What the Planning Survey 26 reveals about planning software

Published Aug 10, 2026 | 6 min read

Lucanet

Markets move fast, and the uncertainty companies operate under keeps rising. BARC's own analysis of the planning software market points to the same pressure again and again: forecasts need updating more often, in shorter cycles, and with more of the available data actually put to use, not sitting static in a spreadsheet. It's a big part of why BARC has seen fewer companies relying on Excel for planning in recent years.

That's the shift BARC, one of Europe's most established independent analyst firms, has been tracking for years through its annual planning software survey: now one of the field's most widely cited, peer-based benchmarks.

Keep reading to see exactly where Lucanet ranked, and why it matters.

Inside the numbers: what the survey actually covers

BARC's own analysis reveals a consistent set of requirements for effective planning: access to current, reliable information, the capacity to model various future scenarios rather than committing to a single, static plan, and sufficient automation to prevent planners from performing all tasks manually. Meeting these needs depends on adaptable software rather than a faster way to update a spreadsheet.

This year's edition draws on 804 responses, spanning 20 vendors and scoring against 26 KPIs, covering everything from simulation depth to day-to-day usability. The Planning Survey 26 is your one-stop guide to choosing the right software for planning, budgeting and forecasting. It is the world's largest business planning survey.

Find out what makes Lucanet a standout leader among other planning software providers.

What Lucanet users actually reported

Lucanet achieved 5 top-ranked positions and 23 leading positions in The Planning Survey 26.

Beyond the leading positions, the detailed results show what Lucanet has changed for its customers who use the planning solutions every day.

93% rate Lucanet's coverage of planning-specific requirements as very good or good
92% rate Lucanet's simulation functionality as very good or good
100% achieved a better quality of planning results
100% increased the transparency and traceability of planning
96% improved software user satisfaction

One of our customers summed it up with just one line:

"Lucanet is a best-in-class FPM solution." — Head of business department, Telecommunications, 100–2,500 employees

What makes Lucanet stand out, and what does this mean on a day-to-day basis?

Lucanet is top-ranked on key KPIs such as Simulation and Predefined Connectors.

In addition, Lucanet holds 23 leading positions in several other important KPIs, including Project Length, Workflow, Functionality, Ease of Use, Project Success, Self-Service, User Experience, Data Integration and Planning Content.

A leading position alone doesn't tell us much about its impact on our customers. Here's what these rankings represent in practice:

1. Cover the planning requirements that matter most

When finance teams evaluate planning software, coverage of planning-specific requirements outweighs everything else. BARC's own buyer research confirms it: named by 75% of respondents, well ahead of flexibility, ease of use, or integration.

Lucanet is a leader in Functionality across all four peer groups. In fact, 93% of Lucanet users rate the software's coverage of planning-specific requirements as 'very good' or 'good'.

That's one of the most important criteria, and Lucanet's results in this area are among the most consistent across every segment measured by BARC.

2. Simulation: top-ranked in every segment

Although scenario planning has long been recognized as a priority, BARC analysis shows that the actual use of simulation is still far from universal. High volatility makes the case for simulation more pressing: comparing different scenarios helps companies to gauge the effect of changes on them and their resilience, which feeds directly into corporate decision-making. Many organizations struggle not because they don't believe in its value, but because of the effort simulation demands: building and analyzing scenarios, and keeping the underlying models current, requires resources, expertise, data and software support.

At Lucanet, 92% of users rate our simulation functionality as 'very good' or 'good'. In addition, we have been ranked #1 in all four peer groups for Simulation.

Simulation is an increasingly important part of the decision-making process, as it enables teams to evaluate potential future developments rather than committing to a single, static plan.

In practice, using Lucanet’s planning software means you can run more scenarios, more often, and with less complexity.

3. Flexible enough for real-world complexity

No two planning processes are the same, and buyers recognize this: flexibility is one of the most frequently cited reasons why finance teams choose a planning tool.

This flexibility enables the same platform to support a fast-changing planning model without buyers needing to compromise structure to fit the tool.

Read what our customers are saying about our planning solution:

'Strong and flexible foundational features, bi-directional integration with Excel, and user-friendliness.’– Head of business department, Telecommunications, 100–2,500 employees

4. Easy to use

Over time, ease of use has become increasingly important to finance teams. Finance teams find planning software more beneficial when they can use it easily on a daily basis and get the most out of the tool from day one.

Lucanet leads in Ease of Use and Self-Service: 91% of users rate ease of use for developers as very good or good, and 86% say the same for planners.

5. Integrates with what you already run

Finance teams pay close attention to whether planning software can properly integrate with the systems already in place.

Lucanet tops the Predefined Connectors ranking in the Worldwide Implementations peer group with a score of 8.0, compared to an average of 6.7, and is a Leader for Data Integration. 93% of users rate Lucanet's data integration functionality as 'very good' or 'good'.

With Lucanet, you can easily import and automate your financial data from over 300 standard interfaces, including ERP and financial accounting systems, as well as third-party systems.

See the full picture

These results come from BARC, an independent analyst firm. They are based on feedback from actual users, rather than vendor claims.

Based on these results, Lucanet is a great fit for organizations that require:

Planning software built for scenario analysis rather than just data entry
Connectivity built on 300+ standard interfaces to ERP, financial accounting and third-party systems
Roll out a new planning solution in days, not months
Pre-configured models to help users hit the ground running with well-structured plans
One platform that connects planning to financial consolidation

Explore the Lucanet’s highlights from The Planning Survey 26, including detailed KPIs, user feedback, and vendor comparisons:

Access The Planning Survey 26 highlights on Lucanet

Lucanet

Lucanet is a global software provider for financial consolidation, planning, and reporting. Our user-friendly CFO Solution Platform is designed to match the exact requirements of finance teams by providing accurate and consistent information effectively. For more than 20 years, 6,500+ customers in 50 countries have already trusted Lucanet.