business plan template free doc

Business Plan Templates in Google Docs and Word

Choose the best business plan templates in google docs, google slides, google sheets, and other formats. we provide you with startup, botanical business, coffee shop business plan forms, and more. find your blank in white or dark colors and with trendy designs.

Amazing Startup Business Plan

Professional Business Startup Costs

Futuristic Yellow Startup Business Plan

Business Startup Costs

Trendy Business Plan

Dark Modern Business Plan

Yearly Business Plan

Bright Business Plan

White Modern Business Plan

Fabulous Startup Business Plan

Modern Blue Business Plan

Green Business Plan Rubric

Gray Accent Business Plan

Great Modern Business Plan

Black Contemporary Business Plan

Gradient Business Plan

Pastel Modern Business Plan

Black and White Business Plan

Nature Business Plan

Partners Platform Business Plan

One-List Coffee Business Plan

Elegant Green Botanical Business Plan

Blue Corporate Business Plan

Exclusive Startup Business Plan

Creative Violet Business Plans

Financial Advisor Business Plan

Easy Business Plan with Timeline

Coffee Shop Business Plan

Black Effective Business Plan 2023

Architecture Project Business Plan

Flowers Shop Business Plan

Pink Business Plan

One-Page IT Company Business Plan

Glamping Business Plan

Business Plan for Startup

Professional Marketing Business Plan

Beauty Salon Business Plan

Coffee Business Plan

Economic Windmills Business Plan

Aroma Mocha Cafe Business Plan

Green Business Plan

Orange Market Business Plan

Yellow Circle Business Plan

Basic Business Plan

Simple Business Plan

Simple Colorful Business Plan

Elegant Business Plan

Modeling Agency Business Plan

Do you need to pick the right editable business plan template? Our options have an exceptional design yet comprehensible concept. Keep in mind that you can edit and customize these samples using Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets. You can find options for any startup idea on our website. Our samples are 100% unique. Designers are creating free business plan templates from scratch.

Business plans on the website draw attention immediately. They have a memorable design that is easy to remember. You can edit, adjust, download, and publish our templates for free. No hidden fees, no additional payments.

There are 50+ business plan templates now, and you can opt for other categories of free templates. Our website has hundreds of designer options to offer. Just saying, keep that in mind.

Customize and print our free and ready-to-use layouts using Google Docs. It doesn’t require much time or effort. The majority of users say that they can edit the template unaided in just a few minutes. We are analyzing your feedback and making new templates with outstanding designs. Feel free to give us any feedback or recommendations.

Each of our unique spreadsheets is editable, customizable, and completely free. Therefore, we do not expect to get anything in return. If you like our free business plans, subscribe to our social media and stay tuned for the latest updates.

Business plans template FAQs

• Customer Reviews
• Net 30 Account
• Wise Services
• Steps & Timeline
• Work at a Glance
• Market Research at a Glance
• Business Plan Writing Services
• Bank Business Plan
• Investor Business Plan
• Franchise Business Plan
• Cannabis Business Plan
• Strategic Business Plan
• Corporate Business Plan
• Merge and Acquisition Business Plan (M&A)
• Private Placement Memorandums (PPM)
• Sample Business Plans
• Professional Feasibility Study
• PowerPoint Presentations
• Pitch Deck Presentation Services
• Business Plan Printing
• Market Research
• L-1 Business Plan
• E-2 Business Plan
• EB-5 Business Plan
• EB-5 Regional Centers
• Immigration Attorneys
• Nonprofit Business Plan
• Exit Business Planning
• Business Planning
• Business Formation
• Business License
• Business Website
• Business Branding
• Business Bank Account
• Digital Marketing
• Business Funding Resources
• Small Business Loans
• Venture Capital
• Net 30 Apply

Free Simple Business Plan Templates

Are you a business startup and want to get a free business plan template for your business? If yes, then you are at the right place. As a business plan writing company , we list out professional business plan templates for you so you can write your business plan easily. We have shared a wide range of templates for diversified business needs. You can choose one that suits your requirements

Free One Page Business Plan Template

Utilize this concise Free one-page business plan to systematically record your essential concepts. This template assists in constructing a simplified overview of your business plan, making it easily digestible for stakeholders. Consider this one-page plan as a starting point, serving as a reference for developing a more comprehensive business blueprint.

Simple Business Plan Template

This template guides you step by step through all the elements of a small business plan , covering areas like the company’s history, introducing the management team, conducting market analysis, presenting product or service details, outlining financial projections, and more. Additionally, it includes a pre-built table of contents to maintain the structure of your plan, and it’s fully adaptable to suit your specific needs.

Lean Startup Business Plan Template

The lean business plan template offers a simplified alternative to the traditional business plan Template. It includes concise sections for your company’s overview, industry context, problem-solving approach, unique value proposition, target market, and essential performance metrics. Additionally, there’s space to map out a timeline of crucial activities.

Free Business Plan Template

Boost your business with our collection of easy-to-use templates designed just for you.

Business Plan Templates By Business Category​

Potential Issues with Business Plan Templates & How to Address Them

Generic templates vs. industry specificity.

• Issue: One-size-fits-all business plan templates might not capture industry-specific details crucial for investors.
• Solution: Look for templates with industry-tailored sections or customize existing ones to highlight your industry’s nuances.

Lack of Financial Expertise

• Issue: Users might struggle with financial projections or terminology.
• Solution: Include clear instructions and financial guidance within the simple business plan template.. Users can also consult free online resources or financial advisors.

Data Accuracy and Consistency

• Issue: Inaccurate or inconsistent data can mislead investors.
• Solution: Double-check all data entries and ensure consistency across the plan. Consider using real financial data from your business (if applicable).

Overreliance on Templates

• Issue: Business Plan Templates shouldn’t replace critical thinking and analysis specific to your business.
• Solution: Use the template as a framework, but personalize it with your unique value proposition, competitive landscape analysis, and strategic goals.

Formatting and Readability

• Issue: Poor formatting can make your plan look unprofessional.
• Solution: Pay attention to formatting elements like fonts, spacing, and visuals. Ensure the plan is clear, concise, and easy to read.

Remember: Our Page includes 45 different kinds of business plan templates tailored for specific industries, So you can choose any format that suits your business with your ease.

Get Your One Page Business Plan Template from Wisebusinessplan Today!

Essential elements of a business plan.

• Executive Summary
• Business Description
• Market Analysis
• Competitive Analysis
• Marketing and Sales Strategy
• Organization and Management
• Product or Service Line
• Financial Projections
• Funding Request
• Appendix (optional)

Tips for Creating a Business Plan

Creating a business plan can seem like a daunting task, but the following tips aim to simplify the process as you develop your plan:

• Utilize a business plan template (choose from the options above) or refer to the previous section to establish a standard outline for your plan.
• Adapt your outline to suit the specific needs of your business. If you’re using a standard business plan outline, remove any sections that don’t apply to your situation or aren’t vital for running your business.
• Begin by gathering all the information you currently have about your business. Then, use this information to complete each section in your plan outline.
• Leverage available resources and conduct additional research to fill in any remaining gaps. (Note: You don’t have to fill out your plan in sequence, but remember that the executive summary, which summarizes key points, should be completed last.)
• Ensure your plan effectively conveys the interplay between your marketing, sales, and financial objectives.
• Include details in your plan that outline your strategic course of action, looking ahead three to five years.
• Regularly revisit your plan as strategies and objectives evolve.

At the very least, ensure your business plan addresses the following questions:

• What product or service are we offering?
• Who is the product or service for?
• What problem does our product or service solve?
• How will we deliver the product or service to our target customers?
• What makes our product or service superior to alternatives?
• How can we surpass our competitors?
• What is our unique value proposition?
• When will tasks be completed, and who is responsible for them?
• If funding is needed, how will it be utilized?
• When are payments due, and when will income be received?
• What is the ultimate purpose of your business?

To determine the type of business plan that suits your needs and for more helpful guidance, consult our guide on crafting a concise business plan.

Benefits of Using a Business Plan Template

Developing a business plan can be a time-consuming task, particularly if you’re unsure how to get started. However, utilizing the right template tailored to your business needs can prove highly advantageous. Here’s how using a business plan template, as opposed to starting from scratch, can be particularly helpful:

Facilitates Organized Planning

A template allows you to promptly jot down your thoughts and ideas in an orderly fashion. It provides a structured framework that simplifies the planning process.

Provides Clarity and Structure

Using a template gives your plan a clear structure, helping you outline your business objectives, strategies, and goals with greater precision.

Time and Resource Efficiency

Templates save you precious time and resources. They eliminate the need to create every section from the ground up, enabling you to focus on the content and strategy, rather than the format.

Prevents Oversight

Templates serve as comprehensive guides, helping you cover all the essential details your business plan should encompass. This reduces the risk of omitting crucial elements vital to your business’s success.

In essence, a well-designed business plan template streamlines the planning process, making it more efficient and ensuring that your plan is both thorough and well-organized.

