Anaplan Business Intelligence Interview Questions + Guide in 2025

Anaplan is a rapidly growing company that has transformed the way businesses plan, execute, and analyze their operations through its innovative cloud-based platform.

The Business Intelligence role at Anaplan is pivotal in designing and implementing robust BI solutions that empower teams to derive actionable insights from data. Key responsibilities include analyzing existing BI platforms, collaborating with customer-facing teams to understand usage patterns, and documenting data flows to ensure seamless integration and migration of information. A successful candidate will possess strong SQL skills to perform complex data manipulations, coupled with experience in cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure. Familiarity with tools like Splunk for data ingestion and reporting, as well as experience in data architecture and modeling, are critical. The ideal candidate will exhibit a solutions-oriented mindset, thrive in a dynamic environment, and demonstrate excellent communication skills to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams.

This guide will prepare you to navigate the interview process with confidence, equipping you with insights into the specific skill sets valued by Anaplan and how they align with the company's mission.

The interview process for a Business Intelligence role at Anaplan is structured to assess both technical and interpersonal skills, ensuring candidates align with the company's innovative culture and customer-centric approach. The process typically unfolds over several rounds, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of the candidate's fit for the role.

1. Initial Phone Interview

The first step in the interview process is a phone screening with a recruiter. This conversation usually lasts about 30-45 minutes and focuses on understanding your background, motivations, and fit for Anaplan's culture. Expect to discuss your experience with business intelligence tools, your understanding of the planning software market, and your approach to problem-solving.

2. Technical Interviews

Following the initial screening, candidates typically undergo two technical interviews. These sessions are designed to evaluate your proficiency in SQL, data analysis, and your experience with BI platforms. You may be asked to solve coding problems, discuss system design, and demonstrate your analytical skills through real-world scenarios. Be prepared to showcase your knowledge of relational databases and cloud platforms, as well as your ability to analyze and visualize data.

3. Behavioral Interviews

In addition to technical assessments, there are usually two behavioral interviews. These interviews focus on your communication style, teamwork, and how you handle challenges. Interviewers will be interested in your past experiences and how they relate to the role at Anaplan. Expect to discuss your approach to collaboration with customer-facing teams and how you prioritize customer experience in your work.

4. Final Interview with Leadership

The final stage of the interview process often includes a conversation with senior leadership, such as the Chief Product Officer or VP of Engineering. This round is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your strategic thinking and understanding of Anaplan's mission. You may be asked to discuss your vision for the BI platform and how you would contribute to the company's goals.

Throughout the process, candidates are encouraged to ask questions about the company culture, team dynamics, and future projects to ensure a mutual fit.

As you prepare for your interviews, consider the types of questions that may arise in each of these areas.

Here are some tips to help you excel in your interview.

Understand the Business Intelligence Landscape

Familiarize yourself with the current trends and challenges in the Business Intelligence (BI) sector, particularly as they relate to planning software. Anaplan is focused on helping organizations connect their strategies to actionable plans, so being able to discuss the planning software market and its evolution will demonstrate your industry knowledge and strategic thinking.

Prepare for Technical Assessments

Given the emphasis on SQL in this role, ensure you are well-versed in writing complex queries, including DML and DDL operations. Practice common SQL problems, focusing on data manipulation and analysis. Additionally, brush up on your knowledge of data architecture and modeling, as well as your experience with BI tools like Tableau or PowerBI, since these will likely come up during technical interviews.

Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

During the interview, you may encounter coding challenges or system design questions. Be prepared to articulate your thought process clearly and methodically. Use whiteboarding to demonstrate your approach to problem-solving, as this is a common practice in technical interviews at Anaplan. Focus on how you would design solutions that are scalable and efficient, reflecting the company's commitment to innovation.

Emphasize Collaboration and Communication

Anaplan values teamwork and effective communication, especially since the role involves working with customer-facing teams. Be ready to discuss your previous experiences collaborating with cross-functional teams and how you’ve communicated complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Highlight your ability to listen actively and adapt your communication style to different audiences.

Prepare for Behavioral Questions

Expect behavioral interview segments that assess your work style and cultural fit. Reflect on your past experiences and be ready to share specific examples that demonstrate your adaptability, resilience, and customer-centric mindset. Anaplan seeks individuals who thrive on challenges, so convey your enthusiasm for tackling difficult problems and your commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Stay Engaged and Ask Insightful Questions

Throughout the interview process, maintain a positive and engaged demeanor. Prepare thoughtful questions that reflect your interest in Anaplan's culture, values, and future direction. Inquire about the team dynamics, ongoing projects, and how the BI role contributes to the company's overall mission. This not only shows your genuine interest but also helps you assess if Anaplan is the right fit for you.

