Rating: 
Summary: Didn't know it could get any better!
Review: After already being very satisfied with the previous version of Business Plan Pro, I was blown away by how good the 2002 version is. The 200 sample plans are an unbelievable help, as well as all the slick features of the software, and the built in web resources and industry data.I can't imagine writing a business plan without it!
Rating:
Summary: Great product for the price
Review: After spending some time reviewing various software packages for preparing business plans, I settled on this one. I think this is a wonderful piece of software that is far superior to the rest on the market. It's exceptionally easy to use, and the look of the plan is great.
I can't claim, as of yet, that I've used a generated business plan to seek VC funding but I'm certain that I won't be rejected on the merits of the "look" of the document. I guess that puts all the weight on my shoulders to write good content. But then again that's the point isn't it!
Rating:
Summary: Business Planning Made Easier
Review: Business Plan Pro 2002 offered me everything that I was looking for to create a business plan. This dynamic wizard-driven experience has the most extensive library of sample plans that I have ever seen. I selected a plan that best matched my business concept (and there is a very cool tool to help with that) and the wizards stepped me through the process. After I put in my sales and expense numbers in, the calculations were done for me complete with all of the expected pro-forma statements. It could not have been any easier and the plan looked incredible--better than I could have ever done on my own. Business Plan Pro 2002 saved me hours and, at this price, I got my money's worth and more.
Rating:
Summary: Business Plan Professional Indeed!
Review: Business plan pro indeed! I started my business in 2002 and needed a business plan. I didn't know where to start. The bank said that an accountant needed to review the figures and projections. Geez! I am in a service business and whereas an accountant may know the numbers, they didn't know the business. My accountant said that I should write the plan and let him go over it. Yeah..right! SO I searched the Internet and came across this software. Gosh, just $99.00 bucks to secure my future obtain a business loan and get started. Seemed a fair deal, so I ordered the software and some books as well on writing a business plan. The books said it might take a couple of months to write a proper plan to present to investors and convince them. The software said it would produce a winning plan. Ok, time to get started. Ahh.. They had sample business plans that one could look at. Nice! Well, I followed the instructions and got started. It took a couple of weeks of editing but at the end there it was. Nicely generated plan, indexed, pages numbered nicely double-spaced. A truly professional and legal looking plan which I proudly presented to my accountant. He said, this is a lot, it is even more that they need and you will have no problems with the bank. Needless to say I wanted to believe him. Then the day came and I presented my plan to three separate banks and waited...and waited...and waited...Then the first bank called, apologetic. My plan was so comprehensive it took them more time than usual to go through but..it was approved! They would offer 50% financing. Then the second bank called.. Approved! They would offer 90% financing. The third bank called.. needed more time, they had NEVER seen such a comprehensive and well written business plan..needed another week to fully digest it. Then they called about two weeks later. They wanted my accountant and I to meet with the Manager. They wanted a few things explained. This did not look good! There were a few figures they could not understand how they were generated. My accountant explained that the numbers were generated in a computer program, Business Plan Pro and he had gone over it and it was using a different recording method to what they were accustomed. [ It was all accountant talk that I have summarized]. All smiles! APPROVED! 100% financing. Needless to say, you know which bank I went with in the end! Thanks business plan pro. I can truly say that this software was worth every penny and I heartily endorse it!
Rating:
Summary: Very Satisfied!
Review: I am a small business owner who was not experienced in writing business plans. I bought the last version of Business Plan Pro and was very happy with it - in fact I took the plan that I wrote in Business Plan Pro to the bank and they were so impressed with the quality of my plan and my research that they awarded me the $50,000 loan I applied for. I just upgraded to Business Plan Pro 2002 and it did take a little while to get used to. It's so different to the last version. But I am really impressed with the new layout, and there is tons more industry information in this one. In fact if I had used this new version to write my plan originally, I would have saved hours of time in researching numbers for my plan. I would recommend this software to anyone needing to write a Business Plan - its one of the best investments I have made for my small business.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Satisfied
Review: I am not satisfied with PaloAlto's Business Plan Pro or customer support. I am using Business Plan Pro in a Windows environment. I am running into many bugs. I list some of the problems here so that you can carefully consider if PaloAlto is the software for you. a. Charts formats change without rhyme or reason and there is no way to correct the changes. b. The later versions of Business Plan Pro are not backwards compatible. This means that version 5.0 cannot read my 3.0 plans. PaloAlto charges $29.50 to make 3.0 plans compatible with version 5.0! c. PaloAlto will not support version 3.0 even though it is copyrighted as recently as 1998 and was sold up until late 1999. How long will 2002 be supported?
Rating:
Summary: Great Concept - Full of Bugs
Review: I began using this product, glad to see that careful thought and utility of the product. But then there were bugs that caused the program to crash, and then I was saving often, and still crashing. Then I updated the software from the website, and that didn't do it. Then I contact customer support. They suggested another update, and that one I have never been able to recover from. The program will not open or run. I dare you to see if you have better luck...
Rating:
Summary: I didn't think it would be this easy!
Review: I had no time left to write a business plan and little experience putting one together. On a suggestion from a friend I ordered the Business Plan Pro software and started it up. Imagine my relief when the software literally walked me through the entire process!! I put together a basic plan, and wrote it over the span of 3 lunch hours. Easy to understand process, outstanding resource help, great customer service and a tech service department that didn't make me feel like I was asking stupid questions. I would recommend this product to anyone who needs a helping hand in writing, but doesn't have the money to spend on an expensive consultant.
Rating:
Summary: I didn't think it would be this easy!
Review: I had no time left to write a business plan and little experience putting one together. On a suggestion from a friend I ordered the Business Plan Pro software and started it up. Imagine my relief when the software literally walked me through the entire process!! I put together a basic plan, and wrote it over the span of 3 lunch hours. Easy to understand process, outstanding resource help, great customer service and a tech service department that didn't make me feel like I was asking stupid questions. I would recommend this product to anyone who needs a helping hand in writing, but doesn't have the money to spend on an expensive consultant.
Rating: 
Summary: Quirky & full of bugs
Review: I have a Dell laptop just purchased in 2000 so it's not my computer system but this software has MANY bugs! It shut down while in the middle of typing TWICE. I lost a days worth of input once and several hours a second time. It also is not a Word .doc making it MORE work to export into a Word document for others to view and read if I don't print it out instead.
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