Restrictions of Business Plan Templates

While a business plan template can be a helpful starting point, it comes with certain limitations, particularly if the template doesn’t align precisely with your business’s unique requirements. Here are some drawbacks to consider:

Lack of Customization

Every business is distinct, and your business plan should reflect that individuality. A template may not adequately cater to your specific needs, potentially resulting in an ill-fitting plan.

Impaired Collaboration

Using a template may hinder effective collaboration among different teams involved in the plan’s development, such as sales, marketing, and accounting teams. It might not be conducive to seamless teamwork.

Data Dispersal

Templates can lead to the creation of multiple files stored in various locations. This can make it challenging to maintain a centralized and up-to-date plan.

Chart and Graph Creation

Templates often require you to manually generate charts and graphs to support your strategic points. This adds an extra layer of work and complexity.

Multiple Updates

Keeping your plan, spreadsheets, and supporting documents synchronized can be cumbersome when using a template. Changes made may not automatically update across all documents, potentially causing version control issues.

In summary, while business plan templates can be a useful starting point, it’s essential to be aware of their limitations, especially when your business has specific requirements that may not be accommodated by a generic template.

A business plan template is a pre-written document that provides a structure and outline for writing a business plan. It can help businesses of all sizes save time and effort, ensure completeness, improve consistency, and make a better impression on potential investors and lenders.

To write a business plan using a template, simply follow the structure and outline provided. Fill in the blanks with information about your company, its products or services, its target market, its financial projections, and its marketing and sales strategies. Be sure to customize the template to fit the specific needs of your business.

The best business plan templates for small businesses are those that are tailored to the specific needs of small businesses. Some popular options include:

• Lean Startup Canvas
• Business Model Canvas
• One-Page Business Plan
• SBA Business Plan Template
• SCORE Business Plan Template

To customize a business plan template, simply add or remove sections as needed to fit the specific needs of your business. You can also change the wording and formatting of the template to match your company’s brand voice.

Here are a few tips for writing a successful business plan using a template:

• Be honest and realistic in your projections.
• Be clear and concise in your writing.
• Be specific about your goals and objectives.
• Tailor your plan to your target audience.
• Proofread your plan carefully before submitting it to potential investors or lenders.

Here are a few examples of good business plans written using templates:

• Tesla Business Plan
• Airbnb Business Plan
• Warby Parker Business Plan
• Glossier Business Plan
• Spotify Business Plan

Download Pack of 3 Business Plan Templates

One Page Business Plan + Lean Business Plan + Simple Business Plan Template

Have Questions? Get in Touch!

Why choose wise business plans.

Wise Business Plans develops bank ready business plans that raise capital reliably.

Quick Links

• Investor Business Plans
• M&A Business Plan
• Private Placement
• Feasibility Study
• Hire a Business Plan Writer
• Business Valuation Calculator
• Business Plan Examples
• Real Estate Business Plan
• Business Plan Template
• Business Plan Pricing Guide
• Business Plan Makeover
• SBA Loans, Bank Funding & Business Credit
• Finding & Qualifying for Business Grants
• Leadership for the New Manager
• Content Marketing for Beginners
• All About Crowdfunding
• EB-5 Regional Centers, A Step-By-Step Guide
• Logo Designer
• Landing Page
• PPC Advertising

• Business Entity
• Business Licensing
• Virtual Assistant
• Business Phone
• Business Address
• E-1 Visa Business Plan
• EB1-A Visa Business Plan
• EB1-C Visa Business Plan
• EB2-NIW Business Plan
• H1B Visa Business Plan
• O1 Visa Business Plan
• Business Brokers
• Merger & Acquisition Advisors
• Franchisors

Proud Sponsor of

• 1-800-496-1056

• (613) 800-0227

• +44 (1549) 409190

• +61 (2) 72510077

Download Business Plan Templates

Your Full Name

Free Business Plan Template

Download a free business plan template for Word. Includes frequently asked questions about business plans.

Updated on September 17th, 2023

The SMB Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

A business plan template is a pre-formatted business plan that contains an outline for a synopsis of your business details, goals, and measurable steps you are planning to take to achieve these. A business plan is vital to obtain financing for your business and should be the foundation of your pitch deck.

Below is our free downloadable business plan template. This plan can be tailored to your specific business and the stage it is in, as well as for the intended audience.

Business Plan Template - Free Download

Download this blank business plan template in Word format and create your own business plan.

Benefits of Using a Business Plan Template:

• Ensure that your plan is presented in a standard format.
• Uncover the right information before your business is launched.
• Create a professional document without outsourcing.

See our template .

Why You Should Use a Business Plan Template:

Business plan templates allow entrepreneurs and small business owners to save time by working off of a pre-formatted document. With a professional template, you can add specific information about your business without having to start from scratch.

Writing a business plan is a time-consuming process, even if you use a template. However, using a template ensures that you add all of the content that you need before you make your business pitch. Working through a template one section at a time can help you to gather all of the information that you need.

Generally, it's a good idea to write your Executive Summary last. This way, you will have a much better idea of how to summarize and describe your business.

Download our template to get started.

Business to Business

Discover more about Business to Business (B2B) - what it means and how it affects your business. Includes an overview and frequently asked questions.

Nov 28, 2023

How do you write a business plan?

You can use a template , or start from scratch. Either way, your business plan should include a summary of your business, financial projections, details about marketing, a description of your products/services, and a SWOT analysis.

What is a business plan template?

A business plan template is a pre-formatted document that already contains an outline and basic details. You can customize a template to create a business plan for your own business.

How do I write a business plan for a startup?

Planning for a startup is the same as planning for any new business venture. You need a detailed business plan that is focused primarily on the financial needs of your new business. This will help to attract investors and give you a realistic picture of how much capital you need to succeed.

How do I write a 5-year business plan?

A 5-year business plan is typically written the same way as a normal business plan, except the financial projections from one year to the next may go into more detail. The plan may also include special projects/developments that you want to invest in during the first five years of operation.

What are the three main purposes of a business plan?

• Create a roadmap for the growth of your business.
• Demonstrate to lenders and investors that you have a path to success.
• Gather and evaluate all of the information needed to make decisions.

What should a business plan include?

• Executive Summary.
• Business Overview.
• Operations.
• Market Analysis.
• Products and Services.
• Competition.
• Management.
• Financial Plan.
• Projected Revenue.
• Appendices.

How do you write a successful business plan?

Successful business plans are well researched, including supporting documentation (financial statements, graphs, etc), demonstrate a keen understanding of the target market, and have a multi-faceted marketing strategy.

What do you title a business plan?

Business plans usually have a cover page with a prominent title that includes the company name and the words "Business Plan" either above or below the name. The cover page may also include contact information or a business address.

What are the types of business plans?

• Startup business plan.
• Growth business plan.
• Strategic business plan.
• Feasibility business plan.
• Internal business plan.
• Operations business plan.

How long is a business plan?

The length of your business plan is less important than the quality of the content that is contained within it. However, business plans generally vary in length from 20 to 50 pages depending on the spacing, size of the font, visual elements, and detail of each section.

How much does it cost to get a business plan written?

On the low end, freelancers may charge several hundred dollars to write a business plan, while professionals and consultants may charge several thousand. If you are going to outsource the creation of your business plan, make sure you hire someone who has lots of experience.

How do you write an executive summary for a business plan?

An executive summary should contain the following:

• Introduction.
• Company strengths.
• Explanation of product/service and how it meets a need or solves a problem.
• Conclusion emphasizing the importance/value of the business.

You should try to be concise when you're writing your executive summary since the rest of your business plan will provide more explanation for readers. The point is to draw people in and give them a 1000-foot view of what you are doing. It is generally agreed that the executive summary should make up no more than 5 - 10% of your entire business plan.

• Business plans

Business Plan Template

Used 10,558 times

Reviewed by Yauhen Zaremba

This business plan template is a great tool for your startup to customize to reflect your strong qualifications, experienced team, and marketable business idea.

e-Sign with PandaDoc

Business Plan

1. executive summary.

The Executive Summary is where you explain the general idea behind your company; it’s where you give the reader (most likely an investor, or someone else you need on board) a clear indication of why you’ve sent this Business Plan to them. This is a souped-up “elevator pitch,” a couple of pages that summarizes what your business is all about.

Note that, while the entire Business Plan should be well-written, this section must really demonstrate excellent composition and grammar. This is the first part of your Business Plan that anyone will read, so it’s important that it really “sing.”

The header section of the Executive Summary can benefit from flexible treatment, as well. You can use a company logo, or any other design you’d like, but you want to be sure you include the name of your business, right at the start of the Business Plan.

In the Business Plan section, you will want to get the reader’s attention by letting them know what you do. Try to answer some (or all) of the following questions:

• What products or services do you offer?
• What sector do you operate within?
• Who is your target audience?
• What is the future outlook of the marketplace?
• What makes your offer unique?
• Who’s the boss?
• Why did your company start?

The Executive Summary is the place to succinctly describe your business. It’s also appropriate to address why you’ve created your proposal, answering questions like these, briefly, in addition to those above:

• Do you need investment?
• How much money do you need?
• What is the money to be used for?
• How will your business become profitable?
• What’s in it for the recipient?

