Help Docu - Mktplanpro9

Welcome! Our help file contains financial concepts help, and step-by-step instructions from issues such as text formatting, to deleting topics from your plan, to understanding and working with the formulas that affect your tables and charts.

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Help (Legend) The Help Legend provides descriptions and examples of the features within help, including how to access links, drop-down text and graphics. Click on the "Help Legend" link to open (and close) the Legend.

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Finding Step-by-Step Help This type of help provides step-by-step instructions on using the features in your software. Click on the "Finding Step-by-Step Help" link to open (and close) this section. Sales Forecast Table

Hide Wizard Instructions

The Sales Forecast gives you a way to develop and estimate your sales and cost of sales. The rows automatically sum at the bottom of each column, and the sums transfer

Examples

Table Help

4 Segment Name 5 Other Row 4 - Segment Name Backstep...

2% 17,000 17,340 0% 0 0 Formula

This table gives you a list of market segments (The categorization of potential buyers into groups based on common characteristics such as age, gender, income, and geography or other attributes relating to purchase or consumption behavior), and each row is one of the segments. The last column labeled CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) is a calculation used to compute the average growth rate over the given periods.

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Finding Conceptual Help As you create your plan, you may find that the Step-by-Step help instructions are too specific for your question, because you are really looking to understand the financial concepts and principles behind the formulas, categories, and terminology used in your plan software. Click on the "Finding Conceptual Help" link to open (and close) this section.

TIP: Help OVerviews, Specifics, Additional Details In each help subsection (such as help for an individual table), you will generally find an Overview or Introduction, followed by a "Specifics" section, which gives you step-by-step instructions, and then "Additional Detail" for advanced features and additional background information.

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Navigating Help These different methods of locating help will have different advantages, depending on what you are looking for. Click on the headings for more information. o

Table of Contents

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Index

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Search

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Glossary

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Hyperlinked Help Sequences (Step-by-step instructions).

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Using the Back and Forward Buttons

TIP: Limit your Search If your Search is pulling up too many possible pages, try the following: Search for a phrase instead of a single word, and put quotes around the phrase. For example, instead of searching for File, search for "File Menu." Uncheck the "Match similar words" box at the bottom, and/or check the "Search titles only" box instead.

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Key Program Features

Additional Help: Business Plan and Marketing Plan Diagnostics Premium Service

This service is offered to registered users of Business or Marketing Plan Pro on a fee basis. For more information, visit the Technical Support website and choose Diagnostic Services.

Technical Support You have two ways to contact Technical Support, by phone or via the Internet. Jump to the Technical Support page for this information. ………

Key Program Features Marketing Plan Pro helps you write a plan containing complete text, tables for forecasts and financial analysis, and charts for illustrations. Get inspiration from sample plans, and guidance from the EasyPlan Wizard. Use the built-in resources to complete your market research. Customize your plan by renaming rows, inserting extra topics for detail, or changing the outline sequence. Then, let the built-in tools review your plan for missing items or unrealistic projections. And throughout, help with financial-planning concepts is just a click away.

EasyPlan Wizard vs. Plan Outline Views The left-hand pane of your software window will display either the EasyPlan Wizard tasks (stepby-step guidance, in the best order), or the Plan Outline (the order of your topics, tables, and charts, as they will print in the finished plan). We recommend that first-time users stay in the EasyPlan Wizard view until all steps are complete, then review the Plan Outline. More experienced planners will appreciate the flexibility of the Plan Outline view.

Sample Plan Browser Over 70 sample plans are available for inspiration and example. Learn how to search for a sample plan, view the original as a PDF, and open any sample plan in the software, to see how a completed plan's tables and text work together.

Online Resources This tool gives you direct links to website resources available through Palo Alto Software, Inc. Access free market research resources, marketing planning books in PDF format, and presentation templates.

Complete Help Whether you need to print, or to understand "SWOT Analysis," help is just a click away. Every table has row-by-row definitions; every topic, table, and chart has detailed instructions and examples; the Help Glossary defines over 250 marketing and business terms in plain English; and

the complete help file, including financial concepts help for every table in your plan, has a full-text search feature. ………

Step-by-Step Help We have provided you with two kinds of help throughout the help file. The first is the kind you typically find in a help file: step-by-step instructions on using the features included in your software. As you create your plan, you may find that the Step-by-Step help instructions are too specific for your question, because you are really looking to understand the concepts and principles behind the formulas, categories, and terminology used in your plan software. In that case, you are looking for Financial Concepts Help.

