CONTENTS
PART 1 DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE BUSINESS PLANS
CHAPTER 1 : BUSINESS PLANNING : AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CPAS = 3
The Opportunity = 4
The Problems = 5
Whose Plan Is It? = 5
Pricing and Comparitive Costs = 5
Competition in Business Planning = 6
Liabilities and Risk = 7
A Professional Solution = 7
Software Specifics = 8
CHAPTER 2 : THE MARKETING OF BUSINESS PLANNING = 9
Introduction = 9
The Marketing Process = 9
Start with the Target Market = 11
Understand the Market Needs = 13
Develop Your Service Offering = 15
Business-plan Seminar = 15
Business-plan Review = 16
Business-plan Revision = 16
Complete Business Plan = 17
Business Plan and Financial Implementation = 17
Develop Appropriate Strategy = 18
Create the Tactics to Implement Strategy = 18
Tradition Service Marketing = 19
The Marketing Machine = 23
Website Marketing = 24
Build Programs to Make It Happen = 28
CHAPTER 3 : THE ENGAGEMENT = 29
A Real Example = 29
Underlying Client Needs = 30
Facilitating the Process = 31
Software Specifics = 31
Meetings and the Management Process = 33
Reviewing the Strategy = 35
Helping Your Clients Forecast = 37
Software Specifics = 37
1. Understand the Past = 38
2. Keep It Simple = 39
3. Divide and Conquer = 40
4. Use Simple Growth Formulas = 41
5. Use Business Charts = 42
Business Plan Research = 42
The Internet = 43
Other Good Sources of Information = 45
Implementing the Plan = 47
The Real Value of a Plan Is Its Implementation = 50
Implementation Depends on the Whole Cycle = 50
The Cycle Depends on People More than Plans = 52
CHAPTER 4 : OUTLINES AND ANALYSES = 53
Software Specifics = 53
A Standard Plan Outline = 53
Chapter 1 : Executive Summary = 53
Chapter 2 : Company Description = 54
Chapter 3 : Products or Services(or Both) = 54
Chapter 4 : Market Analysis = 54
Chapter 5 : Strategic Plan = 54
Chapter 6 : Management Team = 55
Chapter 7 : Financial Plan = 55
Standard Tables and Numerical Analysis = 55
Software Specifics = 57
Variations : Functionality First = 58
More Variations : The Nature of the Business = 59
Software Specifics = 60
CHAPTER 5 : BUSINESS DESCRIPTIONS = 63
Some Critical Questions = 64
What Business Are We In? = 64
What Are the Keys to Success? = 64
Do We Have a Value Proposition? = 66
Do We Have a Competitive Edge? = 67
What Is Our Mission? = 67
The Rest of the Description = 68
CHAPTER 6 : MARKET ANALYSIS = 69
Market Segmentation = 69
Market Analysis = 72
Industry Analysis = 74
Market Forecast = 76
Software Specifics = 78
CHAPTER 7 : SALES FORECAST = 81
Software Specifics = 81
A Simple Forecast = 81
Units-Based Sales Forecast = 82
CHAPTER 8 : PLANNING FOR PERSONNEL = 85
Defining the Team = 85
Software Specifics = 85
CHAPTER 9 : PRO-FORMA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS = 89
Business Essentials = 89
Profits Are Not Cash = 90
Software Specifics = 90
Filling Out the Pro-Forma Income Statement = 93
Handling Cash Flow = 94
Software Specifics = 94
Cash Flow Inputs = 98
Some Key Formulas in Detail = 99
Dealing with Accounts Payable = 99
Calculating Inventory Balances = 101
Calculating Accounts Receivable = 101
The Importance of Handling Exceptions = 102
Cash Estimations in Practice = 103
The Balance Sheet Is Already Calculated = 106
Important Business Ratios = 108
CHAPTER 10 : FINANCIALS IN EXPERT MODE = 113
Spreadsheet Protection and flexibility = 113
Spreadsheet Linking = 114
Percent of Sales and Similar Formulas = 115
Cash Flow and Sensitive Balance Override = 116
Managing the Tax Treatment = 117
Loan Repayments = 119
Managing Depreciation = 120
Linking User-defined Tables to Other Tables = 121
CHAPTER 11 : FINAL STEPS IN CREATING THE BUSINESS PLAN = 123
Make It Concrete and Specific = 124
Review and Revise = 124
Software Specifics = 124
Implementing the Plan = 125
Record Actual Results = 126
Software Specifics = 126
Analyzing Plan vs. Actual = 128
Ongoing Revisions = 129
Summary and Conclusions = 131
CHAPTER 12 : INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PLANS = 133
A Rainy Day in Rio = 133
Your Business, Your Client's Business : What's Different? = 134
Currency Exchange Rates = 134
Added Uncertainty = 142
International Planning Is Still Planning = 143
CHAPTER 13 : BUSINESS VALUATION = 145
The Business Plan Is Not the Most Important Factor = 145
The Plan Is Vital Documentation = 148
Benchmarks for Buyers; Reading a Plan for Valuation = 150
Conclusion : The Plan as Communication = 154
CHAPTER 14 : AMERICAN MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. SAMPLE PLAN = 155
CHAPTER 15 : EXAMPLE : BRIARPATCH DEVELOPS A PLAN = 231
Planning Meeting = 231
Budget and Programs Meeting = 232
Finishing Up = 237
Following Up = 239
CHAPTER 16 : BRIARPATCH FURNITURE SPECIALTIES, INC. SAMPLE PLAN = 241
CHAPTER 17 : ABC PARTNERS SAMPLE PLAN = 285
CHAPTER 18 : AMPLE SOFTWARE COMPANY SAMPLE PLAN = 325
CHAPTER 19 : ACME CONSULTING SAMPLE PLAN = 377
BUSINESS PLANNING PROJECT CHECKLIST = 409
SAMPLE ENGAGEMENT LETTER = 412
PART 2 GUIDE TO BUSINESS PLAN PRO SOFTWARE 4.0
CHAPTER 1 : SOFTWARE INSTALLATION = 421
Requirements = 421
Installation = 422
Personalize Your Software = 430
Registration = 430
Web Update = 432
Technical Support = 434
Support Policies and Philosophy = 435
CHAPTER 2 : START-UP OPTIONS = 437
The Welcome Screen = 437
Start a Plan = 438
Continue Your Last Plan = 438
Open a Plan = 438
Open a Sample Plan = 438
CHAPTER 3 : STARTING A NEW PLAN = 441
The Plan Wizard = 442
Saving a New Plan to Disk = 444
Edit Plan Wizard = 445
Plan Manager = 446
Program Resources = 447
Tips = 448
Working on Your Business Plan = 449
Text, Table, and Chart Modes = 449
Text Mode = 450
Task Manager = 452
Working in Text Mode = 453
Table Mode = 455
Working in Table Mode = 455
Chart Mode = 458
Chart Wizard = 458
Chart Designer = 460
Web Resources and Additional Help = 461
APPENDIX A : ERROR MESSAGES = 463
APPENDIX B : FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS = 467
APPENDIX C : GLOSSARY = 473
APPENDIX D : TABLE TIPS AND TRAPS = 481
INDEXES = 489