The last question is perhaps the most important. Already, only having read as far into your business plan as the Executive Summary, your reader is wondering “what’s in it for me?” And your challenge is to offer them a preview (remember this is a “summary”) of the benefits of accepting your business plan, while not giving away the whole story.

2. Business Description

This next section gives all the must-have details about your business. Here you are looking to answer questions like “when did you start?”; “Why?”; “By whom?”

This is the place for your “origin story.” This section should be just as well-written as the Executive Summary, of course. What is your interest in the market? How’d you get to this point?

As you can tell, the Business Description section amounts to backstory – and that’s essential to any Business Plan.

This is where you tell them where you’re coming from, before you get to “why” you’re in need of an investment, in a nutshell.

3. Mission Statement

The Mission Statement section of your Business Plan expands on some of what you talked about in the Executive Summary.

Here are the major points you will want to make in the Mission Statement.

Explain the end-result you seek from the business venture. Connect it to your customers and readers, in turn.

B) Objectives

Explain the steps you will take to reach your goal. Be specific; demonstrate that you have a good idea of what it will realistically take to achieve your goals.

C) Customers

Your target audience has to be well-defined. Here you need to explain exactly who your customer is. You should define your customer as specifically as possible. Is your customer the 18-24 year old customer base? How about the 18 -24 year old music consumers, as an example? Describe them to the finest level of detail possible.

D) Industry

Why is your niche attractive? Is your industry growing? Will you shake it up with your offer? Are you a disruptor? Explain thoroughly in this section.

E) Strengths

Here you want to outline what makes your company special. Answer why your business is different from the rest of the competition. Who’s on your team? The best tip we’ve got is: investors love a top-notch team.

F) Status of Ownership

Here you want to tell your prospective investors the legal status of your company. Is it a limited liability company (LLC)? Is it a sole proprietorship, or partnership? Whatever the case may be, you’ll want to explain it to your prospect.

4. Products and Services

This section is extremely important to a successful Business Plan. This is where you describe what it is that you have to offer the world.

Be sure to include:

• Detailed descriptions of your Products and/or Services. Feel free to include pictures, as you deem appropriate. Don’t forget to add the pricing and/or fees.
• Next, you’ll want to spend some time extolling the features and benefits of your products and/or services. Break it down. Remember that customers love benefits, and prospective investors want to know that you understand those benefits.

The Products/Services you offer are the core of your business. You really can’t afford to omit anything relevant here. Your prospective investor will surely want to know what you have to offer, and they’ll want to know enough about those things to be able to believe in them.

5. Marketing Plan

The Marketing Plan is one of the most essential parts of your Business Plan; marketing is the thing that brings your business to its audience.

The first thing to do in the Marketing Plan section is to prove that you know your target audience. Put the research, market analyses, and industry knowledge that you possess to work in this section. You are illustrating to your recipient that you know your audience better than anyone, and that makes yours the ideal business to serve the audience.

This section can be broken into six distinct parts, as follows:

• Clearly define and explain your target audience
• Briefly describe your competition – particularly what makes you better at what you do than them
• Detail your niche. What particular area of your industry to you fit? Where do you squeeze in, in light of the innovation?
• List your distribution channels.
• Describe how you will promote the business. What media outlets will you use for advertisement? How much is your marketing budget? Your prospective investor will surely want to know.
• State your image or message. How will you present your business to the public? Tell your reader how your customers will see your business.

The Marketing Plan is essential. Make sure you give it plenty of attention, in your Business Plan.

6. Operations Plan

This section of your Business Plan should detail your day-to-day operation. This is important; your prospective investors want to know that you’ve given some thought to the daily operation of your business.

Here, you’ll want to describe the various resources, personnel, and real estate involved in the execution of your business activities.

Here are some of the things you will want to include in the Operations Plan section:

Location-- for either service or product, where do you work out of? (Be specific, with dimensions, cost of utilities etc.)

Transportation-- how do you get your product to your clients? third-party store? Legal requirements -- Do you need permits? licenses? etc. What are the regulations you follow? Work with unions? etc.

Personnel-- Describe the type of positions you already have, plus what you may need to expand on.

Inventory-- Do you keep things in stock? Where? How much does that cost? What is the value of it? Providers/Suppliers -- Who do you lease work out to? List names, addresses, websites.

Timing for Accounts Receivable/Accounts Payable-- Investors want to know about anything that could keep them from making a quick profit.

7. Management Organization

In this section, detail the management structure inside your organization. Your prospective investors will be keen to know who’s calling the shots and to whom at your business.

Here are the things you will want to make sure you list here:

• Board of Directors
• Accountants
• Consultants

Remember, you don’t have to list everyone, down to the janitors, but you do want to be thorough in this section. Let your prospect know that you’re not just winging it, and that you have a team in place.

8. Financial Plan

The Financial Plan is one of the most important, if not the absolute most important, parts of your Business Plan. This is a section that your reader will be eyeing closely, and they will expect you to have put a lot of love into this one, too.

Begin this section by telling the prospective investor about the funding you’ve received so far. Where has it come from? How much does it total? Be forthcoming about your capital and its sources, first and foremost.

This section is also the place where you plan your Profit and Loss (P&L) for at least the next 12 months. This spreadsheet can be used in connection to the cash flow spreadsheet. If your business plans to run a loss for the first year (or two, or three), you should clarify this point in this section, and add a model profitable year for good measure. Just be sure to explain that your Business Plan doesn’t always project a loss.

Cash Flow Spreadsheet Example

Cell and section names:.

CashReceivedB, Expenditures, etc are the names of the sections. To name the cell of section of cells - highlight it and then rename in the upper left corner. Changing the name afterwards, if misspelled or deleting it completely, if reverting back to original cell name is done through “Insert -> Name -> Define”.

Fiscal Year and PV of Cash Flows

Dates will be change automatically if the date in the “Fiscal Year Begins” is changed. Another section where investors would look is the present value of cash flows. It’s the sum of all cash flows discounted back 1 period using company’s annual rate of return, which is set by the company. A number was made up.

Cash Received, Expenditures, Net Cash Flow

Cash Received is a section where someone would record all the cash inflow from different activities like operating or financial. Cash outflows are recorded in Expenditures. Both of these sections are summed in the subtotals: (=SUBTOTAL(109,CashReceivedB)). 109 – specifies the function that should be done by the subtotal, other could be used too, such as averaging; there are numbers from 1 to 11.

With these two sections it is easy to find: Net Cash Flow = Cash inflow – Cash outflow. I also added two sections, which show how much money was in the beginning of the month, and how much is available at the end. That cash balance from previous month is transferred to the next month Cash Available section.

Profit/Loss Analysis Spreadsheet Example

Formulas for this spreadsheet:.

• Gross Profit = Revenue – Cost of production
• GP Margin = Gross Profit / Revenue
• Profit before taxes = Gross Profit + Other Income – Other Expenses
• Profit loss after tax = Profit before tax * (1 – Tax Rate) *However if loss was incurred, tax won’t be applied. To accommodate for that write the IF statement: if Profit Before Taxes > 0, then apply the formula above to that number, otherwise the negative number will be transferred to this cell.
• Net profit margin = Profit after tax / Revenue

Sparklines:

Overview is done with Sparklines. Select the cell where you would want to see the graph then Insert -> Sparklines. The window will pop up where you can choose the data to be shown.

To customize the graph, click on one of them and the ribbon will show up, where you can choose different styles of presentation.

Graphs for Profit/Loss Analysis Example

Creating a chart:.

Go to Insert -> Charts, highlight the data you are trying to present. Charts ribbon has variety of options that will help you improve the look and style of graphs.

Transferring chart to another spreadsheet

In order to move the chart to a new or existing sheet, press control or right click on it and choose “Move”:

Since the charts reference the same cells in the profit/loss analysis spreadsheet, updates in that table will automatically be reflected on the graph.

Break-Even Analysis Spreadsheet

Finding sales mix %:.

In this part, the goal is to find current products sales mix, which will be used in the analysis. You need to input the price and number of units sold/services provided. Sales mix % is then found for each product. These numbers should be transferred by hand to the second table.

Break-Even Analysis:

• Contribution Margin Per Unit = Price per Unit – Variable Cost Per Unit
• Average CM per Unit = CM per Product 1 * Sales Mix % Product 1 + CM per Product 2 * Sales Mix % Product 2+ ...
• Break-Even number of Units to Sell = Fixed Costs / Average CM per Unit. *This is the total number of all products, to find how many units of each product you need to sell:
• B-E units of Product 1 = (Fixed Cost / Average CM per Unit) * Sales Mix of Product 1
• Product Sales in $ = B-E units of Product 1 * Price

This table is useful to quickly assess how different scenarios would affect the break-even points. You can copy the analysis table and paste it right next to each other for easier comparison.

9. Conclusion/Call to Action

The last part of your Business Plan is a conclusion, which ideally should contain a call to action (CTA). Your CTA here is a bit different from a CTA on something like a Web-based landing page. A Business Plan CTA simply clarifies the next step. Is it a phone call or a meeting? Perhaps it’s a phone call to schedule a meeting. Whatever your CTA may be, you’ll want to make it clear, in this section.

