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The contents list of your plan performs three critical functions:

1. Explains the scope and structure of the finished plan to readers.
2. Provides a index to facilitate access to specific sections of the plan.
3. Serves as a road map and guide during preparation of the plan.

The third function is often overlooked but it is critical to the successful compilation of a business plan. Your time will be very well spent drawing up a detailed table of contents for the plan prior to any writing. Build up this table by progressively expanding main sections into sub-sections and even sub-sub-sections to cover all the key issues. This will allow you to:

• Envisage the scale and scope of the plan.
• Test the logic of the plan.
• Determine the flow of text and ideas from one section to another.
• Define the detailed contents of the plan.
• Identify shortcoming in research and preparation.

You should critically examine and fine tune the contents list and allocate page lengths to each section. This contents list can then be used as the basis for identifying and assigning tasks to be researched, analyzed or discussed prior to drafting.

The importance of using the contents list as a guide when writing a business plan cannot be overstated. It is your road map. Try going on a long journey without a good map and see what happens - you take wrong turns, you drive into blind alleys, you get lost, you waste time, you have to double back, you miss short cuts and, in the end, you may never get to your destination. A similar outcome could apply if you try to write a plan without first compiling a detailed contents list.

Note: Free-Plan, a 150-page Word-based template based on this business plan guide, can be downloaded for free here.

Freeware Business Planner

	Free-Plan - 150-page Business Plan Guide & Template
	Requires: Word + Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP Price: Free
	Details & Download

The following is a suggested table of contents based on this Guide. Use appendices at the very back of the plan to hold the more detailed information, analyses, schedules etc. When compiling your plan, be sure to number all pages and index them on the contents page.

Basic Information

1. Introduction

2. Summary

3. Mission, Strategies etc.
    3.1 Vision
    3.2 Mission
    3.3 Values
    3.4 Objectives
    3.5 SWOTs
    3.6 Strategies
    3.7 Goals

4. Present Status
    4.1 Background
    4.2 Recent Progress

5. Product/Service Offerings

6. Profiles of Target Markets
    6.1 Market Analyses
    6.2 Competition
    6.3 Customers/Users
    6.4 Market Size, Sales & Share Forecasts

7. Marketing Strategies, Sales Plans & Projections
    7.1 Marketing Strategies & Sales Plans
    7.2 Sales Projections

8. Technology and R&D

9. Operational/Manufacturing Plans

10. Management & Administration
    10.1 Management
    10.2 Administration

11. Financial Projections
    11.1 Key Assumptions
    11.2 Projected Income Statements
    11.3 Cashflow Projections
    11.4 Projected Balance Sheets
    11.5 Sensitivity Analyses
    11.6 Ratio Analyses

12. Funding Requirements & Proposals

13. Implementation

14. Conclusion

Appendices
    1. Introductory
    2. Marketing
    3. Operational
    4. Finance

Additional Help
(If visiting the links below, use the back button on your browser to return to this page)

The Plan Write Business Planner and Plan Write Expert Planner software packages contain comprehensive listings of all the topics that might appear in a business plan plus an outliner to help you structure and tailor the contents of a plan. These can be used as the jumping off point for systematically entering text and compiling detailed schedules and projections.

If you intend to use Word to help produce your business plan, have a look at Free-Plan, a 150-page guide and template which complements this on-line guide. It can be used in conjunction with Exl-Plan, an Excel-based financial planner, to compile and present your financial projections.

Business Planning Tools

Plan Write Business Planner - Complete Business Planner	From US$119	Details	Demo
Plan Write Expert Planner - Expert Business Planner	From US$ 219	Details	Demo
Exl-Plan Free - Comprehensive 2 Year Financial Projections (Excel-based)	Free	Details	Download
Exl-Plan - Comprehensive 3-5-7 Year Financial Projections (Excel-based)	From US$ 29	Details	Download
Cashflow Plan Free - 6 Month Cash Flow Forecaster (Excel-based)	Free	Details	Download
Cashflow Plan - 12 Month Cash Flow Forecaster (Excel-based)	From US$ 39	Details	Download
Free-Plan - 150 Page Business Plan Guide & Template (Word-based)	Free	Details	Download
Plan Write Market Planner - Marketing Plan Writer	From US$ 119	Details	Demo
Quick Insight - Business Idea Assessor	From US$ 219	Details	Demo
Business Insight - Marketing Strategy Evaluator	From US$ 785	Details	Demo

Note: All packages need Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP

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