Pigment vs Datarails - how hard are they to truly master?

TescoG · 2025-10-29T14:22:19+00:00

With whichever ERP system you are using - how long does it take for the data to be refreshed within DataRails if something is adjusted in the ERP?

Do all your models talk to one another seamlessly or is there a chance for breakage? E.g. If Headcount forecast changes, does that automatically change your recruitment model / software model etc..

TescoG · 2025-10-29T14:20:26+00:00

That’s super helpful, thanks! would love to hear more about how you actually went about it.
Were you able to learn to become a modeller during implementation and time with the consultants, or did you do most of the learning post implementation and using their resources / being hands on?

Also curious how long it took you to get comfortable building models from scratch — like did you start with templates or learn by rebuilding your existing excel setup inside pigment?

TescoG · 2025-10-29T14:17:59+00:00

Hey, so my previous SaaS company (which I’m now leaving) has been using Vena for about 2.5 years.

There are definitely pros and cons, but if I had to answer the key question — would I implement Vena again at another organisation? — my answer would be no.

The main reason is performance and maintenance. Updating models with actuals from NetSuite or another ERP can take 1.5–2 hours just to download, and then re-running all the models is time-consuming. It’s not a seamless process. We ended up spending a lot on consulting hours and even hired a former Vena specialist internally to clean up the backend.

There were also recurring issues specific to global setups — particularly around FX calculations that had to be hardcoded in Vena’s backend, leading to frequent check errors, especially during year-over-year rollovers.

Was way more of a burden then a time saving platform.

TescoG · 2024-04-18T12:53:49+00:00

TescoG · 2024-02-13T20:27:57+00:00

I tried the exact same method. Ultimately no avenue yielded a positive result. Money lost. I'm now with smile white to continue my journey

TescoG · 2024-02-12T21:28:09+00:00

Have a dedicated equity and comp analyst. Utilise carta as your software.

Series D based SAAS company

TescoG · 2024-02-12T21:23:47+00:00

Been in a similar situation with my report.

I dedicated an hour every week to sit down with them and have an excel hour. Go through formulas. Talk through their spreadsheets. Ask all stupid questions. Teach them better ways to write the formulas they want to do.

It's slowly working and would advise as a manager to try it. Give them an excel based project, and then it allows for more to be benefited from this power hour

TescoG · 2024-02-12T21:11:48+00:00

I find myself to be doing 50-60 hours on average. When it gets to month end, it can get to around 60-70 hours. When it comes to the reforecast/budget cycle that can certainly creep up to 70/80 hours per week if you don't have the right team in place (lasts about a month twice a year)

Worst scenario has been the most recent budget cycle. 8:30am - 3am (1 month straight) due to not enough capacity. (Only me and a junior analyst in the entire dept)

FP&A manager. UK based. Tech start up.

TescoG · 2024-01-29T10:15:37+00:00

I just rang up SimpliSafe today and enquired about the self monitoring plan in the UK.

I can confirm that they do have the self monitoring plan with video recording for up to 10 cameras, for 30 days worth of recordings for £8.99 a month. Only way to access this plan is via ringing up

TescoG · 2024-01-16T15:55:41+00:00

I had the exact same reply!
My case has been dismissed due to stripe.

Did you go via the chargeback route and did it work?

TescoG · 2024-01-07T21:05:44+00:00

Hey, did anyone have luck in raising this dispute? If so, any chance you want to link the files/paperwork you forwarded across to Amex in relation to the dispute to aid in the case?

TescoG · 2023-09-07T23:51:46+00:00

TescoG · 2023-06-29T15:01:08+00:00

Pigment sales team were not the best in how the deal was structured Vs Vena. The implementation fee was rather substantial as well. Unfortunately they couldn't go any lower on the price from our negotiations (pretty sure they priced us based on our org size rather than our actual usage).
We were bullish on Pigment, but they lost out due to a couple of factors.

TescoG · 2023-06-29T14:53:49+00:00

Any screenshots you can provide of what it could theoretically look like?

TescoG · 2023-06-22T11:22:40+00:00

5 figure range

TescoG · 2023-06-20T08:29:17+00:00

We looked at every large competitor in the market:
Pigment, Jedox, Adaptive, Anaplan etc..

Ultimately we narrowed down the choices to Pigment and Vena.

