If you're getting ready to become an entrepreneur, chances are you'll find startup business plan software to be an invaluable resource. Rather than staring at a blank computer screen or piece of paper when it's time to start putting your business plan in writing, using this type of software can make it easy to start organizing your ideas into an organized business plan.
Three Business Plan Software Programs
- Business Plan Pro - Palo Alto Software's, Business Plan Pro application is easy to use and provides excellent guidance for those undertaking a startup business venture. Once it's installed on your computer, you can follow step by step instructions to put together a business plan formatted in a manner consistent with what lenders and investors are likely to want to see. The application comes with hundreds of sample business plans that can be used for inspiration. For an additional fee, you can get a Premier version that comes with tools to help determine the value of your business and allows you to compare initial plans to actual results once your business is up and running.
- Biz Plan Builder -- Jian Software's Biz Plan Builder program is a popular, easy-to-use software application for creating startup business plans. It is designed to walk entrepreneurs through the process of completing a plan in a step by step manner. This program includes a number of customizable templates for Word, Excel and PowerPoint, providing an easy way for you to adapt your business plan document to meet a variety of document and presentation needs. When you order this application, you'll receive a free Handbook of Business Planning ebook, a free video tutorial called The thinking Behind Your Business Plan and a number of worksheets that can help with the challenge of financial planning. Basic and expert versions are available.
- Plan Write - PlanWrite from Business Resources Software, Inc. is another quality startup business plan software application. It features step-by-step instructions and an extensive selection of sample documents that make it as easy as possible to organize your thoughts into a coherent business plan. This program allows you to import data from Excel, a feature that will be particularly beneficial if you have already started putting together a budget for you business idea. Assuming you have complete information to input, the application will allow you to produce complete financials along with the text portion of your business plan. Free telephone and online tutorials support is provided. Both standard and expert versions are available.
Software Costs
You can expect to pay between $75 and $200 for quality business plan software for your startup business. While it's important for new entrepreneurs to watch their expenses closely, spending money on a program that allows you to put together an effective business plan is a wise investment. This document will help you determine whether or not to move ahead with your business idea and can be used to help you secure funding and office space, if you do decide to take your idea to market.
Realistic Expectations
Every business plan is unique. There is no such thing as a software application that can actually write your business plan for you. What will determine whether or not your business is likely to succeed is the quality of the idea you have and the approach you take to market it. The process of creating a business plan involves creating a roadmap that will help you bring your entrepreneurial idea to life.
What this type of software can do is provide a framework to use for properly organizing and formatting your startup business plan. Even though no two business plans should be identical, certain types of information should be included in most - if not all - of these types of documents.
Quality startup business plan software is set up to make it easy for entrepreneurs to create a well written business plan properly formatted and organized. Business plan software is typically set up as a fill-in-form, providing a basic outline of required and optional sections so entrepreneurs can fill in required information under appropriate headings.
