FAQ Docu of MktPlanPro-9

#Value! Error

The #VALUE! is usually caused by blanks in table cells, errors in data entry, or errors in user-entered spreadsheet formulas. In almost all cases, the #VALUE! error is the result of leaving cells blank instead of having numbers (e.g., enter a zero as the value in empty cells).

When typing numbers into cells, enter the NUMBERS ONLY, with no formatting or spaces. The software formats number cells automatically (such as the $ for currency).  Manually entering formatting codes or pressing the spacebar while entering numbers causes the program to "see" the data as text instead of numbers.

To test a value that looks like a number but appears to be interpreted as text, re-type it beginning with an equal sign and numbers only. For example, if the problem seems to be with a cell showing "$999,999", type =999999 into the cell and see what happens.

The financials are linked, so that a bad cell in one table may create the same error in other tables. To assist you in locating where the error occurs, try the following:

If your plan is set for more detail, look first at the Contribution Margin table.

a. If the error shows up in Sales or Cost of Sales, then your error originated in the Sales Forecast table.

b. If the error shows up first in any other part of the Contribution Margin, its source is probably right in this table. Look at your Expense rows.

If your plan is set for less detail, look first at the Marketing Expense Budget table.

a. If the error shows up first in the Marketing Expense rows, then it is probably right in that row.

b. If the error shows up first in the calculated rows at the bottom for Contribution Margin, then its source is probably in the Sales Forecast table.

Sales and Expense Breakdown Tables:

If the error shows up in ALL of your Expense Breakdown tables, or ALL of your Sales Breakdown tables, go back and check the Contribution Margin table (see steps, above). If it shows up in only one of them, but not all three variations, then the error source is probably right in that table.

Palo Alto Software's Diagnostics Team offers a fee-based #Value! error diagnostic service available via our Web site.  Please visit the Diagnostic Services page at: http://www.paloalto.com/su/diag_fax.cfm for details about this service or to complete and fax a request form.

………………

What are these Actual and Variance tabs in my tables?

Marketing Plan Pro 2006 allows you to follow up on your plan's implementation with a Plan vs. Actual analysis (also called Variance analysis). The Actual and Variance tabs in some tables let you switch from your plan tables to actual and variance modes. (Show me...)

Put simply, variance analysis compares your plan data to actual numbers you enter later, from your real business operations, and produces either a positive or negative number. These numbers help you quantify where your business is meeting expectations, and what areas need to be improved.

ThePlan vs. Actual feature lets you do an automatic variance analysis of the Milestones, Marketing Expense Budget, Contribution Margin, Expense Breakdown, Sales Breakdown (or Funding Breakdown, for nonprofits), and Sales Forecast tables (or Funding Forecast, for nonprofits).

Use the Actual and Variance tables for management and following up on planning and implementation. Identify important sales variances, their causes, and their symptoms. When things turn out different from the original plan, pay attention - your numbers are telling you something.

TIP: Use the Actual mode for Course Corrections

As your plan starts rolling, you will want to revise budgets as you go, making course corrections. Use the Actual view instead of Plan view and you can manage both the plan and the revisions within the plan. For example, if you are three months into the actual results of the plan, use the actual results area from the fourth month on to keep your revised budgets. That way you'll keep the original plan, but also optimize it for realistic forecasting.

Examples

For detailed examples of using the Plan vs. Actual features in a particular table, see the following help pages:

Milestones: Plan vs. Actual Sales Forecast: Plan vs. Actual

Sales Forecast: Example of Plan vs. Actual

Marketing Expense Budget: Plan vs. Actual

Contribution Margin: Plan vs. Actual

Sales Breakdown: Plan vs. Actual

Expense Breakdown: Plan vs. Actual

…………

Break-even Assumptions

The Break-even Analysis depends on three key assumptions:

1. Average per-unit sales price (per-unit revenue):*

This is the average price that you receive per unit of sales, taking into account all product and service lines, sales discounts and special offers. This can be hard to do in a complex business with multiple lines of sales, but this number is calculated for you from the projections you entered into the Sales Forecast table. If the number does not look right to you, revisit your first year's Sales Forecast projections.

2. Average per-unit cost:*

This is the incremental cost, or variable cost, of each unit of sales. If you manufacture goods, this is the cost of materials and production per unit. If you buy goods for resale, this is what you paid, on average, for the goods you sell. If you sell a service, this is what it costs you, per dollar of revenue or unit of service delivered, to deliver that service - not including operating expenses like payroll. This number is also calculated for you, based on the first year cost of sales information you entered into your Sales Forecast table.

*NOTE: for plans using values-based forecasting, these two lines are replaced with Average Percent Variable Cost, which calculates the percentage of your first year's total sales revenues that are used up in costs of sales. Although the variable costs for different products and services may vary, this calculation provides one variable cost estimate for your entire sales forecast.