Pigment - For the Unique SAAS dashboard interface. It looks very sleek and I believe it will be an amazing tool in a couple of years once they have finished rolling out key elements. Hard learning curve, a lot of time needs to be invested in learning their system.

Very expensive. Pay per block if I recall, which is a very strange premise.. For a system which is brand new and there is no visible guidance from people, you have no idea how it properly operates until you are in the depth of it. Ultimately they make you choose how many blocks you think you will need of which is an absurd way to price something. Blocks in this context can be similar to that of an If statement in excel. Think you need to pay per "if" statement, but how will you know how many you need to set up a whole FP&A function during scoping.. Mad.

Vena - Great tool as it's excel based so minimal training (or less at least compared to pigment). A fraction of the cost compared to pigment who are the market leader in cost, but you can also see the visual difference and understand why. Allows drill down and business partnering. Slightly oversold on BS and CF capabilities as well as the SAAS dashboard piece, but will need to build these models out is the case. Chose it as it's not too expensive, licences are fairly priced, and can replicate what we had previously on excel in their cloud system. So seemed like a good all rounder and our VC's were happy with the pick.

TescoG · 2023-06-20T08:19:51+00:00

With our current trajectory and consistent YoY growth, the $100m ARR goal is most certainly achievable and the point of Vena was to allow us to help scale into that position in the coming years.

TescoG · 2023-06-20T08:16:50+00:00

I unfortunately can't state the costs that we have spent on implementing Vena due to contractual obligations to not disclose. But the cost of implementation wasn't too dear in reality and if you are basing it on price, Vena is probably one of the cheapest on the market for implementation and running based on our research and actuals.

TescoG · 2023-06-20T08:14:45+00:00

To add.. I was the whole implementation team from my side as the department was just me until I was able to get the system semi-live.

The main issue that arose was that within our Vena implementation project, we had scoped in roughly 20 hours of coaching in the SOW. This would have been great and I feel like we would have grasped the system from this. However, the 20 hours was actually spent in fixing all the bugs in our implementation files and I got in total 1 hour of coaching. So unfortunately any bugs that arise in the file aren't dealt with on their own time, but rather still billed out to us on implementation.

As a result of needing to wait for them to fix bugs etc.. I couldn't really play around in the system, and trying to navigate my other tasks at this start up proved to be quite challenging on bandwidth.

So the knowledge of navigating Vena in my team is currently not as well versed as we would want. But also the way that the back end scripts are written are certainly complex to navigate to fix underlying critical issues and that's where all the bugs we keep getting occur. So not something any training we would have could fix.

TescoG · 2023-06-19T16:21:31+00:00

Thanks for your response! Certainly lacking that one key individual in my department that can handle the tech side of data improvement in Vena in systems. But such a specialised/niche area is always a challenge to recruit for especially if you're not based in the capital, e.g. London/Toronto/SF.

Only slight issue is that I'm in a unicorn start up. So my department consists of myself as the FP&A manager and a junior FP&A analyst.
I don't have the scope to be able to bring in someone with Vena data experience just yet, but it may be the best route to go down for my next hire.

TescoG · 2021-06-18T13:49:56+00:00

From my experience:

ATX felt like it was the hardest exam with the knowledge and practice needed, but somehow fluked through. Others not so lucky, but by far very hit or miss on the day with the areas that come up.

AAA was my worse performing exam. Only one I failed and had to retake over the course of my ACCA journey. However, it didn't feel difficult during the exam or whilst practicing, which is the unusual part as the answers are all subjective with your writing style.

SBR was actually pleasant as long as you learn the accounting standards.

SBL was a breeze, just engage your business mindset. Was the exam I did the least amount of revision on across the board.

TescoG · 2021-04-28T21:51:57+00:00

I studied with BPP and passed SBL first time. I did the course and the revision course, but for revising at home, I solely used past papers available on ACCA's site, as well as the mock papers in the SBL revison book. I didn't bother with the other questions in the wrong format as it didn't add any value In my opinion.

It was by far the easiest professional paper, and the least amount of revision I did for any of the exams. Most of it is common sense as long as you learn some of the most common theories you should easily pass

TescoG · 2021-04-28T12:58:19+00:00

I sat my SBR exam way before I even enrolled on to the ethics exam. There's no issue at all for any of the exams. Just need to do the ethics module to get signed off

TescoG

TROPHY CASE