small business business plan template excel

Free Business Plan Excel Template [Excel Download]

Written by Dave Lavinsky

A business plan is a roadmap for growing your business. Not only does it help you plan out your venture, but it is required by funding sources like banks, venture capitalists and angel investors.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

The body of your business plan describes your company and your strategies for growing it. The financial portion of your plan details the financial implications of your business: how much money you need, what you project your future sales and earnings to be, etc.

Below you will be able to download our free business plan excel template to help with the financial portion of your business plan. You will also learn about the importance of the financial model in your business plan.

Download the template here: Financial Plan Excel Template  

How to Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less! It includes a simple, plug-and-play financial model and a fill-in-the-blanks template for completing the body of your plan.

What’s Included in our Business Plan Excel Template

Our business plan excel template includes the following sections:

Income Statement : A projection of your business’ revenues, costs, and expenses over a specific period of time. Includes sections for sales revenue, cost of goods sold (COGS), operating expenses, and net profit or loss.

Example 5 Year Annual Income Statement

Cash Flow Statement : A projection of your business’ cash inflows and outflows over a specific period of time. Includes sections for cash inflows (such as sales receipts, loans, and investments), cash outflows (such as expenses, salaries, and loan repayments), and net cash flow.

Example 5 Year Annual Cash Flow Statement

Balance Sheet : A snapshot of your business’ financial position at a specific point in time. Includes sections for assets (such as cash, inventory, equipment, and property), liabilities (such as loans, accounts payable, and salaries payable), and owner’s equity (such as retained earnings and capital contributions).

Example 5 Year Annual Balance Sheet

Download the template here: Business Plan Excel Template 

The template is easy to customize according to your specific business needs. Simply input your own financial data and projections, and use it as a guide to create a comprehensive financial plan for your business. Remember to review and update your financial plan regularly to track your progress and make informed financial decisions.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

The importance of the financial model in your business plan.

A solid financial model is a critical component of any well-prepared business plan. It provides a comprehensive and detailed projection of your business’ financial performance, including revenue, expenses, cash flow, and profitability. The financial model is not just a mere set of numbers, but a strategic tool that helps you understand the financial health of your business, make informed decisions, and communicate your business’ financial viability to potential investors, lenders, and other stakeholders. In this article, we will delve into the importance of the financial model in your business plan.

• Provides a roadmap for financial success : A well-structured financial model serves as a roadmap for your business’ financial success. It outlines your revenue streams, cost structure, and cash flow projections, helping you understand the financial implications of your business strategies and decisions. It allows you to forecast your future financial performance, set financial goals, and measure your progress over time. A comprehensive financial model helps you identify potential risks, opportunities, and areas that may require adjustments to achieve your financial objectives.
• Demonstrates financial viability to stakeholders : Investors, lenders, and other stakeholders want to see that your business is financially viable and has a plan to generate revenue, manage expenses, and generate profits. A robust financial model in your business plan demonstrates that you have a solid understanding of your business’ financials and have a plan to achieve profitability. It provides evidence of the market opportunity, pricing strategy, sales projections, and financial sustainability. A well-prepared financial model increases your credibility and instills confidence in your business among potential investors and lenders.
• Helps with financial decision-making : Your financial model is a valuable tool for making informed financial decisions. It helps you analyze different scenarios, evaluate the financial impact of your decisions, and choose the best course of action for your business. For example, you can use your financial model to assess the feasibility of a new product launch, determine the optimal pricing strategy, or evaluate the impact of changing market conditions on your cash flow. A well-structured financial model helps you make data-driven decisions that are aligned with your business goals and financial objectives.
• Assists in securing funding : If you are seeking funding from investors or lenders, a robust financial model is essential. It provides a clear picture of your business’ financials and shows how the funds will be used to generate revenue and profits. It includes projections for revenue, expenses, cash flow, and profitability, along with a breakdown of assumptions and methodology used. It also provides a realistic assessment of the risks and challenges associated with your business and outlines the strategies to mitigate them. A well-prepared financial model in your business plan can significantly increase your chances of securing funding as it demonstrates your business’ financial viability and growth potential.
• Facilitates financial management and monitoring : A financial model is not just for external stakeholders; it is also a valuable tool for internal financial management and monitoring. It helps you track your actual financial performance against your projections, identify any deviations, and take corrective actions if needed. It provides a clear overview of your business’ cash flow, profitability, and financial health, allowing you to proactively manage your finances and make informed decisions to achieve your financial goals. A well-structured financial model helps you stay on top of your business’ financials and enables you to take timely actions to ensure your business’ financial success.
• Enhances business valuation : If you are planning to sell your business or seek investors for an exit strategy, a robust financial model is crucial. It provides a solid foundation for business valuation as it outlines your historical financial performance, future projections, and the assumptions behind them. It helps potential buyers or investors understand the financial potential of your business and assess its value. A well-prepared financial model can significantly impact the valuation of your business, and a higher valuation can lead to better negotiation terms and higher returns on your investment.
• Supports strategic planning : Your financial model is an integral part of your strategic planning process. It helps you align your financial goals with your overall business strategy and provides insights into the financial feasibility of your strategic initiatives. For example, if you are planning to expand your business, enter new markets, or invest in new technologies, your financial model can help you assess the financial impact of these initiatives, including the investment required, the expected return on investment, and the timeline for achieving profitability. It enables you to make informed decisions about the strategic direction of your business and ensures that your financial goals are aligned with your overall business objectives.
• Enhances accountability and transparency : A robust financial model promotes accountability and transparency in your business. It provides a clear framework for setting financial targets, measuring performance, and holding yourself and your team accountable for achieving financial results. It helps you monitor your progress towards your financial goals and enables you to take corrective actions if needed. A well-structured financial model also enhances transparency by providing a clear overview of your business’ financials, assumptions, and methodologies used in your projections. It ensures that all stakeholders, including investors, lenders, employees, and partners, have a clear understanding of your business’ financial performance and prospects.

In conclusion, a well-prepared financial model is a crucial component of your business plan. It provides a roadmap for financial success, demonstrates financial viability to stakeholders, helps with financial decision-making, assists in securing funding, facilitates financial management and monitoring, enhances business valuation, supports strategic planning, and enhances accountability and transparency in your business. It is not just a set of numbers, but a strategic tool that helps you understand, analyze, and optimize your business’ financial performance. Investing time and effort in creating a comprehensive and robust financial model in your business plan is vital for the success of your business and can significantly increase your chances of achieving your financial goals.

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10 Free Business Plan Templates in Word, Excel, & ClickUp

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

Turning your vision into a clear and coherent business plan can be confusing and tough. 

Hours of brainstorming and facing an intimidating blank page can raise more questions than answers. Are you covering everything? What should go where? How do you keep each section thorough but brief?

If these questions have kept you up at night and slowed your progress, know you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve put together the top 10 business plan templates in Word, Excel, and ClickUp—to provide answers, clarity, and a structured framework to work with. This way, you’re sure to capture all the relevant information without wasting time. 

And the best part? Business planning becomes a little less “ugh!” and a lot more “aha!” 🤩

What is a Business Plan Template?

What makes a good business plan template, 1. clickup business plan template, 2. clickup sales plan template, 3. clickup business development action plan template, 4. clickup business roadmap template, 5. clickup business continuity plan template, 6. clickup lean business plan template, 7. clickup small business action plan template, 8. clickup strategic business roadmap template , 9. microsoft word business plan template by microsoft, 10. excel business plan template by vertex42.

A business plan template is a structured framework for entrepreneurs and business executives who want to create business plans. It comes with pre-arranged sections and headings that cover key elements like the executive summary , business overview, target customers, unique value proposition, marketing plans, and financial statements.  

A good business plan template helps with thorough planning, clear documentation, and practical implementation. Here’s what to look for:

• Comprehensive structure: A good template comes with all the relevant sections to outline a business strategy, such as executive summary, market research and analysis, and financial projections 
• Clarity and guidance: A good template is easy to follow. It has brief instructions or prompts for each section, guiding you to think deeply about your business and ensuring you don’t skip important details
• Clean design: Aesthetics matter. Choose a template that’s not just functional but also professionally designed. This ensures your plan is presentable to stakeholders, partners, and potential investors
• Flexibility : Your template should easily accommodate changes without hassle, like adding or removing sections, changing content and style, and rearranging parts 🛠️ 

While a template provides the structure, it’s the information you feed it that brings it to life. These pointers will help you pick a template that aligns with your business needs and clearly showcases your vision.

10 Business Plan Templates to Use in 2024

Preparing for business success in 2024 (and beyond) requires a comprehensive and organized business plan. We’ve handpicked the best templates to help you guide your team, attract investors, and secure funding. Let’s check them out.

If you’re looking to replace a traditional business plan document, then ClickUp’s Business Plan Template is for you!

This one-page business plan template, designed in ClickUp Docs , is neatly broken down into the following sections:

• Company description : Overview, mission, vision, and team
• Market analysis : Problem, solution, target market, competition, and competitive advantage
• Sales and marketing strategy : Products/services and marketing channels
• Operational plan : Location and facilities, equipment and tools, manpower, and financial forecasts
• Milestones and metrics: Targets and KPIs

Customize the template with your company logo and contact details, and easily navigate to different sections using the collapsible table of contents. The mini prompts under each section guide you on what to include—with suggestions on how to present the data (e.g., bullet lists, pictures, charts, and tables). 

You can share the document with anyone via URL and collaborate in real time. And when the business plan is ready, you have the option to print it or export it to PDF, HTML, or Markdown.

But that’s not all. This template is equipped with basic and enterprise project management features to streamline the business plan creation process . The Topics List view has a list of all the different sections and subsections of the template and allows you to assign it to a team member, set a due date, and attach relevant documents and references.

Switch from List to Board view to track and update task statuses according to the following: To Do, In Progress, Needs Revision, and Complete. 

This template is a comprehensive toolkit for documenting the different sections of your business plan and streamlining the creation process to ensure it’s completed on time. 🗓️

If you’re looking for a tool to kickstart or update your sales plan, ClickUp’s Sales Plan Template has got you covered. This sales plan template features a project summary list with tasks to help you craft a comprehensive and effective sales strategy. Some of these tasks include:

• Determine sales objectives and goals
• Draft positioning statement
• Perform competitive analysis
• Draft ideal customer persona
• Create a lead generation strategy

Assign each task to a specific individual or team, set priority levels , and add due dates. Specify what section of the sales plan each task belongs to (e.g., executive summary, revenue goals, team structure, etc.), deliverable type (such as document, task, or meeting), and approval state (like pending, needs revisions, and approved).