3. Monthly fixed costs:

Technically, a break-even analysis defines fixed costs as costs that would continue even if you went broke. Instead, we recommend that you use your regular running fixed costs, including payroll and normal expenses, like rent, utilities, and so on. The default formula used for this row looks to the data you entered into the Fixed Costs table, which will give you a better insight on financial realities.

These three assumptions become variables in the standard break-even analysis formulas.

For more on the Break-even Analysis, see the Break-even Analysis table help.

………..

How do I convert plans from an older version of Marketing Plan Pro?

To convert a plan from version 6.0, follow these steps:

1. Open Marketing Plan Pro 9.0.

2. Select 'Open an Existing Plan' from the Start a Plan screen.Or, choose File > Open from the menu bar.

3. Select More files ... and click OK.4. Browse to your older version plan (these files are stored by default in the My Documents

folder on your C:\ drive).5. Highlight your plan .mpd file and select Open.  **

The conversion process will run automatically.

For plans older than 6.0 (Marketing Plan Pro 4.0, 3.0 or Marketing Plus), see the Technical Support section of our Web site, or contact Technical Support for assistance

………….

What is Cost of Sales?

The Sales Forecast includes cost of sales, as well as sales. Cost of Sales is an important accounting concept. Sales less cost of sales results in gross margin, and gross margin is an important basis of comparison for underlying profitability. Analysts use it to compare different companies and different industries.

Cost of sales is also called direct cost and cost of goods sold, depending on the type of business. Here are some concrete examples:

Goods that a retail business purchases and then resells to customers is the classic instance of cost of goods sold. They belong in the Sales Forecast as Cost of Sales.

Materials that a manufacturing company buys as raw materials are costs of goods sold, cost of sales, or direct unit costs. In this case, these terms are virtually interchangeable. When manufacturing businesses have production employees, they sometimes count those salaries as cost of sales - but list them in the Other Cost of Sales area at the top of the Contribution Margin table (if your plan is set for more detail), to keep them separate.

Service businesses do have cost of sales most of the time. Accountants and attorneys have photocopying and research. Transportation businesses have fuel, maintenance, and drivers. News publications have the cost of newsprint, and editors. When service businesses have services provided by employees, they can count those salaries as cost of sales - again, list them in the Other Cost of Sales area at the top of the Contribution Margin table in a more detailed plan, to keep them separate.

Cost of Sales versus Operating Expenses

Cost of sales is a direct cost of producing the product or service, and the monthly total varies by sales volume. If you sell 12 books, your costs include the paper, printing, and shipping costs for those 12 books. These costs normally go into your Sales Forecast table. Operating expenses are items like general payroll, rent, utilities, and so on, which are usually pretty stable from month to month, unless you are expanding, and they can be entered in your Fixed Costs table. Since this is a marketing plan, your Marketing Expenses are tracked separately from other expenses, in the Marketing Expense Budget table.

If you aren't sure whether an item is a direct cost or expense, ask yourself - "If I didn't make any sales next month, would I still have to pay for this?" Some items, like rent, are clearly still due; these are operating expenses. Others, like shipping for those unsold goods, are not; these are direct costs of sales. Since you only list a direct cost under the month in which you sell the related product or service, a month with no sales also has no costs of sales listed, even if you are still buying inventory for future sales.

TIP: Ask an Accountant

The distinction between cost of sales and operating expenses is important, but sometimes subtle. In many cases the accountants make a determination based on judgement and experience. Your accountant may have an opinion in your case.

Handling Direct Labor as Cost of Sales

Many companies have salaried employees whose remuneration should be included in cost of sales. You can use the Other Cost of Sales section of the Contribution Margin table (an expanded version of the Marketing Expense Budget table) to show Direct Labor as a Cost of sales, if you set your plan for more detail.

See Also:

Marketing Expense Budget

Contribution Margin

Sales Forecast

Cost of Sales

………..

Can I customize the currency in my plan?

A custom currency symbol setting can be applied automatically to all of your tables and charts in the program by following these instructions:

1. Open your plan and go into any table (View menu > Tables command). 2. Choose Tools > Options > Tables, and select the Currency Format tab.  

3. Select the desired currency symbol from the list or paste your currency symbol into the field and click Apply Currency Format.  

4. When the program asks you if you would like to apply the custom format, click OK, and your tables and charts will be formatted accordingly.

……..

Deleting Rows in Tables

There are some data entry rows (green), that, although unprotected and unlinked, cannot be deleted. In the Market Analysis, Sales Forecast (or Funding Forecast, for nonprofits), Marketing Expense Budget, and several other tables, there are unlocked rows you cannot delete. In some of these tables the row you cannot delete is called "Other."

The logic of these tables involves SUM formulas that need to have a top row and a bottom row. When you run into this constraint involving deleting rows, please follow these instructions:

Move data from somewhere in the middle of a green series into the row that cannot be deleted.