10. Confidentiality Statement

Your Business Plan is top secret, right? If that’s the case, it’s up to you to make sure that’s clearly stated to those who receive the Business Plan. One way to protect your business and its intellectual property (IP), is to include a confidentiality, or nondisclosure (NDA) statement in your Business Plan.

11. Addendums

Here is where you add extra information, including but not limited to:

• -- less interesting information, that someone might like to know (positive, of course)
• -- graphs, technical drawings, etc
• -- citations: sometimes you may include a statistic in your proposal, about your industry, your competitive market, etc., but you must cite it.
• -- business studies
• -- city plans, office plans
• -- list of assets for collateral; financial backgrounds of key investors
• -- CVs/resumes, credentials of key players
• -- key collaborators, etc

[Sender.Company]

MM / DD / YYYY

[Client.Company]

Care to rate this template?

Your rating will help others.

Thanks for your rate!

Useful resources

• Featured Templates
• Sales Proposals
• NDA Agreements
• Operating Agreements
• Service Agreements
• Sales Documents
• Marketing Proposals
• Rental and Lease Agreements
• Quote Templates
• Business Proposals
• Agreement Templates
• Purchase Agreements
• Contract Templates

Free Business Plan Template

Running your own business might be a real challenge. And even if you know exactly every single step of your company, you need a proper business plan to attract investors, employees, and potential partners. Creating one is easy with PandaDoc free business plan templates.

What Is a Business Plan Template?

A business plan template is an opportunity to find a simple and convenient tool that will grant you a proper start for your business. Using even a simple business plan will be a universal solution for all types of companies, especially startups or small ventures.

By providing all the essential facts in your business plan, you will be able to show its most beneficial parts. And with a proper sample of a business plan template, you will avoid all the possible mistakes.

What Is Included In a Free Business Plan Template?

Working with a template for a business plan, you will be able to include all the essential things about development and running your business.

The following chapters are the most important ones:

• The idea of your company. This is the very first thing that shows the purpose and the benefits of your venture. Here, you need to concisely explain your aims, ideally in one-two sentences. 
• The description of your business. Here you can show the basic data about your company and the expanded version of your global aims. 
• Your business mission. When you want to express the local goals of your company and show all your working aims, you have to use the page with the mission. Include the most important aspects. Goals, objectives, the targeted audience of your projects, the place you are going to take on a market, advantages of your company, and information for investors, who will be able to attend your business. 
• Your products and services. Show the beneficial services that you are going to use as your main tool to attract customers and succeed. 
• A detailed marketing plan. Here you can show the proper chain of business solutions with an expanded explanation of each and every step of your business. A marketing strategy might include both your potential income and costs. 
• Operations plan. Here you can state all the essential tasks you have to do in order to run your project or manage it. 
• Management. Show the hierarchy of your employees. It will give the clearest image of how many people your company will accept. 
• Financial plan. Giving the clearest and the most expanded vision of all of your costs will be the most important part for your potential investors. Completing this chapter properly might be extremely challenging, but with a proper free business plan template, you will face no trouble with it.

As you can see, there will be more than enough solutions for your business plan. And with a proper conclusion, you will find it simple to show even more beneficial parts of your company to all your investors.

How To Write a Business Plan Template?

To write a proper business plan you can use a sample of a business plan template provided by PandaDoc. When filling it out, you need to include the following information:

• Facts about your company. You can expand it with numbers or achievements like the state of your client base, years of expertise in the market, or anything that attracts the attention of potential investors.
• State the costs and income of your company. It will be essential to calculate everything for investors to have a clear picture of the current state.
• Use the employee tab. With a proper business plan template sample, you will see that you can add employees to the chosen chapter in order to show the levels of responsibility in your company.

And also, you should keep in mind that all the information about your goals, aims, and tools to work on your project has to be clear for any single person that is going to read your business plan. But with PandaDoc tips PandaDoc, you will be able to see all the nuances and fill in your sample.

When To Use a Simple Business Plan Template?

A simple business plan template is ideal for startups or small business owners who just consider starting their path. Individual entrepreneurs can benefit from it too, as it’s a great way to put all the aspects of the job together and spot a range of opportunities to improve.

Having a template for a business plan lets you focus on the main aspects of your business operation, making it full and detailed for your investors. And PandaDoc will help a lot with this task, while such features as eSignature will help with making this small business plan template a real and verified source of the information.

Download Free Business Plan Examples

Download a free business plan in pdf or word doc format to make writing a plan fast and easy, find your sample plan.

Discover the sample plan that best fits your business. Search our gallery of over 550 sample business plans and find the one that's right for you.

View the Gallery

What You'll Get:

A complete business plan Unlike other blank templates, our business plan examples are complete business plans with all of the text and financial forecasts already filled out. Edit the text to make the plan your own and save hundreds of hours.

A professional business plan template All 550 of our business plans are in the SBA-approved format that’s proven to raise money from lenders and investors.

Instructions and help at every step Get help with clear, simple instructions for each section of the business plan. No business experience necessary.

A Word doc you can edit We don’t just have PDF documents that make editing a challenge. Each plan is available in Word format so you can start editing your business plan example right away.

Key Sections Included in our Example Business Plans:

Executive Summary : A quick overview of your plan and entices investors to read more of your plan.

Company : Describes the ownership and history of your business.

Products and Services : Reviews what you sell and what you’re offering your customers.

Market Analysis : Describes your customers and the size of your target market.

Strategy and Implementation : Provides the details of how you plan on building the business.

Management Team : An overview of the people behind the business and why they’re the right team to make the business a success.

Financial Plan : A complete set of forecasts including a Profit and Loss Statement, Cash Flow Statement, and Balance Sheet.

Looking for a sample business plan PDF? You can download a few PDF examples below:

• Accounting and Bookkeeping Sample Business Plan PDF
• Agriculture Farm Sample Business Plan PDF
• Cleaning Service Sample Business Plan PDF

Your download should begin immediately

If your download doesn't begin after 5 seconds, please click here .

View our entire gallery of free downloads

You might also enjoy:

The Small Business Toolkit

Access a free list of must–have resources for new and growing businesses in any industry.

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

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

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

Discover the world’s #1 plan building software

Business Plan Templates

Free Download

2 Essential Templates For Starting Your Business. Available as an interactive PDF or a Google Docs template.

With this business plan template, you'll be able to:

• Write a company description that sells your story
• Plan for the future: lay out goals and metrics for success
• Describe your product line in detail and plan for how to stand out from competitors
• Consider any legal formalities that require attention when starting your business
• Put together necessary financial projections to make a strong start
• Create your buyer persona and determine your product/marketing fit

Build A Business Plan That Works

Available as a one-page interactive PDF and a full template on both Google Docs and Microsoft Word!

Whether you’re starting a business or drafting a formalized document with  your current business goals, it’s important to clearly defi ne the scope of all aspects of the venture — from mission, to target customers, to fi nances, and beyond.

When just starting out, it can be tempting to think of a business plan as simply your company’s name and a description of your product or service. But in reality, planning a business involves thinking through a lot more details.

In this business plan template we’ll guide you through the steps of writing company and product descriptions, setting sales and marketing goals and plans, and thinking through legal and fi nancial logistics. We've included a  plain text, designed , and  completed example version of this template. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you write a business plan.

A business plan is a formal written document that you can use to identify the purpose of your company, make important decisions about your future and help grow your company. HubSpot's free business plan templates provides guidance to establishing your company mission, customer research, competition, and a business strategy to profitability.

Why do I need to fill out the information requested?

We will always keep your personal information safe..

We ask for your information in exchange for a valuable resource in order to (a) improve your browsing experience by personalizing the HubSpot site to your needs; (b) send information to you that we think may be of interest to you by email or other means; (c) send you marketing communications that we think may be of value to you. You can read more about our privacy policy here .

Where can I get a free business plan template?

HubSpot's Free Business Plan Templates are the best way to create a professional, thorough business plan. The templates include instructions and everything you need to know about starting your company.

Is this really free?

Absolutely.

Just sharing some free knowledge that we hope you’ll find useful. Keep us in mind next time you have marketing questions!

What are the basic format of a business plan?

A business plan is a written document that outlines the company's goals, strategy and implementation. The format of the plan varies depending on the type of organization (e.g., for-profit or nonprofit) and size, but most plans share some common features such as an overview, executive summary, and financial information.

What is the best business plan template?

A great business plan template clearly defines the scope of the venture -- from mission, to target customers, to finances, and beyond. HubSpot's business plan template will guide you through the steps of writing company and product descriptions, setting sales and marketing goals and plans, and thinking through legal and financial logistics.

What is needed to start a business?

If you're thinking about starting a business, you'll need to do some research first. You can't just start a business without doing any market research. Market research will tell you if there's an opportunity to turn your idea into a successful business. After that, write your business plan so that you know how much money and time it will take for the project to succeed. Use HubSpot's free business plan template today!

Set yourself up for success with this business plan template

Download the free business plan template.

All fields are required.