And in ClickUp style, you can switch to multiple views: List for a list of all tasks, Board for visual task management, Timeline for an overview of task durations, and Gantt to get a view of task dependencies. 

This simple business plan template is perfect for any type of business looking to create a winning sales strategy while clarifying team roles and keeping tasks organized. ✨

Thinking about scaling your business’s reach and operations but unsure where or how to start? It can be overwhelming, no doubt—you need a clear vision, measurable goals, and an actionable plan that every member of your team can rally behind. 

Thankfully, ClickUp’s Business Development Action Plan Template is designed to use automations to simplify this process so every step toward your business growth is clear, trackable, and actionable.

Start by assessing your current situation and deciding on your main growth goal. Are you aiming to increase revenue, tap into new markets, or introduce new products or services? With ClickUp Whiteboards or Docs, brainstorm and collaborate with your team on this decision.

Set and track your short- and long-term growth goals with ClickUp’s Goals , break them down into smaller targets, and assign these targets to team members, complete with due dates. Add these targets to a new ClickUp Dashboard to track real-time progress and celebrate small wins. 🎉

Whether you’re a startup or small business owner looking to hit your next major milestone or an established business exploring new avenues, this template keeps your team aligned, engaged, and informed every step of the way.

ClickUp’s Business Roadmap Template is your go-to for mapping out major strategies and initiatives in areas like revenue growth, brand awareness, community engagement, and customer satisfaction. 

Use the List view to populate tasks under each initiative. With Custom Fields, you can capture which business category (e.g., Product, Operations, Sales & Marketing, etc.) tasks fall under and which quarter they’re slated for. You can also link to relevant documents and resources and evaluate tasks by effort and impact to ensure the most critical tasks get the attention they deserve. 👀

Depending on your focus, this template provides different views to show just what you need. For example, the All Initiatives per Quarter view lets you focus on what’s ahead by seeing tasks that need completion within a specific quarter. This ensures timely execution and helps in aligning resources effectively for the short term.

This template is ideal for business executives and management teams who need to coordinate multiple short- and long-term initiatives and business strategies.

In business, unexpected threats to operations can arise at any moment. Whether it’s economic turbulence, a global health crisis, or supply chain interruptions, every company needs to be ready. ClickUp’s Business Continuity Plan Template lets you prepare proactively for these unforeseen challenges.

The template organizes tasks into three main categories:

• Priorities: Tasks that need immediate attention
• Continuity coverage: Tasks that must continue despite challenges
• Guiding principles: Resources and protocols to ensure smooth operations

The Board view makes it easy to visualize all the tasks under each of these categories. And the Priorities List sorts tasks by those that are overdue, the upcoming ones, and then the ones due later.

In times of uncertainty, being prepared is your best strategy. This template helps your business not just survive but thrive in challenging situations, keeping your customers, employees, and investors satisfied. 🤝

Looking to execute your business plan the “lean” way? Use ClickUp’s Lean Business Plan Template . It’s designed to help you optimize resource usage and cut unnecessary steps—giving you better results with less effort.

In the Plan Summary List view, list all the tasks that need to get done. Add specific details like who’s doing each task, when it’s due, and which part of the Business Model Canvas (BMC) it falls under. The By Priority view sorts this list based on priorities like Urgent, High, Normal, and Low. This makes it easy to spot the most important tasks and tackle them first.

Additionally, the Board view gives you an overview of task progression from start to finish. And the BMC view rearranges these tasks based on the various BMC components. 

Each task can further be broken down into subtasks and multiple checklists to ensure all related action items are executed. ✔️

This template is an invaluable resource for startups and large enterprises looking to maximize process efficiencies and results in a streamlined and cost-effective way.

The Small Business Action Plan Template by ClickUp is tailor-made for small businesses looking to transform their business ideas and goals into actionable steps and, eventually, into reality. 

It provides a simple and organized framework for creating, assigning, prioritizing, and tracking tasks. And in effect, it ensures that goals are not just set but achieved. Through the native dashboard and goal-setting features, you can monitor task progress and how they move you closer to achieving your goals.

Thanks to ClickUp’s robust communication features like chat, comments, and @mentions, it’s easy to get every team member on the same page and quickly address questions or concerns.

Use this action plan template to hit your business goals by streamlining your internal processes and aligning team efforts.

For larger businesses and scaling enterprises, getting different departments to work together toward a big goal can be challenging. The ClickUp Strategic Business Roadmap Template makes it easier by giving you a clear plan to follow.

This template is packaged in a folder and split into different lists for each department in your business, like Sales, Product, Marketing, and Enablement. This way, every team can focus on their tasks while collectively contributing to the bigger goal.

There are multiple viewing options available for team members. These include:

• Progress Board: Visualize tasks that are on track, those at risk, and those behind
• Gantt view: Get an overview of project timelines and dependencies
• Team view: See what each team member is working on so you can balance workloads for maximum productivity

While this template may feel overwhelming at first, the getting started guide offers a step-by-step breakdown to help you navigate it with ease. And like all ClickUp templates, you can easily customize it to suit your business needs and preferences.

Microsoft’s 20-page traditional business plan template simplifies the process of drafting comprehensive business plans. It’s made up of different sections, including:

• Executive summary : Highlights, objectives, mission statement, and keys to success
• Description of business: Company ownership and legal structure, hours of operation, products and services, suppliers, financial plans, etc.
• Marketing: Market analysis, market segmentation, competition, and pricing
• Appendix: Start-up expenses, cash flow statements, income statements, sales forecast, milestones, break-even analysis, etc.

The table of contents makes it easy to move to different sections of the document. And the text placeholders under each section provide clarity on the specific details required—making the process easier for users who may not be familiar with certain business terminology.

No business template roundup is complete without an Excel template. This business plan template lets you work on your business financials in Excel. It comes with customizable tables, formulas, and charts to help you look at the following areas:

• Highlight charts
• Market analysis
• Start-up assets and expenses
• Sales forecasts
• Profit and loss
• Balance sheet
• Cash flow projections
• Break-even analysis

This Excel template is especially useful when you want to create a clear and visual financial section for your business plan document—an essential element for attracting investors and lenders. However, there might be a steep learning curve to using this template if you’re not familiar with business financial planning and using Excel.

Try a Free Business Plan Template in ClickUp

Launching and running a successful business requires a well-thought-out and carefully crafted business plan. However, the business planning process doesn’t have to be complicated, boring, or take up too much time. Use any of the above 10 free business plan formats to simplify and speed up the process.

ClickUp templates go beyond offering a solid foundation to build your business plans. They come with extensive project management features to turn your vision into reality. And that’s not all— ClickUp’s template library offers over 1,000 additional templates to help manage various aspects of your business, from decision-making to product development to resource management .

Sign up for ClickUp’s Free Forever Plan today to fast-track your business’s growth! 🏆

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Create a business plan with templates in Word:

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Download these templates from the Office Templates site to create your plan:

Fill in your Business plan .

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Home » Budget » Business Plan

Download Business Plan Template In Excel

• Budget , Business management , Excel Templates

Kickstart Your Business Success with Our Free Excel Business Plan Template

Charting a path to success for your business can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to organizing and managing the myriad elements that constitute a business plan. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce our free, comprehensive Business Plan Excel template. With multiple, integrated sheets for every facet of your planning needs, this template streamlines your strategic process, saving you time and effort.

What Is Included in Our Sample Business Plan Template in Excel?

Our Excel business plan template is meticulously designed and includes the following components:

• Sales Planning / Forecasting Template : This template enables you to plan product-wise and year-wise sales. By analyzing trends over the previous two years, you can forecast sales for the coming year and make informed business decisions.
• Profit and Loss Template : This sheet will help you track your revenues, costs, and expenses to determine your business’s profitability over a period of time.
• Balance Sheet Template : It provides a snapshot of your company’s financial position at a particular moment, illustrating what the company owns (assets) and owes (liabilities), and the amount invested by shareholders (equity).
• Cash Flow Template : With this, you can manage your cash position by tracking the inflow and outflow of cash in your business. This template helps in monitoring your liquidity and understanding if you have enough cash to cover your expenses.
• Budget Template : This facilitates the allocation and tracking of financial resources, ensuring you don’t overspend and stay on the right financial track.
• Break-Even Analysis Template : This crucial template calculates the point where your total cost equals your total revenue. Understanding your break-even point can help guide pricing strategy, monitor efficiency, and make profitable business decisions.

How to Use the Excel Business Plan Template?

Using our comprehensive Excel business plan template is simple:

• Download the Template : Start by downloading our free Business Plan Excel template.
• Input Your Data : Enter your business data into each sheet. Each section comes with clear instructions on what information is needed.
• Analyze and Plan : Use the data you’ve entered to analyze your current business situation, make projections, and develop strategic plans.
• Update Regularly : As your business evolves, so should your business plan. Regularly update the data in the template to keep your plan relevant and responsive to your business’s changing circumstances.

Why Use the Excel Business Plan Template?

Our Excel business plan template offers a host of benefits:

• Comprehensive : It covers every aspect of your business plan, eliminating the need for multiple documents or programs.
• Easy to Use : The template is designed to be user-friendly, making it easy for anyone, regardless of their familiarity with Excel.
• Customizable : The template can be modified to suit the specific needs and nature of your business.
• Effective Visualization : The template includes graphs and charts, transforming your data into a visual format that’s easier to understand and present.
• Free : Our template is completely free, making it a cost-effective solution for business planning.

In conclusion, our Excel business plan template simplifies the planning process by consolidating all elements of a business plan into a single, comprehensive document. Whether you’re drafting your first business plan or refining an existing one, this template can be an invaluable tool. So, download our free Excel business plan template today and embark on a strategic journey to business success!

Users of This Free Business Plan Template

The Excel Business Plan Template is designed for a wide variety of users who need to develop a structured and strategic approach to their business planning. Here’s a list of individuals and entities who could greatly benefit from using this template:

• Entrepreneurs and Startups : If you’re in the initial stages of starting a business, this template can help you plan, analyze, and forecast various aspects of your business such as sales, finances, and cash flow.
• Small Business Owners : For existing small businesses, this template can help monitor performance, manage finances, and plan for future growth.
• Financial Analysts and Managers : These professionals can use this template to gain insights into the financial health of a business, plan budgets, and conduct break-even analysis.
• Freelancers and Solopreneurs : Even if you’re a one-person business, this template can help keep track of your finances, forecast your revenue, and manage your cash flow efficiently.
• Consultants and Business Advisors : These individuals can utilize the template to assist their clients in developing business plans, improving financial management, and setting strategic goals.
• Non-profit Organizations : Even though their goals might not be profit-oriented, non-profit organizations can also benefit from this template to manage their finances, plan budgets, and conduct break-even analysis for their fundraising events or projects.

