***************************************************************** -> This file introduces YOUR-PLAN, explains how to get started etc. It should be read by all first-time users. -> The file has been supplied as an integral part of YOUR-PLAN. This is a personal financial planning software package developed as a shareware package for use on a 'try-before-you-buy' basis by Invest-Tech Limited. For contact details, see end of this file. -> To view this file page-by-page, type "TYPE README.TXT|MORE" To print this file, type "PRINT README.TXT" (Press CTRL+BREAK to quit now) ***************************************************************** WELCOME ======= YOUR-PLAN (r2.1) is an easy-to-use software package for preparing a personal/household budget and cashflow projections for six months ahead. It enables you to project your income and expenditure and to forecast monthly cashflows and end-month bank and credit card balances. Use YOUR-PLAN to plan ahead and save money !!!!!!!! YOUR-PLAN is a fully operational and useful package and not 'disabled' in any way. We have offered it as shareware to encourage users to register and to purchase our other financial planning software products for preparing financial projections for the home and businesses. YOUR-PLAN is a "Guaranteed Irish" quality software product. YOUR-PLAN is NOT free software. It has been supplied on a "try- before-you-buy" basis. If you continue to use YOUR-PLAN after a 30-day trial period, you must register with the author, Invest-Tech. In return for registering, you will be licensed to use YOUR-PLAN on a single computer indefinitely and you will automatically receive (at no extra cost) a copy of the latest release of PERS-PLAN, a more powerful and comprehensive personal financial planner with its spiral-bound 90-page manual incorporating tutorial exercises etc. You also gain access to full support etc. for both products. Registration only costs œ29 (twenty-nine pounds sterling) or US$44, including p&p or S&H, so it will not break your family's finances. Full registration details are contained in the REGISTER.TXT file. YOUR-PLAN is fully protected by copyright. However, it may be copied in its entirety and without modification for FREE distribution to friends and, subject to the conditions set out in the VENDOR.TXT file, by shareware libraries etc. We hope that you find YOUR-PLAN useful and up to expectations. It is our first shareware product. Please register so as to encourage us to continue developing other such products and to help feed Joan, David, Orla, Julie and Martina in the meantime! Good luck with YOUR-PLAN. Brian Flanagan, Invest-Tech Limited ***************************************************************** FILE CONTENTS/INDEX =================== This file (README.TXT) covers the following topics in separate sections below: A - Details of supplied files, how to copy them etc. B - General introduction YOUR-PLAN and related matters C - Guidance on how to run YOUR-PLAN D - Explanation of shareware E - User Licence Agreement F - Software revisions ***************************************************************** A - SUPPLIED FILES ================== It is a breach of copyright to change, break-up or interfere with the set of files contained in the ZIP files (YOURPLAN.ZIP and YOURPLAP.ZIP) or in any other achive file being used by a shareware library to distribute YOUR-PLAN as a complete set of files. If you wish to give a copy of YOUR-PLAN to friends etc., you should copy the following files in their entirety: YOURPLAN.ZIP (and YOURPLAP.ZIP, if this has been supplied) For further information about distributing YOUR-PLAN, please refer to the Distributor Agreement and Form contained in the VENDOR.TXT file. The following files are contained within YOURPLAN.ZIP or YOURPLAN.*: yp.bat plan.ovr master.ass your.hlp your.exe msherc.com go.bat vendor.txt readme.txt manual.txt tax.txt money.txt register.txt filelist.txt enterass.txt mmb.exe yourplan.ico picprt.bat readme.1st Depending on the precise format in which you received YOUR-PLAN, you may also have received seven additional files (PICPRT.*) containing an utility for printing YOUR-PLAN's graphs. These may be contained in a separate archive file (YOURPLAP.ZIP). Even if these files are not present, you can still print graphs as will be explained when you start using YOUR-PLAN. The text file FILELIST.TXT contains a list of all YOUR-PLAN's files with brief descriptions of their functions. If you have obtained a copy of YOUR-PLAN from an unknown source, take care that you have not also secured a virus ! Either, run a virus check or secure a copy directly from a reputable source. If using a hard disk or single 3.5" disk, all the foregoing files should be kept together on the same disk/subdirectory. If using dual 5.25" drives, the following files MUST be located as follows on two disks: DISK A DISK B ------ ------ yp.bat master.ass plan.ovr your.hlp your.exe + any newly msherc.com created assumption files (*.ass) Before starting to use YOUR-PLAN, we recommend that you review this entire file either on-screen or, preferably, after printing