Change that row label to what you would like to use. Delete the middle row from where the data originated.

See Also:

Locked Cells vs. Data Cells

Edit > Delete

…………

Download Options

The downloadable installer for Marketing Plan Pro is a compressed installer package which is available for download from the Software Pickup page.

The installation steps are:

Download the file (recommend "Save to Disk" option, saving to your Windows Desktop, your first choice in the folder list);

Close all programs;

Double-click the downloaded file to begin the installation;

Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the installation.

This file includes the program files and all of the latest updates for the software.

NOTE: It is recommended that you have a reliable Internet connection when using the above download option. Make sure to run the Web update as the first step after installing and activating the software.

……….

How do I email my plan?

If the email recipient also has Marketing Plan Pro 9.0:

Use the File > Send To > Email Recipient menu. Your email program must be available and configured as the default email program for Windows; a new email screen will display with your plan's .mpd and .mpf files attached.

If the email recipient does not have Marketing Plan Pro 9.0:

1.  Choose File > Export.2.  Select the desired format to export to, and make note of the file name and the directory

drive.3.  Compose a new email message.4.  Attach the exported file.

………

How do I export information from my plan?

The Export button lets you save some or all of your plan file into formats that can be opened in word processing, spreadsheet, or Web-based programs.

NOTE: Plan files exported to .xls or .htm formats cannot be imported back into Marketing Plan Pro.

File > Export Plan Component command lets you save some or all of your plan file into a special format (.pdp). Plan Components in this format can be imported into another plan file. The component items are added to the bottom of your plan outline and do not replace existing table/topics with the same titles. (Example: a customized user-defined table.)

File > Collaborate command lets you save some or all of your plan file into a different format (.pdc). This collaboration file can be sent by email to another licensed user of Marketing Plan Pro, and gives them the option to replace the existing tables/topics with the imported one. (Example: Used to merge information from several plans into one plan file.)

See Also:

File > Export

………

Why are there funny pink tags in my exported Word document?

The enhanced export to an interactive Microsoft® Word Document (2003 Professional version) uses XML coding to create your interactive plan. For most users who choose this option, when your exported Word document opens for the first time, it will look like this:

XML tags function much like HTML tags; each section has a beginning tag and an ending tag, with text in between. These tags must be visible in the Word document for some of the enhanced export features to work correctly. However, they will not show when you print the document.

To work with the exported document with tags showing, simply make sure you type new text only between these XML tags, and not outside of them.

To make the XML tags invisible, you can use Word's Task Pane feature. Search in your Word help for more information on the Task Pane and XML for detailed instructions.

See Also:

Export to Word - Introduction

Additional Word 2003 PRO Features

Using the Interactive Word Document

………..

Getting Table Help

The tables come with a great deal of built-in help already. Before we go into more detail, we first need to make sure that the basics are available.

Context-Sensitive Help Facility

Whenever you're looking at any of the tables, just press the F1 key for general help on working with tables, or click on the Table Help link in the Instructions area, for pages specifically about that table. There is a separate help page of each of the tables included. Some of the help pages go into significant detail.

Row by Row Help

Row-by-row help gives you additional instructions for specific rows in the tables. Move your selection down through the rows and watch how it changes. The row help goes into much greater detail than the general instructions or context-sensitive help.

Instructions and Examples

Whenever you're looking at a table you'll see significant additional resources on top of the table, in the Wizard Instructions window (unless you've used the View menu > Instructions command to remove the check mark from in front of Instructions).

If the instructions are not showing, click the Show Wizard Instructions link (top right of screen) to view the specific instructions for each table. These instructions include detailed definitions, examples, and guidance. Make sure you scroll down through the instructions to go all the way to the bottom.

Click the Examples link within the instructions and you'll see an example of whatever table you're working on. The examples are graphic shots, showing what a finished version looks like.

………

HTML - Troubleshooting

When you copy from an outside source, like MS Word, and paste directly into the plan, all of the HTML formatting code is copied as well. The result is plan content that displays one way on screen and prints in another format. As an example, copy content from a website and paste it into Word, and you will find the format is dramatically different between the two. This is similar to the copy and paste relationship between Word and Marketing Plan Pro.

To resolve such formatting problems after they have been introduced, the following method can be applied to clean out the extra formatting code:

1. From the Plan Outline, select the topic which is displaying this problem and click into the text area.

2. Choose Edit > Select All from the menu.

3. Choose Edit > Cut.

4. Click on the "H" button from the formatting toolbar to open the HTML window.

5. Delete anything that is still showing in this window.

6. Click on the "H" button again to close the HTML window.

7. Choose Edit > Paste Special.

8. Choose 'Unformatted Text' and click OK. The text will now display in the topic window, but will need to be formatted to match other topics.

