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SUPPORT

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Common support questions

Before you launch our full support knowledge base, here are answers to the most common questions that we hear from our customers:

How do I download my software?
How do I find my serial number?
What is product activation?
Can I install Business Plan Pro on both my work and home PC?
Will my software run on Windows Vista?
Will my software run on a Mac?
What are the system requirements for my software?
How do I find a sample plan that matches my business?
How do I share my business plan with someone who doesn't have Business Plan Pro?
What options are available for printing my plan?
How do I change my currency?
How can I change the VAT rate?
Is Business Plan Pro in English only?
Is there someone I can talk to for technical support?

More questions? Launch the support knowledge base

How do I download my software?

To download Business Plan Pro or Marketing Plan Pro please go to the software downloads page. To download your planning software, you will simply need to enter the email address that you used to register the product and the product's serial number. If you need any further assistance please contact us (via phone or email). Please have your serial to hand.

How do I find my serial number?

Serial numbers for all Palo Alto Software programs license you as the exclusive user of the program and they are your proof of ownership. If you bought Business Plan Pro or Marketing Plan Pro directly from us here in the UK you’ll have received an email containing the serial. If you bought it from a store such as Amazon the serial will be located on a sticker in the DVD carton. Here are instructions to locate your serial depending on the version of software you currently own.

What is product activation?

The Activation process is designed to verify the software license and prevent software piracy. It also prevents customers from installing counterfeit software. The activation process is simple and private; no personal information is exchanged during the process.

If you have any questions or concerns about licensing and activation, please contact our customer support team at T: 0845 351 9924 or via email.

Can I install Business Plan Pro on both my work and home PC?

The Palo Alto Software end-user license agreement allows the registered user to install the product on a primary computer and also on a home or laptop computer for his/ her use, provided that the two copies are not used simultaneously. Allowing others to use a second copy of the software is a violation of the license agreement.

If you have any questions or concerns about licensing and activation, please contact our customer support team at T: 0845 351 9924 or via email.

Will my software run on Windows Vista?

Business Plan Pro 15th Anniversary Edition UK Edition and Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing are officially certified for Windows Vista. (What does that mean?) Several additional products are compatible with Windows Vista, again according to Microsoft's official guidelines:

Business Plan Pro 2007 UK Edition

Marketing Plan Pro 9.0 UK Edition

Earlier product versions may or may not run effectively in Windows Vista, since they were not designed or tested for use in that operating system.

Will my software run on a Mac?

No. Although Business Plan Pro began its life as a Macintosh product, we long ago switched to Windows and do not currently offer a Mac version of any of our products. Many of us are Mac users, though, and we share your frustration. Unfortunately, we have found that maintaining a separate Mac version has not been cost effective.

You can, of course, put Business Plan Pro and Marketing Plan Pro on your Mac using Apple's Boot Camp technology or third-party virtualization tools like Parallels or VMWare Fusion. These tools make it possible to run Mac OSX and a Windows operating system side by side. You will need a copy of Windows, though.

We want to offer a better solution for Mac users. To that end, we are currently gathering information about features and requirements for a Mac-friendly business planning software.

Would you be willing to participate in a survey that would automatically qualify you for a future Mac beta program? To start the survey, click here.

What are the system requirements for my software?

Each version of our software products has different system requirements as we make use of new technology. For the current product versions, see Business Plan Pro system requirements or Marketing Plan Pro system requirements.

How do I find a sample plan that matches my business?

Although you may not find a sample plan that exactly matches your business model, there are likely many plans in our library of more than 500 that are close or related. It is important to understand that we include sample plans as idea generators and examples, not as plans that you can actually print and turn in to a bank.

All sample plans included are real plans. You may use them as a starting point, but even if one exactly matches your type of business, it will still have different start-up costs, location, management team and market research information. Use the sample plan library as a source for inspiration when you write your plan. You may find, for example, the perfect source for writing your mission statement in a sample plan that is totally unrelated to your industry, location, and target market.

How do I share my plan with someone who doesn't have Business Plan Pro or Marketing Plan Pro?

Many of our customers are teams who are planning together. We make team licenses available at a discounted price so that you can effectively collaborate during the planning process and beyond.

To share your plan with someone without Business Plan Pro 15th Anniversary Edition or Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing, you have several choices depending on your specific objectives and your audience:

For those with whom you want to share your plan to read and review but not modify and edit:

Option 1: View Online - Use your free SecurePlan account to store your plan online and invite people there to read your plan. File > Send To > SecurePlan.com

Option 2: Email a PDF Document - Export your plan as an Adobe Acrobat PDF. File > Export > Select Adobe Acrobat PDF Document

For those with whom you wish to share your plan in an editable format:

Export your plan as a Word document and share it with your recipients in a format that is open for editing. File > Export > Word (choose your recipient's version)

What options are available for printing my plan?

Whether you are just getting started or your plan is finished, you can print your entire plan or portions of your plan at any time. Think of your plan as a pool of content that you can use to create hundreds of different documents from.

For example, many times just a printed summary is needed that covers the big picture idea, while in other situations a detailed version with your entire financial forecast is what needs to be printed. A quick and easy way to print portions of your plan is to use the Reports feature. Click the Reports button at the top of your program to print sub-documents based on your plan such as a basic presentation, only your financial tables, or just the plan introduction.

Create a custom document: To pick and choose what you wish to include when you print, choose File > Print > Plan > "Print only selected items." This area allows you to select only the specific topics, tables, and charts that you wish to include. For more in printing, choose the Search option from your Help menu and look for topics related to printing your plan and reports.

How do I change my currency?

In Business Plan Pro 15th Anniversary Edition, you simply select your currency from the drop down menu in the Plan Setup when prompted. For older versions:

On the Tools menu, point to Options and click Tables
Click the Currency Format tab
Select the desired currency symbol from the list or paste your currency symbol into the field
Click the Apply currency format button
When the program asks you if you would like to apply the custom format, click OK, and your tables and charts will be formatted accordingly.

How can I change the VAT rate?

Your VAT rate can be set globally for the Sales Forecast, Profit and Loss, and Cash Flow tables in the "VAT Rate" row at the very bottom of the VAT Detail table.

Is Business Plan Pro in English only?

Business Plan Pro is designed for those familiar with English. The latest U.K. version does include language packs which mean you can click a button and change all the headings to French/German/Italian or Spanish. After that you can type the business plan in any of these languages (naturally other instructions and examples are still in English).

Is there someone I can talk to for technical support?

Yes, of course, we are always happy to help. We have a full-time customer care team who are available by phone or email on weekdays from 9:00am to 5pm. Please contact our customer care team at T: 0845 351 9924 (UK) or T: +353 21 497 1335 (International) or via email.

Have more questions?

To find answers to other support-related questions, as well as how-to instructions and more, launch the support knowledge base. Or contact us at (800) 229-7526 T: 0845 351 9924 (UK) or T: +353 21 497 1335 (International).