********************************************************************** -> This file introduces BANK-PLAN, explains how to get started etc. It should be read by all first-time users. -> The file has been supplied as an integral part of the shareware version of BANK-PLAN, a cashflow planner for small businesses, specially developed for use on a 'try-before-you-buy' basis by Invest-Tech Limited. For contact details, see end of this file. -> To print this file, type "PRINT README.TXT" at the DOS prompt. ********************************************************************** CONTENTS ======== This file (README.TXT) covers the following topics in separate sections below: 1. WELCOME 2. SUPPLIED FILES 3. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 3.1 System requirements & set up 3.2 Features - BANK-PLAN 3.3 Features - CASH-PLAN 3.4 Help system 3.5 System requirements 3.6 Registration 3.7 Invest-Tech 4. HOW TO RUN BANK-PLAN 5. WHAT IS SHAREWARE ? 6. USER LICENCE AGREEMENT 7. SOFTWARE REVISIONS ********************************************************************** 1. WELCOME =========== BANK-PLAN (r3.0) is an easy-to-use software package for preparing monthly cashflow forecasts and projections of bank balances for a small or medium-sized business for a year ahead. It helps a manager to project cash inflows & outflows; to plan and control the business's net cashflows; and to determine its likely cash position/requirements over the coming twelve months. This version of BANK-PLAN is shareware and has been developed for use on a 'try-before-you-buy' basis. If found useful, users may register to acquire the complete version of BANK-PLAN or one of our other packages for preparing financial projections. BANK-PLAN is NOT free software. If you continue using it after a 30-day trial period, you must register with the author, Invest-Tech. In return for registering, you will receive a copy of the latest release of BANK-PLAN with its printing and file options fully enabled, a spiral-bound 90-page manual incorporating tutorial exercises etc. and access to full support. Registration only costs 50 pounds (sterling or Irish) plus VAT, or US$70. Further details are contained in the REGISTER.TXT file. BANK-PLAN is fully protected by copyright. However, the shareware version may be copied in its entirety and without modification for FREE distribution to friends and, subject to the conditions set out in the VENDOR.TXT file, by shareware libraries, BBSs etc. BANK-PLAN was developed by Invest-Tech in association with the Small Business Development Programme of the Irish Management Institute (IMI) in Dublin, Ireland. Good luck with BANK-PLAN. Brian Flanagan, Invest-Tech Limited ********************************************************************** 2. SUPPLIED FILES ================== It is a breach of copyright to change, break-up or interfere with the files contained within the archive file being used to distribute BANK-PLAN as a complete set of files, for example, BANKPLAN.ZIP (or BANKPLAN.* if a different archiving system has been used). If you wish to give a copy of this shareware version of BANK-PLAN to friends etc., you should copy the following files in their entirety: BANKPLAN.ZIP or BANKPLAN.* For further information about distributing BANK-PLAN, please refer to the Distributor Agreement and Form contained in the VENDOR.TXT file. The following files are contained within BANKPLAN.ZIP: bp.bat plan.ovr master.ass bank.hlp bank.exe go.bat vendor.txt readme.txt manual.txt register.txt bankplan.ico mmb.exe read-1st.txt file_id.diz If you have obtained a copy of BANK-PLAN from an unknown source, take care that you have not also secured a virus ! Either, run a virus check or secure a copy directly from a reputable source. Before starting to use BANK-PLAN, we recommend that you review this README.TXT file either on-screen or, preferably, after printing it. It includes instructions for loading BANK-PLAN which should enable you to start using the package. Another supplied text file (MANUAL.TXT), explains, in much more detail, how to load and use BANK-PLAN. Because BANK-PLAN is very intuitive and contains very extensive 'on-line' help, you may only need to refer to this file on an occasional basis. However, you may wish to print it at this stage in order to have it readily accessible for future reference, or if you get "stuck", or need detailed guidance on a specific issue. The other text files are REGISTER.TXT, VENDOR.TXT and READ-1ST.TXT. To print a text file: 1. Make sure your printer is 'on-line' and has ample paper. 