9. Click Edit > Select All, then Format > Paragraph and then click the OK button.

10. Reset any custom formatting which you require in this text area.

Avoid these kinds of issues in the future by using the following preventative method:

Copy the content from the outside source. Paste the content from the outside source into the plan using Edit > Paste Special >

Filtered Text.

Format the content within Marketing Plan Pro.

……….

Import from QuickBooks for Plan vs. Actual Analysis

Users who started their plans by importing categories from QuickBooks can now do an easy Plan vs. Actual comparison of their Sales Forecast and Marketing Expense Budget.

Simply follow these steps to import real data from your QuickBooks file into the "Actual" tables:

1. Make sure your file is set for "more detail" in the Plan Setup Wizard.2. Open the QuickBooks file from which you wish to import actual data.3. Open the existing Marketing Plan Pro File into which you wish to import actual data. 4. Click the Import button in Marketing Plan Pro.5. Choose QuickBooks, and click Next.6. Choose "Import QuickBooks historical data for months and years in my plan that have

already passed." and click Next. (Show me…)

7. Check the boxes for "Sales and Cost of Sales for the Sales Forecast table" and "Expenses for the Marketing Expense Budget table" and click Next. (Show me…)

NOTE: Although you can import additional table numbers from QuickBooks, the Plan vs. Actual comparison only applies to the Sales Forecast and Marketing Expense Budget tables.

7. The dialog confirms that you are ready to import – click Next.

8. The final dialog confirms the Import from QuickBooks is complete - Click Finish to close the dialog.

Congratulations! You can now compare your planned Sales Forecast and Marketing Expense Budget numbers with actual numbers from QuickBooks (the difference between the two is also known as Variance Analysis). Marketing Plan Pro provides you with three different table views: 1st Year Planned, 1st Year Actual, and 1st Year Variance.

Go to your Sales Forecast table.

The "1st Year Planned" tab will still show your original planned data. (Show me...)

  A C D1 Sales Forecast2   Oct Nov3 Sales4 Mileage Income $0 $0

5 Construction $40,000$30,50

06 Uncategorized Income $0 $0

7 Total Sales $40,000$30,50

08      9 Direct Cost of Sales Oct Nov

10 Cost of Goods Sold $2,000 $1,52511 Other $0 $0

12Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $2,000 $1,525

Click on the "1st Year Actual" tab to see the imported data for those same months from your QuickBooks file. (Show me…)

1st YEAR ACTUAL (SALES FORECAST):

  A CP CQ1 Sales Forecast2   Oct Nov3 Sales4 Mileage Income $0 $0

5 Construction $45,887$52,57

26 Uncategorized Income $0 $0

7 Total Sales $45,887$52,57

28      9 Direct Cost of Sales Oct Nov

10 Cost of Goods Sold $526 $3,34511 Other $0 $0

12Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $2,000 $1,525

To see the difference between your plan and your actual numbers, click on the "1st Year Variance" tab. (Show me…)

1ST YEAR VARIANCE (SALES FORECAST):

  A DI DJ1 Sales Forecast2   Oct Nov3 Sales4 Mileage Income $0 $0

5 Construction $5,887$22,07

26 Uncategorized Income $0 $0

7 Total Sales $5,877$22,07

28      9 Direct Cost of Sales Oct Nov

10 Cost of Goods Sold $1,474($1,820

)11 Other $0 $0

12Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $1,474

($1,820)

The Marketing Expense Budget table (and its expanded version, the Contribution Margin table) also provides planned, actual and variance tab views.

See also:

Plan vs. Actual Analysis

Sales Forecast: Plan vs. Actual

Marketing Expense Budget: Plan vs. Actual

Contribution Margin: Plan vs. Actual

Import from QuickBooks Overview

QuickBooks Questions

How the QuickBooks Import Affects Your Tables

FAQ: Actual and Variance tabs

……….

Import from QuickBooks for Plan vs. Actual Analysis

Users who started their plans by importing categories from QuickBooks can now do an easy Plan vs. Actual comparison of their Sales Forecast and Marketing Expense Budget.

Simply follow these steps to import real data from your QuickBooks file into the "Actual" tables:

1. Make sure your file is set for "more detail" in the Plan Setup Wizard.2. Open the QuickBooks file from which you wish to import actual data.3. Open the existing Marketing Plan Pro File into which you wish to import actual data. 4. Click the Import button in Marketing Plan Pro.5. Choose QuickBooks, and click Next.6. Choose "Import QuickBooks historical data for months and years in my plan that have

already passed." and click Next. (Show me…)

7. Check the boxes for "Sales and Cost of Sales for the Sales Forecast table" and "Expenses for the Marketing Expense Budget table" and click Next. (Show me…)

NOTE: Although you can import additional table numbers from QuickBooks, the Plan vs. Actual comparison only applies to the Sales Forecast and Marketing Expense Budget tables.