Remember, the key to leveraging this tool effectively is to customize it to the unique needs and circumstances of your business or project. No matter your industry or the size of your business, our Excel Business Plan Template can be a valuable tool in your strategic planning toolkit.

Download this Business Plan template in Excel Format

Our easy to use editable Excel templates and save your significant amount of time and effort. Here’s how to download and use one of our templates:

Download this free Excel Template : Once you’ve browsed through our collection of templates and find the one that best fits your needs. Once you’ve found the template you want, click on the download button.

Replace sample data with your actual data: Once the template is downloaded, open it in Excel. You’ll see that it is already set up with sample data. To start analyzing your own data, simply replace the sample data with your actual data.

Customize the template: Our templates are completely editable, which means you can customize them to fit your specific needs. For example, you can change the formatting, add or remove columns, or create new charts and graphs.

Use the Excel template: Once you’ve fed in your data and customized the template, you’re ready to start using it for data analysis. Use the various tools and features of Excel to analyze and visualize your data, and make informed business decisions.

Save and share: Once you’ve finished working on the template, save it to your computer and share it with other members of your team or stakeholders as needed.

Click Download Button To Get Business Plan Excel Template

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Business Plan Template

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Upmetrics AI Assistant: Simplifying Business Planning through AI-Powered Insights. Learn How

Free Business Plan Template for Excel

Ajay Jagtap

• October 31, 2023

With 1 in 8 people using Excel, I’d be hard-pressed to believe that anyone has never used it at some point in life.

While we have all used it at least once—be it for school homework, college assignments, or travel planning—we never really got the hang of it.

(Excel formulas are tough!)

Preparing a business plan from scratch using Excel is not a joke; we get that. That’s why we created this business plan template in Excel .

So, no more worrying about Excel formulas or plan structure—download the document and follow the instructions in the article for successful business planning.

Sounds good? Let’s start with understanding the pros and cons of using Excel for planning:

Pros and Cons of Using Excel for Business Plans

Before we head to discussing the Excel business plan template, let’s understand the pros and cons of using Excel for business planning:

• Free to use:  MS Excel is 100% free for all its users, making it a cost-effective choice.
• Data Analysis:  Excel is a powerful tool for performing various financial and data analyses and calculations.
• Collaboration: Collaborating with your team while working on a project using Excel is easier.
• Lack of automation: Excel may not help create dynamic business plans with automated features.
• Limited presentation:  Excel cannot create an appealing business plan like a business plan software.
• Complex formulas: Excel’s formulas are complex and require a significant learning curve to master.

So these were the pros and cons. Let’s cut to the chase and discuss the key components of our free business plan Excel template.

Key Components of Our Excel Business Plan Template

It’s a fact—you cannot use Excel to create the entire plan from scratch, no! Excel is a powerful tool for complex calculations and analyses; let’s use it for that only.

So, we’ll use this business plan Excel template only to perform complex financial analyses and calculations—to prepare financial projections.

Following are the critical components of a good business plan template you must include in your financial plan:

1. Income Statement

The income statement is one of the key financial statements of your financial plan that highlights its profit and loss over a given period of time.

The critical components of your income statement include—revenue/sales, Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), operational costs, EBITDA, interest, and others.

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2. Balance Sheet

Your balance sheet is a statement that reports your company’s assets, liabilities, and shareholder equity, providing a snapshot of its financial position at a specific period of time.

The statement helping you calculate financial ratios includes the following:

• Assets—e.g. Inventory, cash, property.
• Liabilities—e.g. Accounts payable, loans, salaries to be paid.
• Owners equity—e.g. Capital investment/contribution.

3. Cash Flow Statement

The cash flow statement of your financial plan is the projection of your cash in and outflows over a certain period of time.

As one of three key components of your financial plan, the cash flow statement summarizes the amount of cash or cash equivalents entering or leaving your company.

4. Break-Even Analysis

A break-even analysis helps you determine the number of units you need to sell to cover all fixed and variable costs.

The break-even point is considered a measure of safety margin, and anything you sell beyond the point will result in profit.

While your balance sheet already highlights the assets, liabilities, and owner’s equity, assets are considered critical for investors to assess the company’s financial health. So, our simple business plan template (Excel) has a separate sheet for business assets.

6. Accounts Payable & Receivable

The accounts payable refer to the amount due to vendors or suppliers for services or goods received, whereas accounts receivable represent the money due to the company.

The increase or decrease in your accounts payable or receivable can be seen in your cash flow statement.

7. Working Capital

Working capital is the subtraction of your current liabilities from your current assets. As a critical element in identifying your company’s health, it helps investors understand if it has enough capital to pay employees and fund operations to meet short-term goals.

Download the Financial Forecast Template In Excel

We discussed all the critical statements to be covered in your financial plan. Now what? It’s time for you to download the financial forecast template and start preparing your financial plan.

Unlike other free Excel templates, this template has all the reports with the suggested revenue streams, expenses, and other details.

You can directly download and use the template to forecast cash flow, create balance sheets, and prepare income statements that provide detailed information about your revenue and expenses. So what are you waiting for?

How to Use an Excel Business Plan Template

We’re hoping you’ve already downloaded the business plan template. So, the question arises: How can this Excel template be used to prepare realistic forecasts?

Let’s get this over with:

Understand the template structure

Before you start planning, you must understand the structure of the financial portion of your business plan. Get a thorough review of the template and understand:

• What critical statements does it include?
• What are the revenue streams?
• What are considered to be assets and liabilities?
• What does the taxation structure look like?

And others. Once you thoroughly understand the structure, you can move ahead with the next step.

Analyze historical data

Financial forecasting is about assumptions—a lot of them, but accurate ones. If you’re a total stranger to financial forecasting, analyzing historical data will help you get off on the right foot.

Analyze the historical data and try to gain insights about your business financials:

• Monthly revenue over the last year?
• How much you’re spending on day-to-day operations?
• What is your sales growth rate? How fast is it increasing over time?

And others. These historical figures will be of massive help in the next step.

Make pre-assumptions

As I said before, financial forecasts heavily rely on certain assumptions like sales forecasts, operational expenses, revenue growth, and others.

So, in this step, you’ll make assumptions about these variables based on the historical data to make them realistic and accurate.

Prepare key financial reports

Once you have made pre-assumptions, it’s time to prepare forecasts. Don’t overwhelm yourself with a lot of numbers; start by preparing critical financial reports that include—a cash flow statement, balance sheet, and income statement.

Other statements of your plan rely heavily on these reports, so the process will become much easier after having prepared these three beforehand.

Monitor and track progress

After preparing your financial reports, the next step is timely monitoring these reports and tracking progress.

You can compare your assumptions with actual results to see if your projections are accurate and relevant to the changing market trends.

Analyzing metrics like customer acquisition rate, acquisition costs, net profit, and gross margin will help track progress.

If you follow these steps rigorously, you can surely make a decent plan to support your business strategies and achieve financial goals.

Still, it was just about financial planning. What about the entire business plan? Excel is a no-go for business planning; let’s see why.

How Excel may not be the best choice for business planning?

Since Excel doesn’t offer all the necessary features for business planning that a business plan software like Upmetrics would, it is not the tool to be used to create a comprehensive business plan.

Following are a few reasons why Excel may not be a better choice for business planning compared to a tool like Upmetrics:

• Limited features: Since it is not designed specifically for planning, it has limited business planning features compared to software like Upmetrics. A business planning software may include features like business plan builder, financial forecasting, and pitch deck creator.
• Limited collaboration: Everyone knows Excel isn’t the tool with the best collaboration features. Business plan software offers collaboration features, allowing multiple team members to work on a business plan simultaneously.
• No Automation: Upmetrics comes with many automation features like AI assistant and financial forecasting tool, helping entrepreneurs and small businesses save time and reduce human errors.
• No customizable templates: Upmetrics has 400+ business plan examples and templates that make it easier for new users to get started, which has not been the case with Excel.

These were just a few of many reasons why a planning tool is a better alternative than Excel to create a comprehensive plan to support their business strategy.

Improve Your Business Financial Plan with Upmetrics

I’d surely have recommended Excel for financial planning if you had asked maybe a decade ago.

Today? There’s no way Excel stands a chance when competing with a cutting-edge AI business planning solution like Upmetrics.

Upmetrics simplifies business planning with its library of business templates, financial forecasting tool, and AI-powered assistant, making it a much more efficient alternative to Excel.

What are you waiting for? Start planning today!

Make your plan in half the time & twice the impact with Upmetrics

Fill-in-the-blanks, AI-assistance, and automatic financials make it easy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i create a business plan in excel.

It’s challenging to draft an entire business plan in Excel. However, you can use Excel to create the financial portion of your plan using a free business plan Excel template. A ready-made template is always better and faster than preparing your financial reports from scratch.

Are there any alternatives to Excel for creating a business plan?

Yes, there are a few alternatives to Excel for creating a business plan. However, using a business plan software like Upmetrics would be a better alternative to creating a business plan than others.

Why should I use an Excel template for my business financial plan?

You cannot certainly master Excel formulas in one day, and preparing advanced financial reports from scratch means you must be very good at accounting, budgeting, and Excel sheets and ready to spare some intense hours.

So, considering the complexity of Excel—using a ready-made template seems like a great starting point for budding entrepreneurs with no financial planning experience.

Are there any free business plan templates available in Excel?

Although it’s tough to create the entire business plan in Excel from scratch, Upmetrics offers a free business plan Excel template to help you gain inspiration and make the financial portion of your business plan.

Can I share my financial plan online with others using Excel?

Yes, you can share your financial plan online with others using Excel. To share your document with others, simply click on the “Share with People” option and enter their email addresses, and you have shared the doc.

About the Author

Ajay is a SaaS writer and personal finance blogger who has been active in the space for over three years, writing about startups, business planning, budgeting, credit cards, and other topics related to personal finance. If not writing, he’s probably having a power nap. Read more

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Free Business Plan Template

One of the reasons that so many small businesses fail is that they don't do the necessary up front work to create an accurate and realistic business plan. Creating a business plan doesn't guarantee success, but the process of writing a plan is critical for any successful new business. It isn't our goal to try to tell you everything you need to know about creating a business plan. Instead, our goal is to make the process easier by providing a professionally designed business plan template that you can edit easily using Word and Excel .