To Find Step-by-Step Help:

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Read the Instructions and Examples presented at the top of every page in your plan file (in the yellow area).

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Press your F1 key to open context-sensitive help about the current screen.

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Use the "How Do I?..." Button at the top right of your screen to locate instructions for common user questions. (Show me...)

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Use the Help Table of Contents and the Help Index to locate the main help pages dealing with the issue you are searching for.

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Instructions and Examples Instructions for all Topics, Tables and Charts can be found within the program window. (Show me...) Sales Forecast Table

Hide Wizard Instructions

The Sales Forecast gives you a way to develop and estimate your sales and cost of sales. The rows automatically sum at the bottom of each column, and the sums transfer

Examples

Table Help

Within the Instructions window is a link box, where you can access various additional help: • •

Examples Table Help (in Tables)

TIP: Show or Hide Instructions Window The Show/Hide Wizard Instructions link on the top right lets you choose whether to view instructions or save space on your screen for working in your topic, table, or chart, or reading the Row-by-row definitions at the bottom of tables. Example: ………

How do I? Help How Do I? provides context-sensitive help for topics, tables, and charts. Look for the icon in the top right corner of your screen.

Clicking on this icon will give you a pull-down menu of common features. When you select from the menu, a custom window displays step-by-step procedures for the selected feature. This window will stay open so you can follow the steps while working in the program. ………..

Row-by-Row Help Definitions Each table contains definitions for every row, which depend on your Plan Setup choices. To see Row-by-row help, simply click on a cell in the row you wish to learn more about, and read the definition which displays along the bottom of your program window. Can't See Row-by-Row Help? Example The top line of your Row-by Row help lists the row number and label, to make sure you are reading the right definition. In the example below, all three row names have been filled in with the Edit > Row Label menu command; note how the new row labels appear as part of the row definitions ("University Students").

TIP: Hide Wizard Instructions If your Row-by-row help window is too small to see the whole definition, you can drag the bottom of your table up higher, or you can hide the Wizard Instructions after reading them to save space. Open them again to access examples or additional conceptual help in the link box. ……….

Financial Concepts Help We have provided you with two kinds of help throughout the help file. The first is the kind you typically find in a help file: step-by-step instructions on using the features included in your software. As you create your plan, you may find that the Step-by-Step help instructions are too specific for your question, because you are really looking to understand the concepts and principles behind the formulas, categories, and terminology used in your plan software. …………

Row-by-Row Help Definitions Each table contains definitions for every row, which depend on your Plan Setup choices. To see Row-by-row help, simply click on a cell in the row you wish to learn more about, and read the definition which displays along the bottom of your program window. Can't See Row-by-Row Help? Example The top line of your Row-by Row help lists the row number and label, to make sure you are reading the right definition. In the example below, all three row names have been filled in with the Edit > Row Label menu command; note how the new row labels appear as part of the row definitions ("University Students"). ………

Plan Setup Wizard The Plan Setup is the first step in creating your plan. This is where you decide whether you are a for-profit or nonprofit business, a start-up venture or an ongoing company, and where you enter all the financial settings that the software uses to track your numbers with realistic financial calculations.

When you start a new marketing plan the Plan Setup Wizard opens automatically. In each dialog you answer a question about your business, then click Next to move to another dialog. (Show me...)

Answer the Plan Setup Wizard questions to establish your plan. With your answers, the Wizard: • • • •

sets a starting date for your plan creates a cover page with your business address and contact information names your plan

establishes which topics, tables, and charts are in your plan

Outline Setup The Outline Setup step lets you begin where you are most comfortable - a sales plan, a Web plan, a less detailed Strategic Marketing Plan, a complete plan, or more. This step is the most important for determining which items appear in your printed plan, and which steps the EasyPlan Wizard will walk you through. You can start with one setting, then return to the Plan Setup Wizard at any point to change your answer and flesh out the other sections. Financials Setup The most important part of the Plan Setup Wizard is the Financials Setup. Here you tell the software whether your sales forecast is by units or values; if you categorize expenses; the number of months and years in your plan, etc. You can revise your choices at any time by returning to the Plan Setup Wizard. Plan Setup Summary The last dialog of the Plan Setup Wizard contains a summary list of all your choices. Each item in the list is a direct link back to that question dialog so you can change your answer if necessary. (Show me...) TIP: Return at any Point to Change your Choices

