Install SQL repository

Prepare your SQL Server environment by creating a blank, case-insensitive database and granting the installer full administrative access.

1. Check SQL Server version: Ensure you run SQL Server 2008 or newer (any edition). You can host this on a different server than Anaplan XL Web without changing these steps.
2. Create a blank database: Set up a new, empty SQL Server database.
3. Grant database permissions: Give full access to the user who’s running the installation.
4. Configure database settings:
   • Set the Recovery Mode to Simple.
   • Choose a case-insensitive locale for the database.
   • Verify that the server’s default locale isn’t case-insensitive.

Connect the Anaplan XL Web application to your new database using the configuration tool to prepare for repository setup.

1. Launch the configuration tool: On your Anaplan XL Web server, open the Configure Anaplan XL Web edition application.
2. Select your instance: Choose the correct web instance (The app usually selects this automatically).
3. Connect the SQL Repository:
   • Go to the SQL Repository tab.
   • Check the Use SQL for Anaplan XL Repository box.
   • Enter your SQL Server name and the database name previously created, then select Connect.
   • Select Yes when the app asks to populate the database.
4. Choose your mode: Select your setup mode, role-based, Active Directory-based, or hybrid mode. 

Set up access control by mapping the Anaplan XL application pool and administrative users directly to built-in database roles using SQL Server Management Studio.

1. Create SQL login: Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and add a login for the Anaplan XL application pool user.
   
   If you use the default pool with its default identity, use IIS AppPool\Anaplan XL as your Windows Authentication login name.
2. Map the application user: Go to the User Mappings screen and map your new login to the XLCUBED_USER role.
3. Map administrator users: Map any users who need to manage the repository to the XLCUBED_ADMIN role.
   
   By default, the system grants everyone access to the default role. You can create and edit more roles in the Admin Application.

Import your existing domain network users, set up their database logins, and configure specific web access and folder permissions inside the administration console.

1. Import Active Directory users:
   • Confirm your domain name.
   • Select Load Domain Information to import your domain’s users and groups.
2. Import existing repository (Optional): Select Import Repository and enter the file path to transfer an existing file system repository. Verify these permissions once the system is online.
3. Create SQL login: Open SSMS and add a login for the Anaplan XL application pool user (use IIS AppPool\Anaplan XL if using default settings).
4. Map the application user: On the User Mappings screen, map this user to the XLCUBED_USER role.
5. Map administrator users: Map administrators to the XLCUBED_ADMIN role.
6. Restrict Web access (Optional):
   • In the Configure Anaplan XL Web application, select Administration.
   • Go to Admin > System Settings.
   • Choose the group allowed to access the web edition, then select Save.
7. Set folder permissions:
   • Go to Admin > Folder Permissions to define who can create folders and manage permissions in Excel.
   • Select SYS Reports Root Folder (the standard publication area) or choose your specific templates/connections folder.

Set up basic database logins. Route your report storage either automatically through your local file system or manually via SharePoint configuration.

1. Create SQL login: Open SSMS and add a login for the Anaplan XL application pool user (use IIS AppPool\Anaplan XL if using default settings).
2. Map the application user: On the User Mappings screen, map this user to the XLCUBED_USER role.
3. Map administrator users: Map administrators to the XLCUBED_ADMIN role.
4. Configure your storage location:
   • If using File System: You are done. No extra steps are required.
   • If using SharePoint:
     1. Open your web.config file for Anaplan XL Web.
     2. Add the line to the <ApplicationSettings> section (replace http://sharepointserver with your actual SharePoint address):
        XML
        <add key="SharePointServerUrl" value="http://sharepointserver"/>

     3. Instruct Excel users to connect directly to SharePoint to publish reports.
     4. Instruct users to connect to the Anaplan XL Web server for scheduling.
     5. Complete your setup by following the SharePoint Integration Guide.

If you need to use the scheduling feature within Anaplan XL, you’ll need a few additional steps to use it with the SQL Repository. The Scheduling Installation with the SQL Repository page has full details.