Business Plan Template

License : Private Use (not for distribution or resale)

Authors : Jon Wittwer and Jim Wittwer

Update (7/22/2016) : We've added a basic break-even analysis worksheet to the companion Excel workbook.

Description

This template provides a business plan outline with sample questions, tables, and a working table of contents. It was created for newer versions of Word and Excel (Office 2007 or later) so that you can easily change the fonts and color scheme and the file will be compatible with the mobile and web-based Word & Excel apps.

It is best to use Excel for financial statements, data tables and charts. So, we have provided a companion Excel workbook with these sample financial statements and other tables and graphs that you can copy and paste into your Word document.

The companion workbook combines many of the different spreadsheets you can find on Vertex42.com, but customized specifically for inclusion in a business plan.

Using the Business Plan Template

Editing headings and table of contents.

Word allows you to assign format Styles to text and paragraphs, and we've designed the template to use these Styles for defining headings, sub-headings, and figure captions.

If you want to add a new section so that the Table of Contents updates correctly, just add a new heading in the body of the document and assign it the Heading 1 or Heading 2 style.

To update the Table of Contents, go to the References tab and within the Table of Contents group of buttons, click on Update Table and then "Update entire table."

Copy/Paste From Excel to Word

For simple tables, you can use Copy/Paste (Ctrl+c / Ctrl+v) to copy a table from Excel to Word. This will typically paste the data as a formatted and editable table in Word, though none of the formulas will be functional within Word (and the table will not be linked to Excel). If you don't want the table to be editable in Word, you can "Paste as a Picture" using Paste Special or by choosing the "Picture" option when you right-click in Word to paste the table.

Important : When you paste a chart object into your business plan, make sure to "Paste as a Picture" because pasting the chart as an embedded object means that the entire spreadsheet becomes embedded in your Word document (even though what you see is only the chart).

If you want to insert a table into Word as a "Linked Object" so that when you edit Excel, the table in Word will update automatically, you may have a more difficult time preserving the formatting of the original. However, at the least the entire spreadsheet won't be embedded within your business plan Word document.

More Related Templates

Resources for Writing a Business Plan

• Write Your Business Plan at SBA.gov - Anybody starting a business should become familiar with the SBA (small business association). SBA.gov also has an online tool for creating a business plan .
• YouTube: How to Write a Business Plan - Business Wales (3 minutes) - This video offers a quick overview and tips for the essential parts of a business plan.
• YouTube: How to Write a Business Plan - Berkeley-Haas (71 minutes) - This presentation offers both the venture capitalist and entrepreneur perspective on how to write a business plan that can successfully attract funding.
• Write Your Business Plan at Entrepreneur.com - A book written by the staff of a company that should know what they are talking about.
• Sample Business Plans at bplans.com - Finding a business plan for similar businesses in your industry is a great way to get ideas for what to include in your plan. This site is a great resource for not only finding sample plans, but also for creating a business plan online using their step-by-step approach.

Other Free Business Plan Templates

• Business Planning Template Gallery at SCORE.org - This nonprofit organization (supported by the SBA) has provided expertise and free mentorship for millions of small business owners. They also have a useful collection of templates.
• Develop Your Business Plan at business.gov.au - This Australian Government site provides a really good business plan template for Word, including a detailed guide, questions to answer, and sample financial statements.

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14 Excel Templates Perfect for Small Businesses

Jun 30 2023

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Whether you need to balance your budget, keep track of expenses and profits, or organize your operations, Excel is one of the best office tools for analyzing data and organizing information.

Don’t have time to set up and figure out how to structure your spreadsheet? No worries! We’ve got 14 Excel templates you can use instantly.

Budget and Finance Templates

As a business owner or entrepreneur, it is important to be able to track and budget your company’s finances. The first step is to simply start by converting your financial data in PDF to Excel with Xodo, and then use the templates below to track and calculate your budget accurately.

1. Business budget template 

One template you’ll need is a business budget template that’ll give you a basic, yet effective overview of your company’s financials. Enter your amounts by income, personnel expenses, and operating expenses to get an accurate real-time summary that will help you budget.

2. Small business cashflow forecast template 

Microsoft's small business cash flow forecast template helps you anticipate if your company’s cashflow will be enough to meet your financial obligations. You can enter in your cashflow numbers for instant calculations and even generate a chart to summarize your monthly balances. 

3. Budget summary report template 

This budget summary report template helps you evaluate and track your overall financial budget in relation to your competitors, regional sales, shareholder equity, and more. Everything is kept on track in a simple summary report to give you a bird’s eye view of your business. 

4. Balance sheet template

This balance sheet template is a simple, yet effective template. You can use it to track your net worth, equity, assets, and liabilities as a small business owner. Get a year-by-year comparison on any fluctuations by simply filling in your numbers. 

5. Startup expenses template 

If your business is just getting off the ground, this startup expenses template can help guide you on what you need to keep track of. It includes sections for expenses, investors and loans, inventory, promotional expenses, along with brief advice for budding entrepreneurs.

Operational and General Templates

These templates focus on the operational aspects of your business in greater detail. This template will oversee the day-to-day expenses, tasks and projects that are needed to run the company smoothly.

6. Expense budget template 

This expense budget template focuses on a detailed breakdown of your company’s expenses. You can track things like office, employee, traveling, and training costs. The template is programmed to calculate the differences between actual and planned expenses.

7. Project performance reports

For tracking projects, you can use this project performance report template . It lets you record high-level status on multiple projects that are tied directly with estimated and actual budget costs. It uses conditional formatting for estimating costs at granular levels.

8. Sales invoice tracking template

We’ve picked out this sales invoice tracking template to help you quickly set up a tracking system for customers and invoices. Store and maintain a record of your customers, invoices, and purchase details so you can stay on top of all your sales records.

9. Event budget template

If you’re planning a company event, this event budget template helps you drill down the costs of the event in detail – from catering and event speakers to advertising and venue fees. Compare the estimated cost versus the actual costs and income in several categories.

Employee Templates

No business becomes successful on its own. Assembling and managing a team of employees is also key to its success. Below you’ll find a few HR-related and project management templates that can help you track and organize anything related to your workers, ensuring everyone has what they need.

10. Employee timesheet (weekly, monthly, yearly) 

An essential template you shouldn’t be without is an employee timesheet . The template we picked out for this section will help you track hours daily, weekly, monthly and annually. Simply duplicate the worksheet timecard for each employee.

11. Employee absence schedule template

This employee absence schedule easily complements the time sheet card above. Keep track of employee vacation days, sick days, and personal days. The template is simple to use with colour-coded blocks to denote the type of absence tracked by days and months, so you can easily update your payroll in detail.

12. Business trip budget template 

Planning a work-related trip? This business trip budget template helps you plan out and record all the costs of any business trip including travel fares, hotels, dining, transportation and anything else that goes into making a business trip for your employees successful

13. Project timeline with milestones template

If you and your team are working on a project, keep everyone on track with this four week project timeline template . This template is a more simplified project tracker than the previous project performance template, letting you assign tasks visually by deadline and in coordination with other tasks.

14. Adjustable meeting agenda

For team meetings, nothing is more important than staying within your time budget. An adjustable meeting agenda can help when trying to schedule in different speakers, points of discussion, and any last-minute changes.

Manage, plan, and work with business documents online using Xodo 

These Microsoft Excel tips and templates are just the start of planning out and managing your business more efficiently.

With Xodo’s online tools and multi-platform experience, you can planning your day-to-day more effectively and focus on the more important aspects of your business.

The best part is that once your spreadsheet is set up, you can save it on Xodo Drive and view it on the go, in meetings, or while working. Reference and update it from anywhere using our Xodo mobile apps on Android, iOS, or Windows (UWP).

Check out what other tools Xodo has to offer and enhance your workflow online.

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There’s a reason Excel is so ubiquitous in the workplace. Its versatility allows you to do a plethora of different things, like track KPIs, create sales receipts, and record time cards.

To make your life a little easier, we compiled some of our favorite Excel templates for business.

Get your free Excel templates

These handy Excel templates will save you precious time when creating business documents.

1. Timeline template

Time is a resource that can’t be gained back, which is why it’s essential to track it. This  timeline template  by Vertex42 gives you an overview of the milestones and events that team members should be aware of.

2. Gantt chart template

3. To-do list template

A big part of the solution-creating process is simply knowing what needs to get done. This to-do list template by Vertex42 is perfect for keeping you and your team in the loop.

With this template, you can add project tasks, the priority level, a due date, who’s in charge, and status updates.

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4. Issue-tracking template

This template allows you to keep a log of what went wrong, the priority of the issue, and the team assigned to tackle it, as well as a comment section to note any findings. Having a birdseye view of what went wrong will help you track recurring issues and nip them in the bud before they affect the rest of the current project.

5. Weekly time-card template

6. KPI tracker template

This handy KPI tracker will help you measure the things that matter for business success. The template allows you to consolidate metrics between teams and switch between a table and a graphical layout.  

7. Party planning template

8. Payment invoice template

9. Portfolio management template

Use this portfolio management template to track how much you earn from your investments. Created by a Singaporean investor and adapted to fit the US stock market, this template also has a summary section for a broad view of your portfolio.

10. Service invoice template

11. Shipping invoice template

Save money on invoicing software with this template . With this Excel sheet, you can include shipping information, alternate addresses, product codes, and notes.

12. Account statement template

13. Packing slip template

If you’re shipping goods to customers, use this packing slip template to show your customers a breakdown of their orders.

14. Price quote template

15. Purchase order template

Once your customer decides to accept your price quote, you can then create a purchase order thanks to this template .

16. Sales receipt template

17. Rent receipt template

This rent receipt template is handy If you rent out your office space or home. The simple template allows you to keep a record of payments made on your property.

18. Home office expense tracker template

19. Time card template

20. Weekly time card template

21. Weekly timesheet

If you're looking for a daily schedule template , check out this resource.

22. Payroll calculator template

This payroll calculator template helps you account for deductions when determining gross pay.

23. Startup business plan template

24. Existing business plan template

25. 12-month marketing plan template

26. Editorial content calendar template

Content and social media have only grown in importance over the past few years. This editorial content calendar template is a handy way to track when and where you post over a few months.

27. On-page SEO template

28. SWOT analysis template

Use this SWOT analysis to ensure you and your team are systematically identifying and adapting to opportunities and potential threats

29. Event planning template

In the event planning a business, or simply want to celebrate a milestone with your team? Check out this event planning template so yours runs without a hiccup.