it. It includes brief instructions for loading YOUR-PLAN which should enable you to start using the package. Another supplied text file (MANUAL.TXT), explains, in much more detail, how to load and use YOUR-PLAN. Because YOUR-PLAN is very intuitive and contains very extensive 'on-line' help, you may only need to refer to this file on an occasional basis. However, you may wish to print it at this stage in order to have it readily accessible for future reference, or if you get "stuck", or need detailed guidance on a specific issue. We have also included with YOUR-PLAN a text file (MONEY.TXT) which contains dozens of famous (and not so well-known) quotations on the subject of "money". If you feel depressed about your personal finances after using YOUR-PLAN, you should have a look at MONEY.TXT. It MIGHT cheer you up !! We welcome further quotations for inclusion in the next release of YOUR-PLAN. More seriously, have a look at Section 6.5 within the manual text file (MANUAL.TXT) for some basic ideas on utilising the output from YOUR-PLAN to improve your financial planning and/or position. If you pay income tax (who doesn't), refer to the tax text file (TAX.TXT). This contains some additional quotes about taxation as well as tables indicating basic tax allowances and rates for the UK and Irish tax regimes. To print a text file: 1. Exit this file. 2. Make sure your printer is 'on-line' and is supplied with ample paper. 3. Type "PRINT ??.TXT" at the drive prompt (e.g C:\your>) to which you have installed YOUR-PLAN and press the RETURN key in respond to a prompt about the name of devices. For example, type "PRINT REGISTER.TXT" to print the supplied file containing the Registration Form. To read a text file on screen: 1. Exit this file. 2. Type "TYPE ??.TXT|MORE" at the drive prompt (e.g C:\your>) to which you have installed YOUR-PLAN. The "|" refers to the vertical bar/pipe symbol on your keyboard (look for it in the lower left corner). For example, type "TYPE REGISTER.TXT|MORE" to display the supplied file containing the Registration Form. If you are using Windows, you can print or view the text files using the Notepad accessory. ***************************************************************** B - GENERAL INTRODUCTION ======================== YOUR-PLAN is an easy-to-use software package for preparing a personal budget and cashflow projections for six months ahead. It can be used to improve the management of your finances by forecasting your income and expenditure. The resulting budget can then be used to improve your financial planning & control and, ultimately, to save yourself money. For a more detailed and formal description of YOUR-PLAN, you should refer to the text file called VENDOR.TXT. Based on your estimates and assumptions, YOUR-PLAN compiles a detailed and summary budget for up to a six months ahead. It also produces reports analysing the budget and detailing all your underlying assumptions on income and expenditure. YOUR-PLAN incorporates facilities for graphing key results; overwriting assumptions by actuals; undertaking 'what-if' analysis; and rolling-forward assumptions and projections one month at a time. YOUR-PLAN is very suitable for users with limited or no prior experience of computers as well as for more experienced computer users who do not wish to go to the very considerable trouble, or to waste valuable time, developing their own planning system on a spreadsheet. Bear in mind that YOUR-PLAN involved hundreds of hours of development and years of "know-how". To run YOUR-PLAN you need the following system: * Industry-standard PC with DOS 3.30 or higher and a hard disk, or dual 3.5" or 5.25" drives. * Conventional memory of 640k. * VGA, GCA, mono, Hercules or LCD display (or equivalent). A printer (dot-matrix, ink-jet or laser) is desirable. You can run YOUR-PLAN as a DOS program within Windows (use the supplied icon called YOURPLAN.ICO). YOUR-PLAN complements the very many personal financial packages currently available in the market. Most of these are basically household accounts systems with only very limited budgeting facilities. To our best knowledge, very few of them have any dynamic planning capabilities, similar to YOUR-PLAN's. To produce any form of projections with most of these systems, you must first keep historic accounts. For many people, this is a pain in the ...... Most of us are much more interested in projecting our income/expenditure and making ends meet in the FUTURE, rather than in learning about the past ("water under the bridge", "closing the stable door after the horse has bolted" and that sort of thing). Historic data is NOT required to use YOUR-PLAN. However, if you do happen to keep household accounts (either manual or computer-based), past data on income and expenditure patterns etc. should help you make more accurate projections for the future. Features -------- YOUR-PLAN's features include the following: * Seven categories of income (salary for one wage earner, reimbursed work expenses, dividends, rent etc.). * Facilities for handling salary deductions based on absolute amounts and simple