You can, at any time while building your marketing plan, return to the Plan Setup Wizard and make adjustments. You can click the Plan Setup icon in the toolbar, or use the File > Plan Setup menu command, or click the Plan Setup step in the EasyPlan Wizard Task steps. More info about your Plan Setup steps: • • •

FAQ: How do I Choose a Starting Date? More or Less Detail Nonprofit

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Second Year Monthly Details QuickBooks Questions Outline Setup

Sample Plan Settings You can see the plan setup for any sample plan when you first open it. This will give you a sense of how closely its conditions parallel your business, and where there might be significant differences. ………

Outline Setup In the Plan Setup Wizard This portion of the Plan Setup Wizard lets you choose what kind of marketing plan you want to create. (Show me...) Your choice will change the topics, tables, and charts which appear in your EasyPlan Wizard Steps, your Plan Outline (the printed order of the plan), and your Report options. TIP: Changing settings doesn't lose data

You can return to the Plan Setup wizard at any point and change your choice; any data entered will be saved in your plan file, even if you no longer see that topic or table in your Plan Outline. Select "A Complete Marketing Plan" to see all of your topics, tables, and charts. Click on the headings, below, to see what is included with each choice: Complete Marketing Plan Sales Plan (or Funding Plan, for nonprofits) Strategic Marketing Plan Presentation Financial Forecast Implementation Plan ……..

Nonprofit If you are developing a plan for a nonprofit organization, make sure you set up for nonprofits using the specific question in the Plan Setup Wizard step, as shown in the illustration below.

When a plan is set for nonprofit, several things change:

1. The Sales Forecast becomes Funding Forecast instead. Its detailed instructions change 2.

with it. The Plan Outline changes in several sections. The change includes outline headings, instructions, and examples.

The underlying assumption is that nonprofit organizations ought to be using a plan process quite similar to the standard process. Differences are to some extent cosmetic. The change to nonprofit settings does not change every detail in the software. Although most references to sales are replaced by references to funding, the structure is imbedded deeply, so some references to sales will remain. As you work with the nonprofit setup, you can assume that "sales" is equal to "funding," "profit" is equal to "surplus," and "loss" is equal to "deficit." …………

More or Less Detail Some marketing plans require more detail than others. Users have the option of including this detail listed below. If you are not sure which to select, choose the less-detailed setting and complete it first. You can always change to a more-detailed plan setting by returning to the Plan Setup Wizard later on. A more-detailed marketing plan supports the following items: Additional tables: • • • • •

Competitive Analysis Expense Breakdown (3 tables) Market Demographics Sales Breakdown (3 tables) Price List

Additional topics, depending on your other Plan settings, may include: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Expense by Manager Expense by Region Expense by Segment Historical Results Linking Expenses to Strategy and Tactics Macroenvironment Our Solution Pricing Product Marketing Promotion Sales by Manager Sales by Region Sales by Segment

Additional Charts • • •

Sales Breakdown Monthly Sales Breakdown Yearly Expense Breakdown Monthly

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Expense Breakdown Yearly Competitor by Growth and Share Competitor by Growth Competitor by Price Competitor by Share

NOTE: The Plan Outline lists the topics, tables, and charts in your plan. Return to the main Plan Setup Wizard Help page. ………..

EasyPlan Wizard - Overview The EasyPlan Wizard is designed to lead you through the entire process of writing your plan. From writing your text to entering numbers into the tables, the EasyPlan Wizard provides a step-by-step process, with instructions and examples to follow.

Task list. The task list is on the left-hand side of the screen. Tasks are organized into a recommended sequence. (Show me...)

Instructions. Instructions for each task appear on the top right side of the screen. (Show me...)

Sales Forecast Table

Hide Wizard Instructions

The Sales Forecast gives you a way to develop and estimate your sales and cost of sales. The rows automatically sum at the bottom of

Examples

Table Help

The window includes: • •

Instructions for the current task. Scroll down in the Instructions window to read the full content and see additional detail. A link window, with varying content depending on whether you are looking at a topic, table, or chart. (Show me...)

able

Hide Wizard Instructions

s you a way imate your

Examples

The rows e bottom of

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Table Help

"Examples" link, which opens an example of the current task from a completed sample plan. "Table Help" links (in tables), which open detailed conceptual help about the current table, along with instructions and information on advanced features, where applicable.

