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The Advisor
BUSINESS PLAN SOFTWARE REVIEW
Business Plan Pro by Palo Alto Software
We have looked at a number of business plan development packages and Business Plan Pro is the best of the lot. This program is supplied on two 3-1/2" disks and loads easily in about 5-minutes. We tried it on both Windows 3.11 and Windows95 and had no problems. The 224 page manual is easy to read and includes plenty of examples. It reads more like a primer on business plans than a software manual. After entering data (you are prompted each step of the way), the program generates formatted text, tables and charts which become part of the plan.
You begin by selecting a business type (service, retail, etc). The program decides which kinds of financial tables and outline will be required based on this selection. Text is entered topic-by-topic (executive summary, objectives, mission, company summary, etc., etc.) and you are given an example at each step. Numerical data is then entered for chart/graph generation. This is also a very easy step-by-step process. Charts and graphs generated include income statement, cash flow, balance sheet, break-even analysis, sales forecast, to name a few. The entire plan is then formatted and may be printed in its entirety. The entire process only takes a few hours.
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