percentages as well as different percentages related to bands and thresholds (as for PAYE income tax) specified by the user. YOUR-PLAN is not restricted to any particular tax system or currency. Basic information on current tax bands and rates for the UK and Ireland is contained in a supplied file (TAX.TXT). * Sixteen main expenditure groups (household, car, accommodation etc.) incorporating twenty-eight subgroups which can be defined by a user. * Facilities for planning credit card expenditure and payments and for calculating interest on any outstanding balances. * Current and deposit accounts with facilities for calculating interest on the basis of specified interest rates, handling accrued interest and specifying interest payment dates. Help ---- YOUR-PLAN is entirely menu-driven and incorporates very comprehensive context-sensitive help facilities. These include extensive menu prompts, error trapping, on-line Help Pages, pop-up Hint & Guidance Windows, annotated variable descriptions and "drill-down" values. A very comprehensive manual is supplied as an accompanying text file (MANUAL.TXT). Specification ------------- Number of reports 7 (13)* Number of graphed variables 18 (18)* Approximate maximum number of user assumptions 530 (950)* Approximate total number of built-in formulae 870 (1,600)* * Numbers for PERS-PLAN given in parenthesis Registration ------------ The idea behind shareware is to allow a user to evaluate a software package at minimal cost - "try-before-you-buy". YOUR-PLAN is NOT FREE software. If you decide that you would like to retain and continue to use YOUR-PLAN after a 30-day trial period, you must register with Invest-Tech, the author and copyright holder. In return for registering, a user is licensed to continue using YOUR-PLAN on one computer without any time limit. In addition, a user automatically receives (at no extra cost) a fully-operational copy of a much more powerful and comprehensive version of YOUR-PLAN, called PERS-PLAN, with its 90-page spiral-bound printed manual (incorporating tutorial exercises etc.). You also gain access to full support for both products. Further details about PERS-PLAN are given below and within YOUR-PLAN itself. (Practically all registrants immediately switch over from YOUR-PLAN to PERS-PLAN as soon as they receive the latter). The Registration Fee is œ29 (twenty-nine pounds sterling) or US$44 including p&p or S&H. Cheques, drafts, international money orders, Eurocheques etc. are all acceptable provided that they are denominated in pounds sterling, US$ or Irish pounds. Payment can also be made by credit card (Visa, Access, MasterCard or Eurocard). Registration is via Invest-Tech Limited for Europe etc. and through "PsL" (Public software Library) for the US/Canada. YOUR-PLAN contains a built-in Registration Form. Alternatively you can use the Registration Form contained in the REGISTER.TXT file. PERS-PLAN --------- PERS-PLAN, the version of YOUR-PLAN which is automatically supplied (at no extra cost) to all users on registering, includes many additional features and facilities: * Covers a 12-month period with separate full-year reports * Handles incomes, salary deductions etc. for one or two wage-earners * Much more extensive range of expenditure assumptions * More function keys to facilitate data entry etc. * Different printer set-ups can be used for monthly and full-year reports. It is supplied with a 90-page spiral-bound manual. Note that PERS-PLAN does not yet include the PICprint graph printing utility supplied with YOUR-PLAN - we are working on it. However, you can still print PERS-PLAN's graphs as will be explained when you run the package. Invest-Tech Limited ------------------- We are management consultants specialising in financial and business planning software. Formed in 1983, Invest-Tech is a Registered Practice within the Institute of Management Consultants in Ireland and the UK. Our banker is Bank of Ireland, O'Connell Bridge, Dublin 1, and our auditors are Deloitte & Touche, Dublin. In addition to YOUR-PLAN and PERS-PLAN, our range of financial planning software includes the following commercial products: BANK-PLAN: 12-month cashflow planner for micro- and small- businesses. Runs 'stand-alone' and with similar general structure to YOUR-PLAN. Handles debtors, VAT, creditors, expense payments etc. œ60 (sixty pounds sterling or equivalent including VAT etc.) Note: These is a shareware version of BANK-PLAN. Look for a file called BANKPLAN.ZIP or contact your friendly shareware library. CASH-PLAN: 4-week + 11-month cashflow planner for small/medium sized businesses, subsidiaries of large companies and corporate cash planning. Runs 'stand-alone' and with similar general structure to YOUR-PLAN. More powerful version of BANK-PLAN with additional features and facilities. œ115 (one hundred and fifteen pounds sterling or equivalent including VAT etc.) EASI-PLAN: A comprehensive and fully-integrated financial planner (P&Ls, cashflows, balance sheets, ratios etc.) covering 12-months plus 8 quarters. To our best knowledge, no other package even remotely offers the same