Easily create great, effective landing pages for free

• Docsandslides.com
• Google Docs Templates
• Score Business Plan Template

Free Business Plan Google Docs Templates

A well-thought-out business plan will be useful at all stages of the company’s activity. When starting your business, you should make it to determine the structure, budget, development strategies.

If your goal is finance sourcing, then pay special attention to the evidence that the money invested by the customers will pay off. And when telling your potential partners or clients about your project, focus on the benefits of working with you.

To introduce the company’s program at a high level, use business plan template for Google Docs. Free layouts developed by professional designers will save you time, effort and money, guaranteeing a quality result.

This standard layout will be good for any company. Attractive Business Plan Template is designed to describe the marketing strategy and has an editable schedule. The document also has a place for conclusions on market analysis. The background image on the front page can be changed to better match the activity area.

The template is perfect for creating a business plan for a restaurant, cafe, and any other catering establishment. The first page shows the establishment’s name and its main concept. The next one is intended for a detailed description of the strategy, with photos and text. If one page is not enough, just copy and edit it as many times as you need.

The effective Lean Business Plan Template for Google Docs is suitable for any activity area. The layout includes a large chart and a numbered list to help structure information conveniently. Its main features are a gradient background in blue shades and a low-key style. There is enough text space to fit all the important points.

This laconic template will come useful when you need to present the most important points in short. It consists of one page where you can fit up to five points. This is enough to list the activity areas and values of the company, to provide information on market analysis, marketing strategies and reward expectations.

Business Plan Templates

Generating high-quality templates requires significant time and dedication. We simply request the inclusion of a small attribution link. Select the platform where you intend to utilize the template.

Choose your preferred social media platform from options like Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Share our templates with your contacts or friends. If you’re not active on these social networks, you can simply copy the link and paste it into the one you use.

Copy this link and paste it wherever it’s visible, close to where you’re using the image. If that’s not possible, place it at the footer of your website, blog or newsletter, or in the credits section.

Place the attribution line near the image’s usage on your website, or if that’s not feasible, include it in the credits section. For example: ‘image: Docsandslides.com’. This template was created using images from Docsandslides.com.

If you prefer not to support the author, simply follow the link and leave a review on our Google My Business page. By doing so, you’ll be able to use our template for free.

• Google Docs
• Google Slides
• Google Sheets
• Google Forms
• Google Drawings
• Privacy policy

Privacy Overview

Simple Business Plan Templates

By Joe Weller | April 2, 2020

• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn

Link copied

In this article, we’ve compiled a variety of simple business plan templates, all of which are free to download in PDF, Word, and Excel formats.

On this page, you’ll find a one-page business plan template , a simple business plan for startups , a small-business plan template , a business plan outline , and more. We also include a business plan sample and the main components of a business plan to help get you started.

Simple Business Plan Template

Download Simple Business Plan Template

This simple business plan template lays out each element of a traditional business plan to assist you as you build your own, and it provides space to add financing information for startups seeking funding. You can use and customize this simple business plan template to fit the needs for organizations of any size.

One-Page Business Plan Template

Download One-Page Business Plan Template

Excel | Word | PDF  | Smartsheet

Use this one-page business plan to document your key ideas in an organized manner. The template can help you create a high-level view of your business plan, and it provides easy scannability for stakeholders. You can use this one-page plan as a reference to build a more detailed blueprint for your business. 

For additional single page plans, take a look at " One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide ."

Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template

Download Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template

Use this fill-in-the-blank business plan template to guide you as you build your business plan. Each section comes pre-filled with sample content, with space to add customized verbiage relevant to your product or service.

For additional free, downloadable resources, visit " Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates ."

Simple Business Plan for Startup

‌ Download Startup Business Plan Template — Word

This business plan template is designed with a startup business in mind and contains the essential elements needed to convey key product or service details to investors and stakeholders. Keep all your information organized with this template, which provides space to include an executive summary, a company overview, competitive analysis, a marketing strategy, financial data, and more. For additional resources, visit " Free Startup Business Plan Templates and Examples ."

Simple Small-Business Plan Template

Download Simple Small-Business Plan Template

This template walks you through each component of a small-business plan, including the company background, the introduction of the management team, market analysis, product or service offerings, a financial plan, and more. This template also comes with a built-in table of contents to keep your plan in order, and it can be customized to fit your requirements.

Lean Business Plan Template

Download Lean Business Plan Template

This lean business plan template is a stripped-down version of a traditional business plan that provides only the most essential aspects. Briefly outline your company and industry overview, along with the problem you are solving, as well as your unique value proposition, target market, and key performance metrics. There is also room to list out a timeline of key activities.

Simple Business Plan Outline Template

Download Simple Business Plan Outline Template

Word  | PDF

Use this simple business plan outline as a basis to create your own business plan. This template contains 11 sections, including a title page and a table of contents, which details what each section should cover in a traditional business plan. Simplify or expand this outline to create the foundation for a business plan that fits your business needs.

Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline

Download Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline

Excel | Smartsheet

This template doubles as a project plan and timeline to track progress as you develop your business plan. This business planning template enables you to break down your work into phases and provides room to add key tasks and dates for each activity. Easily fill in the cells according to the start and end dates to create a visual timeline, as well as to ensure your plan stays on track.

Simple Business Plan Rubric Template

Download Simple Business Plan Rubric

Excel | Word | PDF | Smartsheet

Once you complete your business plan, use this business plan rubric template to assess and score each component of your plan. This rubric helps you identify elements of your plan that meet or exceed requirements and pinpoint areas where you need to improve or further elaborate. This template is an invaluable tool to ensure your business plan clearly defines your goals, objectives, and plan of action in order to gain buy-in from potential investors, stakeholders, and partners.

Basic Business Plan Sample

Download Basic Business Plan Sample

This business plan sample serves as an example of a basic business plan that contains all the traditional components. The sample provides a model of what a business plan might look like for a fictional food truck business. Reference this sample as you develop your own business plan.

For additional resources to help support your business planning efforts, check out “ Free Strategic Planning Templates .”

Main Components of a Business Plan

The elements you include in your business plan will depend on your product or service offerings, as well as the size and needs of your business. 

Below are the components of a standard business plan and details you should include in each section:

• Company name and contact information
• Website address
• The name of the company or individual viewing the presentation
• Table of Contents
• Company background and purpose
• Mission and vision statement
• Management team introduction
• Core product and service offerings
• Target customers and segments
• Marketing plan
• Competitive analysis
• Unique value proposition
• Financial plan (and requirements, if applicable)
• Business and industry overview
• Historical timeline of your business
• Offerings and the problem they solve
• Current alternatives
• Competitive advantage
• Market size
• Target market segment(s)
• Projected volume and value of sales compared to competitors
• Differentiation from competitors
• Pricing strategy
• Marketing channels
• Promotional plan
• Distribution methods
• Legal structure of your business
• Names of founders, owners, advisors, etc.
• Management team’s roles, relevant experience, and compensation plan
• Staffing requirements and training plans
• Physical location(s) of your business
• Additional physical requirements (e.g., warehouse, specialized equipment, facilities, etc.)
• Production workflow
• Raw materials and sourcing methods
• Projected income statement
• Projected cash flow statement
• Projected balance sheet
• Break-even analysis
• Charts and graphs
• Market research and competitive analysis
• Information about your industry
• Information about your offerings
• Samples of marketing materials
• Other supporting materials

Tips for Creating a Business Plan

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a business plan. Below, you’ll find top tips to help simplify the process as you develop your own plan. 

• Use a business plan template (you can choose from the variety above), or refer to the previous section to create a standard outline for your plan.
• Modify your outline to reflect the requirements of your specific business. If you use a standard business plan outline, remove sections that aren’t relevant to you or aren’t necessary to run your business.
• Gather all the information you currently have about your business first, and then use that information to fill out each section in your plan outline.
• Use your resources and conduct additional research to fill in the remaining gaps. (Note: It isn’t necessary to fill out your plan in order, but the executive summary needs to be completed last, as it summarizes the key points in your plan.)
• Ensure your plan clearly communicates the relationship between your marketing, sales, and financial objectives.
• Provide details in your plan that illustrate your strategic plan of action, looking forward three to five years.
• Revisit your plan regularly as strategies and objectives evolve.
• What product or service are we offering?
• Who is the product or service for?
• What problem does our product or service offering solve?
• How will we get the product or service to our target customers?
• Why is our product or service better than the alternatives?
• How can we outperform our competitors?
• What is our unique value proposition?
• When will things get done, and who is responsible for doing them?
• If you need to obtain funding, how will you use the funding?
• When are payments due, and when do payments come in?
• What is the ultimate purpose of your business?
• When do you expect to be profitable?

To identify which type of business plan you should write, and for more helpful tips, take a look at our guide to writing a simple business plan .

Benefits of Using a Business Plan Template

Creating a business plan can be very time-consuming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. Finding the right template for your business needs can be beneficial for a variety of reasons. 

