In today’s planning landscape, organizations expect more than traditional data entry and static forecasts. They need dynamic planning models, scenario simulation, and transparent calculation logic—delivered in a way that business users can intuitively adopt.

At Notium, we continuously refine how we design SAC Planning demos and POCs to demonstrate not only the tool’s capabilities, but also the methodology behind a well-structured planning solution. Recently, we prepared a demo for a client case (LGC), which became a strong example of our approach.

1. Our Planning Philosophy: Start with the Business, Not the Tool

Every successful SAC Planning implementation starts with a simple question:

“How does the business actually plan?”

Before touching models or reports, we invest time in understanding:

• Key revenue and cost drivers
• How the organization structures its inputs
• What calculations matter for decision-makers
• Which metrics drive the P&L
• How scenarios are evaluated
• What the reporting layer must deliver

This ensures that the planning model reflects the real process—not a generic technical setup.

2. Translating the Process Into SAC: Models, Dimensions, Structure

Once the business logic is clear, we build a planning foundation that can scale:

✔ A clean dimensional model

(Version, Date, Metric, Classification, Entity…)

✔ A well-organized planning model

Inputs → Drivers → Calculations → KPIs → Financial Outputs

✔ Clear separation of

• What the business inputs
• What the system calculates
• What the reports visualize

This makes the entire flow transparent and audit friendly.

3. Data Input Reports: A Better Way to Collect Assumptions

Instead of free-form planning, we design Data Input Reports structured around the client’s needs.

For the LGC example, this included:

• Revenue drivers (units, return rates, fees)
• Cost drivers (BOM, shipping, engagement…)
• Operational ratios (overheads, R&D, S&M, G&A…)
• Financial assumptions (tax, interest, D&A, capex inputs)

Each input is validated and fed directly into the automated SAC calculation engine.

This approach ensures that planning users interact with simple, structured, business-friendly screens—while the complexity stays under the hood.

4. Automating the Planning Logic with Data Actions & Multi-Actions

One of SAC’s strongest capabilities is the ability to execute complex multi-step calculations with a single button.

In our demo:

• All revenue and cost calculations
• Return curve/secondary unit logic
• Opex and P&L derivations
• Multi-year projections

…were executed using Data Actions and Multi-Actions, triggered directly from the story.

This creates an experience where users can:

✨ Enter assumptions ✨ Click the run button ✨ Immediately review updated results ✨ Iterate through multiple what-if scenarios

No manual intervention. No offline tools. No black-box logic.

5. Scenario-Based Planning: Demonstrating SAC’s Flexibility

A core part of every demo is showing how SAC handles scenario modelling.

For this case, we prepared four independent versions to illustrate different forecasting behaviours—volume changes, deflation assumptions, return-rate adjustments, etc.

Each version recalculated the entire flow:

• Units
• Revenue
• COGS
• Opex
• EBITDA
• Net Income
• KPIs

…allowing instant comparison through dedicated variance reports and charts.

This not only showcases SAC capability, but also reinforces a message:

A modern planning solution must empower the business to test assumptions, not wait for IT to run them.

6. Reporting Layer: From Detailed Grids to Executive Dashboards

We always design the reporting layer for two audiences:

✔ Finance analysts

Need structured tables, drilldowns, and traceability.

✔ Executives

Need clear insights, visual trends, and scenario comparisons.

For this demo, we used a combination of:

• Analytic grids
• Key financial statements (P&L view)
• KPI summaries
• Variance charts
• Trend lines
• Donut and bar visualizations

The goal: show how SAC delivers both depth and accessibility within the same environment.

7. What This Demo Demonstrates About SAC—and About Us

This project wasn’t only about illustrating SAC features; it was a demonstration of how we approach planning design:

✔ We build driver-based, transparent and modular planning frameworks

✔ We separate inputs, calculations and outputs logically

✔ We leverage SAC’s automation to its full extent

✔ We design scenario layers that match real decision-making

✔ We deliver reporting tailored to different user personas

✔ We keep the process intuitive for business users

And most importantly:

We ensure that every planning model tells the story the business wants to see—accurately, consistently, and in real time.

8. Final Thoughts

Preparing this demo was another opportunity to reflect on what makes SAC Planning powerful and what makes an implementation succeed:

A balance of business understanding, technical structure, and user-centric design.

If your team is exploring SAC Planning or evaluating ways to modernize financial planning workflows, we’re always happy to share insights, architecture approaches, or demo examples.

Notium Consulting Expertise