range of features or facilities for business and financial planning. Runs 'stand-alone' with similar general structure to YOUR-PLAN. œ175 (one hundred and seventy-five pounds sterling or equivalent including VAT etc.) FIN-PLAN: Wide range of comprehensive and fully-integrated financial planners (P&Ls, cashflows, balance sheets, ratios etc.) covering 12-months plus 8/16 quarters. Versions are available to run on Lotus 1-2-3 (any release for DOS or Windows), Symphony & SuperCalc. Extensive menus with numerous features and facilities. Easily expanded by user. œ234 (two hundred and thirty-four pounds sterling or equivalent including VAT etc.) Comprehensive descriptions, specifications and 'demos' are available for each of the foregoing products. Intending purchasers of these products who are registered for VAT in any country (other than Ireland) within the European Community can deduct VAT at 21% from the above prices PROVIDED that they quote their VAT number at the time of ordering. All purchasers from outside the European Community can also deduct the 21% VAT from the above prices but they should add 10% to cover shipping by airmail etc. ***************************************************************** C - HOW TO RUN YOUR-PLAN ======================== Refer to Section 3 of the MANUAL.TXT text file for more detailed instructions if you run into any problems. Note that you can run YOUR-PLAN as a DOS program within Windows. The following guidelines assume that you have already installed (i.e. copied, unzipped, unarchived, uncompressed etc.) the complete set of YOUR-PLAN files onto a hard disk, a 3.5" disk or two 5.25" disks (assumed to be called A and B). If YOUR-PLAN has been installed onto a hard disk: a) Get into the sub-directory where you have installed all YOUR-PLAN's files. For example, if the sub-directory YOUR was used, type "CD YOUR" and press RETURN at the DOS prompt. b) For general introductory information, type "GO". or c) For guidance on the syntax for loading YOUR-PLAN etc. type "YP". or d) Type "YP MASTER" to load YOUR-PLAN along with a set of specimen assumptions in a file called MASTER.ASS (Make sure that there is a single space between "YP" and "MASTER"). Make a working copy of MASTER. From the Main Menu, press F (for File), N (for New) and enter as file name (WORKING is recommended. By following the on-screen Hints and Guidance Notes and by accessing Help Notes and Help Pages, have a go at building your first budget. Good luck ! If you are running YOUR-PLAN from a 3.5" drive: a) Place the disk to which you have installed YOUR-PLAN into a drive. If necessary, switch to that drive by typing the drive designation followed by a colon, e.g. "A:" and press RETURN. b) For general introductory information, type "GO". or c) For guidance on the syntax for loading YOUR-PLAN etc. type "YP". or d) Type "YP MASTER" to load YOUR-PLAN along with a set of specimen assumptions in a file called MASTER.ASS (Make sure that there is a single space between "YP" and "MASTER"). Make a working copy of MASTER. From the Main Menu, press F (for File), N (for New) and enter as file name (WORKING is recommended. By following the on-screen Hints and Guidance Notes and by accessing Help Notes and Help Pages, have a go at building your first budget. Good luck ! If you are running YOUR-PLAN from dual 5.25" disk drives: a) Place the two disks to which you have installed YOUR-PLAN (and, presumably, labelled as A & B) into their respective drives. If you are unclear about the correct distribution of files on the two disks, refer to the Section called "A - Supplied Files" above for guidance. b) For on-screen guidance about the syntax for loading YOUR-PLAN etc. type "YP". c) Switch to the drive with Disk A, e.g. type "A:" if this disk was inserted in drive A, and press RETURN. d) Type "YP B:MASTER" to load YOUR-PLAN along with a set of specimen assumptions in a file called MASTER.ASS which should be on Disk B and is assumed to be located in the B drive (Make sure that there is a single space between "YP" and "B:MASTER"). e) Make a working copy of MASTER. From the Main Menu, press F (for File), N (for New) and enter as file name (WORKING is recommended. f) By following the on-screen Hints and Guidance Notes and by accessing Help Notes and Help Pages, have a go at building your first budget. Good luck ! **************************************************************** D - WHAT IS SHAREWARE ? ======================= "Shareware" is a method of software distribution designed to give users a chance to test a package before purchase at a very competitive price. Copyright rules apply to shareware and the authors retain all the rights except as indicated in their licence agreements. As you will see from YOUR-PLAN, shareware does not signify cheap (in the nasty sense) or poor quality software. Subject to the terms and conditions of our User Licence Agreement (see below) and Distributor Agreement (see VENDOR.TXT), you are free to copy YOUR-PLAN for friends etc. provided that no charge is made and recipients are made aware of the need to register as users if they wish to