Using a business plan template — instead of creating your plan from scratch — can benefit you in the following ways:

• Enables you to immediately write down your thoughts and ideas in an organized manner
• Provides structure to help outline your plan
• Saves time and valuable resources
• Helps ensure you don’t miss essential details

Limitations of a Business Plan Template

A business plan template can be convenient, but it has its drawbacks — especially if you use a template that doesn’t fit the specific needs of your business.

Below are some limitations of using a business plan template:

• Each business is unique and needs a business plan that reflects that. A template may not fit your needs.
• A template may restrict collaboration with other team members on different aspects of the plan’s development (sales, marketing, and accounting teams).
• Multiple files containing different versions of the plan may be stored in more than one place.
• You still have to manually create charts and graphs to add to the plan to support your strategy.
• Updates to the plan, spreadsheets, and supporting documents have to be made in multiple places (all documents may not update in real time as changes are made).

Improve Your Business Plan with Real-Time Work Management in Smartsheet

Empower your people to go above and beyond with a flexible platform designed to match the needs of your team — and adapt as those needs change. 

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.

Discover why over 90% of Fortune 100 companies trust Smartsheet to get work done.

Powerful business plan templates

Plan for the future, no matter what your business plans are or the size of your business with these designs and templates. whether it's just one big project or an entire organization's worth of dreams, these templates will keep you and your company on track from ideation to completion..

Put your ideas to work with simple templates for every business plan

Every successful business took a lot of planning to get there, and these templates will be cornerstones of your future success. Whether you're looking to attract new business, pitch your services or reimagine your company, with these simple, customizable templates at your fingertips you can turn complexity into something tangible. These templates can become marketing assets or simply remain internal touchpoints for your team. And as your dreams change, you'll always have this template to refer to – it's easy to change what exists on paper. If you're a small business, focusing on your niche can help you dominate in your field, and you can forge a plan to figure out exactly what that niche might be and how to target your ideal customer . When it's time to share your vision with stakeholders, craft a presentation that outlines your plan succinctly and with style. Let these templates from Microsoft Designer be your partner in business strategy for years to come.

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.

Follow Us On ...

Related Templates

Financial Statements

Filter by Keywords

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

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

Start using ClickUp today

• Manage all your work in one place
• Collaborate with your team
• Use ClickUp for FREE—forever

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! 🏆

Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.

Receive the latest WriteClick Newsletter updates.

Thanks for subscribing to our blog!

Please enter a valid email

• Free training & 24-hour support
• Serious about security & privacy
• 99.99% uptime the last 12 months

Simple Business Plan Template (2024)

Updated: May 4, 2024, 4:37pm

Table of Contents

Why business plans are vital, get your free simple business plan template, how to write an effective business plan in 6 steps, frequently asked questions.

While taking many forms and serving many purposes, they all have one thing in common: business plans help you establish your goals and define the means for achieving them. Our simple business plan template covers everything you need to consider when launching a side gig, solo operation or small business. By following this step-by-step process, you might even uncover a few alternate routes to success.

Featured Partners

ZenBusiness

$0 + State Fees

Varies By State & Package

On ZenBusiness' Website

On LegalZoom's Website

Northwest Registered Agent

$39 + State Fees

On Northwest Registered Agent's Website

$0 + State Fee

On Formations' Website

Whether you’re a first-time solopreneur or a seasoned business owner, the planning process challenges you to examine the costs and tasks involved in bringing a product or service to market. The process can also help you spot new income opportunities and hone in on the most profitable business models.

Though vital, business planning doesn’t have to be a chore. Business plans for lean startups and solopreneurs can simply outline the business concept, sales proposition, target customers and sketch out a plan of action to bring the product or service to market. However, if you’re seeking startup funding or partnership opportunities, you’ll need a write a business plan that details market research, operating costs and revenue forecasting. Whichever startup category you fall into, if you’re at square one, our simple business plan template will point you down the right path.

Copy our free simple business plan template so you can fill in the blanks as we explore each element of your business plan. Need help getting your ideas flowing? You’ll also find several startup scenario examples below.

Download free template as .docx

Whether you need a quick-launch overview or an in-depth plan for investors, any business plan should cover the six key elements outlined in our free template and explained below. The main difference in starting a small business versus an investor-funded business is the market research and operational and financial details needed to support the concept.

1. Your Mission or Vision

Start by declaring a “dream statement” for your business. You can call this your executive summary, vision statement or mission. Whatever the name, the first part of your business plan summarizes your idea by answering five questions. Keep it brief, such as an elevator pitch. You’ll expand these answers in the following sections of the simple business plan template.

• What does your business do? Are you selling products, services, information or a combination?
• Where does this happen? Will you conduct business online, in-store, via mobile means or in a specific location or environment?
• Who does your business benefit? Who is your target market and ideal customer for your concept?
• Why would potential customers care? What would make your ideal customers take notice of your business?
• How do your products and/or services outshine the competition? What would make your ideal customers choose you over a competitor?

These answers come easily if you have a solid concept for your business, but don’t worry if you get stuck. Use the rest of your plan template to brainstorm ideas and tactics. You’ll quickly find these answers and possibly new directions as you explore your ideas and options.

2. Offer and Value Proposition

This is where you detail your offer, such as selling products, providing services or both, and why anyone would care. That’s the value proposition. Specifically, you’ll expand on your answers to the first and fourth bullets from your mission/vision.

As you complete this section, you might find that exploring value propositions uncovers marketable business opportunities that you hadn’t yet considered. So spend some time brainstorming the possibilities in this section.

For example, a cottage baker startup specializing in gluten-free or keto-friendly products might be a value proposition that certain audiences care deeply about. Plus, you could expand on that value proposition by offering wedding and other special-occasion cakes that incorporate gluten-free, keto-friendly and traditional cake elements that all guests can enjoy.

3. Audience and Ideal Customer

Here is where you explore bullet point number three, who your business will benefit. Identifying your ideal customer and exploring a broader audience for your goods or services is essential in defining your sales and marketing strategies, plus it helps fine-tune what you offer.

There are many ways to research potential audiences, but a shortcut is to simply identify a problem that people have that your product or service can solve. If you start from the position of being a problem solver, it’s easy to define your audience and describe the wants and needs of your ideal customer for marketing efforts.

Using the cottage baker startup example, a problem people might have is finding fresh-baked gluten-free or keto-friendly sweets. Examining the wants and needs of these people might reveal a target audience that is health-conscious or possibly dealing with health issues and willing to spend more for hard-to-find items.

However, it’s essential to have a customer base that can support your business. You can be too specialized. For example, our baker startup can attract a broader audience and boost revenue by offering a wider selection of traditional baked goods alongside its gluten-free and keto-focused specialties.

4. Revenue Streams, Sales Channels and Marketing

Thanks to our internet-driven economy, startups have many revenue opportunities and can connect with target audiences through various channels. Revenue streams and sales channels also serve as marketing vehicles, so you can cover all three in this section.

Revenue Streams

Revenue streams are the many ways you can make money in your business. In your plan template, list how you’ll make money upon launch, plus include ideas for future expansion. The income possibilities just might surprise you.

For example, our cottage baker startup might consider these revenue streams:

• Product sales : Online, pop-up shops , wholesale and (future) in-store sales
• Affiliate income : Monetize blog and social media posts with affiliate links
• Advertising income : Reserve website space for advertising
• E-book sales : (future) Publish recipe e-books targeting gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
• Video income : (future) Monetize a YouTube channel featuring how-to videos for the gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
• Webinars and online classes : (future) Monetize coaching-style webinars and online classes covering specialty baking tips and techniques
• Members-only content : (future) Monetize a members-only section of the website for specialty content to complement webinars and online classes
• Franchise : (future) Monetize a specialty cottage bakery concept and sell to franchise entrepreneurs

Sales Channels

Sales channels put your revenue streams into action. This section also answers the “where will this happen” question in the second bullet of your vision.

The product sales channels for our cottage bakery example can include:

• Mobile point-of-sale (POS) : A mobile platform such as Shopify or Square POS for managing in-person sales at local farmers’ markets, fairs and festivals
• E-commerce platform : An online store such as Shopify, Square or WooCommerce for online retail sales and wholesale sales orders
• Social media channels : Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest shoppable posts and pins for online sales via social media channels
• Brick-and-mortar location : For in-store sales , once the business has grown to a point that it can support a physical location

Channels that support other income streams might include:

• Affiliate income : Blog section on the e-commerce website and affiliate partner accounts
• Advertising income : Reserved advertising spaces on the e-commerce website
• E-book sales : Amazon e-book sales via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
• Video income : YouTube channel with ad monetization
• Webinars and online classes : Online class and webinar platforms that support member accounts, recordings and playback
• Members-only content : Password-protected website content using membership apps such as MemberPress

Nowadays, the line between marketing and sales channels is blurred. Social media outlets, e-books, websites, blogs and videos serve as both marketing tools and income opportunities. Since most are free and those with advertising options are extremely economical, these are ideal marketing outlets for lean startups.

However, many businesses still find value in traditional advertising such as local radio, television, direct mail, newspapers and magazines. You can include these advertising costs in your simple business plan template to help build a marketing plan and budget.