2. Type "PRINT *.TXT" at the drive/directory prompt (e.g C:\BANK>) to which you have installed BANK-PLAN and press the RETURN key in respond to a query about the name of devices etc. Replace the * by a file name. For example, type "PRINT REGISTER.TXT" to print the supplied file containing the Registration Form. If you are using Windows, you can print or view the text files using the Notepad accessory. ********************************************************************** 3. GENERAL INTRODUCTION ======================== BANK-PLAN is a powerful and easy-to-use software package specifically developed by Invest-Tech Limited to help small and medium-sized businesses to forecast their short-term funding requirements on the basis of cashflow projections, prepared on a monthly basis, for up to a year ahead. It can handle the wide range of variables and functions normally encountered during the preparation of cashflow forecasts and bank projections. BANK-PLAN can also be used by professional advisers, consultants, training organisations and financial institutions. It is suitable for businesses engaged in manufacturing, distribution or services. Based on your forecasts and assumptions, BANK-PLAN compiles detailed cashflow projections for twelve months ahead. It also produces reports detailing all the underlying assumptions. BANK-PLAN incorporates facilities for graphing key results; for undertaking 'what-if' analysis; and for 'rolling-forward' assumptions and projections one month at a time. BANK-PLAN is very suitable for users with limited or no prior experience of computers or financial planning as well as for more experienced users who do not wish to go to the very considerable trouble, or waste valuable time, developing their own planning system on a spreadsheet. Bear in mind that BANK-PLAN involved many hundreds of hours of development and years of "know-how". While BANK-PLAN is aimed at smaller businesses (typically with annual sales in the range of 50,000 to 2,000,000 pounds/dollars), a more powerful version, CASH-PLAN, is available for small- to medium-sized businesses and subsidiaries of larger companies. Instead of registering BANK-PLAN, a user can opt to register for CASH-PLAN. Neither BANK-PLAN nor CASH-PLAN are suitable for producing business plans, compiling financial projections beyond one year or for preparing comprehensive financial plans. Instead, a user should enquire about our EASI-PLAN range of fully-integrated 3-year planners which can produce P&Ls, balance sheets, ratios and cashflows on a monthly basis for the first year and quarterly for the full three years. 3.1 System Requirements and Set Up ----------------------------------- To run either BANK-PLAN or CASH-PLAN you need the following system: * Industry-standard PC with DOS 3.30 or higher and a hard disk. * Conventional memory of 640k. * VGA, GCA, mono, Hercules or LCD display (or equivalent). Please check the READ-1ST.TXT file for latest information. A printer (dot-matrix, ink-jet or laser) is desirable. If you wish, you can run BANK-PLAN as a DOS program within Windows (an icon, BANKPLAN.ICO has been supplied). BANK-PLAN needs 500k, or more, of 'free' conventional memory. This should not present any problem as it is well within the capacity of most PCs with 640k of RAM. If, for any reason, BANK-PLAN runs short of memory, it will use any expanded memory which might be available or it will create some 'virtual' memory on the hard disk. If you are using a PC with a Hercules display, you will not be able to view BANK-PLAN's graphs. You need a little utility called MSHERC.COM which we had to leave out of this shareware version to conserve disk space. You will automatically receive a copy of it with instructions when you register BANK-PLAN. If you are running BANK-PLAN on a portable PC with a LCD display, you will probably need to change BANK-PLAN's video setting once it has loaded in order to clearly distinguish the rectangular cursor which appears when you are viewing reports on the screen. To do this, press I (for Initialise) at the Main Menu, V (for Video) and L (for LCD/B&W). The Manual accompanying the full version of BANK-PLAN explains how to make these changes permanent. If a laser printer is being used, BANK-PLAN must be set up to allow its monthly reports to be printed correctly. To do this, access the S (for Strings) option within the I (for Initialise) menu and enter the appropriate printer string. If the correct string is not available and the printer can be set to emulate a HP LaserJet printer, use the following string for 16 cpi, 8 lines per inch and landscape: \027&l1o8D\027(s16.66H This string must be entered exactly as indicated ("0" is the digit zero, "l" is the lower case letter L, "1" is the digit one and "o" is the lower case letter O as in oh!). In addition, the page length should be reduced to 58 lines per page by selecting the P (for Page) option. As an alternative to entering a string, erase any existing string and use the printer controls to print using condensed pitch and landscape orientation. Printer set up is explained in greater detail in Section 4.3 the Manual (MANUAL.TXT) and in the "online" help (press F1). If, when using BANK-PLAN, the œ pound symbol fails to print, i.e (000) appears instead of (Lœ000), or is replaced by another character e.g. #, you can make it appear simply by changing the character or symbol set being used by your printer to an IBM Extended Character Set. If the pound sign is missing, you may notice that some rows get slightly knocked out of vertical alignment. If using a HP LaserJet or compatible laser printer, the default symbol set (e.g. HP Roman-8) may not print the pound sign. Check the printer manual and use the control panel to switch to another symbol set, for example, HP IBM-US or PCMultilingual. If using a dot-matrix printer, check the manual for guidance and use the control panel or dip switches to alter the character set being used. If you change the symbol or character set you may be able to keep the new settings as your permanent or default settings without upsetting any of your other software. For users in the US, Canada etc. the registered version of BANK-PLAN incorporates the dollar currency symbol throughout instead of the pounds symbol as in the shareware version. 