Scenario planning software for FP&A: 5 platforms built for uncertainty

In April 2025, economic uncertainty rose by 30%. The VIX (volatility index) is creeping back toward pandemic-era highs. And the IMF warns of “significantly increased global financial stability risks” (IMF GFSR April 2025).

For finance teams, this doesn’t just raise the stakes. It shortens the runway. You need to know what happens if growth stalls, if rates rise, if spend tightens — and you need to know quickly.

That’s where scenario planning tools come in.

We reviewed FP&A platforms through a practical lens:

• Can they model real-world complexity?
• Can they bring in other teams?
• Will they connect to your existing stack?
• And will they scale as your business does?

1. Runway: Fast, collaborative scenario planning

Runway was built for finance teams who want to model uncertainty the same way they plan: fast, collaboratively, and without needing to start from scratch each time.

Every time you change an assumption, Runway auto-drafts a new scenario — so you’re always a step ahead.

Using Runway, Superhuman achieved a 50× efficiency improvement in planning cycles.

Key scenario planning features include:

• Auto-drafted scenarios with version locking and audit trails
• Real-time dashboards for dynamic what-if analysis
• Collaborative planning that bring finance and cross-functional partners together
• Seamless integrations with 750+ systems

According to The Finance Weekly, "with Runway Copilot, generating various scenarios takes seconds, allowing users to model key financial metrics more easily and accurately than ever before."

Note: Runway is powerful out of the box — but to get the most out of it, you'll need a dedicated model owner.

2. Workday Adaptive Planning: Robust scenario modeling

Workday’s FP&A product (formerly Adaptive Insights) offers solid driver-based planning with flexible scenario building.

Key scenario planning features include:

• Driver-based planning that links financial outcomes with key business levers
• Side-by-side scenario comparisons and sensitivity analysis
• Cloud-native collaboration with built-in approval workflows
• Preconfigured connectors to major ERP, HR, and CRM systems

Note: Dashboards require manual date updates per tile, which makes month-end rollovers feel manual.

3. Anaplan: Scalable scenario planning for enterprises

Anaplan takes a connected planning approach, linking finance with sales, ops, and more for comprehensive scenario planning. They recently launched PlanIQ, an AI/ML engine that accelerates forecasts and boosts accuracy (source).

Key scenario planning features include:

• Connected planning framework that unites finance, operations, and sales scenarios
• Real-time calculation engine supporting unlimited scenario permutations
• Intuitive dashboards with drill-down and role-based views
• Open API architecture for enterprise system integration

Note: Users on G2 report that large scenario runs can be slow to calculate.

4. Vena Solutions: Flexible scenario planning on top of Excel

Vena builds on Excel — so for teams who don’t want to leave it behind, it’s a familiar but upgraded experience. You get templates, version control, and cloud collaboration layered onto a spreadsheet interface.

Key scenario planning features include:

• Excel-native interface with a centralized database for scenario consolidation
• Prebuilt scenario templates and a managed library of versions
• Automated workflow and approval processes to streamline review cycles
• Full audit trails and governance controls in a cloud environment

Note: Some users report slower performance with large data sets. Also: Vena’s Excel foundation can make its data architecture rigid; customizing structure often requires support from their team.

5. Oracle NetSuite: Enterprise-grade planning and budgeting

NetSuite’s scenario planning tools are tightly integrated with its ERP — useful for finance teams already in the Oracle ecosystem. Forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis happen in one place, with machine-learning assistance built in.

Key scenario planning features include:

• Native integration within the NetSuite ERP platform for unified data flow
• Driver-based budgeting, forecasting, and scenario comparisons
• Machine-learning-powered predictive analytics to enhance scenario insights
• Enterprise-level audit, compliance, and security features

How the tools compare — a quick summary

• Runway is best for fast-growing teams that want real-time modeling and collaboration. It’s highly dynamic but works best with at least one dedicated model owner to keep assumptions structured.
• Workday Adaptive suits structured orgs that need reliable driver-based modeling, but its dashboards require more manual upkeep.
• Anaplan is built for large enterprises managing deep complexity and connected cross-functional planning, but comes with a steep setup curve and learning investment.
• Vena is great for Excel-native teams that value familiarity and templates. But as models grow, performance slows and architecture changes often require vendor help.
• NetSuite fits Oracle-heavy organizations that want end-to-end integration. It’s powerful within its own ecosystem but can be less flexible outside it.

Plan faster than the world changes

In uncertain markets, the speed of your decisions depends on the speed of your planning. A strong scenario tool helps you stay ready.

You can test assumptions before they become problems, rerun models when inputs shift, and explore tradeoffs with real data. That’s the real value: decisions that come faster, because you’re not starting from zero.

If the world is changing weekly, your plans should, too.

Book a demo to know more about scenario planning in Runway.