Moving through the EasyPlan Wizard Next Task/Previous Task Buttons (below the currently open topic, table, or chart): Move forward or back one task in the EasyPlan Wizard list.

Next and Previous Topic/Table/Chart buttons (on your formatting toolbar): Move from current Topic alphabetically to the previous or next Topic; from current Table to the previous or next Table in alphabetical order; from the current Chart to the next or previous Chart, again, alphabetically. EasyPlan Wizard Task list: Click on a task from the list to open it. Close button: Closes the EasyPlan Wizard task list. (Show me...) NOTE: A check mark in the task list will show the tasks that have been completed. You can view your plan with either the Wizard Tasks, or the Plan Outline view, by using the buttons for each on your toolbar; selecting one will hide the other. …………

EasyPlan Wizard Tasks

The EasyPlan Wizard Tasks provide a roadmap to your plan. The Wizard Tasks show the topics and tables in the most effective order for you to work on them. The tasks within each section heading are also classified this way, allowing for maximum efficiency while working through your plan. Below is a list of the main EasyPlan Wizard Tasks: Each section also contains a Conclusion section.

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Plan Outline The left-hand column of your screen shows either the EasyPlan Wizard Tasks or the Plan Outline; to display the Plan Outline, click on the Plan Outline button on your plan toolbar.

It shows the topics, sub-topics and their linked tables and charts in the order they will be printed. You can quickly jump to any topic, table, or chart by clicking on its name from the Plan Outline. (Show me...)

NOTE: The left side of your screen will display either the Plan Outline or the EasyPlan Wizard Tasks; selecting one will replace the other.

Right click on a topic/table/chart in the Plan Outline and a pop up menu will display the following options:

Print

Print the current topic/table/chart.

Print Preview

The Preview window lets you view the plan prior to printing.

Insert: Topic,

Inserts a new topic/table/chart following where your cursor is marked. (This option is only available if you right-click on a topic.)

Table, Chart

Delete Rename

Deletes the current topic/table/chart from the Plan Outline and stores it as "Not in the Plan Outline." Use the Insert command to reverse this function. Rename the current topic/table/chart.

Promote

Moves the current topic to the left, to a higher level in the outline.

Demote

Moves the current topic to the right to become a lower level sub-chapter in the outline.

Move Up

Moves the current topic/table/chart up, within the current outline level.

Move Down

Moves the current topic/table/chart down, within the current outline level.

Properties

Shows the current topic/table/chart Properties dialog box.

NOTE: The Topic Properties lets you insert a 'Page Break

before printing' so the topic will print at the top of a new page. ……….

Linking to a Topic in the Plan Outline To link new items to a Topic in your Plan Outline, highlight the desired destination topic, then use the Insert command from your toolbar.

The plan element will appear directly below the highlighted topic.

To link an existing item, click and drag it from its original location in the Plan Outline to the new location (must be linked to a Topic).

Click on the links below for full instructions. ………

Sample Plan Browser The Sample Plan Browser includes a full list of sample plans that are provided as examples of completed plans. There are over seventy sample plans available from a variety of business categories.

TIP: Changes in Financials Affect Sample Plans Marketing Plan Pro's most recent versions contain new tables and new formulas to make planning easier and more accurate. Some sample plans were created in earlier versions of the product; these improvements in the Marketing Plan Pro financial model may have altered the sample plan balances which display when you use the Open Sample Plan command. The Acrobat® PDF of the sample plan (which you can access with the View command in the Sample Plan Browser) more accurately represents the financials at the time the plan was published.

Location of Sample Plans

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Internet

Sample plans are delivered over the Internet. This allows us to provide the most up-to-date content available, add more sample plans to the library, and limit the amount of hard-drive space required by the software for installation.

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CD If you do not have an Internet connection, a sample plan library is located on your installation CD. Click the following link for instructions on how to install sample plans from your CD.

Sample Plan List The Sample Plan List is organized into two columns: • •

Plan name: The list is organized by generic name (example: "Accounting Firm"). Industry: This column displays the type of industry for each sample plan (example: "Business Services").

Click on the title of either column to display the list by generic name or industry, in ascending or descending order. From the sample plan list, click on a plan name and read its summary at the bottom.

Searching for Sample Plans •

Use the category option to search for a sample plan by industry type.

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Use the keyword option to search by descriptive term. Try using different keywords to expand your search. For example: a search using the keyword "restaurant" will produce a list of seven sample plans.