7. The dialog confirms that you are ready to import – click Next.

8. The final dialog confirms the Import from QuickBooks is complete - Click Finish to close the dialog.

Congratulations! You can now compare your planned Sales Forecast and Marketing Expense Budget numbers with actual numbers from QuickBooks (the difference between the two is also known as Variance Analysis). Marketing Plan Pro provides you with three different table views: 1st Year Planned, 1st Year Actual, and 1st Year Variance.

Go to your Sales Forecast table.

The "1st Year Planned" tab will still show your original planned data. (Show me...)

  A C D1 Sales Forecast2   Oct Nov3 Sales4 Mileage Income $0 $0

5 Construction $40,000$30,50

06 Uncategorized Income $0 $0

7 Total Sales $40,000$30,50

08      9 Direct Cost of Sales Oct Nov

10 Cost of Goods Sold $2,000 $1,52511 Other $0 $0

12Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $2,000 $1,525

Click on the "1st Year Actual" tab to see the imported data for those same months from your QuickBooks file. (Show me…)

 1st YEAR ACTUAL (SALES FORECAST):

  A CP CQ1 Sales Forecast2   Oct Nov3 Sales4 Mileage Income $0 $0

5 Construction $45,887$52,57

26 Uncategorized Income $0 $0

7 Total Sales $45,887$52,57

28      9 Direct Cost of Sales Oct Nov

10 Cost of Goods Sold $526 $3,34511 Other $0 $0

12Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $2,000 $1,525

To see the difference between your plan and your actual numbers, click on the "1st Year Variance" tab. (Show me…)

1ST YEAR VARIANCE (SALES FORECAST):

  A DI DJ1 Sales Forecast2   Oct Nov3 Sales4 Mileage Income $0 $0

5 Construction $5,887$22,07

26 Uncategorized Income $0 $0

7 Total Sales $5,877$22,07

28      9 Direct Cost of Sales Oct Nov

10 Cost of Goods Sold $1,474($1,820

)11 Other $0 $0

12Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $1,474

($1,820)

The Marketing Expense Budget table (and its expanded version, the Contribution Margin table) also provides planned, actual and variance tab views.

See also:

Plan vs. Actual Analysis

Sales Forecast: Plan vs. Actual

Marketing Expense Budget: Plan vs. Actual

Contribution Margin: Plan vs. Actual

Import from QuickBooks Overview

QuickBooks Questions

How the QuickBooks Import Affects Your Tables

FAQ: Actual and Variance tabs

……….

How do I import information into my plan file?

The Import button lets you import tables and topics from a saved plan file into a currently-opened plan file. You have the option to replace current tables and topics with those being imported. A preview button lets you review current and imported topics before choosing to replace.

NOTE: This import command is available for any saved plan file (including sample plans that have been downloaded through the Sample Plan Browser and saved in .mpd format). This feature is useful in re-using information from one plan to another, and it is similar to using a "copy and paste" technique.  

The File > Import from a Plan Component command will add the component(s) to the bottom of your plan outline. It does not replace existing table/topics with the same titles. (Example: create a customized table, export as Plan Component, and import into multiple plan files.)

The File > Collaborate command lets you send and receive collaboration files to and from other users of Marketing Plan Pro and import into your plan file. Plan components generated with the Collaborate command are saved in a format (.pdc) that gives you the option to replace the existing tables/topics with the imported one. This can be used to merge information from several plans into one plan file).

Windows Copy and Paste:The Sample Plan Browser lets you copy text from samples displayed in its Reader window and paste into an open plan file.

The Examples section of your EasyPlan Wizard screen includes a "paste into topic" button for its example text. The text will be pasted into the currently open topic.

See Also:

File > Import

………

Modular, Linked Tables

The financial analysis is built on logical modules and separate tables all linked together. The key is that changes in any one of these tables will automatically reflect properly in all the others.

Fore more detailed information about the way your plan tables are linked,

……….

Market Analysis Table (What is CAGR in Market Analysis)

The Market Analysis table uses the compound average growth rate (CAGR) formula in column H to determine the average growth rate. The CAGR formula is a standard formula:

CAGR=(last/first)^(1/years)-1

For more information, see the Market Analysis Table.

For information on forecasting a decreasing market segment

……..

Where is my Milestones Chart?

If you have opened up a version 6.0 plan, the software will preserve your original Plan Outline, including the full Milestones table.

Marketing Plan Pro 9.0 has an expanded Milestones table, with five different sub-sections, the default names are Advertising Milestones, PR Milestones, Direct Marketing, Web Development Milestones, and Other Milestones. Each of these sub-sections has an associated topic and chart. This new feature allows you to display only the Milestones that apply to your plan.

All of the original Milestones will display in the first sub-table, "Advertising Milestones." You can see them at the top of your full (combined) Milestones table. (Show me...)

