Options Menu

The Options menu items include tools that help the user in managing the software operations, keeping it updated and setting parameters that influence its functions. These tools include the following :

• Preferences
• System Options
• Internet Update
• Compact Data Files

Preferences

The Preferences window enables you to define parameters that control important functions of the Business Planner. The screen is arranged in a card file (tabs) structure, each with specific information and functions. Use the mouse cursor to click on a required tab and the display will change to show you the relevant information.

Buttons

The buttons at the bottom of the screen are:

OK: Close screen and save all changes

Cancel: Close screen without saving the changes

Defaults: Replaces existing values with system default values to the section/tab that is currently presented

Password Protection

The software enables to define a password that will be asked any time the software is loaded and will prevent unwanted visitors to load the software and view your plans while you are not at your desk.

The password is defined and activated by clicking the Password button at the bottom of the Preferences screen. The Password screen will be opened.

In the screen you can mark the option "Use password to enter the software". Marking this option will display a password screen each time the software is loading and will allow to use the software only if the correct password is entered.

If you want to use password, enter the current password (if a password was already defined) and then the new password, twice. Click the OK button.. and remember the password.

Note: Password is case sensitive. If lost or forgotten the use of the software will not be possible. It is recommended to use the password function only if you really need the protection.

Grid Parameters Tab

Most of the data and analysis screens of the Business Planner show data in a grid (spreadsheet like) structure. You can change the following parameters in order to customize the display of the grid according to your requirements:

Cell and Row Parameters

Grid Font: Select the font name, style (regular, bold, italic, etc.), font size and font color that will be used to display regular text and numbers on the grid.

Row Background Color: Select the background color of the regular text and numbers on the grid. Text and numbers, which are not regular, such as a column that displays the total of other columns, will usually be displayed in other colors not customizable by the user.

Alternate Row Background Color: If this color is different than the Row Background Color, the grid will show every even row with this alternate background color while every odd row will be shown with the regular row background color.

Selected Cell/s Background Color: Here you can set the color of a block of cells on the grid which has been selected with the mouse or keyboard.

Color of unused area of grid: This option lets you select the color of the area that appears below and to the right of the grid, if the grid does not cover the whole area in its window.

Show zero values for data entry: This option allows you to customize the content displayed in cells in data entry screens when these cells contain zero or were not filled-in with any data. The options are to display an empty cell or to display zero.

Color negative values with red: Here you can choose if cells in data entry and analysis screens that are negative values, will be displayed in a red color (or Yellow if the background color is dark gray.

Show row numbers on data screens: Here you can choose if the column with the row numbers will appear as the first left hand column in tables that are included in data entry screens. This column can assist the user to locate items in data entry, especially when you enter a large number of items in a table and you scroll up or down to find an item.

Show row numbers on analysis screens: This option is identical to the above option but affects only analysis screens.

Period column parameters

Column width - plan

Here you can change the width of the columns that contains periodical data in the data entry screens.

Column width - analysis

Here you can change the width of the columns that contains periodical data in the analysis screens.

Φ Note: Most of the data entry screens and analysis screens include data by period and the number of columns differs according to the period definition you have entered in the General Data screen. You may enter a smaller width if you want to view more columns on the screen providing the data you enter does not include numbers that are too big to fit in the column.

Table/Grid Lines

Display Grid Lines: You can decide to show or hide grid lines on the grid by checking or unchecking this check box.

Grid Line Width (1, 2, 3 or 4): Here you can set the width of the grid line by selecting 1 to 4. The bigger the number, the thicker is the line.

Grid Line Color: This feature lets you select the color for the displayed grid line.

Number formats

Decimal places - plan: You can enter here the number of decimal digits for numbers displayed in the Data Entry screens.

Decimal places - analysis: You can enter here the number of decimal digits for numbers displayed in the Analysis screens.

Decimal places - percentages: You can enter here the number of decimal digits for numbers displayed as percentages

Use thousands separator - plan: You can choose here if the numbers displayed in the Data Entry screens will include the thousands separator.

Use Thousands Separator - Analysis: This option is identical to the above option but affects only Analysis screens.

Φ Note: The Thousands Separator character and the Decimal Point character are taken from the Windows Regional Settings.

