Very Quick Start

The procedures below should enable an Excel spreadsheet user to get any version of Cashflow Plan up and running with minimal initial instruction. If problems are encountered, refer to Section 4 Loading Cashflow Plan for the First Time or Section 5 Getting Started with Cashflow Plan.

Cashflow Plan requires Microsoft Excel for Windows (versions 5, 7, 8, 95, 97, 2000, XP or higher) running with Windows 3.1 or Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP on a PC with a 486/50Mhz or higher processor, 16+ MB of memory, VGA or better display and 20 Mb disk space.

When being loaded for the first time, Cashflow Plan needs 16 Mb of disk space to enable it to automatically create backup copies (CASHWORK.XLS and/or CASHTEST.XLS) during set up. If this space is not available, Cashflow Plan will skip their creation.

Note that Cashflow Plan must always be installed from supplied installation disk(s) or via a downloaded installation file. It will not operate correctly if it is installed by simply transferring a Cashflow Plan workbook file from one PC to another.

Installation of Cashflow Plan (Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP)

When Cashflow Plan starts loading, Excel may display a dialog about macros and viruses. If Cashflow Plan was secured from a reliable source or directly from PlanWare - Invest-Tech, press the Enable Macros button. Note that Cashflow Plan will not load properly if the Disable Macros button is pressed. As loading progresses, a further dialog may appear about the location of macros. This can be disabled or ignored.

If using Excel 2000 (or higher) make sure that security is set to Medium (via Tools | Macro | Security | Security Level) before loading Cashflow Plan. If it needs to be reset, close and reopen Excel for the reset to take effect.

Installation takes a few minutes. The procedure is as follows:

1. Close all other applications.

2. Confirm that at least 16 Mb of space is free on the hard disk to which Cashflow Plan will be installed.

3. Insert the Cashflow Plan Product Disk in a disk drive and use Start | Run to run the executable file CASHPLAN.EXE by entering A:\CASHPLAN.EXE at the Open prompt (replace A: by B: if appropriate). Follow on-screen instructions to install Cashflow Plan’s files into the appropriate folders.

If Cashflow Plan was acquired by downloading from the Internet to a temporary folder, the downloaded executable file should be run and its on-screen instructions followed to install Cashflow Plan's files into the appropriate folders.

4. When installation has finished, go to the Cashflow Plan menu within the Programs Menu and review any indicated README file.

5. Load Excel and open the main Cashflow Plan workbook file CASHPLAN.XLS located in the folder specified during installation. During loading, follow on-screen prompts (e.g. enable macros) and then wait a few moments while copies of Cashflow Plan are created. These copies, CASHWORK.XLS and CASHTEST.XLS, should be used as the primary working copy and for experimentation respectively. CASHPLAN.XLS should be carefully retained as the original master copy.

Note: If Cashflow Plan failed to detect the correct size of the screen display being used, use *Setup | Change Default Zoom Value.

Installation of Cashflow Plan (Windows 3.1)

Installation takes a few minutes. The procedure is as follows:

1. Close all other applications.

2. Confirm that at least 16 Mb of space is free on the hard disk to which Cashflow Plan will be installed.

3. Insert the Cashflow Plan Product Disk in a disk drive and use the Run option within File Manager or Program Manager to run the executable file CASHPLAN.EXE by entering A:\CASHPLAN.EXE at the prompt (replace A: by B: if appropriate). Follow on-screen instructions to install Cashflow Plan’s files into the appropriate sub-directories.

If Cashflow Plan was acquired by downloading from the Internet to a temporary sub-directory, the downloaded executable file should be run and its on-screen instructions followed to install Cashflow Plan's files into the appropriate sub-directories.

4. Once installation is complete, go to the Cashflow Plan Application Group and review any displayed README file.

5. Load Excel and open the main Cashflow Plan workbook file CASHPLAN.XLS located in the sub-directory specified during installation. Once loaded, follow on-screen prompts and then wait a few moments while copies of Cashflow Plan are created. These copies, CASHWORK.XLS and CASHTEST.XLS, should be used as the primary working copy and for experimentation respectively. CASHPLAN.XLS should be carefully retained as the original master copy.

Note: If Cashflow Plan failed to detect the correct size of the screen display being used, use *Setup | Change Default Zoom Value.

Familiarization with Cashflow Plan

When running Cashflow Plan with W95/98/NT/2000/XP, it is best to place the taskbar at the bottom of the screen in order to improve the view of reports etc.

1. To become familiar with the basics and geography of Cashflow Plan, take the Quik-Tour (*Cash Help | Quik-Tour) from within the previously created CASHTEST.XLS file.

2. Run the cursor across Excel's menu bar - File, Edit etc. Note that Cashflow Plan has added several new menus (*Assumptions, *Protection etc.).

3. Click the Sales worksheet tab (or the "MA" toolbar button) to go to the monthly assumptions report for sales forecasts etc. Note that assumption values (displayed in blue) should be entered or altered only within the rectangular boxed-in areas opposite the ->> or <<->> arrows. Values shown in black contain formulae and are normally locked (protected).