Toolbar Options If you find a sample you would like to use, select from among the following options on the toolbar:

View the complete original sample plan in portable document format (PDF) from the viewing screen (right-hand side). This is a read-only file.

Import components of a plan (topics, tables, and charts) into your plan file.

Open the entire sample plan as a new plan file. Please note that sample plan balances here differ from the balances in the original sample plan, due to changes in the financial model in Marketing Plan Pro 2005. To see the complete plan with original balances, use the "View" command.

This menu includes the "Refresh List" option, which downloads the most current listing of available sample plans over the Internet. (Internet connection required) ……..

View Sample Plans Opens a PDF (portable document format) of a sample plan in the Sample Plan Browser window. Viewing sample plan PDFs is the best method to read a plan with its original content and financial estimates.

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Highlight the sample plan from the Plan List. Select File > View, or click the View button on the toolbar.

The sample plan PDF will display in the Browser view. Use the arrow keys to move from one page to another.

View vs. Open

Sample Plan PDFs are read-only files and cannot be altered. PDF views of sample plans may not contain the most up-to-date financials because we are constantly updating tables and table formulas within the program.

The Open Sample Plan feature opens a working copy of the sample plan into Marketing Plan Pro. Once opened, the file's content can be edited and the financials will automatically be updated to match current formulas. To see how the sample plan numbers work in a current plan, use the Open Sample Plan command.

NOTE: The new financial formulas and calculations in this version may create some inconsistencies between the original numbers referred to in the sample plans' topics and the numbers actually showing in their tables. To see examples where text matches tables, use the View Sample Plans option. ………

Open Sample Plan

Opens a working copy of the plan into Marketing Plan Pro. This file can be edited and changes can be saved. • • •

Select the sample plan from the Plan List. Use the File > Open command, or click the Open button on the toolbar. The program will ask if you want to save changes to your current plan file: o o

Select "Yes" to save your current plan. Or, select "No" to open without saving your current plan.

Your selected sample plan will open within the program. You can make edits and save changes.

TIP: Look at the Plan Setup Summary After opening a sample plan, look at its Plan Setup summary (the summary should automatically dislpay after opening). This will give you an idea of how closely the sample plan's settings match your real business situation.

View vs. Open

Viewing PDFs is the best method for reading a plan with its original content and financial estimates; however, PDF views of sample plans may not contain the most up-to-date financials because we are constantly updating tables and table formulas within the program.

The Open Sample Plan feature opens a working copy of the sample plan into Marketing Plan Pro. Once opened, the file's content can be edited and the financials will automatically be updated to match current formulas. To see how sample plan numbers work in a current plan, use the Open Sample Plan command.

NOTE: The new financial formulas and calculations in this version may create some inconsistencies between the numbers referred to in these live sample plans' topics and the numbers actually showing ………

Import Sample Plan This button lets you import selected areas of a sample plan (topics, tables, and charts) into a new or currently-opened plan file.

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Open the Sample Plan Browser window.

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Select the sample plan from the Plan List. Use the File > Import command, or click the Import button. An Import dialog will open: o

To include a topic, table or chart, check the box in front of it. (Show me...)

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"Add As New" will insert a duplicate topic, table or chart into your plan. "Overwrite" will replace your current topic, table, or chart with the imported one. To exclude a topic, table or chart, remove the check mark.

Click the Import button.

Open vs. Import

The Open Sample Plan feature opens a working copy of the entire sample plan into Marketing Plan Pro. Once opened, the file's content can be edited and the financials will automatically be updated to match current formulas.

The Import Sample Plan lets you select only those topics, tables and charts that you want to include into a new or existing plan, because the Import function gives you the option to "add as new" or "overwrite" the current topics/tables/charts with the imported content. ……..

Refresh Sample Plans Sample Plan Browser > Tools > Refresh List (Internet connection required)

The Tools menu includes the option to download the most current listing of available sample plans. Once the Internet connection is confirmed, the sample plan list will be downloaded and the new list will display.

Refresh List New plans are being added regularly (and current plans are updated). Use this command to download the most current list of sample plans. • • •

From the Sample Plan Browser screen: Use the Tools > Refresh List command. Your sample plan list will be refreshed with the most recent versions of current sample plans.

Install from CD If you do not have an Internet connection, a sample plan library is located on your installation CD. ……..

Sample Plan Browser Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I edit in PDF format? No, they are for viewing and printing only.