Plan Navigator Parameters Tab

Tree Style: The following parameters determine the look and style of the Plan navigator that shows the main plan and analysis items in a tree like structure.

Font: Select the font name, size, style and color for the text that appear on the branches of the Plan Navigator Tree.

Background color: Select the color for the background of the tree.

Navigator Operation: Item activated with one click

If this option is marked, when an item in the Navigator is clicked, the function that this item activate, will be processed. Otherwise, a double-click is needed.

Operation Options: Show Plan Navigator at start up

If this option is marked, the Plan Navigator will be displayed automatically every time the Business Planner is started.

General Parameters Tab

Internet Update: Check for Update on the Internet automatically

This option enables you to decide if you want to run the Internet Update module automatically. If this option is checked, the Internet Update will run when you start the software, every 30 days (or another number of days as set in the next item). If you uncheck this option, you can still activate the Internet Update manually, every time you want to, by running it from the File menu.

Number of days between automatic update check

Here you can set the number of days that will pass between each automatic activation of the Internet Update module.

Data Options: Show Year Total Columns in data screens

This check box allows you to display or hide the year total columns in the Sales Plan, Operating Expenses and Plant and equipment screens. The cell values in these columns are automatically updated when one of the previous cells participating in that year is altered

Background color of Year Total columns: This feature allows you to choose the background color of the Year Total column

Analysis Options: Show rows containing only zeros

This check box allows you to decide to hide rows which contain only zero values. This is very useful for the Analysis screens and the reports where you don't want to include irrelevant lines

Profit Center Options

Use Profit Centers: This check box allows you to decide if to use Profit Centers analysis. If you select not to use it, the Operating Expenses screen will not include a column that enables you to link expenses item to a profit center. In addition the Profit Centers screens will not appear in the Actual Data menu, Analysis menu and Analysis vs. Plan menu.

Related Screens: Close data screen when a linked item is loaded

This check box allows you to decide if the software will close automatically a displayed data screen when another data screen, that includes data which is being used by the first screen, is being loaded. For instance, if the Sales Plan is displayed and the Products and Cost screen is loaded, adding a product would affect the Sales Plan. If this checkbox is checked, The Sales Plan screen will be closed before the Products and Cost screen can be displayed.

Sub Total row colors: Choose the background and text color of sub total rows. These parameters may be important on some printers as certain color combinations are not clearly distinguished.

Total row colors: Choose the background and text color of total rows. These parameters may be important on some printers as certain color combinations are not clearly distinguished.

Excel Connection Tab (Pro version only): The link to MS-Excel is conducted according to parameters that are set in the "Excel Connection" tab in the Preferences screen.

The parameters include:

Activate Connect-To-Excel functionality: This option should be marked in order to apply the link to MS-Excel. When it is unmarked you will not be able to define new links to MS-Excel and any links that are already defined will not work.

Clear the cell value when the MS Excel Connection is deleted: When the link is created the value from the Excel cell will be imported into the linked cell in the specific data table. If the link of a cell to MS-Excel worksheet is deleted the data that was imported can stay or cleared according this parameter. If it is unmarked (recommended) the data will stay and you can then edit it manually if necessary.

Enable editing of cells that are connected to an MS-Excel worksheet: This parameter defines if cells that are linked to Excel worksheet can be edited or not. If editing is allowed, changing the content of a cell will automatically delete its connection to the Excel worksheet. If editing is not allowed but required, the link to excel should first be deleted and then the cell can be edited.

Force a data update from connected MS-Excel worksheets before calculation: This parameter defines if the software will update all the data in all the screens that are connected to Excel worksheets, before calculating the plan results in order to show the analysis and the reports. It is recommended that the parameter will be marked; otherwise the analysis results may not reflect the latest changes in the connected Excel sheets.

Background Color of marked Excel connected cell: When viewing a data table in which cells are connected to Excel sheets it is possible to ask the software to color them in order to locate easily which cells are already connected. Here you can select what will be the background color of the linked cells.

System Tab

Default Path to Save Plan Files: This field allows you to define the default path where plan files will be saved to and loaded from. If this field is empty, the default is the subfolder "Plans" under the software folder. To select another folder click on the button with the 3 dots on the right side of the field. The folder dialog will open and you will be able to select a folder for the plan files.