3.2 Features - BANK-PLAN -------------------------- BANK-PLAN can handle a very wide variety of variables and financial functions. These include the following: - Sales forecasts for six product/market groups defined by the user - Purchases of materials or goods can be entered as absolute amounts or as percentages of sales for up to four months ahead - Direct labour inputs and several other user-definable categories of direct expense payments - Numerous categories of overhead expense payments which can be defined by the user - Purchases of fixed assets, lease/HP payments and asset disposals - Variable VAT rates for sales and facilities for specifying varying rates for inputs; accounting for VAT on a cash received or invoice basis; and flexible VAT payment dates - Variable interest rates for cash deposits and overdraft - Facilities for increasing long-term debt and making loan repayments - Share issues, dividends, corporation tax and grants/subsidies - Phasing-out opening debtor and creditor balances - Facilities for handling current-year materials/goods creditors and trade debtors with the distribution of payment terms extending up to four months. The descriptions of many variables can be readily altered by the user to suit their business. BANK-PLAN incorporates a facility for preparing "rolling" monthly cashflow forecasts which simplifies the task of preparing and updating cashflow projections on a regular basis. 3.3 Features - CASH-PLAN ------------------------- CASH-PLAN is a more powerful version of BANK-PLAN, suitable for larger businesses. Its menus etc. are almost identical to those in BANK-PLAN. However, it handles about double the number of variables with more extensive features including the following: - Three user-definable sales groups for each of which separate VAT rates, debtor terms etc. can specified. Each group breaks down into three sub-groups defined by the user. - Facility to forecast materials/goods purchases on the basis of target raw material and finished goods stock levels for each of the three main sales groups. VAT can be paid at point-of-entry - Handles accrued interest more comprehensively and includes provision for a category of long-term debt where interest is calculated separately from capital repayments. CASH-PLAN's additional facilities include the following: - Special software for printing graphs - Weekly cashflow projections for the first month - Many calculated values contain "drill-down" facilities to enable a user to quickly inspect their underlying assumptions - All reports can be exported as a Lotus 1-2-3 compatible WK1 file. A user who outgrows BANK-PLAN can upgrade to CASH-PLAN at a discount to the normal price. 3.4 Help system ---------------- BANK-PLAN is entirely menu-driven and incorporates very comprehensive context-sensitive help facilities. These include extensive menu prompts, error trapping, on-line Help Pages, pop-up Hint & Guidance Windows and annotated variable descriptions. 3.5 Specification ------------------ ================================================================= Number of reports 9 (10)* Number of graphed variables 21 (21)* Approximate maximum number of user assumptions 800 (1,300)* Approximate total number of built-in formulae 1,700 (3,600)* ================================================================== * Numbers for CASH-PLAN given in parenthesis 3.6 Registration ----------------- BANK-PLAN is not FREE software. If you decide that you would like to retain and continue to use BANK-PLAN after a 30-day trial period, you must register with Invest-Tech, the author and copyright holder. In return for registering, you will automatically receive the latest fully-operational version of BANK-PLAN with its 100-page spiral-bound printed manual (incorporating tutorial exercises etc.) and gain access to full support. If you prefer, you can remotely upgrade the supplied version of BANK-PLAN. Press U (for Upgrade) from BANK-PLAN's Main Menu for details. See the table below and REGISTER.TXT for further details about registration. =========================================================== Fee (IRL) Fee (stg) Fee (US$) Pounds Pounds See See Notes See Notes Notes ---------------------------------------------------------- BANK-PLAN 50 50 70 CASH-PLAN 95 95 140 Switch up to CASH-PLAN from BANK-PLAN 70 70 100 ---------------------------------------------------------- Note 1 Plus VAT at 21% for Irish customers and for purchasers in other EU States who are NOT registered for VAT. Note 2 No VAT applies to customers in other EU States who are registered for VAT and who quote their VAT number at time of ordering. Note 3 No VAT applies to purchasers outside the EU. Note 4 Users outside the UK and Ireland should add 10% to cover additional post and packing. Note 5 You can register BANK-PLAN (but not CASH-PLAN) through "PsL" (Public software Library) if you are located in the US or Canada (see REGISTER.TXT for full details). =============================================================== 3.7 Invest-Tech Limited ------------------------ We are management consultants specialising in financial and business planning software. Formed in 