2. Can I copy and paste text from a PDF file to other programs? Yes. This is the standard Windows-based copy and paste to clipboard command. First, use the Text Select Tool from the Page Viewer screen. Then do the following steps: o o o

Click and drag your mouse across the text to be copied. Press Ctrl + C on your keyboard to copy. Use Ctrl + V to paste the text into another program.

3. How can I make edits direct to a sample plan file? o o

From the Sample Plan Browser screen, click the Open button on the toolbar. The working file will be downloaded to your computer, opened and displayed. You can modify the text and tables to make it your own plan file.

4. Why are the numbers sometimes different when I view a Sample Plan as a PDF file, compared to when I open it with the Open Sample Plan command? o

We are constantly updating our sample plans with the latest features. The Read-only PDFs are viewable examples, often taken from an earlier version of the plan. To see how sample plan numbers work with the features available in your version, use the Open Sample Plan command. To get the very latest plans, be sure to Refresh your Sample Plan List.

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Install Sample Plans from CD-ROM The most current sample plans are available online. If you do not have Internet access and you installed the software from a CD-ROM, you can install all the sample plans from your installation CD. This allows the Sample Plan Browser to open the sample plan files direct from your computer's storage drive, without having to access the Internet. The sample plan installation from CD has a directory of sample plans that were available at the time the CD was created. 1. Close any open programs on the system.

2. Place the Marketing Plan Pro Installation CD into your computer to automatically launch the Installer screen. 3. From the Installer screen, choose the following menu options: • • •

Click on 'Contact Us' button Click on 'Support Tools' button Click on 'SAMPLE PLANS' button (NOTE: This may take a minute to open)

5. From the InstallShield dialog, Click the 'Next' button to continue. 6. From the 'Ready to Install Program' dialog, click the 'Install' button. 7. A progress bar will display while the sample plans are copied (this can take several minutes). 8. Once completed, click the 'Finish' button to close the InstallShield Wizard. 9. Click the 'Exit' button to close the CD-ROM Support Tools dialog. Once the installation has completed, launch Marketing Plan Pro 9.0 and open the Sample Plan Browser. The Sample Plan Browser will now open the sample plan files from the hard drive of your computer.

Update the Sample Plan List over Internet If you later want to get the most updated list of sample plans over the Internet: • • •

Start your Internet connection Click the 'Sample Plans' button to open the Sample Plan Browser From the Sample Plan Browser window, use the Tools > Refresh List command

The Sample Plan list will be updated and individual updated sample plans can be downloaded onto your computer.

NOTE: All Sample plans have the option of being downloaded individually from the website at any time, including newer versions of sample plans previously installed from CD. Sample plans are continually being added and updated; therefore, it is recommended that you refresh your Sample Plan List regularly in order to maintain the most current list of plans (Internet connection required). …….

Working with Topics - Overview Your topics allow you to explain, expand on, and describe the information your financial numbers show in a different way. The most important thing about your text, and its formatting, is to keep it simple. A plan is about results. Use formatting only where it will enhance the readability of your plan.

Click on any green heading below to drop-down more information.

About Business Writing

Selecting a Topic

Tips for making your plan text clear, concise, and effective.

How to open up a topic to add or format your plan text.

Topics and the Plan Outline topics in your plan.

The Plan Outline is the easiest way to keep track of all the

Formatting Topics When people talk about a “professional” or “appropriate” format for a plan, they mean a format that makes the content easy to read and follow. There is no true standard format for a plan. You can use any text size, font, page size, and page layout that works. •

Automatic Text Formatting The software automatically formats your text for you, but you can embellish on this with numbered lists, indenting, and more. TIPS on formatting your topics:

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Formatting Toolbar This is the easiest way to make changes to the appearance of your plan text on screen.

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Using a Text-table You can insert a text-table into a topic to separate your text into clean blocks of rows and columns.

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Inserting graphics and characters (symbols) into your text You can insert symbols such as © or ®, and image files, into the text in your plan topics.

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HTML Formatting Your plan text is simultaneously written as HTML code, running in the background.

Wizard Instructions

You can show or hide Topic-specific Instructions.

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Topic Formatting Toolbar These definitions are specific to Topic Mode. Click here to view or close the full image of the Topic Mode toolbar... Previous

/Next

Moves you back or forward one topic at a time, in alphabetical order.