30. Job application template

31. World meeting planner

If you work as part of a global remote team, you are probably aware of the inconvenience that comes with coordinating a mutually optimal time for meetings. This world meeting planner and time zone converter will save you multiple e-visits to timeanddate.com when coordinating with your coworkers.

32. Business financial plan template

33. Business budget expense template

34. To do list template

Become an Excel pro

Want to learn how to use Excel like a pro (and maybe create a couple of templates of your own)? Check out our range of Excel courses , complete with video lessons with accompanying cheat sheets, exercises, and quizzes to bolster your learning.

For more Excel templates, check out this handy article .

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Krystal is a Growth Product Manager at GoSkills with a background in digital marketing. When she's not at work, you can find her listening to podcasts or watching comedy specials on Netflix.

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14 Best Excel Templates for Business in 2024 (Free & Premium)

• Last updated March 21, 2024

Fact Checked By Cindy Wong

Let’s talk about Excel templates. These pre-made spreadsheets help you improve productivity quickly. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deep into the world of Excel templates, equipping you with the knowledge and tools to streamline your tasks, boost productivity, and make informed decisions.

From understanding what Excel spreadsheet templates are to exploring specialized templates for various industries, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re a seasoned Excel user or just starting, our friendly yet professional approach will simplify complex concepts and empower you to harness the full power of Excel templates.

What Are Excel Templates?

We provide a host of spreadsheet templates for our readers. And Excel templates are no exception. These pre-designed spreadsheets created to simplify various tasks and processes. They serve as starting points, offering predefined structures, formulas, and formatting. These templates are designed to save you time and effort by eliminating the need to build spreadsheets from scratch.

Key Features of Excel Spreadsheet Templates

• Structured Layout: Templates come with organized rows and columns tailored to the specific task or use case. For instance, a budget template might include categories for income, expenses, and savings.
• Predefined Formulas and Functions: Excel spreadsheet templates often include formulas and functions that perform calculations automatically. For example, a mortgage calculator template may already have formulas for calculating monthly payments and interest.
• Formatting and Styling: Templates feature consistent design, including fonts, colors, and cell borders. This makes your data visually appealing and easy to read.
• Placeholder Data: Templates often contain placeholder data or instructions to guide you in entering your information. These placeholders help you understand how to use the template effectively.
• Customizability: While templates provide a structured framework, they are highly customizable. You can modify them to suit your specific needs by adding or removing columns, changing labels, or adjusting formulas.

Common Uses of Excel Templates

• Budgeting: Excel templates for budgeting help individuals and businesses manage their finances effectively by tracking income and expenses, projecting future financial goals, and analyzing spending patterns.
• Project Management: Project management templates assist in planning, tracking, and managing projects. They often include Gantt charts, task lists, and progress trackers.
• Data Analysis: Excel offers templates for data analysis, such as pivot tables, allowing you to quickly summarize and analyze large datasets.
• Accounting: Accounting templates help businesses maintain accurate financial records, including ledgers, income statements, and balance sheets.
• Inventory Management: Inventory templates help businesses track stock levels, monitor product sales, and manage inventory turnover.

Types of Excel Templates

Excel spreadsheet templates come in various categories, each designed to address specific needs and tasks. Here are some of the most common types of Excel templates:

Financial Excel Templates

Financial templates are geared towards managing finances, budgeting, and financial analysis. You can make your own cash flow template , or use one that’s already made. Common financial spreadsheets include:

• Budget Templates: These templates help individuals and businesses create and manage budgets, ensuring that income and expenses are balanced. Check out our top budget templates for Google Sheets .
• Financial Models: Financial modeling templates are used for forecasting financial performance, especially in business planning and investment analysis.
• Income Statements: Templates for income statements track revenues and expenses to determine profitability.
• Balance Sheets: These templates provide a snapshot of a company’s financial position by displaying assets, liabilities, and equity.

Project Management Excel Templates

Project management templates are essential for planning, executing, and monitoring projects. For example, we covered our favorite project status report templates . Other common templates include:

• Gantt Charts: Gantt chart templates visually represent project schedules, showing tasks, timelines, and dependencies.
• Project Timelines: These templates offer a simplified view of project milestones and deadlines.
• Task Tracking Templates: Task tracking templates help teams assign, track, and manage tasks to keep projects on schedule.

Data Analysis Excel Templates

Data analysis templates are invaluable for individuals and businesses working with data. Key templates include:

• Pivot Tables: Pivot table templates simplify data summarization and analysis, allowing users to create interactive reports.
• Data Visualization Templates: Templates for charts and graphs help transform raw data into visual representations for easier understanding.
• Statistical Analysis Templates: Statistical analysis templates include tools for performing statistical tests and calculations.

Personal and Business Excel Templates

Personal and business templates cover a wide range of tasks. We have an article that covers payment receipt templates . Other common personal and business spreadsheets include:

• To-Do List Templates: These templates help you stay organized by listing tasks and priorities.
• Invoice Templates: Invoice templates streamline the invoicing process for businesses, including itemized lists and payment tracking.
• Business Plan Templates: Business plan templates provide structured frameworks for creating comprehensive business plans, helping startups and established companies alike.

Whether you’re managing finances, overseeing a project, analyzing data, or organizing personal tasks, Excel templates offer a time-saving solution to enhance your productivity.

Top 14 Excel Templates for Business

Now, let’s delve into the top Excel templates that can significantly boost your productivity across various domains. We’ll explore each template, highlighting its key features and benefits.

Financial Management Excel Templates

1. financial model.

The Financial Model Excel template is a versatile tool designed to help businesses of all sizes and types manage their finances effectively. Whether you’re a business, a startup , or operating in specific niches like SaaS , E-Commerce , or Marketplace , this template offers comprehensive financial projections, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. It’s essential for budgeting, forecasting, and making informed financial decisions.

• Accurate Projections: Generate precise financial projections for different business scenarios, aiding in strategic planning.
• Scenario Analysis: Easily assess the impact of various decisions on your financial health by running multiple scenarios.
• Investor-Ready: Impress investors and stakeholders with professional financial reports and insights.
• Data Visualization: Utilize charts and graphs to visualize financial trends and make data-driven decisions.

Price: $74-139 (Use code SPoint10 for 10% off)

2. Profit and Loss Statement

The Profit and Loss Statement Excel template is tailored to specific business models, including startups , marketplaces , SaaS , and E-Commerce ventures. It helps you track your revenues, costs, and expenses to calculate your net profit or loss accurately. With clear and customizable categories, you can gain a deep understanding of your business’s financial performance.

• Business-Specific Tracking: Choose a template that aligns with your business model for precise financial insights.
• Expense Categorization: Easily categorize expenses for better cost management and identification of cost-saving opportunities.
• Year-over-Year Comparison: Track your financial performance over time to identify growth trends or areas that need improvement.
• Tax Preparation: Simplify tax preparation by neatly organizing your income and expenses.

Price: $74 (Use code SPoint10 for 10% off)

3. Revenue Forecasting Tool

The Revenue Forecasting Tool Excel template is indispensable for businesses focused on revenue growth. With different versions tailored to Marketplace , SaaS , E-Commerce , and Agency models, it enables you to project your future revenues based on historical data, market trends, and growth strategies. This tool empowers you to set realistic revenue targets and make informed decisions to achieve them.

• Data-Driven Projections: Utilize historical data and market insights to generate accurate revenue forecasts.
• Goal Setting: Set achievable revenue targets and track progress towards your financial goals.
• Scenario Planning: Assess how changes in pricing, marketing, or sales strategies impact revenue.
• Informed Decision-Making: Make strategic decisions backed by comprehensive revenue projections.

Price: $46 (Use code SPoint10 for 10% off)

Budgeting and Tracking Excel Templates

4. zero-based budget template.

Zero-based budgeting is a meticulous approach to budgeting where you allocate every dollar of your income to expenses, savings, or investments. The Zero-Based Budget Excel template simplifies the zero-based budgeting process, ensuring that your budget accurately reflects your financial priorities and goals.

• Financial Clarity: Gain a clear understanding of where your money goes and prioritize spending according to your goals.
• Savings and Investments: Systematically allocate funds for savings, investments, and debt reduction.
• Expense Tracking: Monitor daily expenses to identify areas for potential savings.
• Emergency Fund Planning: Create a buffer for unexpected costs by including an emergency fund category.

Price: $4.99

5. Inventory and Sales Tracking Template

Managing inventory and tracking sales is crucial for businesses, especially those in retail or e-commerce. The Inventory and Sales Tracking Excel template streamlines inventory management, allowing you to efficiently track stock levels, sales, and product performance.

• Real-Time Inventory: Monitor inventory levels in real-time, ensuring you never run out of stock or overstock products.
• Sales Analysis: Analyze sales data to identify top-performing products and optimize your product offerings.
• Cost Control: Keep tabs on inventory costs and prevent financial losses due to mismanagement.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Use sales insights to make informed decisions about restocking, promotions, and pricing strategies.

Price: $19.99

6. Capital Expenditure Planning Template

Capital expenditures (CapEx) are essential for businesses looking to grow and invest in assets like equipment, technology, or infrastructure. This free CapEx Excel template simplifies the planning and tracking of capital expenditures, ensuring efficient allocation of resources.

• Streamlined Planning: Plan and prioritize capital expenditures in a structured manner.
• Budget Control: Stay within budget by tracking expenses against planned allocations.
• ROI Assessment: Evaluate each capital expenditure’s return on investment (ROI) to make informed decisions.
• Asset Management: Keep a comprehensive record of your business’s assets and their depreciation.

Price: Free!

Investment and Financial Analysis Excel Templates

7. simple investment template.

The Simple Investment Excel template is perfect for individuals or businesses looking to analyze potential investments. It assists in evaluating the financial feasibility of investments, calculating returns, and making informed investment decisions.

• Investment Evaluation: Assess the attractiveness of various investment opportunities.
• Risk Analysis: Consider the risks associated with each investment and their impact on returns.
• Return Calculations: Calculate potential returns, including net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR).
• Decision Support: Make well-informed investment choices based on financial analysis.

8. Mortgage Calculator with Amortization Table

Mortgages are a significant financial commitment. This Mortgage Calculator Excel template simplifies mortgage calculations, helping individuals and homeowners understand their loan terms, amortization schedules, and total interest payments.

• Loan Clarity: Understand your mortgage terms, including interest rates, monthly payments, and loan duration.
• Amortization Schedule: View the full amortization schedule, tracking principal and interest payments over time.
• Interest Savings: Explore strategies for paying off your mortgage early to reduce interest costs.
• Financial Planning: Incorporate mortgage payments into your long-term financial planning.