1983, Invest-Tech is a Registered Practice within the Institute of Management Consultants in Ireland and the UK. Our banker is Bank of Ireland, Dublin and our auditors are Deloitte & Touche, Dublin. In addition to BANK-PLAN and CASH-PLAN, our range of financial planning software includes the following commercial products: PERS-PLAN: A personal or household cashflow and financial planner which can be used to plan 12 months ahead. It accommodates a very wide range of income and expenditure variables and can handle income tax, interest, credit card calculations etc. Supplied with a 90-page manual. Price: 35 pounds (sterling or Irish) including VAT. Available as shareware in a file called PERSPLAN.ZIP. YOUR-PLAN: Shareware version of PERS-PLAN available from good libraries in the UK, US etc. Only covers a six month period and handles fewer variables than PERS-PLAN. Look for a compressed file called YOURPLAN.ZIP. EASI-PLAN: Range of comprehensive and fully-integrated financial planners (P&Ls, cashflows, balance sheets, ratios etc.) covering 12-months plus 8 quarters. To our best knowledge, no other package even remotely offers the same range of features or facilities for business and financial planning. Runs 'stand-alone' with similar general structure to BANK-PLAN. A "MICRO" version for new and very small businesses (with annual sales of up to 250,000 pounds). Price: 55 pounds (sterling or Irish) including VAT etc. A "LITE" version for new and small businesses (with annual sales of up to 2 million pounds). Price: 91 pounds (sterling or Irish) including VAT etc. A "PRO" version for larger businesses and/or professional advisers. Price: 175 pounds (sterling or Irish) including VAT etc. Note: These are shareware versions of EASI-PLAN Micro and Lite. Look for files called EASIPLAM.ZIP and EASIPLAN.ZIP respectively or contact your friendly shareware library, BBS etc. FIN-PLAN: Wide range of comprehensive and fully-integrated financial planners (P&Ls, cashflows, balance sheets, ratios etc.) covering 12-months plus 8/16 quarters. Versions are available to run on Lotus 1-2-3 (any release for DOS or Windows), Symphony & SuperCalc. Extensive menus with numerous features and facilities. Easily expanded by user. Price: 234 pounds (sterling or Irish) including VAT. Comprehensive descriptions, specifications and 'demos' are available for each of the foregoing products. Intending purchasers of these products who are registered for VAT in any country (other than Ireland) within the European Union can deduct VAT at 21% from the above prices PROVIDED that they quote their VAT number at the time of ordering. All purchasers from outside the European Union can also deduct the 21% VAT from the above prices but they should add 10% to cover shipping by airmail etc. ********************************************************************** 4. HOW TO RUN BANK-PLAN ======================== Note that you can run BANK-PLAN as a DOS program within Windows. Before exploring BANK-PLAN, you need to know that: All commands are executable from a Main Menu, sub-menus or function key menus. At any stage, the Main Menu can be retrieved by pressing the F10 function key once. You can access context-sensitive Help Pages by pressing F1 at any time. Whenever a report is being displayed on the screen, you can use certain function keys to perform the actions explained in the menu strip displayed at the bottom of the screen. Additional function key commands can be used to navigate around reports etc. These can be accessed by holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard while tapping one of the indicated function keys (press CTRL+F1 for help). If you get lost at any stage, try pressing the function key F10 to return to the Main Menu. If a system error is encountered, press the RETURN key (or CTRL+BREAK) and then F10. If a 'secured cell' message is encountered, press RETURN to clear it. The following guidelines assume that you have already installed (i.e. copied, unzipped, unarchived, uncompressed etc.) the complete set of BANK-PLAN files onto a hard disk. a) Get into the sub-directory on your hard disk where you have copied/installed all BANK-PLAN's files (for example if the sub-directory BANK was used, type "CD BANK" and press RETURN at the DOS prompt). b) If it exists, read the READ-1ST.TXT file by typing "TYPE READ-1ST.TXT|MORE" where "|" is the vertical pipe symbol (look for it in the left-hand lower corner of the keyboard). c) Run an introductory program called GO.BAT by typing "GO". If your PC uses a very old type of display, do not select this option - choose d) or e) below. or d) For guidance about the syntax for loading BANK-PLAN etc. type "BP". or e) Type "BP MASTER" to load BANK-PLAN along with a set of specimen assumptions in a file called MASTER.ASS. Next, skip through the introductory screens, by pressing any key, to reach BANK-PLAN's Main Menu. Then, make a "working" copy of MASTER. From the Main Menu, press F (for File), N (for New) and enter a file name (WORKING is the recommended name). By following the on-screen Hints and Guidance Notes and by accessing Help Notes and Help Pages, have a go at building your first set of projections. Good luck ! ********************************************************************** 5. WHAT IS SHAREWARE ? ======================= "Shareware" is a method of