Overview Advantages Financial Models Contents How It Works Collaboration Competition Reviews
Get the best business planning system for you
The right business plan software can make a real difference in your business financing…
If you’re comparing business plan software, really compare it. You’re investing far more than just $100 in a software app — if you’re looking to raise $5,000 to $50 million, it’s crucial that you choose the right system to write your business plan. There is so much to learn. So many things can happen (many you’ll want to avoid) and there are opportunities for success everywhere.
Which version of BizPlanBuilder should I choose?
- Cloud-based BizPlanBuilder | Online — If you want to make just one annual payment of $97 for just the cloud-based BizPlanBuilder | Online system, this is the deal for you. It’s got the same content from our highly successful Windows app, but now you can collaborate with your team, consultants and others online 24/7. It’s a great business planning app for Mac users as well, and you can even work seamlessly with Windows users. Another option would be to go for the cloud-based Business Financing Suite which includes BizPlanBuilder online as well as access to several other panels for $27 / month. Scroll-down to the bottom for details.
- Windows App — If you want to own a license to the Windows-based business planning software app, this may be your deal. You can share all document files thru DropBox (or any similar online folder system) so it does enable collaboration as well — each user requires their own licensed copy. As a Windows app, it manages Word, Excel and PowerPoint templates that you can edit and customize into a complete proposal or presentation to investors and lenders.
How does BizPlanBuilder compare to the competition?
When we first introduced BizPlanBuilder in 1988 it was a collection of text and spreadsheet documents. Sometime later, competitors, realizing that this was a great idea, created ‘application programs’ that automated some of their own templates. The problem is they never really got the text or spreadsheets right (For them, it was about the razzle-dazzle of the program.), but investors and lenders read and finance the finished plan! We stay on top of the leading competitors and have read many of the ‘plans’ produced by their software. If you research in more depth, you’ll notice that few have ever produced many large financings. In their own words, read what people who have used other software, as well as BizPlanBuilder, have to say. Click here to read more business plan software user comparison comments…
You seem to offer a lot of add-ons… What does the main program provide?
BizPlanBuilder provides the both text and the financials. It is a complete business plan where most of the writing has been done for you. It is template-based, meaning that by adding the information specific to your endeavor, the plan becomes customized.
And, yes, BizPlanBuilder includes a variety of crucial additional docs and worksheets especially useful for raising capital. You can see the complete list in the Table of Contents (or click the “Contents button above.)
It appears you need Office for BizPlanBuilder to work?
The online version of BizPlanbulder has its own editor built-in so you do not need Office. (However, if you export your plan to Word, you’ll need Office.) The BizPlanBuilder Windows Download app requires any version of Windows and any version of Microsoft Office. There are several financial model options, giving the user flexibility to describe a very simple business or a very complex one.
Financial Models… Are they included?
Yes, a full set of financial models are incorporated in BizPlanBuilder. We also offer them separately. These are the same financial models included in BizPlanBuilder If you have already written the narrative of your business plan and just require the financial portion, we have un-bundled them and offer them separately for half of the BizPlanBuilder price.
Are all financials linked so that “What-if” analysis can be done?
For example, if I change a number in the income statement, will it update the balance sheet and then the retained earnings statement?
Yes, all financials are properly linked. We use ‘Assumptions’ pages to make it easy for you to enter, update and experiment with your data.
Formulas have been developed and independently tested by qualified and practicing business consultants who hold valid CPA certifications. You can learn all about the BizPlanBuilder financial models here.
Can the financials be easily and fully exported to Excel so they can be customized?
All BizPlanBuilder financial models are already built using Excel. There is no need to export, no translation problems, data losses or formula incompatibilities. Pull-down under ‘Tools’ to ‘Protection’ and you can immediately enable complete customization throughout each and every spreadsheet.
From the online dashboard, you can easily click to export and download the Excel model to your desktop. Be advised, however; that you can also offer your investor read-only access to your dashboard Business Plan panel where they can always review your most recently updated plans, financial model, and “pitch” deck.
Can the finished Business Plan be exported to word for further editing or to a publishing program such as Quark before printing?
BizPlanBuilder is already written formatted in Word. You can easily export the text to a desktop publishing program for further refinement. You can also save it as a .pdf or HTML file.
Does the program have a backup function?
Yes, it does. You can pull-down under the ‘Options’ menu to ‘Back Up’ or you can click the icon. You will be asked where you would like to store your backup copy. When you click ‘Restore,’ it will automatically return your backup file to your active folder. Note: Restore will overwrite the current file in the active folder.
Does the program include any form of tech support if it won’t install correctly, print, or has some other coding problem?
Yes, we provide comprehensive technical support to make sure the program is working properly for you. We are available Mon-Fri 8 am – 5pm Pacific Time. Occasionally, we can address certain business questions, but that is usually beyond the scope of a tech support response. We also provide a database of business consultants available via email to respond to your situation.
Does your license allow me to load the same copy of your software on my laptop so I can continue to work on it when I am traveling?
Our philosophy is that you should be able to work on your project from your office desktop, home pc as well as your laptop. We created the multi-user version to enable you to access your files. If you want other people to access your files so you can collaborate, they will need their own licensed copy of Biz Plan Builder.
If my PC crashes can your software be reloaded from the downloaded file or do I have to go through some elaborate process of activation and registration?
Unfortunately, that seems to happen a lot. Yes, it can be reloaded from the file that you downloaded. If you lose that, you can always contact us via email for phone for another download.
When you say “check the file out” to work on it and then return it. Does it keep track of the changes? How do you return the file?
File Check-Out enables a collaborator to grab one of the files for working on privately (preventing multiple people from making changes and over-writing each other’s work.) Check-In automatically returns the file to the same place in the system. If you want to keep multiple version along the way, we recommend backing up. Restoring writes the backup over the original. You can, however, make a Copy of the plan at any time. Most likely, you will simply want to Copy a plan to another folder, perhaps more accessible to collaborators, or yourself when you want access from home or on the road.
I gather that using an online filing space (like the one you use) will enable us to collaborate on the document. Does this apply to the financials as well?
You can also copy the file to an online filing space — it must be ‘mapped to your desktop’ so you can easily browse for the folder from within BizPlanBuilder. The financials can be managed the same way