9. CLV vs. CAC Analysis Template

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) are critical business metrics. The CLV vs. CAC Analysis Excel template simplifies the calculation and analysis of CLV and CAC, aiding in strategic marketing and growth decisions.

• Customer Profitability: Determine the profitability of acquiring and retaining customers.
• Marketing Efficiency: Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns by comparing CAC to CLV.
• Retention Strategies: Identify opportunities to increase CLV through customer retention and loyalty programs.
• Data-Driven Marketing: Allocate marketing budgets more efficiently based on CLV and CAC insights.

Data Analysis and Metrics Tracking Excel Templates

10. cohort analysis template.

Cohort analysis is a powerful method for examining user behavior over time. The Cohort Analysis Excel template simplifies the process, helping businesses gain insights into customer retention, engagement, and more.

• User Segmentation: Group users into cohorts based on signup date or other criteria for focused analysis.
• Retention Insights: Identify trends in user retention and pinpoint when users drop off.
• Product Improvement: Use cohort analysis to inform product improvements and marketing strategies.
• Churn Reduction: Develop strategies to reduce customer churn based on cohort analysis findings.

11. MRR Dashboard Template

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) is a vital metric for subscription-based businesses. The MRR Dashboard Excel template provides a comprehensive dashboard for tracking MRR, analyzing trends, and making data-driven decisions.

• MRR Overview: Get a real-time overview of your MRR, including new revenue, lost revenue, and net MRR growth.
• Churn Analysis: Identify reasons for churn and implement strategies to reduce it.
• Growth Tracking: Monitor your subscription business’s growth and set goals for MRR expansion.
• Data Visualization: Visualize MRR trends with charts and graphs for easier interpretation.

12. User Engagement Dashboard Template

User engagement is critical for online businesses. The User Engagement Dashboard Excel template provides a user-friendly dashboard for tracking user engagement metrics, analyzing user behavior, and optimizing user experiences.

• Comprehensive Metrics: Track key engagement metrics such as session duration, bounce rate, and conversion rate.
• Segmentation: Analyze user engagement based on demographics, devices, or referral sources.
• Content Performance: Identify high-performing content and optimize the user journey accordingly.
• Conversion Optimization: Implement strategies to improve user engagement and conversion rates based on insights.

Business Planning and Management Excel Templates

13. software license management tool.

The Software License Management Excel tool simplifies the process for businesses managing software licenses. It allows you to track software licenses, renewal dates, and compliance, ensuring efficient software management.

• License Tracking: Easily keep track of all software licenses in use across your organization.
• Renewal Alerts: Identify license renewals timely to prevent interruptions.
• Cost Control: Avoid unnecessary software purchases and optimize license utilization.
• Compliance Assurance: Ensure compliance with software licensing agreements to avoid legal issues.

14. Workforce Planning Tool

Effective workforce planning is crucial for businesses of all sizes. The Workforce Planning Excel template streamlines the process by helping you manage employee information, staffing levels, and workforce optimization.

• Employee Database: Maintain a centralized employee information database, including roles, qualifications, and contact details.
• Staffing Analysis: Analyze staffing levels and plan for hiring, training, or restructuring as needed.
• Cost Projections: Estimate labor costs and budgets for workforce expansion or reduction.
• Scenario Planning: Model various workforce scenarios and their financial implications.

These Excel spreadsheet templates cover a wide range of business and financial needs, making them invaluable tools for improving productivity, making informed decisions, and achieving your goals. Whether you’re a financial analyst, business owner, or simply looking to better manage your finances, Excel templates offer a user-friendly and robust solution.

Best Practices for Excel Templates

Excel spreadsheet templates are powerful tools that can significantly enhance your productivity , but it’s essential to follow best practices to make the most of them. Here are some tips and strategies to help you use Excel templates effectively.

Choose the Right Template

Selecting the appropriate template for your specific task is the first step to success. Consider the following factors when choosing a template:

• Task Complexity: Ensure the template aligns with the complexity of your task. Simple tasks may require basic templates, while more complex tasks need advanced templates.
• Customizability: Look for templates that allow customization. Templates that are too rigid may not suit your unique needs.
• Industry or Use Case: Many templates are designed for specific industries or use cases. For financial tasks, for instance, choose templates tailored to your industry, such as retail, healthcare, or real estate.
• Scalability: If your task may grow in complexity or data volume, opt for a template that can scale with your needs.

Understand Formulas and Functions

Excel templates often come with built-in formulas and functions to automate calculations. To use these templates effectively, it’s crucial to understand how these formulas work.

• Learn the Basics: Familiarize yourself with common Excel functions like SUM, AVERAGE, IF, VLOOKUP, and more. These are the building blocks of many templates.
• Review Formulas: Take time to review the formulas used in the template. Understand how they calculate results and what data they depend on.
• Customize Formulas: If needed, customize formulas to suit your specific requirements. Modify cell references or add new calculations as necessary.

Input Data Accurately

Accurate data input is essential to obtain meaningful results from Excel spreadsheet templates.

• Double-Check Data: Ensure all data entered into the template is accurate and error-free. A slight mistake can lead to significant inaccuracies in calculations.
• Use Data Validation: Implement data validation rules to prevent incorrect data entry. Excel can prompt users when data doesn’t meet specified criteria.
• Consistent Formatting: Maintain consistent formatting throughout the template. This includes date formats, number formats, and currency symbols.
• Document Data Sources: Keep track of your data sources, especially if you’re pulling data from external sources. This documentation can help troubleshoot discrepancies later.

Regularly Save and Backup

Excel templates represent valuable work, so protecting your data is essential.

• Frequent Saving: Save your work regularly to prevent data loss in case of unexpected software crashes or power outages.
• Version Control: Maintain version control by saving different iterations of your template. Use meaningful file names and dates to track changes.
• Backup Files: Implement a backup strategy. Regularly create copies of your Excel files and store them in a secure location, whether it’s a cloud service or an external drive.

Understand Template Limitations

Excel spreadsheet templates have limitations, and it’s essential to be aware of them.

• Data Volume: Excel may not handle very large datasets efficiently. Consider using a database or specialized software for extensive data management.
• Complexity: Templates have limits in terms of complexity. You might need to consider custom software or consulting with a specialist for more advanced or intricate tasks.
• Data Security: Be cautious when handling sensitive or confidential data within Excel. Implement password protection and encryption where necessary.

Customize for Your Needs

While templates provide a structured starting point, don’t hesitate to customize them to better suit your unique requirements.

• Add or Remove Fields: Include additional or remove unnecessary fields to streamline data entry and reporting.
• Format and Styling: Adjust the template’s formatting and styling to match your preferences and branding guidelines.
• Automate Repetitive Tasks: Excel allows you to automate repetitive tasks using macros. Learn how to create and use macros to save time.

Stay Updated and Educated

Excel is a continually evolving software, and staying updated with the latest features and best practices can benefit your productivity.

• Software Updates: Keep your Excel software up-to-date to access new features and security patches.
• Online Resources: Explore online resources, spreadsheet tutorials , and forums to expand your Excel skills and troubleshoot issues.
• Advanced Training: Consider advanced Excel training courses or certifications to become an Excel power user.

By following these best practices, you can harness the full potential of Excel spreadsheet templates, streamline your tasks, and make more informed decisions. Excel templates are versatile tools that can save you time and effort, but mastering them requires a combination of knowledge, practice, and attention to detail.

Get Started with the Financial Spreadsheet Template Bundle

Ready to take control of your finances and make smart financial decisions? Our Financial Spreadsheet Template Bundle is the ultimate solution to simplify financial management, investment analysis, and mortgage planning.

This bundle includes five powerful templates that can help you achieve your financial goals with ease:

• Cryptocurrency Portfolio Tracker: Keep track of your cryptocurrency investments, monitor real-time market prices, and analyze your portfolio’s performance effortlessly.
• Inventory and Sales Tracking Spreadsheet Template: Optimize your business operations with this template. Efficiently manage inventory, track sales, and make data-driven decisions.
• Simple Investment Template: Make informed investment choices by analyzing potential returns and risks. This template simplifies investment planning for beginners and experts alike.
• Extra-Payment Mortgage Calculator: Take control of your mortgage payments and reduce the total interest you pay. This tool helps you plan extra payments to pay off your mortgage faster.
• Mortgage Calculator Spreadsheet with Amortization Table: Understand your mortgage terms, visualize your amortization schedule, and make sound financial decisions regarding homeownership.

Purchasing these templates individually would cost you more than $69, but with the Financial Spreadsheet Template Bundle , you can access all of them at a fraction of the price. Save over 40% off the list price and embark on your journey to financial success today!

Price: $39.99

Excel templates are your secret weapon for accomplishing tasks faster and more efficiently. With the right template at your fingertips, you can conquer financial challenges, manage projects like a pro, and analyze data with ease. The best part? You don’t need to be an Excel expert to reap the benefits. These templates are designed to simplify your life and make complex tasks feel like a breeze.

So, whether you’re tracking expenses, planning a project, or diving into data analysis, remember that Excel spreadsheet templates are your trusty companions on the journey to productivity and success. Embrace them, customize them, and watch your tasks transform from daunting to doable. Excel templates are your shortcut to getting things done, and the possibilities are endless. Start using them today and take control of your tasks, one spreadsheet at a time!

Free Multiple Project Tracking Template for Excel (2 Options)

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Plan Templates

Small business plan template – 18+ word, excel pdf format download.

Many people around the world have a variety of ideas, which are very applicable in setting up enterprises but must have a One Page Small Business Plan to bring these to reality. It is not that people lack the ability to run businesses. They just do not have the best Small Business Plan written in word, pdf or even excel software to help them get started. You may also see Plan Templates .

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Business budget templates to help you reach your goals

Keep track of your finances—monitor income and expenses, forecast cash flow and profits, and identify areas for cost reductions—with these free business budget templates..

Free business budget templates

Creating and sticking to a budget is essential to run a successful business. Exceeding your budget can quickly land you in financial trouble. It’s important to keep track of your business expenses, and using a business budget template can help you do so. Creating a business budget can also help you identify unnecessary expenses or help you cut costs. These business budget templates can help you track payroll expenses, insurance fees, utilities, and more. Use these business budget templates for startups, small businesses, or large businesses. You can easily edit these free business budget templates in Excel . Change the fonts, colors, and more, or add your business logo for a professional look. You can use these business budget templates to keep track of weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly business budgets. Print your budget out or share them digitally. You can also upload them to OneDrive if you want to collaborate on your business budget with other employees. Explore more templates that can help you grow your business .