retain the package. As all the supplied files must be copied in their entirety and without modification, we suggest that you only copy the archived files, YOURPLAN.EXE (with START.BAT) or YOURPLAN.ZIP (with YOURPLAP.ZIP), for this purpose. Shareware distributors, bulletin board and commercial on-line system operators are invited to become distributors of YOUR-PLAN and to list it for supply or downloading to their customers or users. See the VENDOR.TXT file for further information. ***************************************************************** E - USER LICENCE AGREEMENT ========================== YOUR-PLAN is a "shareware" program. IT IS NOT "freeware", "public domain" software etc. You are granted a licence to use YOUR-PLAN only under the terms and conditions specified in this Agreement. YOUR-PLAN is owned at all times by Invest-Tech and is fully protected by copyright throughout the world. After a free initial 30-day trial period, every user who wishes to continue using YOUR-PLAN must make a registration payment to the author, Invest-Tech. If you do not register, you must stop using YOUR-PLAN after the trial period. Once registered, YOUR-PLAN is licensed for use, without any time restriction, on one computer or at one network node by the registered user. In return for registered, you will also receive a copy of the latest release of PERS-PLAN (more powerful version of YOUR-PLAN) with its printed manual. In addition, you gain access to support for YOUR-PLAN and PERS-PLAN by mail, phone or fax for three calendar months following confirmation of registration by Invest-Tech. After this period, the provision of support will be at Invest-Tech's discretion. Unregistered copies of YOUR-PLAN are unsupported. YOUR-PLAN has been supplied strictly on the understanding that the software and all its associated files and documentation will not be translated, repackaged, replicated, dismantled, reverse-engineered or modified in any way. It must not be copied, sold, transferred, lent, rented or leased to any user or third party except under the terms and conditions set out in the accompanying VENDOR.TXT file. If you copy YOUR-PLAN for friends to try, you must include all the files contained in YOURPLAN.ZIP, and YOURPLAP.ZIP or YOURPLAN.EXE. YOUR-PLAN must not be sold as "rackware" or used as a promotion or enticement for any commercial venture (including use as a "cover" disk for a periodical) unless prior written approval has been secured from Invest-Tech. YOUR-PLAN is supplied strictly on an "as is" basis and without any warranty either expressed or implied as to merchantability, performance, or fitness for any purpose. The user must assume the entire risk of using the program. Every user is advised to always test and check the output thoroughly before relying on its results or contents. Invest-Tech accepts no responsibility and no liability whatsoever for any defects, errors or incidental or consequential losses or damages associated either directly or indirectly with its usage. Distribution and/or use of YOUR-PLAN signifies acceptance of these terms and conditions. Violators of the copyright terms of this agreement may be prosecuted. Details of volume discounts, site licences and bundling prices for YOUR-PLAN and PERS-PLAN can be obtained by contacting Invest-Tech. To register, use the Registration Form contained in the supplied file (REGISTER.TXT) or the copy built into YOUR-PLAN (press "X" from its Main Menu). ***************************************************************** F - SOFTWARE REVISIONS ====================== V1.0 16-NOV-1992 ------------------ First shareware release of YOUR-PLAN. Based on PERS-PLAN, a more powerful and comprehensive planner which YOUR-PLAN users automatically receive on registering with Invest-Tech. V1.01 6-FEB-1993 ----------------- Minor changes to Help Pages & menu prompts. Improved display for Liquid Crystal Displays. V2.0 19-JUL-1993 ------------------ Addition of the following: Graph printing utility. "Roll-forward" facility. Pop-up Guidance and Hint Windows. "Drill-down" values. We have also added the TAX.TXT, ENTERASS.TXT and MONEY.TXT files. Extensive changes have been made to the layout and contents of the README.TXT, VENDOR.TXT and MANUAL.TXT files. V2.1 5-DEC-1993 ----------------- This release includes details (in TAX.TXT) of the changes in UK income tax rates etc. announced in the November 1993 Budget and to take effect in the UK from April 1994. The batch file called GO.BAT was enhanced to include introductory screens and a menu system for new users. ***************************************************************** YOUR-PLAN (c) Copyright Invest-Tech Limited 1992, 1993, 1994 All Rights Reserved Invest-Tech Limited 27 Ardmeen Park, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland Irish Tel: 283 4083 UK Tel: 0232-315454 (Call 9 to 9 weekdays and 10 to 6 weekends - GMT/BST) Fax: 661 3130 Fax codes: Irish:01- UK:010-353-1- Inter'l:+353-1- ***************************************************************** To view this file page-by-page, type "TYPE README.TXT|MORE" *** End of README.TXT file ***