software distribution designed to give users a chance to test a package before purchase at a very competitive price. Copyright rules apply to shareware and the authors retain all the rights except as indicated in their licence agreements. As you will see from BANK-PLAN, shareware does not signify cheap (in the nasty sense) or poor quality software. Subject to the terms and conditions of our User Licence Agreement (see below) and Distributor Agreement (see VENDOR.TXT), you are free to copy BANK-PLAN for friends etc. provided that no charge is made and recipients are made aware of the need to register as users if they wish to retain the package. As all the supplied files must be copied in their entirety and without modification, we suggest that you only copy the archived files, BANKPLAN.EXE (with START.BAT) or BANKPLAN.ZIP for this purpose. Shareware distributors, bulletin board and commercial on-line system operators are invited to become distributors of BANK-PLAN and to list it for supply or downloading to their customers or users. See the VENDOR.TXT file for further information. ********************************************************************** 6. USER LICENCE AGREEMENT ========================== BANK-PLAN is a "shareware" program. IT IS NOT "freeware", "public domain" software etc. You are granted a licence to use BANK-PLAN only under the terms and conditions specified in this Agreement. BANK-PLAN is owned at all times by Invest-Tech and is fully protected by copyright throughout the world. After a free initial 30-day trial period, every user who wishes to continue using BANK-PLAN must make a registration payment to the author, Invest-Tech. If you do not register, you must stop using BANK-PLAN after the trial period. This restriction does not extend to "bona fide" public-funded second and third-level educational establishments which are permitted to continue using the shareware version for so long as it is only being used by students and their teachers for strictly educational purposes AND provided the establishment registers for one copy of the full version of BANK-PLAN for use on a single PC located within the establishment. Once registered, you will receive a copy of the latest fully- operational version of BANK-PLAN with its printed manual. In addition, you gain access to support for BANK-PLAN by mail, phone or fax for three calendar months following confirmation of registration by Invest-Tech. After this period, the provision of support will be at Invest-Tech's discretion. Unregistered copies of BANK-PLAN are unsupported. BANK-PLAN has been supplied strictly on the understanding that the software and all its associated files and documentation will not be translated, repackaged, replicated, dismantled, reverse-engineered or modified in any way. It must not be copied, sold, transferred, lent, rented or leased to any user or third party except under the terms and conditions set out in the accompanying VENDOR.TXT file. If you copy BANK-PLAN for friends to try, you must include all the files contained in BANKPLAN.ZIP or BANKPLAN.EXE. BANK-PLAN must not be sold as "rackware" or used as a promotion or enticement for any commercial venture (including use as a "cover" disk for a periodical) unless prior written approval has been secured from Invest-Tech. BANK-PLAN is supplied strictly on an "as is" basis and without any warranty either expressed or implied as to merchantability, performance, or fitness for any purpose. The user must assume the entire risk of using the program. Every user is advised to always test and check the output thoroughly before relying on its results or contents. Invest-Tech accepts no responsibility and no liability whatsoever for any defects, errors or incidental or consequential losses or damages associated either directly or indirectly with its usage. Distribution and/or use of BANK-PLAN signifies acceptance of these terms and conditions. Violators of the copyright terms of this agreement may be prosecuted. Details of volume discounts, site licences and bundling prices for BANK-PLAN can be obtained by contacting Invest-Tech. To register, use the Registration Form contained in the supplied file (REGISTER.TXT). ********************************************************************** 7. SOFTWARE REVISIONS ====================== r2.0 1-JAN-1994 ----------------- First shareware release of BANK-PLAN. r2.1 10-JUL-1994 ------------------ We added some extra rows for entering direct and overhead costs and did some minor tidying up. r3.0 26-JUN-1995 ------------------ Added further rows for sales groups, direct and overhead cost variables. Introduced facility for suppressing the printing of rows with zero values. Added the remote upgrade facility. ********************************************************************** BANK-PLAN (c) Copyright Invest-Tech Limited 1993-95 All Rights Reserved Invest-Tech Limited 27 Ardmeen Park, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland Irish Tel: 01-283 4083 UK Tel: 01232-315454 (Call 9 to 9 weekdays and 10 to 6 weekends - GMT/BST) Fax: 278 2391 Fax codes: Irish:01- UK:00-353-1- Inter'l:+353-1- CompuServe: 100606,2665 Internet: 100606.2665@compuserve.com ********************************************************************** To print this file, type "PRINT README.TXT" *** End of README.TXT file ***