moreover, chunking improves reliability during large transfers.
4. Execute export with files
This operation exports Anaplan data to a physical location for downstream processing.
5. Execute delete
This operation removes data based on predefined delete rules within the Anaplan–MuleSoft setup. As a result, outdated records no longer impact reporting.
6. Execute file upload streaming
This operation uploads streaming data from systems such as Workday without immediately importing it.
7. Execute import streaming
This operation imports streaming data directly into Anaplan. Additionally, retry mechanisms improve fault tolerance.
8. Execute export streaming
This operation streams Anaplan data to external systems. Consequently, near real-time integration scenarios become possible.
Conclusion:
Integrating Anaplan with MuleSoft enables organizations to connect planning models with enterprise systems more efficiently. Ultimately, teams benefit from improved data accuracy, automation, and scalability across both cloud and on-premise environments.
References:
https://www.anaplan.com
https://community.anaplan.com/t5/Anaplan-Access-Beta/ct-p/ATBReg
https://anaplanbulkapi20.docs.apiary.io/#introduction/bulk-api-index