MilestonesAdvertising Start Date End Date Budget Manager Departme

ntReferral Tracking Program 12/1/05 4/10/06 $250 John MarketingReview/Reprint Firm Brochure

1/20/06 2/28/06 $400 Amy Marketing

Advertising Campaign 2/15/06 3/15/06 $2,300 John MarketingSponsor softball league 2/21/06 2/21/06 $30 Sue PRHoliday baskets 4/05/06 4/05/06 $30 Sue PRTotal Advertising Budget     $3,010    PR Start Date End Date Budget ManagerDepartme

ntName me 1/1/2006 1/15/2006 $0 ABC DepartmentName me 1/1/2006 1/15/2006 $0 ABC DepartmentName me 1/1/2006 1/15/2006 $0 ABC DepartmentTotal PR Budget     $0    Direct Marketing          Name me 1/1/2006 1/15/2006 $0 ABC DepartmentName me 1/1/2006 1/15/2006 $0 ABC Department

The new sub-Milestones topics, tables, and charts will default to "Not in the Plan Outline," below your Appendix. If you wish to use the new Milestones sub-tables, topics, and charts, you can insert them wherever you wish to include them in the Plan Outline, using the Insert menu command.

TIP: Milestones in Sample Plans

If you use a sample plan as a starting point, most plans opened from the Sample Plan Browser were created in Version 6.0, and will not include these Milestones sub-tables or sub-charts in the Plan Outline. They can be found in the "Not in the Plan Outline" section, below the appendix, and can be inserted into the plan with the Insert menu command.

………

FAQ: Month and Year Columns

The monthly and yearly columns shown in your tables depend on the Starting date specified in the first step of the Plan Setup Wizard. For example, if your Starting Date is January 2005, the first monthly column in your tables will be January, 2005. All expenses, liabilities, assets, income and/or funding related to your business prior to January 2005 belong in the Start-up or Past Performance Table.

How do I change the months and years?

In a new plan, the starting date defaults to the current month and year; in a plan opened from the Sample Plan Browser, the starting date was specified by the person writing the plan. You can easily change the month and years which display in your plan:

1. Click the Wizard Tasks button. 2. Find the Plan Setup section at the top of the task list. (Show me...)

3. Change the month and year in the Starting Date question. (Show me...)

TIP: Start-ups don't have to choose

Start-ups have an additional option to choose a numbered month and year system, if unsure of the exact opening date. (Show me...)

FAQ: How Do I Choose a Starting Date?

See Also:

Plan Setup Wizard

EasyPlan Wizard Tasks

Starting Date: Definition

Sample Plan Browser

………

Working with Microsoft Excel-FAQ

Our built-in spreadsheet works very much like Excel, uses compatible formulas, and offers similar features including linking from one table to another, and more than 100 built-in functions. The Advanced Tables chapter will show you (among other things) how to:

Use and understand common spreadsheet formulas within Marketing Plan Pro. Set a growth rate assumption to apply to sales forecast, expenses, etc.

Use a formula to estimate commissions to sales personnel.

Use the PPMT function to calculate loan principal repayments.

Make an expense row an automatic percent of sales.

Build a custom user-defined table for tracking any other key information.

The only significant difference between working with Marketing Plan Pro and working with Excel is that you cannot link information from outside worksheets or workbooks. The work-around for this, however, are the empty user-defined tables within the products, and the ability to link from user-defined tables to the main tables.

For more information, see Working with MS Excel.

……..

Negative Growth Rates

Sometimes, depending on your industry, you expect demand for a product or service to decrease. In software development, for example, as you release newer versions, retail channels may return inventory of older products to make room for the newer version. Other industries may anticipate one market segment decreasing over time, as older members of the community move away for retirement, or certain businesses merge.

You can incorporate decreasing forecasts by using a negative growth rate. The Sales Forecast,* Contribution Margin, Sales Breakdown and Expense Breakdown and Marketing Expense Budget tables include the Forecaster (a visually-oriented way to forecast growth). To access this tool, click in any green row with at least 12 months of cells, and use the Edit > Forecaster... menu command.

*NOTE: For nonprofits, the Sales Forecast is Funding Forecast, and Sales Breakdown is Funding Breakdown.

From the Forecaster screen, simply type in a “-” (minus sign) before the number in the growth rate area, at the top left:

In the Market Analysis or Channel Forecast table, simply type in a “-” (minus sign) before the number you enter in the Growth column (column B). Remember to enter your percent here as a decimal number:

You can also type in a negative percentage in the Growth Rate column of the Growth and Share table.

See Also:

Forecaster

………

Why are my numbers displayed as #######?

This occurs when the number entered in a cell is greater than the column width. (Show me...)

To adjust the width automatically:

Highlight a cell showing the ####### symbols.