4. Try adding or changing some of the supplied assumption values for sales and recalculate (*Tools | Calculate All & Check) to check the model's integrity and to update all the monthly and full-year output reports. (Note that Cashflow Plan always uses manual calculation instead of Excel's default automatic calculation setting).

5. Click worksheet tabs to view the other monthly assumption reports (DirCost, Ohead etc.) and change/add assumption values as desired.

6. Use Cashflow Plan’s menus, worksheet tabs and buttons (especially "<-" and "->") to view the remaining assumption and output reports and charts.

7. Explore Cashflow Plan's help facilities within the *Cash Help menu.

8. Review the contents of the Quik-Start task list (*Cash Help | Quik-Start) at the Start worksheet tab.

Using Quik-Plan - Part 1

Quik-Plan is a facility within Cashflow Plan that simplifies the preparation of first-cut, high-level projections. To use it to compile real or hypothetical trial financial projections, proceed as follows:

1. Save CASHTEST.XLS with an appropriate new file name e.g. CASHQUIK.XLS.

2. Select *Setup | Basic Model Info and enter basic information about the business to be modeled.

3. Select *Setup | Model Title and give the model an appropriate title e.g. First Attempt with Quik-Plan.

4. Select *Tools | Quik-Plan to make first-cut projections. Delete or overwrite the supplied assumptions and then run Quik-Plan with the newly entered values.

5. Review a selection of the monthly assumption & output reports and charts to see how Quik-Plan operates and Cashflow Plan handles its assumptions.

6. Revise and expand Quik-Plan's assumptions from within Cashflow Plan's monthly assumption reports and recalculate as desired (select either *Tools | Calculate All & Check or the "C" button on the toolbar).

7. Experiment with Cashflow Plan’s data-entry facilities which are located within the *Assumptions menu (i.e. Clear Assumptions, Constant Assumptions etc.) or accessible via buttons in the toolbar (refer to Section 5.6 Fast Entry of Assumptions).

Using Quik-Plan - Part 2

1. View the Textual Summary Report (Text worksheet tab or *Output | Textual Summary Report - Not applicable to Free) and other output reports & charts.

2. Print selected assumption or output reports and charts.

3. Use the sensitivity analysis facility (*Tools | Sensitivity Analysis) to globally change groups of key monthly assumptions. Not applicable to Free or Micro.

4. Review Cashflow Plan's other planning tools for analyzing what-ifs (Section 6.9) and short-term cashflow planning (Section 6.10).

5. Use Cashflow Plan's roll-forward facility to shunt all its assumptions and projections forward one month (Section 6.11). This will advance the start date of projections by one month and replace the original assumptions for the first month by the second month's original assumptions and so on. Assumptions for the original twelfth month will be utilized for the new eleventh and twelfth months.

6. View the Cashflow Improver in the Improver worksheet to identify and plan where cash flows could be improved (Section 6.12).

7. If dealing with subsidiaries, view the Report for Consolidation (Section 6.13) and explore the Consolidator Guide document. Not applicable to Free, Micro, Lite or Plus.

8. Continue exploring Cashflow Plan's menus etc. and entering or changing assumptions. Use its online help (*Cash Help) as appropriate. Refer to Section 6 Using Cashflow Plan and Appendix 5 Guidance on Entering Assumptions for further assistance.

Building a New Model

To start constructing a new model (without using Quik-Plan), reload CASHWORK.XLS and immediately save it with an appropriate new file name. Then proceed as outlined below.

Note that a user's assumptions should be entered into Assumption Reports only. Output Reports contain extensive formulae which generate the projections based on these assumptions. The only exception is that opening balance sheet values must be entered directly into column F of the monthly Balance Sheets (at worksheet tab Bal).

Be sure to save the new model's file at regular intervals using incrementing file names, e.g. MODEL-1.XLS, MODEL-2.XLS and so on.

		Initiating Keystrokes
Remove all existing assumptions		ALT+S, C
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Enter basic data about the business, projection start date, currency etc.		ALT+S, B
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Assign names to sales groups (Not applicable to Free or Micro)		ALT+S, G
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Enter title for the new model		ALT+S, E
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Enter monthly assumptions		ALT+A etc.
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Enter opening balance sheet		ALT+U, B
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Final recalculation		ALT+L, A
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Save projections		ALT+F, A
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Review output reports & charts		ALT+U, ALT+C
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Print reports & charts		ALT+N, ALT+R

List of Toolbar Buttons

Note: To see a button's hint on the toolbar, slide the mouse's pointer slowly over the button.

Print reports within selected groups of reports

Print the current report

Go to the first Monthly Assumptions Report: Assumptions Report No. 1 - Sales & Finished Goods Inventory Targets (Sales & Finished Goods Stock Targets)

Go to the first Monthly Output Report: Cashflow Projections