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11 Best Word Business Plan Template Sites (2024) [FREE]

1. introduction.

The business landscape today is hugely competitive and engaging. Large corporations, small businesses, and start-ups alike must present clear, thorough, and compelling business plans to convince investors, partners, and stakeholders of their vision and viability. This is where Word Business Plan Template Sites come into play.

1.1 Importance of Word Business Plan Template Site

Best characterized as a detailed roadmap to success, a business plan outlines a company’s goals, strategies, marketing and financial plans, and provides detailed projections and forecasts. However, creating a business plan from scratch can be time-consuming and, at times, overwhelming. This is where Word Business Plan Template Sites can be immensely beneficial.

These sites offer a wide range of business plan templates that cater to different industries, company sizes, and specific needs. These templates provide a structured layout, ensuring essential aspects are not overlooked and that the plan is both comprehensive and visually engaging. These templates are designed in a way that promoting clear and professional communication of the company’s objectives and strategies becomes straightforward. Being in Word format makes these templates easily editable, customizable, and accessible for almost everyone.

1.2 Objectives of this Comparison

This comparison aims to offer an in-depth look at various Word Business Plan Template Sites, underscoring their strengths and weaknesses. Each site will be evaluated based on the variety, quality, and user-friendliness of their templates. The objective is to equip the reader with the necessary information, facilitating informed decisions about which site best serves their specific needs and preferences.

1.3 Repair Word Documents

We also require a good tool to repair Word documents . DataNumen Word Repair is a perfect choice:

2. Microsoft Business Plan Template

Microsoft Business Plan Templates are provided by the tech giant Microsoft, a market leader in office tools and software. The selection of business plan templates is available on Microsoft’s own template website. These templates constitute preformatted business plans designed in MS Word to make the business planning process more manageable. They cater to a wide range of sectors, from startups to established corporations.

• Wide Variety: Microsoft offers a substantial assortment of business plan templates. These cover various industries, making it easier for businesses to find a model that fits their specific needs.
• Easy Accessibility: Being Microsoft products, these templates can be readily accessed and used by anyone with MS Word software. There is no need for additional downloads or installations.
• User-friendly: Microsoft templates maintain a high degree of user-friendliness. They ensure easy editing, customizing, and filling, further simplifying the planning process.
• Professional Design: The layouts are professionally designed to create sophisticated, investor-ready business plans. Readability and aesthetic appeal are well taken care of.
• Generic: While Microsoft offers a vast array of templates, they can be somewhat generic. Some businesses may find them lacking in specialized, industry-specific details.
• Limited Customization: Although the templates can be customized, the options for customization within the Word format might be limited, unlike some specialized planning tools or software.
• No Additional Guidance: The templates do not come with additional strategic advice, financial forecasting tools, or guidance. Users must rely on their own knowledge and resources to complete the plan.

3. Smartsheet Simple Business Plan Templates

Smartsheet is a work execution platform that specializes in collaborative work and task management. They offer simple business plan templates as part of their extensive template library. The templates aim to simplify the business planning process by providing structured, straightforward, and easy-to-use layouts. They are particularly useful for start-ups or small businesses that need to put together a basic, clear business plan efficiently and swiftly.

• Simplicity: Smartsheet underlines simplicity and ease-of-use. Layouts are uncomplicated and don’t involve any extraneous elements, allowing users to focus on content.
• Collaboration Features: The platform facilitates real-time collaboration, a feature that proves useful when creating business plans that require input from multiple team members.
• Flexibility: Smartsheet templates can be used across different sectors, making it an effective tool for various types of businesses.
• Integration: Smartsheet integrates well with various other work apps, like Google Drive, Dropbox, making the process more streamlined and efficient.
• Requires Subscription: Access to Smartsheet’s business plan templates requires a subscription to the platform, making it a potentially costly choice for small businesses or startups.
• Limited Design Options: The focus on simplicity may limit the design appeal of the templates. Users may have to compromise on aesthetics for functionality.
• Relatively Steeper Learning Curve: Smartsheet may have a steeper learning curve for first-time users, particularly when trying to explore its more advanced collaboration and integration capabilities.

4. HubSpot Business Plans | Word Templates & Examples

HubSpot’s Business Plans Templates & Examples represent a collection of well-structured, easy-to-use Word templates for business planning. HubSpot, known for its marketing, sales, and customer service software, offers these templates to help businesses create robust, professionally formatted business plans.

• Free Resource: Unlike some other template centers, HubSpot’s business plan resources are entirely free, making it a cost-effective choice for startups and small businesses.
• User-friendly: The templates are designed in a user-friendly manner, ensuring that even those without extensive business planning experience can use them efficiently.
• Complementary Examples: HubSpot provides examples alongside templates, acting as a useful guide for businesses as they navigate the planning process.
• Included Guidance: The templates come with guiding questions and prompts, providing additional assistance for businesses during the planning process.
• Requirement of Personal Information: To access the free templates and examples, users must provide HubSpot with their contact details, which some might find off-putting.
• Dependent on Word: As these are Word templates, complete flexibility in design and formatting may be constrained by the capabilities of MS Word.
• Limited Range: HubSpot’s variety of templates is somewhat limited compared to other platforms, potentially restricting choices for specialized sectors or unique needs.

5. Template.Net Business Plan Template

Template.net is a comprehensive source of templates for various business needs, and among this vast collection, their business plan templates hold a prominent place. They offer templates that cater to different types of businesses, from start-ups to established corporations, ensuring that whoever you are and whatever you do, you’ll find a template that mirrors your requirements.

• Range and Variety: Template.net offers an impressively wide range of business plan templates. Diverse business models across various market sectors should find their needs catered to under this platform.
• Editable and Customizable: The templates are designed to be flexible, with the ability to be edited and customized to fit evolving needs.
• Additional Resources: Template.net also provides additional resources, tips and guides, contributing to deeper insights and better plan creation.
• Proposes Multilingual Support: The platform provides multilingual support, a useful facility for global or non-English speaking businesses.
• Subscription Required: While there are some free templates available, the majority require a subscription to access. This expense may put off some businesses, particularly start-ups and smaller entities.
• Overwhelming Choices: The extensive range could potentially be overwhelming for users who prefer simpler, less confusing options.
• Shared Templates: The widespread use of these templates might result in business plans that resemble those of many others, potentially reducing the unique standing of a business.

6. Vertex42 Business Plan Template

Vertex42 offers a collection of free Word templates, including a helpful business plan template. The company, a provider of consumer and business tools, designed this template with its users’ diverse needs in mind . It aims to support businesses as they compile the relevant and essential data to present a compelling and comprehensive business plan.

• Free of Cost: Unlike some of its counterparts, Vertex42’s business plan template is entirely free, making it a great option for smaller businesses or startups operating on a tight budget.
• Straightforward Design: The straightforward, unfussy design of the template ensures focus is maintained on the content, without distracting embellishments.
• Comprehensive Guidance: The Vertex42 template provides additional guidance and tips for each section of the business plan, making it easier for users to cover all essential areas comprehensively.
• Financial Templates: Vertex42 also offers several free Excel templates for financial projections, further enhancing its utility in business planning.
• Limited Customization: The template’s design and format are relatively rigid, offering limited scope for visual customization or personal branding.
• Generic Design: While the template is functional, it is fairly generic and doesn’t cater to certain industries or niche requirements.
• Single Template: Vertex42 predominantly offers a single business plan template rather than a range of options. This absence of variety might turn away businesses looking for more specialized solutions.

7. SCORE Business Plan Template

SCORE is a nonprofit organization providing mentorship, workshops, and educational resources to aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses. Their Business Plan Templates are designed to be comprehensive guides, helping businesses to clearly articulate their objectives and strategies and are ideal for both startups and growing businesses looking to fine-tune their plans.

• Free Resource: SCORE’s business plan templates are available free of charge, proving an advantageous tool for budget-conscious businesses.
• Extensive Business Guidance: Apart from templates, SCORE provides extensive guidance and resource material related to each section of the business plan.
• Access to Expertise: SCORE is backed by experienced business mentors who provide their expertise and advice to small businesses, a feature that supplements the effectiveness of their templates.
• Straightforward Format: The SCORE template maintains a straightforward and easy-to-understand format, making it accessible to users with various degrees of business planning experience.
• Generic Approach: SCORE’s business plan template tends to be rather generic and may not cater well to businesses with unique, industry-specific requirements.
• Limited Design Options: The template provides limited options for customization, both in terms of its visual aesthetic and overall layout. Businesses aiming for a distinct look might find this limiting.
• Overwhelming Information: While the wealth of additional resource material can be helpful, some users might find the volume of information overwhelming.

8. Office Templates Online Personal And Business Plan Templates In MS Word

Office Templates Online offers a collection of free personal and business plan templates compatible with MS Word. The website aims to provide a straightforward resource for individuals and businesses seeking easy-to-use templates for their various needs, including the development of a business plan.

• No Cost: The platform offers templates free of charge, making it accessible regardless of budget constraints.
• Easy to Use: The templates have been designed with simplicity in mind, allowing swift modification and filling. Users don’t need advanced technical skills to make the most of them.
• Wide Range: The platform provides an extensive variety of templates, making it possible to select one best suited to specific needs.
• Minimalist Design: The templates maintain a clean, minimalist design that focuses on content rather than visual embellishments. This makes them straightforward and easy to navigate.
• Limited Customization: The design and formatting options can be somewhat limited, constraining users who wish to add a personal touch to their business plans.
• No Additional Support: Office Templates Online provides the templates, but users receive no additional individualized support, guidance, or resources to help them through the planning process.
• Generic Format: The platform’s business plan templates lean towards a generic format, which may not suffice for businesses with specific or complex needs.

9. Wenta Business Plan Template

As part of their suite of business resources, Wenta, a non-profit agency supporting enterprise growth, offers a comprehensive Business Plan Template. This template is intricately designed with the aim to help both startups and existing businesses in preparing a compelling business plan without missing crucial elements.

• Free Access: Like many of Wenta’s resources, the Business Plan Template is provided free of charge, making it a valuable resource especially for startups on a tight budget.
• Comprehensive Structure: The Wenta template is designed to be comprehensive, ensuring that key areas of the business plan are covered extensively.
• Additional Resources: Wenta offers a wealth of related resources, helpful articles, and advice, supplementing the effectiveness of the template itself.
• User Support: As part of their commitment to aiding small businesses, Wenta provides additional support and guidance to its users.
• Registration Required: To access the business plan template, users are required to register an account on Wenta’s website, which might be a deterrent for some.
• Limited Customization: Like most other Word templates, the degree of customization available might not be able to meet the needs of businesses requiring a highly personalized layout.
• No Industry-Specific Templates: The template is quite generic, potentially making it less fitting for certain industry-specific considerations.