5. Structure, Suppliers and Operations

This section of your simple business plan template explores how to structure and operate your business. Details include the type of business organization your startup will take, roles and responsibilities, supplier logistics and day-to-day operations. Also, include any certifications or permits needed to launch your enterprise in this section.

Our cottage baker example might use a structure and startup plan such as this:

• Business structure : Sole proprietorship with a “doing business as” (DBA) .
• Permits and certifications : County-issued food handling permit and state cottage food certification for home-based food production. Option, check into certified commercial kitchen rentals.
• Roles and responsibilities : Solopreneur, all roles and responsibilities with the owner.
• Supply chain : Bulk ingredients and food packaging via Sam’s Club, Costco, Amazon Prime with annual membership costs. Uline for shipping supplies; no membership needed.
• Day-to-day operations : Source ingredients and bake three days per week to fulfill local and online orders. Reserve time for specialty sales, wholesale partner orders and market events as needed. Ship online orders on alternating days. Update website and create marketing and affiliate blog posts on non-shipping days.

Start A Limited Liability Company Online Today with ZenBusiness

Click to get started.

6. Financial Forecasts

Your final task is to list forecasted business startup and ongoing costs and profit projections in your simple business plan template. Thanks to free business tools such as Square and free marketing on social media, lean startups can launch with few upfront costs. In many cases, cost of goods, shipping and packaging, business permits and printing for business cards are your only out-of-pocket expenses.

Cost Forecast

Our cottage baker’s forecasted lean startup costs might include:

Gross Profit Projections

This helps you determine the retail prices and sales volume required to keep your business running and, hopefully, earn income for yourself. Use product research to spot target retail prices for your goods, then subtract your cost of goods, such as hourly rate, raw goods and supplier costs. The total amount is your gross profit per item or service.

Here are some examples of projected gross profits for our cottage baker:

Bottom Line

Putting careful thought and detail in a business plan is always beneficial, but don’t get so bogged down in planning that you never hit the start button to launch your business . Also, remember that business plans aren’t set in stone. Markets, audiences and technologies change, and so will your goals and means of achieving them. Think of your business plan as a living document and regularly revisit, expand and restructure it as market opportunities and business growth demand.

Is there a template for a business plan?

You can copy our free business plan template and fill in the blanks or customize it in Google Docs, Microsoft Word or another word processing app. This free business plan template includes the six key elements that any entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a new business.

What does a simple business plan include?

A simple business plan is a one- to two-page overview covering six key elements that any budding entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a startup. These include your vision or mission, product or service offering, target audience, revenue streams and sales channels, structure and operations, and financial forecasts.

How can I create a free business plan template?

Start with our free business plan template that covers the six essential elements of a startup. Once downloaded, you can edit this document in Google Docs or another word processing app and add new sections or subsections to your plan template to meet your specific business plan needs.

What basic items should be included in a business plan?

When writing out a business plan, you want to make sure that you cover everything related to your concept for the business,  an analysis of the industry―including potential customers and an overview of the market for your goods or services―how you plan to execute your vision for the business, how you plan to grow the business if it becomes successful and all financial data around the business, including current cash on hand, potential investors and budget plans for the next few years.

• Best LLC Services
• Best Registered Agent Services
• Best Trademark Registration Services
• Top LegalZoom Competitors
• Best Business Loans
• Best Business Plan Software
• ZenBusiness Review
• LegalZoom LLC Review
• Northwest Registered Agent Review
• Rocket Lawyer Review
• Inc. Authority Review
• Rocket Lawyer vs. LegalZoom
• Bizee Review (Formerly Incfile)
• Swyft Filings Review
• Harbor Compliance Review
• Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC
• LLC vs. Corporation
• LLC vs. S Corp
• LLP vs. LLC
• DBA vs. LLC
• LegalZoom vs. Incfile
• LegalZoom vs. ZenBusiness
• LegalZoom vs. Rocket Lawyer
• ZenBusiness vs. Incfile
• How To Start A Business
• How to Set Up an LLC
• How to Get a Business License
• LLC Operating Agreement Template
• 501(c)(3) Application Guide
• What is a Business License?
• What is an LLC?
• What is an S Corp?
• What is a C Corp?
• What is a DBA?
• What is a Sole Proprietorship?
• What is a Registered Agent?
• How to Dissolve an LLC
• How to File a DBA
• What Are Articles Of Incorporation?
• Types Of Business Ownership

Next Up In Company Formation

• Best Online Legal Services
• How To Write A Business Plan
• Member-Managed LLC Vs. Manager-Managed LLC
• Starting An S-Corp
• LLC Vs. C-Corp
• How Much Does It Cost To Start An LLC?

What Is SNMP? Simple Network Management Protocol Explained

What Is A Single-Member LLC? Definition, Pros And Cons

What Is Penetration Testing? Definition & Best Practices

What Is Network Access Control (NAC)?

What Is Network Segmentation?

How To Start A Business In Louisiana (2024 Guide)

Krista Fabregas is a seasoned eCommerce and online content pro sharing more than 20 years of hands-on know-how with those looking to launch and grow tech-forward businesses. Her expertise includes eCommerce startups and growth, SMB operations and logistics, website platforms, payment systems, side-gig and affiliate income, and multichannel marketing. Krista holds a bachelor's degree in English from The University of Texas at Austin and held senior positions at NASA, a Fortune 100 company, and several online startups.

All Formats

Plan Templates

Business plan template – 111+ free word, excel, pdf format download.

Do you want to start your small business, startup, or offer professional creative services? With our business plan templates , you can create the best multi or one-page proposal featuring a layout for several businesses and organizations. Our simple business plans  feature a restaurant, real estate, retail, and marketing companies. Likewise, you can also grab a PDF Template  for specific entities such as daycare and nonprofit organizations. You can produce the best business plan for your upcoming brand, product, or service with your financial details and business studies. Start by downloading the perfect format and content template today.

Free Business Plan Template Word

• Google Docs

Plan Template Bundle

Construction Business Plan Template Bundle

Construction Business Continuity Plan Bundle

Construction Marketing Business Plan Template Bundle

Construction Business Development Plan Template Bundle

Business Plan Word Template

Small Business Plan Template Word

Simple Business Plan Template Word

Creative Business Sales Plan Template

Startup Business Plan Template Word

Template Business Plan

YouTube Creative Business Plan Template

Business Plan Design Template Word

Template Word Business Plan

Business Plan Format Word

Startup Business Plan Template

Business Plan Template For Word

Microsoft Word Business Plan Template

Business Plan Examples Word Document

Professional Business Plan Template Word

Short Business Plan Template Word

> Business Continuity Plan

> Restaurant Business Plan

> Sales Business Plan

> Business Plan Outline

> Simple Business Plan Proposal

> Marketing Business Plan

> Real Estate Business Plan

> One Page Business Plan

> Small Business Plan

> Strategic Business Plan

> SPA & Salon Business Plan

> Hotel Business Plan

> Travel Business Plan

> Microsoft Business Plan Template

> 30 60 90 Day Business Plan

> Catering Business Plan

> Coffee Shop Business Plan

> Trucking Business Plan

> Bakery Business Plan

> Farm Business Plan

> Startup Business Plan

> Retail Business Plan

> Non-Profit Business Plan

> Business Plan Template for Mac

> Business Plan Action Template

> Cafe Business Plan

> Car Wash Business Plan

> Construction Business Plan

> Bar Business Plan

> Daycare Business Plan

> Business Plan Maker

> Boutique Business Plan

> Photography Business Plan

> Interior Design Layout Business Plan

> Gym Business Plan

> Financial Executive Summary Business Plan

More in Plan Templates

Diagrams Template

Tech agency presentation template, brand strategy presentation template, corporate presentation template, sales plan presentation template, business meeting presentation template, fashion show business plan presentation template, marketing report presentation template, business marketing presentation template, marketing proposal presentation template.

• 7+ Financial Plan Templates
• 10+ Operational Plan Templates
• 9+ Training Plan Templates
• 5+ Shooting Schedule Template
• 11+ School Counselor Lesson Plan Templates in PDF | Word
• 9+ Interdisciplinary Lesson Plan Templates in PDF | MS Word
• 10+ Business Continuity Plan Templates in Google Docs | Ms Word | Pages | PDF
• 18+ Compensation Plan Templates in Google Docs | MS Word | Pages | PDF
• 10+ Executive Bonus Plan Templates in PDF
• 8+ Facility Management Plan Templates in PDF
• 10+ Diversity Recruitment Plan Templates in PDF | MS Word
• 11+ Audit Corrective Action Plan Templates in MS Word | Excel | PDF
• 9+ Recruitment Agency Marketing Plan Templates in PDF
• 10+ Recruitment Marketing Plan Templates in PDF | MS Word
• 10+ Student Recruitment Plan Templates in PDF | MS Word

File Formats

Word templates, google docs templates, excel templates, powerpoint templates, google sheets templates, google slides templates, pdf templates, publisher templates, psd templates, indesign templates, illustrator templates, pages templates, keynote templates, numbers templates, outlook templates.

• Contact sales

Start free trial

Get your free

Business Plan Template

Use this free Business Plan Template for Word to manage your projects better.