Select the Format > Column > Autofit Selection command.

To adjust columns manually:

Highlight a cell in the column you wish to adjust. Choose the Format > Column > Width... command.

Type in the width (inches or characters).

Click OK.

……..

Page Breaks for Printing?

You can request a page break for all chapter-level topics (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, etc.) or for individual topics.

All Chapter Topics

Selecting the Chapter Page Breaks option from the Print dialog will start each top-level chapter (ex., 1.0 Executive Summary) on a new page for printing:

Click the Print button. Click on the Options button in the Print dialog.

From the "Include in Plan" tab, check the Chapter Page Breaks option.

Individual Page Breaks for Selected Topics

If you want to specify which topic should start on a new page (ex., topics with linked charts or tables), you can manually check for a page break from the Topic Properties dialog box. This dialog can be accessed by Right clicking your mouse on the topic name from the Plan Outline screen and selecting Properties from the menu.

……..

Price Calculation Average

Average price is calculated by dividing sales by units. If there are no sales then the average price is zero.

For a detailed example on Average Price Calculation, see the Units Based Sales Forecast.

…….

Print Cell Borders

There are a number of standard table printing formats available; only the WYSIWYG Style, which reproduces the onscreen appearance of the table, allows you to show cell borders.

Warning: About WYSIWYG style

o  To show cell borders when printing, first, show them onscreen.Highlight cells you want a border around.

Use the Format > Cells command.

Click the "Border" tab, and select a desired border style and color.

Click OK.

Then, choose WYSIWYG Table printing style.

For just the current table:

o Click on the Properties Icon in the table formatting toolbar.

o Under Table Style used for Printing this Table, select "Table Wysiwyg."

o Click OK.

For all tables:

o Use the Tools > Options > Printing command.

o Click the Table Settings Tab.

o Under Table Styles, select Table Wysiwyg.

o Click OK.

…….

Print Formatting Problems with Text Pasted from Microsoft Word

If you paste text direct from a Microsoft Word® document into your Marketing Plan Pro plan file, formatting that is specific to Microsoft Word may not transfer and display properly.

If you experience formatting problems after pasting from Word into Marketing Plan Pro, use the enhanced Export to Microsoft Word Document. The enhanced exported .doc file will open in Word and all Word-specific formatting will display properly.

For more information on copying text from MS Word, including using the Edit > Paste Special command to avoid these formatting issues, click here.

…….

Sales Forecast Table

Units-based vs. Value-based Forecasts

The Sales Forecast is actually one of two possible forecasts. You select one or the other in your Financials Settings in the Plan Setup Wizard.

The standard option, called the Units-based forecast, projects number of units sold, price per unit, sales value, cost per unit, and costs value. The simpler of the two is called the Values-based Sales Forecast. It has a group of rows for sales, and a group of rows for cost of sales.

TIP: QuickBooks Users must use Values-Based Forecast

If you say "Yes" to the QuickBooks Compatibility question in the Plan Setup, your plan will display a values-based forecast, to facilitate the import of data from your QuickBooks files.  

Switching Between Two Sales Forecasts

When you have an existing marketing plan started with numbers already in the Sales Forecast, and you then return to the Plan Setup Wizard and switch to the other option, it will seem like you lost data. In fact, what happens is that there are two separate forecasts embedded within the plan. When you switch from one to the other, you make one active and the other inactive.

As an expert option, you can use this facility to create two alternative sales forecasts and to switch quickly between the two, for comparisons. This can help you look at alternatives and develop a sense for how either of the two would affect other areas of the plan.

Problems Deleting Rows

As with the Market Analysis table, in the Sales Forecast you cannot delete either the top or the bottom row because of the underlying SUM formulas. You can, however, transfer data from the middle row (or any middle row if you added rows) to the top or bottom, then delete that middle row.

For more information, see the Sales Forecast Table.

……..

Why do some Sample Plans show different table numbers from their PDF File?

Improvements in the Marketing Plan Pro financial model may have altered table balances in some of the sample plans. The Acrobat® PDF of the sample plan (that you can view in the Sample Plan Browser) accurately represents a sample plan's financials at the time the plan was published.

See Also:  Sample Plan Browser

……..

Seeing Cell Borders

To make your cell borders visible onscreen, including borders of locked cells:

Use the Tools > Options Tables command.

Under the General Tab, check the box for "Show gridlines."

NOTE: This option makes gridlines visible onscreen only. For information on printing with cell borders showing, see the FAQ: Print Cell Borders page.

…….

Start-up or Ongoing When Buying a Business?

As you plan your marketing campaigns for the business you purchase, you start by making an important choice: marketing plans can be either for start-up, new businesses or for already-existing and ongoing businesses. When you buy a business from somebody else, either option is acceptable. This is a choice you make.