Follow Up Professionally

After your interviews, send a thank-you note to express your appreciation for the opportunity to interview. Reiterate your enthusiasm for the role and briefly mention a key point from your conversation that resonated with you. This will leave a positive impression and reinforce your interest in joining the Anaplan team.

By following these tips, you will be well-prepared to navigate the interview process at Anaplan and showcase your qualifications for the Business Intelligence role. Good luck!

In this section, we’ll review the various interview questions that might be asked during a Business Intelligence Engineer interview at Anaplan. The interview process will likely assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of business intelligence concepts. Be prepared to discuss your experience with data analysis, SQL, and BI tools, as well as your approach to working with cross-functional teams.

Technical Skills

1. Can you explain the architecture of a typical BI platform?

Understanding the architecture of BI platforms is crucial for this role, as you will be responsible for designing and implementing a new BI platform.

How to Answer

Discuss the key components of a BI architecture, including data sources, ETL processes, data storage, and reporting tools. Highlight your experience with specific tools and technologies.

Example

“A typical BI architecture consists of data sources that feed into an ETL process, which cleans and transforms the data before loading it into a data warehouse. From there, reporting tools like Tableau or PowerBI can be used to visualize the data. In my previous role, I designed a BI platform that integrated data from multiple sources, ensuring data integrity and accessibility for end-users.”

2. How do you approach data modeling in a BI context?

Data modeling is essential for effective data analysis and reporting.

How to Answer

Explain your methodology for creating data models, including normalization, denormalization, and the importance of relationships between data entities.

Example

“I start by understanding the business requirements and the questions that need to be answered. I then create an Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) to visualize the data structure, ensuring that I normalize the data to reduce redundancy while also considering performance for reporting purposes.”

3. Describe your experience with SQL in data analysis.

SQL is a critical skill for this role, as you will be analyzing data and generating reports.

How to Answer

Discuss your proficiency with SQL, including specific functions and operations you have used in past projects.

Example

“I have extensive experience using SQL for data analysis, including complex queries with joins, subqueries, and window functions. For instance, I once created a report that analyzed customer behavior by joining multiple tables to extract insights on purchasing patterns.”

4. What BI tools have you used, and how do you choose the right one for a project?

Your familiarity with BI tools will be assessed, as well as your decision-making process.

How to Answer

Mention the BI tools you have experience with and the criteria you use to select the appropriate tool for a given project.

Example

“I have worked with tools like Tableau, PowerBI, and Splunk. When choosing a BI tool, I consider factors such as the complexity of the data, the specific reporting needs, user-friendliness, and integration capabilities with existing systems. For example, I chose Tableau for a project that required advanced visualizations and interactivity.”

Problem-Solving and Analytical Skills

5. Can you describe a challenging data analysis project you worked on?

This question assesses your problem-solving skills and ability to handle complex data scenarios.

How to Answer

Provide a specific example of a project, the challenges faced, and how you overcame them.

Example

“In a previous role, I was tasked with analyzing customer churn data. The challenge was that the data was spread across multiple systems with inconsistent formats. I developed a data cleansing process using SQL to standardize the data, which allowed me to perform a comprehensive analysis and identify key factors contributing to churn.”

6. How do you ensure data quality in your reports?

Data quality is paramount in BI, and interviewers will want to know your approach.

How to Answer

Discuss the methods you use to validate and ensure the accuracy of your data.

Example

“I implement several checks to ensure data quality, including automated validation scripts that compare incoming data against expected ranges and historical trends. Additionally, I conduct regular audits of my reports to identify any discrepancies and work closely with data engineers to address any underlying issues.”

Communication and Collaboration

7. How do you communicate complex data findings to non-technical stakeholders?

Your ability to convey technical information to a non-technical audience is crucial in a BI role.

How to Answer

Explain your approach to simplifying complex data insights and ensuring understanding.

Example

“I focus on using clear visuals and straightforward language when presenting data findings. For instance, I once created a dashboard that highlighted key performance indicators for a marketing team, using simple graphs and charts to illustrate trends, which made it easier for them to grasp the insights quickly.”

8. Describe a time you collaborated with cross-functional teams.

Collaboration is key in this role, as you will work with various teams.

How to Answer

Share an example of a successful collaboration, emphasizing your role and contributions.

Example

“I collaborated with the sales and marketing teams to develop a comprehensive reporting tool that tracked campaign performance. I facilitated workshops to gather requirements and ensured that the final product met the needs of both teams, resulting in improved decision-making and strategy alignment.”