(Note: This not the same as the order within the Plan Outline.) Topic Properties

This dialog has two tabs, General and Notes. The General tab displays the name, which you are able to change, and the date the topic was last modified. The Notes tab allows you to keep track of things you need to remember about this topic. Cut Use the Cut command to move information from one part of your plan to another, or to simply cut information. The cut information is copied to the clipboard so you can Paste it somewhere else. Using the Cut or Copy command again will erase any information previously stored on the clipboard.

Copy Use the Copy command to copy parts of the plan so that you can Paste it to another location in your plan file. The copied information is held in temporary storage on the clipboard. Using the Cut or Copy command again will erase any information previously stored on the clipboard.

Paste Allows you to place the previously-copied information back into the plan at the position of the cursor in the current topic.

Undo

/Redo

Undo clears a previously made correction. The correction is held in temporary memory (the clipboard) until another correction is made. Redo reinstates a correction. Spell check Click this button to begin the spell check. You can check the current topic only, or all topics in the Plan Outline. Thesaurus Highlight a word in your topic, then choose the Thesaurus option from the Topic menu. A dialog box will display. Select the new word from the list, and click the Replace button. Insert Image This button allows you to insert a picture or image within a topic in topic mode. There are four types of graphics files to choose from: .bmp, .jpg, .gif, and .wmf. Insert Table Use the Insert Table button to insert a text-column table into your topic. Choose the number of columns and rows to be inserted. Text tables can contain text, numbers, or both, but no formula calculations.

Insert Hyperlink Use this button to create a hyperlink to any website you choose.

Font Style/Size lets you choose the look of your text. B turns the Bold function on. I turns the Italic function on. U turns the Underline function on. Color turns the color function on.

Zoom Lets you increase/decrease the view of text on your page (different from increasing/decreasing font size).

Numbered

/Bulleted List

Use the Number button to create a numbered list, and the Bullet button to create a bulleted list.

Decrease

/Increase Indent

You can change the indent of your text by using either the Decrease Indent or Increase Indent buttons. A bulleted list displays three different styles of bullets, depending on the indent.

Left-Center-Right Alignment Paragraphs can be aligned with the left margin, right margin, or centered between margins. The default is Left Alignment.

Superscript Automatically changes highlighted text to superscript, a smaller text that shows above the normal text. (I.E. 1st Place)

Insert Symbol Shows a dialog box with your choice of common symbols to input into your topic.

Show/Hide HTML Use the H button to show or hide the HTML (hypertext markup language) codes. HTML formatting translates standard format options (such as bold, underline, numbered lists, etc.) to display information on the Internet.

NOTE: This formatting occurs automatically for each topic.

SPECIAL NOTE: Viewing HTML code, or making modifications to code, is only recommended for someone familiar with this markup language. Technical Support is not provided for changes made to HTML code. ………

Other Topic Features Formatting Toolbar in Topic Mode The formatting screen displays all of your formatting, such as bold, underline, centering, bulleted and numbered lists, etc.

Insert Table for Text Columns With our Insert > Text Table function, you can easily create a multiple column/row format within a topic, type your text into the cells, and it will automatically align the text in the table format.

Insert URL Link in a Topic The Insert > Hyperlink feature lets you include a website address into a topic, which will display in a special format. When Internet access is available, the reader can click on the link and it will connect and display the website.

Plan Outline The Plan Outline screen shows the entire topic outline and also lists where tables and charts are linked to a topic for printing. You can see the topic order and move from topic to topic.

Thesaurus

In addition to the spell check, there is also a thesaurus.

Export Options In addition to the export to Rich Text Format (.rtf) option, additional export formats include:

Export to .DOC Export your plan direct as a Microsoft Word™ file (.doc) and preserve all of its original formatting.

Export to HTML Hypertext Markup Language (html) is a system for marking a document so it can be published on the World Wide Web. This option will create separate html pages for each page of your plan.

Export to .PDF Portable Document Files (PDF) can be opened using reader programs or Internet browsers. A PDF file will display on screen as if printed to paper, retaining formatting, etc. …….

Wizard Help The EasyPlan Wizard, of which the Plan Setup is the first step, walks you through the steps of creating a plan, from writing your text, to entering financial data, to finishing and polishing it.

Throughout your plan, you will find other wizard help to guide you: • • •

The Activation and Registration Wizards make sure that your software is secured. The Export and Import Wizards let you select individual items, groups of items, or whole files to import from and export to a variety of formats. The SecurePlan Wizard converts your plan to HTML, and walks you through the steps of posting your plan online at a secured website.