The main difference for your plan is that ongoing businesses have an additional Historical Results table and topic. This is a place to discuss past market share and other indicators of success, which will help you gauge the feasibility of your forecasts for the future. When you start a plan, the Plan Setup Wizard asks you whether the plan will be for a new start-up business, or an existing business; you can use the Plan Setup button on your toolbar at any point to return to this wizard and change your initial choices.

How to decide?

Either way can be acceptable. Here are some suggestions:

When you are purchasing a strong business with a good past, use that strength as an asset by developing a plan for an existing business. Discuss how you will use the existing brand reputation or distributor relations to get a running start on your marketing strategy.

If you're purchasing a failed business (presumably for a good price), then start over, with a new plan, built for a new company. Treat the marketing and sales strategies as you would for a new business.

The better the information available from the sellers, the more advisable it is to develop the plan for an existing business. This will help you compare your future projections to real-world history, and make your marketing plan more realistic. In the worst cases, when you have little information available, then you don't really have the option of starting with historical results, because you don't know them.

Consider the name.

If you plan to keep the business name, lean towards a plan for an existing business. If you are planning to change the business name, then you're more likely to be better off with a new marketing plan, not an existing plan. The naming decision is often a tip-off to the same variables that affect the marketing strategy. The factors that make you want to keep the name will make you want to use historical results and develop a marketing plan for an ongoing business.

Ultimately, It's Your Choice

Remember, a marketing plan is always your plan; not the consultant's plan, not the expert's plan, but your own plan, for your business. As you look at the business you're purchasing, decide what makes you feel best about it, and make that the choice for start-up or ongoing.

……..

Dealing with Subscriptions (Churn Rate)

The unique aspect of having cumulative revenue, such as for magazine subscriptions, is the effect it will have on the sales forecast. The software has an optional Add-In Tool that will add a fully-built subscription forecast into your plan.

Add your product lines, prices, and forecasts for subscriptions and cancellations to try different scenarios. Advanced users can then link the table to the standard Sales Forecast to incorporate it into the plan's financials.

For detailed help on the Advanced Feature, creating a Subscription/Churn Rate Forecast

……..

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT Analysis is a standard component of a marketing plan.

What is SWOT?

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Looking at SWOT is a simple and powerful way to analyze your company's present situation. Companies need to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies to take advantage of strengths and minimize weaknesses. Similarly, they need to recognize their opportunities and threats to develop strategies to seize opportunities and avoid threats.

Strengths and weaknesses are internal. They are reflections of the nature of the company. Strengths could be any number of factors such as management skills, capital, product development skills, branding, etc. Weaknesses are hard to change. Weaknesses could be lack of capital, lack of brand recognition, poor quality control, weak  management in certain areas, etc. Companies can control strengths and weaknesses through long-term planning.  

Opportunities and threats, on the other hand, are external. Opportunities are opening up in the outside world, such as new markets, market trends, new customer demand, new product opportunities, etc. Threats are also happening beyond the company in the outside world, such as declining markets, new competitors, substitute technologies, etc.

……..

Unable to Copy and Paste

Q: I am unable to copy and paste text into or within my Palo Alto Software program.

A. Users who have set their Internet Security Options as Customized or High may have automatically disabled pasting from scripts. Our software utilizes scripting and Active X controls to handle copy and paste functions within the program. Whenever pasting from scripts is disabled, our software is no longer able to interact with the Windows Clipboard. However, you can reset this option to enable pasting from scripts fairly easily.

Take the following steps to check this setting on any computer (using Internet Explorer 6):

1. Click on Start, select Control Panel (or Start > Settings > Control Panel). 2. Double click on the Internet Options Icon. 3. Select the Security Tab. 4. In the Security Settings for this zone area, check to see if the settings are set to Default

(Medium). If the settings are set to High or Custom, take the following steps:

Click the Custom Level button. Scroll down the list to the Scripting section. Locate the "Allow paste operations via script" option and check this setting. If this is

set to Disable or Prompt, it will prevent our software from interacting with the Windows Clipboard.

Set to Enable if needed and click OK 2. Select the other Zones (Local Intranet and Trusted Sites) and repeat the process to ensure

that this option is not interfering with our software. You should not change the settings for Restricted Sites.

3. Once the settings have been corrected, click Apply and OK. 4. Restart the computer and then check to see if the problem has been resolved.

…….

Different Localized Versions of Marketing Plan Pro:

US and UK

Plans created in other localized version of Marketing Plan Pro can now be opened within all editions of the software. Converting a plan from one localized version of the software to another can involve significant changes in the financial model of the plan. These changes in the financial model may have altered your balances. Once the plan has been successfully converted, you should review the marketing plan financials before publishing or presenting the plan.

Currency

You may also wish to change the Currency Symbol for the plan, as it will initially display using the currency symbol from the original localized version of the software. Instructions on how to