Compare and Share Planning Scenarios

This guide creates one reviewable scenario in a planning model and shares a focused view without exposing unnecessary model detail.

Before You Start

• Use a model with reviewed actuals and a clear base case.
• Identify the decision and the small set of assumptions that change it.
• Know who owns the model.
• Decide whether the reviewer needs view, comment, or edit access.

1. Open the Correct Model

1. Select Scenario planning → Models.
2. Open the model.
3. Confirm the model name and date range.
4. Confirm that the base case is active.
5. Check the latest source refresh and actuals boundary.

Do not build a scenario on stale actuals unless the review explicitly needs a historical snapshot.

2. Define the Question

Write the scenario question in one sentence, such as:

• What happens if collections move 30 days later?
• What happens if hiring starts one quarter later?
• What happens if the top customer leaves?
• What happens if costs rise 8%?

A scenario should describe an alternative case. It should not contain unrelated cleanup edits.

3. Create or Select the Scenario

Use the scenario controls to create or select the alternative case.

Give it a specific label. Include the business change, not only Downside or Option 2.

Examples:

• Collections +30 days
• Hiring delayed to Q2
• Top customer loss
• 8% cost inflation

4. Apply the Overrides

Change only the variables that define the case.

For each override:

1. Confirm the variable.
2. Confirm the start period.
3. Enter the scenario value.
4. Check the units and sign.
5. Add a comment when the rationale needs review.

Use the stress controls when the scenario is a supported shock. Review the generated overrides before you accept the result.

5. Compare With the Base

Open the scenario comparison.

Review:

• changed assumptions
• period-by-period differences
• key output deltas
• cash, runway, margin, headcount, or receivables impact
• the first period where the cases materially diverge

A scenario delta explains modeled change. It does not prove that the alternative will occur.

6. Run Uncertainty When Needed

When the model contains ranges or probability formulas:

1. Open Formula uncertainty.
2. Select Run simulation.
3. Choose the key output variable.
4. Choose the decision period.
5. Record P10, P50, and P90.

Use percentile output to describe the modeled range. Keep the deterministic base and scenario comparison visible as well.

7. Save a Review View

Arrange the model so the reviewer sees:

• the key assumptions
• the base and scenario outputs
• the necessary periods
• the active scenario label
• any comments that need a decision

Save the view with a label such as Board review, Collections +30 days.

A saved view keeps presentation. It does not freeze source values or formulas.

8. Choose Access

The model owner can share the saved view as:

Use the lowest access that supports the review.

9. Share and Verify

1. Open the sharing controls for the saved view.
2. Choose the teammate.
3. Assign the access level.
4. Select Copy link.
5. Open the link in a separate browser context when possible.
6. Confirm the correct model, view, scenario, periods, and access.

Sharing one saved view does not automatically expose every saved view in the model.

Check hidden totals before sharing. A visible total can still include hidden child rows, and a scenario filter alone does not hide variables that fall back to the base. Hide sensitive totals and use explicit variable filters when the view must exclude a row.

10. Record the Decision

After the review:

• resolve or answer comments
• update the scenario assumptions when the decision changed
• save a version before a structural revision
• keep the scenario as an alternative, or promote it only when the team intends to replace the base

Promotion and merge are owner-controlled and high impact. Eigenn creates a recovery version before those operations.

Merge or Promote Carefully

Use Merge when selected overrides should be copied into another scenario or the base. The source scenario remains available.

Use Promote when eligible input overrides should become the new base. Promotion skips calculated-row overrides, removes the promoted scenario, and can change sibling scenarios or shared views where they inherit base values.

Before either action:

1. Confirm the target.
2. Review every override.
3. Check the model owner.
4. Tell active collaborators.
5. Confirm the recovery version appears after the operation.

Do not use promotion only to make the preferred scenario appear first.

Troubleshoot

The shared view opens the wrong scenario

Open the model, select the intended scenario and saved view, then copy the link again. Confirm the URL contains the intended model and view context.

The reviewer cannot comment

Check that the share is Can comment or Can edit. View access does not allow comments.

A merge or promotion fails

Refresh the model and confirm owner access. The operation can be rejected when the model changed after your current revision loaded.

The scenario output did not change

Check that the overridden variables feed the output formula and that the change begins inside the visible period.

Related Pages

• Scenario Planning
• Planning Uncertainty
• Planning Versions and Collaboration
• Planning Views and Exports
• Run Planning Uncertainty Analysis
• Collaborate on a Planning Model
• Run a Runway Stress Test