10. Bplans Business Plan Template For Small Businesses

Bplans, a resource site offering a host of free business planning resources, provides a specialized business plan template for small businesses. Bplans is a product of Palo Alto Software, a company renowned for its business planning and managing software. The template is designed with the view to simplifying the complex process of business planning by providing a clear structure and outline.

• Designed for Small Businesses: The template is specifically designed with the needs of small businesses in mind, making it an excellent fit for this demographic.
• Free Access: Bplans offers its business plan template free of charge, adding to its appeal for budget-sensitive small businesses.
• Complementary Resources: In addition to the template, Bplans provides a wealth of free articles, guides, and resources to help small businesses navigate planning and management challenges.
• Experience and Expertise: The template is backed by the expertise and experience of Palo Alto Software, ensuring a product that understands the intricacies of business planning.
• Limited Customization: Despite being user-friendly, the template’s design offers a limited scope for customization, which might be a constraint for businesses looking to add a unique touch to their plans.
• Narrow Focus: The template’s focus on small businesses may exclude bigger businesses or those with more unique needs.
• Requires Personal Information: To download the template, users are required to provide personal information. This might be a concern for those who value their privacy highly.

11. TEMPLOOLA Business Plans

TEMPLOOLA offers a selection of well-structured business plan templates designed to meet a wide variety of business needs. Especially focused on professional and sophisticated designs, these templates appeal to a broad spectrum of businesses from startups to established corporations.

• Stylish and Professional Designs: TEMPLOOLA templates are visually appealing, featuring stylish and professional designs. This makes them ideal for businesses looking to make a strong impression.
• Easy to Use: The templates are not only visually appealing but also simple to use. They are designed in Word, making them easily accessible for most users.
• Versatile: TEMPLOOLA templates are not industry-specific and are therefore versatile, catering to a multitude of different businesses.
• Immediate Download: The templates are available for immediate download post-purchase, ensuring users can get to work on their business plan without delay.
• Cost: Unlike many other providers, TEMPLOOLA’s business plan templates come at a cost, potentially rendering them a less appealing option for budget-conscious businesses.
• Registration Required: To access the templates, users must create an account on TEMPLOOLA, a step some might find bothersome.
• Lack of Additional Resources: TEMPLOOLA provides templates, but lacks additional resources, guides, or tips to facilitate the business planning process.

12. Wise Business Plans Business Plan Template In Word

Wise Business Plans provides a simple, straightforward business plan template in Word format. As a company offering custom-written business plans, their free Word template aims to provide a solid foundation for businesses looking to draft their initial plan.

• Free Access: The template is entirely free, making it an excellent resource for budget-conscious startups or small businesses.
• Professional Format: Wise Business Plans, being a company dedicated to writing business plans, ensures that their template maintains a professional format that covers all essential parts of a business plan.
• Supported by Expertise: The template is backed by Wise’s team of business plan experts, ensuring that it aligns with professional standards and expectations.
• Straightforward: Designed to be simple and easy-to-use, Wise’s template is ideal for those who want a straightforward yet comprehensive business plan.
• Generic Format: The template maintains a generic format that might not adequately cater to businesses from certain specialized industries.
• Limited Design Options: There are limited design options in the template; those looking for a visually appealing or highly customized design might find it restricting.
• No Additional Resources: Wise does not provide any other resources or guides to assist in the business planning process. Users must rely on their own expertise to complete the plan.

13. Summary

13.1 overall comparison table, 13.2 recommended template site based on various needs.

If free access is a priority, Microsoft Business Plan Template and HubSpot Business Plans provide comprehensive, user-friendly templates at no cost. For those seeking comprehensive guidance and resources, SCORE may be the most suitable. Businesses looking for a platform with advanced design aesthetics could consider TEMPLOOLA. For teams wanting collaborative features, Smartsheet would be an appropriate choice.

14. Conclusion

14.1 final thoughts and takeaways for choosing an word business plan template site.

Selecting the right Word Business Plan Template Site is not a decision to be rushed. Take your time to assess your business needs, consider your budget, and examine the additional resources or support provided by the platform. Keep in mind that while aesthetics matter, the content that these templates facilitate is ultimately what will sway your stakeholders. Therefore, focus on choosing a platform that will aid you in articulating your objectives, strategies, and financial plan effectively and comprehensively. Above all, remember that a business plan is not a one-time effort; it’s a living document that should evolve as your business does. Therefore, choose a platform that is flexible and can adapt with you.

Author Introduction:

Vera Chen is a data recovery expert in DataNumen, which provides a wide range of products, including a powerful OST to PST file converter .

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Free Business Capability Templates: Maps, Matrixes, and Models

By Courtney Patterson | May 16, 2024

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We’ve collected the most useful business capability templates in Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Google Docs, Google Slides, and Google Sheets formats.  Included in this article, you’ll find the following:  

• Business capability model template
• Business capability heatmap matrix template
• Business capability statement template
• Types of business capability templates
• Elements of a business capability map

Business Capability Map Template

Download a Sample Business Capability Map Template for 

Excel | Google Sheets Download a Blank Business Capability Map Template for 

Excel | Google Sheets  

When to Use This Template:  Business management, strategic planning, and IT professionals use this template to map, understand, and optimize their organization’s core functions. Download the template with or without sample data to save time and customize your organization's business capabilities. Notable Template Features:  With this template, you can outline eight categories of business capabilities. This comprehensive tool also features fields for multiple vertical subcategories, allowing you to supercharge your organizational planning and decision-making. Check out these  free capacity planning templates to help you determine resource capacity, requirements, and demand for capacity planning.

Business Capability Model Template

Download a Sample Business Capability Model Template for 

PowerPoint | Google Slides Download a Blank Business Capability Model Template for 

PowerPoint | Google Slides

When to Use This Template:  This template is ideal for business, IT, strategic planning, operations management, and change management professionals who need to visualize their organizational capabilities and assets. Download the blank or sample version of this template to structure a business capability model and categorize different capabilities. Notable Template Features:  This template presents business capabilities and assets in the following categories: leadership capabilities, operating capabilities, and propriety assets and capabilities. The template provides a clear picture of core capabilities, assets, and opportunities for innovation.  Learn more about allocating project resources strategically and optimizing service delivery with this  comprehensive guide to capacity planning .

Business Capability Heatmap Matrix Template

Download a Sample Business Capability Heatmap Matrix Template for 

Excel | Google Sheets

Download a Blank Business Capability Heatmap Matrix Template for 

When to Use This Template:  Strategic planning, business analysis, IT, and enterprise architecture professionals use this template to visualize, assess, and manage core business capabilities. Available with or without sample text, this template is an ideal starting point for customizing and analyzing your organization's business capabilities. Notable Template Features:  Use the correlation matrix in this template to score business capabilities on importance, maturity, and adaptability. This matrix focuses on a primary capability and includes eight subcategories that intersect with five features and needs. Check out this collection of  free process map templates to visualize and understand the effectiveness of current and proposed processes.

Business Capability Roadmap Template

Download a Sample Business Capability Roadmap Template for 

Download a Blank Business Capability Roadmap Template for  PowerPoint | Google Slides

When to Use This Template:  This template is ideal for strategic planning, business, and IT professionals who need to communicate with stakeholders and manage their expectations regarding business capabilities and plans. Available with or without sample text, this template helps your organization visualize its customized capability roadmap presentation. Notable Template Features:  This template outlines business capabilities and goals across a timeline. In simple terms, the template presents business capability plans for awareness, standardization, and alignment phases. This tool marks important milestones and determines risk for specific capability projects.   Learn more about visualizing, outlining, and standardizing processes and tasks with this definitive  guide to business process mapping .

Business Capability Statement Template

Download a Sample Business Capability Statement Template for 

Microsoft Word | Google Docs

Download a Blank Business Capability Statement Template for 

Microsoft Word | Google Docs  

When to Use This Template:  Business development professionals, small business owners, contractors, and consultants use this template to outline their organization's mission, history, core competencies, and value propositions. Download the blank or sample version of this template to learn what content to include and how to articulate your business's capabilities. Notable Template Features:  Document your company's branding and mission with this template. Use it to highlight core capabilities, differentiators, and past performance. This template includes space for listing key clients, licenses, and certifications.

Types of Business Capability Templates

Business capability templates allow you to use a structured approach when identifying and managing core capabilities. These templates help facilitate planning, communication, and management of business capabilities, so you can meet strategic objectives and sustain a competitive advantage.

Review these business capability templates to find one that best suits your organization's needs:  

• Business Capability Map Templates: Use a  business capability map template to outline and visualize core capabilities. A business capability roadmap template outlines plans for developing and improving capabilities over time. These templates help organizations align their capabilities with strategic objectives and readily adapt to market and industry changes.
• Business Capability Model Templates:  Utilize a  business capability model template to define core capabilities and align them with strategic objectives. These templates help you improve decision-making and planning, so you can focus on core capability development and thereby gain a competitive advantage.
• Business Capability Matrix Templates:  A  business capability heatmap matrix template is ideal for combining the elements of a business capability matrix with the visual ranking of a heatmap. These templates help you organize and analyze business capabilities systematically.
• Business Capability Statement Templates: Use a  business capability statement template to highlight core capabilities, past performance, and unique selling points.

Elements of a Business Capability Map

A business capability map is an essential tool for understanding and visualizing an organization's functions and capabilities. Mapping these capabilities helps you plan strategically, allocate resources, and identify opportunities for capability improvement. The elements of a business capability map typically include the following:  

• Core Business Capabilities: These capabilities are high-level functions or activities that businesses must perform to deliver value propositions and achieve strategic objectives.
• Supporting Capabilities: These capabilities enable and support the core business capabilities. They are essential for the smooth running of the business.
• Relationships: This map shows how different capabilities are connected or depend on one another. Business capability maps help professionals understand how changes in one area impact another, enabling better decision-making and prioritization.
• Capability Levels: A business capability map might feature levels that differentiate strategic, tactical, and operational capabilities.
• Strategic Alignment: Business capabilities should align with your organization's strategic goals. When you achieve such alignment, you can be sure that you’re focusing your organizational efforts and resources on capabilities that drive value and competitive advantage.

Drive Value and Competitive Advantage with Business Capability Templates from Smartsheet

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The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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