********************************************************************** -> This file provides basic information on BANK-PLAN and should be read before running BANK-PLAN. -> 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 READ-1ST.TXT" at the DOS prompt. ********************************************************************** CONTENTS ======== 1. Introduction to BANK-PLAN 2. How to run BANK-PLAN 3. System Requirements 4. Running BANK-PLAN through Windows 5. Using a LCD Display ********************************************************************** 1. Introduction to BANK-PLAN ============================ BANK-PLAN is a powerful and easy-to-use software package specifically developed by Invest-Tech Limited to help small 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 is aimed at small businesses (e.g. with annual sales in the range 50,000 to 2 million pounds or dollars) which are endeavouring to work with limited cash resources. It can also be used by professional advisers, consultants, training organisations and financial institutions. BANK-PLAN is suitable for experienced users as well as those with no prior experience of either computers or cashflow planning. It can be used by businesses engaged in manufacturing, distribution or services. The supplied software is a shareware version of BANK-PLAN. In return for registering, a user secures the latest fully-operational version, receives a 100-page A5 spiral-bound manual and gains access to support. The cost of registration is only 50 pounds (sterling or Irish) plus VAT, or US$70 plus p&p (S&H). ********************************************************************** 2 - How to run BANK-PLAN ======================== 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 where you have 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) Type "GO" to access an introductory menu system. If your PC uses a very old type of display, do not select this option choose c) or d) instead. or c) For guidance on the syntax for loading BANK-PLAN etc. type "BP". or d) Type "BP MASTER" to directly load BANK-PLAN with specimen assumptions contained in a file called MASTER.ASS. For more detailed information about BANK-PLAN, refer to the text file called README.TXT. To access BANK-PLAN's text files, you can use the EDIT utility supplied with DOS or the NOTEPAD accessory supplied with Windows. ********************************************************************** 3. System Requirements ======================= * Industry-standard PC with DOS 3.30 or higher and a hard disk. * Conventional memory of 640k. * VGA, CGA, mono, Hercules or LCD display (or equivalent). With some older display types, it may not be possible to use the introductory menu called GO. Instead, load BANK-PLAN directly by entering "BP MASTER". See below if using a LCD display. ********************************************************************** 4. Running BANK-PLAN through Windows ===================================== To set up BANK-PLAN to run within Windows, install it using the DOS commands etc. before you load Windows. Next, run the Windows Program Manager and proceed as follows: 1. Select the Applications Group which you want to contain BANK-PLAN. 2. Select File and New options from the Program Manager's menu. 3. When the New Program Object box appears, select Program Item and OK. 4. When the Program Item Properties box appears, proceed as follows: - Type "BANK-PLAN" as the Description. - Type "C:\BANK\BP X" as the Command Line. Make sure you enter a single space between BP and X. This command assumes that BANK-PLAN has been installed to the BANK sub-directory on a hard disk called C. - Enter "C:\BANK" as the Working Directory. - Select Change Icon and select OK when the Change Icon message box appears. - When the next Change Icon box appears, enter "C:\BANK\BANKPLAN.ICO" as the File Name and select OK. - Once you return to the Program Item Properties box select OK twice to complete installation. To run BANK-PLAN within Windows, double-click on its icon and wait while it loads. Press RETURN to ignore the 'File does not exist' message and then use the cursor keys and RETURN to select the desired *.ASS file in response to the instruction 'Enter Data File Name" which appears at the top of the screen. If more than five such data files exist, press the F3 Function Key to display them in a larger window. If using Windows, you can view any of BANK-PLAN's text files using the Notepad or Write accessories. ***** WATCH OUT **** If you try to display graphs when running BANK-PLAN in a DOS Window (i.e. less than full screen) when running in Enhanced Mode, the graphs may not show and the display may lock. To unlock it, return to a full DOS screen by pressing ALT+RETURN. Always use a DOS full screen when displaying graphs. ********************************************************************** 5. Using a LCD display ====================== 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 explains how to make these changes permanent. ********************************************************************** To print this file, type "PRINT READ-1ST.TXT". ** End of READ-1ST.TXT file **