If your company’s go to market (GTM) planning is a mess of spreadsheets, endless email chains, and last-minute “strategy” sessions, you’re not alone. Coordinating sales, marketing, finance, and ops is hard—especially when everything’s siloed. If you’re looking for a more collaborative, real-time way to plan and adjust your GTM model, this is for you.
This guide is for folks tasked with building or fixing GTM planning—think sales ops, finance analysts, or anyone tired of spreadsheet chaos. We’ll walk through how to build a collaborative GTM planning model using Anaplan, what traps to avoid, and some advice you won’t hear from the sales pitch.
Why collaborative GTM planning matters
Let’s be honest: most go to market plans fall apart for the same reasons every year:
- Sales, marketing, and finance all have different numbers
- No one trusts the “master” spreadsheet
- Changes take forever to flow through the plan
- By the time you’ve finished, the market’s already moved on
A collaborative GTM planning model solves this by getting everyone working from the same source of truth, in real time. That way, when sales wants to change the territory split, marketing can see the impact right away, and finance isn’t caught off guard at quarter-end.
Anaplan does a good job here because it can handle lots of inputs, model complex scenarios, and (if you build things right) keep everyone on the same page. But you’ll need to set it up carefully, or you’ll just move your spreadsheet mess into a shinier tool.
Step 1: Get your GTM planning basics straight
Before you even log into Anaplan, nail down what your GTM plan needs to look like. Otherwise, you’ll waste weeks building a tool that doesn’t fit.
What to clarify upfront: - What’s the main goal? (e.g., territory planning, quota setting, capacity modeling, or all of the above) - Who needs to collaborate? List out every team, and get real about who actually needs access. - What are the key inputs and outputs? (e.g., sales targets, product launches, budget constraints, headcount) - How often will things change? Is this a one-off plan, a quarterly process, or do you need real-time updates?
Pro tip: Don’t try to build the “everything” GTM model out of the gate. Pick the biggest pain point (like quota planning or territory carving) and start there. You can always add more later.
Step 2: Map your data—and clean it up
No tool can save you from bad data. If your accounts, territories, or targets are a mess, Anaplan will just make that more obvious.
What to do: - Inventory your data sources: CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot), HR systems, finance, spreadsheets, etc. - Clean your core lists: Accounts, reps, products, regions—make sure these are de-duplicated and up to date. - Decide data “ownership”: Who owns each list? Who approves changes? This matters more than you think. - Get sample data into a staging spreadsheet: Don’t start building in Anaplan until you’ve wrangled your data.
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over data you might need. Focus on the data that actually drives decisions.
Step 3: Sketch your model on paper first
It’s tempting to dive into Anaplan and start building modules and dashboards. Slow down.
Best practice: Draw your GTM model out on a whiteboard or paper. Map out: - The key drivers (inputs) - The calculations (logic) - The outputs (reports, dashboards) - How teams interact with each part
Why bother? - You’ll spot circular logic or missing links early - It’s way easier to get buy-in (and feedback) from other teams - You’ll save yourself a ton of time reworking things later
Common mistake: Overcomplicating things. Build for your real process, not the “ideal” future state.
Step 4: Build your core modules in Anaplan
Now you’re ready to build in Anaplan. Start simple—just the essentials. Here’s a rough order:
- Lists: Set up your foundational lists (accounts, territories, reps, products)
- Data imports: Connect your staging data. Use Anaplan’s import tools, but expect a little trial and error.
- Input modules: These are where users enter or adjust assumptions (quota by rep, segmentation rules, etc.)
- Calculation modules: Build your logic here—how quotas roll up, how territories are assigned, etc.
- Output modules: Reports and dashboards that show the results (targets, coverage gaps, headcount needs)
Tips: - Use naming conventions. Future-you (and your team) will thank you. - Keep modules focused—one purpose per module. - Test with real data as soon as possible.
What to skip: Don’t build fancy dashboards yet. Get the logic working first.
Step 5: Design for collaboration, not just “inputs”
A lot of people think “collaborative” just means multiple people can edit numbers. That’s the bare minimum. True collaboration means:
- Clear roles and permissions: Only certain folks can edit quotas; others just view.
- Audit trails: Who changed what, and when? Anaplan can track this, but make sure it’s enabled.
- Commenting and feedback: Use Anaplan’s built-in commenting, but don’t expect miracles—it’s basic. For real collaboration, you’ll need to supplement with Slack, email, or meetings.
- Real-time updates: Changes are visible to everyone immediately—no more out-of-date spreadsheets floating around.
What doesn’t work: Trying to “force” all collaboration into Anaplan. Some discussions need to happen outside the tool.
Step 6: Iterate with real users
The first version of your model will be wrong. That’s normal.
What actually works: - Roll out your model to a small group first (pilot team) - Get feedback on what’s confusing or missing - Make changes quickly—don’t wait for “perfect” - Add dashboards or visualizations only after the core logic works
What to ignore: Fancy features you saw in the demo. Focus on what your teams actually use.
Step 7: Maintain and evolve your GTM model
Once your model’s in use, the real work starts. Your GTM plan will change—so your model needs to keep up.
How to keep things on track: - Set a regular review cadence (quarterly or before each planning cycle) - Assign a clear owner for updates and fixes - Archive old versions—people will ask for them - Collect feedback from actual users, not just the execs
Common pitfall: Letting the model drift out of sync with reality. If reps or regions change, update your lists fast.
Honest take: What works, what doesn’t, and what to ignore
What works: - Starting small and iterating - Keeping logic transparent (so everyone understands how numbers flow) - Using Anaplan for what it’s good at: scenario modeling, real-time updates, and clear audit trails
What doesn’t: - Over-engineering the model before you’ve tested it with users - Relying on Anaplan for deep collaboration (it’s not Slack) - Assuming Anaplan will magically fix bad data or broken processes
What to ignore: - Every “best practice” you see in vendor decks—your process is unique, so adapt the tool to fit you, not the other way around
Keep it simple—and keep improving
GTM planning doesn’t need to be a never-ending project. Start simple, get the basics working, and let real feedback drive your next steps. Tools like Anaplan can help—if you build models that fit your actual process, not some idealized version.
Iterate fast, keep your team involved, and don’t be afraid to scrap what isn’t working. The goal isn’t to have the fanciest model—the goal is to have a plan that your whole team trusts, understands, and actually uses.