Introduction
The theme of this piece revolves around a contentious discussion in the financial planning and analysis (FP&A) industry—one that was sparked by a LinkedIn post from Colin Wall, a reseller and salesman for Anaplan. His claim? That spreadsheets, particularly Excel, cannot support bottom-up budgeting and are only capable of top-down budgeting.
This statement, while seemingly innocuous, raises broader concerns about the nature of marketing within the FP&A space, the expertise (or lack thereof) of its influencers, and the role of professional knowledge versus popular opinion.
The Controversy: Bottom-Up Budgeting in Excel
The discussion began in July 2023, while I was working on a Profit and Loss statement solution and an annual budgeting model. Colin Wall’s post asserted that bottom-up budgeting is not possible with spreadsheets, a notion that I immediately challenged based on extensive experience implementing such models in large organizations.
Initially, Wall stuck to his stance. However, after consulting a colleague, he softened his position, admitting that his post was merely a copy-paste from Anaplan’s marketing materials. This admission revealed an important insight: his assertion was not based on personal expertise but on a sales-driven narrative.
The Reality of Professional Expertise vs. Marketing Narratives
The crux of this debate lies in the distinction between professional knowledge and popular appeal. The professional excels by delivering tangible, verifiable value—transforming chaotic, inefficient processes into streamlined, scalable solutions. On the other hand, popularity in social media-driven marketing often thrives on reinforcing the status quo rather than challenging it.
The FP&A influencer community, including figures like Paul Barnhurst, operates on social engagement rather than technical rigor. Their influence is built not on the depth of their expertise, but on their ability to attract attention through social media interactions, webinars, and public appearances. The fundamental question becomes: are they adding value, or are they simply reinforcing misconceptions for the sake of visibility?
The Matador Analogy: Are We Seeking Thrills or Real Solutions?
An insightful analogy from Steve Farber’s Extreme Leadership helps illustrate this dilemma. Imagine a matador stepping into the bullring. The crowd cheers, the excitement builds, and the bull charges. At that moment, a thought flashes through the matador’s mind: is he here for the skill of confronting the bull, or is he merely here to pose in flashy leotards?
In the same way, the FP&A industry faces a choice—pursue genuine technical excellence or merely project an image of expertise while relying on marketing rhetoric.
Addressing the Customer Insult Claim
During the debate, Colin Wall reacted emotionally, accusing me of insulting his customers by suggesting they were unaware of bottom-up budgeting’s feasibility in Excel. But is acknowledging an audience’s lack of awareness truly an insult? Or is it a recognition of the very marketing strategy upon which these FP&A tools rely?
Anaplan and similar tools market themselves to an audience that has been led to believe Excel is incapable of sophisticated budgeting. Their success hinges on reinforcing this belief. But what happens when these customers are shown that bottom-up budgeting is possible in Excel—efficiently, effectively, and with full enterprise integration?
The Empirical Test: Challenging the Narrative
To truly test Wall’s assertion, we should present his customers with a real-world demonstration of bottom-up budgeting in Excel.
- Would they reconsider their choice of Anaplan?
- Would they acknowledge that they had been misled by marketing messages?
- Would they prefer a solution that keeps them within the familiar and flexible Excel ecosystem rather than forcing a transition to an external tool?
Some customers may still opt for Anaplan due to personal preference or organizational constraints. However, many—when presented with a superior alternative—may realize that their initial choice was influenced more by marketing than by technical necessity.
Conclusion: The Path Forward
This discussion is not just about one LinkedIn post or one salesperson. It is about a larger industry trend where marketing strategies often prey on customer ignorance rather than fostering genuine technical empowerment.
The FP&A space should move toward promoting veracity over visibility. Instead of influencers driving narratives based on engagement metrics, we need professionals who advocate for robust, transparent, and demonstrably effective solutions. The question is: will the industry embrace this shift, or will it continue to reward the illusion of expertise over the reality of skill?
Let’s test this hypothesis, challenge the assumptions, and see where the truth lies.
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