The default folder is used to save new plan files. If you open a plan file that is located in another folder, when you save it, it will be saved to its origin folder.

Functions Tab

Show zero values for analysis display: This option allows you to customize the content displayed in cells in analysis screens, when these cells contain zero or were not filled-in with any data. The options are to display an empty cell or to display zero.

Show previous period columns: This check box allows you to display columns for defined previous periods in the Profit and Loss, Balance and Financial Parameters screens

Tax Advances as % of.

Choose if tax advances, entered in the Financial Parameters window under Plan menu, will be calculated as a percentage of the sales or the net profit.

Depreciation Starts at…

Here you can choose the depreciation period, namely, if an investment is acquired (as entered in the Plant and Equipment window under Plan menu), when will it start to depreciate - in the investment period or the following period.

Display Profit and Loss Breakdown

This checkbox will determine if the breakdown of Expenses and Revenues is implemented in the Profit and Loss analysis screen. You may want to disable the breakdown if you want to copy data from the Profit and Loss screen and paste it to Excel. In this case, if the Breakdown is not disabled, the pasted data will include the breakdown data even if the breakdown lines were collapsed.

System Options

In the System Options screen, you can change the style of the Profit & Loss report created by the Business Planner. You can select the Direct Cost method or the Total Cost method, and the P&L report will be presented according to your choice.

These methods are different from each other mainly in the way the costs are presented.

In the Direct Cost method, the cost of the products or services that is included in the Profit and Loss report reflects only the cost of the products that were sold during the period of the report.

In the Total Cost method, the cost of the products or services includes all the expenses spent for production during the period of the report, including cost of materials and labor for products that are still in inventory and were not sold. In this method the Income (production) of the company includes both sales and change in inventory, while in the Direct Cost method, the income includes only sales.

If your version supports the Multi-Lingual facility, then you can choose here the language interface that you want to work with. Changing a language will change the software interface and the text of the screens, reports and graphs. Everything is changed except terms and items that you yourself have entered, such as the name of the business, descriptions of expense items, etc. These terms you will have to translate yourself if necessary.

Internet Update

The Internet Update function searches the Internet for an update for the software. If an update is available, it will be downloaded and run.

The function will be activated automatically on the first time that the software is run after installation. Then it will be reactivated automatically on a periodic base, every 30 days, when you start the software.

You may activate the Internet Update module manually whenever you want, by selecting it from the File menu.

The Internet Update options can be set in the Preferences screen (under the General Parameters tab). These options enable you to decide if you want the Internet Update to run automatically, which is the default, or manually. If you selected to run it automatically, then you can set the number of days that will pass between each automatic activation.

The Internet Update has the following steps:

Step 1 - an explanation screen is displayed and enables you to continue with the update or to terminate it. If you select to terminate the update now, it will run again after 30 days (or another number of days if you changed it in the Preferences screen). During this period you can activate the Internet Update manually, every time you want to, by running it from the File menu.

Step 2 - a progress screen is displayed and the process of downloading the update program starts. First it checks if there is an update program for your version of the software. If there is it will download this file and when the download is completed, it will display a message screen informing you that the update file has been downloaded successfully and will ask you to press the OK button if you want to proceed to run it. At this point you may stop the update process by pressing the Cancel button, but it is recommended, of course, that you press the OK button and execute the update.

Step 3 - The application will then shut itself down and the update program will run. It will display screens that will show you the process and, when it has finished, will restart the application.

Φ Note: Before running the Internet Update, check that your computer is connected to the Internet and that the connection is established. If you are working on a plan, save it before running the Internet Update.

Compact Data Files

The Compact Data Files function is important to keep the databases that are used by the Business Planner in good shape and minimum size. While the Business Planner is being used, a large amount of backup and temporary data is created and deleted data is not physically deleted from the database file. The compact utility removes all the redundant data and keeps only the current data in the database file. In many cases the size of the compacted database file will be reduced by 70-80%.

The Compact Data Files function runs automatically every 100 times that you started the Business Planner. However, we recommended running it manually before saving plans to files and before making backups of the database files.