Writing a business plan takes time. Using software can help organize your work and save you some time, especially if you haven’t written one before.
Here’s a quick summary of what, from my experience, are the three best choices:
- Business Plan Pro by Palo Alto Software claims it’s the best selling business planning software for the past ten years. It offers more than 500 sample business plans. Standard Edition sells for $100; Premier for $200 (allows managing cash flow and importing Excel content)
- Business Plan Pro Social Enterprise Edition was developed by the Social Enterprise Alliance in partnership with Palo Alto Software. It’s contains everything in Business Plan Pro along with business plan examples from social enterprises. It sells for $200 ($174 for SEA members).
- BizPlan Builder by JIAN has versions available for Mac or Windows, is also highly rated and sells for $129.
Can’t decide? Take a look at this review of ten different business planning software programs to help you pick the one that’s right for you.
But remember, these are only tools. Ultimately you have to do the research, make the important decisions, and write your plan. Software can only do so much.
Good luck!
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For more resources, see our Library topic Business Planning.
Copyright © 2010 Rolfe Larson Associates – Fifteenth Anniversary, 1995 – 2010
Author of Venture Forth! Endorsed by the late Paul Newman of Newman’s Own
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Rolfe Larson provides consulting and training in areas such as strategic planning, market research, feasibility analysis, business planning, marketing, and implementation strategies.