To start your business journey on the right foot, download our free business plan template and break down your business goals into actionable components.

Before you can start your business, you need to find your niche, seek financial backing and create a business plan to bring your idea to fruition. Our free business plan template will guide you through every step of the way. But first, let’s quickly define what a business plan is.

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a document that explains how a business will operate and establish itself in the market to generate profits. Business plans are usually created before a new business starts, to make sure there are no loose ends that could affect its profitability or ability to operate. They can also be created for business improvement purposes.

Business plans are also crucial for raising funds for new business ventures, as they’re used to provide the key details an investor should know to determine whether or not a business is a sound investment.

What Is a Business Plan Template?

Our business plan template outlines the business, product or service that you want to launch. It also details the market you’re targeting, the goals and objectives of the venture and how you propose to achieve them.

The business plan is one of the three pillars that any new idea must stand on to be successful. The other two are a marketing plan and a financial plan. These will be touched upon in part within the business plan template and included in full as supporting documents.

What Should Be Included In a Business Plan Template?

Business plans vary from one organization to another. However, there are key elements that any business plan should have to provide a clear picture of a business, especially if you’re creating a business plan to request funding from investors. Here’s an outline that includes some of the most fundamental aspects to add to your business plans.

• Executive summary
• Company description
• Market analysis
• Marketing & sales strategy
• Operational plan
• Financial projections
• Organizational structure and management
• Legal structure

While you can decide how thorough you want your business plan to be, you’ll want to provide as many details as possible. A detailed business plan can reveal significant flaws in your business model. Business planning flaws such as ignoring industry trends can cost your company money, or could even lead to bankruptcy, so it’s important that you take your time when making a business plan.

How to Use This Free Business Plan Template

Now, let’s dive into each of those sections to have a better idea of how to use this business plan template for Word.

Executive Summary

Here’s where you lay out your idea. Your executive summary is the elevator pitch, something that encapsulates your business plan contents in just one page or a couple of paragraphs.

The main purpose of your executive summary is to highlight the key elements from your business plan thatyou wish to communicate to investors or stakeholders such as the market opportunity, an overview of how you’ll manage the venture, competitive advantages, key aspects of the company background, etc.

Company Description

This section explains what your company does and what it intends to achieve.

• Mission statement: The mission statement is a short action declaration that explains the purpose of your business and what it does. It should be one or two sentences long.
• Vision statement: The vision statement is similar to your mission statement in terms of length, but the vision statement states the future goals of the organization.
• Value proposition: The value proposition explains how your company will offer value to customers in a unique way that differentiates it from the competition.
• Core values: The core values are the guiding principles that shape your company’s organizational culture, such as integrity, innovation and collaboration.

Market Analysis

This section should explain to readers how your company intends to compete and position itself in a particular market. To do so, you should include the following:

• Industry analysis: Provide an overview of your business industry. Briefly explain if there are any current trends that might affect your business, either positively or negatively, such as new competitors, new technologies or any other changes. You should include statistics to explain how your industry has grown over the years to convince stakeholders of its value.
• Target market: The target market section should explain the ideal customer for your products. Your marketing activities will be focused on this type of customer, so it should be the most profitable customer to serve. You can easily express what your target market is by creating buyer personas.
• Direct competitors: Direct competitors are businesses that offer exactly the same type of product you do and also serve the same target market. For this reason, you should use your unique value proposition to differentiate from them. Think about two different brands of soda. They offer the exact same product to the same market, at the same place.
• Indirect competitors: Indirect competitors are businesses that offer substitute products to your target market, which means they don’t offer the same product as you do, but their product could also be used to satisfy the same customer need. Now think about butter and margarine. While the product isn’t exactly the same, it can be purchased by customers to satisfy the same need.
• SWOT analysis: SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A SWOT analysis is a very important part of a business plan because it allows you to do a quick assessment of your current competitive position by looking at the internal strengths and weaknesses of your business while also considering any opportunities and threats from the external environment, such as the risk of new competitors or the opportunity of an underserved market.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

The purpose of this section is to explain how your company will market the product to your customers. It uses the 4 Ps of marketing as the guiding principle.

• Product: Explain what your product is, how it works and how it’s meant to be used. Also, explain some of the main attributes or features that make it superior to other products on the market. This can be anything such as lower production costs , durability or ease of use.
• Price: Pricing is an important part of your marketing strategy. Use this template to indicate your estimated profit margin along with a general description of the expected costs.
• Place: Place simply refers to two main things. Your sales channels, which are the methods you use to sell your product, such as online e-commerce platforms or brick-and-mortar locations and your distribution channels, which are the methods of transportation you’ll use to bring your product from the production line to the final customer.
• Promotion: Use this section to explain the various methods you’ll use to advertise your product, such as websites, social media platforms or traditional methods such as TV, newspaper or radio ads.

Operational Plan

This section should provide a quick overview of how your business will operate by outlining the following areas:

• Day-to-day operations: Briefly explain how your business will serve customers or manufacture products. The goal is to provide a quick overview of the daily operations of your business for stakeholders and investors.
• Supply chain: Every business needs to purchase raw materials, parts and components to deliver products or services to its target market. Use this section to explain the key steps in your supply chain , and who are your key suppliers.
• Permits and regulatory compliance: Use this section to list any permits or regulatory compliance standards your products should meet, if any.

Financial Projections

Use this section to attach any financial documents you might have. If you’re starting a new business you can use financial forecasts. Here are some of the financial documents you can include.

• Income statements
• Balance sheets
• Cash flow statements
• Capital expenditure budgets
• Cost forecasts
• Gross profit projections
• Profit & loss statement
• Projected balance sheet

In addition to these documents, it’s advisable to include an exit strategy. The exit strategy is a contingency plan that’s executed to minimize losses for investors and business owners in the event of bankruptcy or if the business must be terminated at some point. Use this section to briefly explain how you’d execute your exit strategy.

Management Team and Key Personnel

It helps to build confidence and give investors a sense of the risk they’re dealing with if you can provide profiles of your executive and management team. In fact, anyone who will be instrumental in executing the business plan should be included. Their skills and experience can go a long way to realizing your business plan.

Legal Structure

Last but not least, use this section to explain whether your business is a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or any other type of legal structure.

While you can decide how thorough you want your business plan to be, the more details you provide the better, as a detailed business plan can reveal significant flaws in your business model. Business planning flaws such as ignoring industry trends can cost your company money, or could even lead to bankruptcy, so it’s important that you take your time when making a business plan.

Why Should You Use a Business Plan Template?

The main reason for a business plan template is to show off your idea in the best possible way to attract investors by collecting the points that show why your business, product or service is viable.

The other reason is that nothing is possible without a plan. Launching a new business, product or service is a project, and a project without a plan is like a boat without a rudder. It might not sink, but it’s unlikely to get where you want it to go.

There are more detailed reasons to take the time and effort required to fill in our business plan template. For example, a bank and investors won’t let you in the door without a business plan. The same is true for any potential partners.

On top of that, the template provides broad strokes as to how to implement your idea . This is vitally important if you sway your investors and need to make the plan a reality.

Once you have investors on board, you need to turn your business plan into a viable project. Project management software like ProjectManager can help. Our Gantt charts can organize tasks, track costs, allocate resources and more. Plus, live dashboards give you a high-level view of performance to catch issues before they become problems. With project management software, you can plan, track and report on everything that matters. We’ll help you make your business plan a successful venture.

When Should You Use This Free Business Plan Template for Word?

You should use a business plan template when you’re getting ready to shop your idea for the bank, investors or a partner. Before using our template, you’ll want to have done all the necessary due diligence.

In other words, once you have an idea for the business, product or service, you need to do market research to see where it fits in the larger commercial landscape. Then, you’ll need to figure out how much capital you’ll need to realize the idea.

Once you have all the work done for your proposal, then you can start the process of filling in the business plan template. The more thorough your preparation, the more convincing your plan and the more likely you’ll get it off the ground.

Who Should Use This Free Business Plan Template for Word?

Anyone who is planning to run a business needs to use our business plan template. It’s your roadmap  and provides you with a plan forward by outlining objectives, establishing priorities and more.

You’ll also need this business plan template if you already have an established business and are looking for buyers to sell it to. This is also true if you’re looking to determine the value of your business says for taxes or estate planning.

How to Track the Execution of Your Business Plan With ProjectManager

ProjectManager is award-winning software that helps you organize your plan and execute it more effectively. Once you’ve filled in your business plan template, the real work begins. Our tool helps you create a schedule and manage your resources to successfully deliver your plan.

Gantt Charts to Plan

Use our Gantt chart project view to input your tasks or import the task list from any spreadsheet. You can also use one of the many industry-specific templates loaded into the tool to get you started. Then add durations for your tasks and they’ll populate the timeline side of the Gantt, giving you a full picture of the plan laid out chronologically.

Dashboards to Track Progress

When you execute your plan, you need to monitor its actual progress to make sure you’re on track. Our real-time dashboard collects status updates and automatically monitors your schedule, costs and other vital metrics, displaying them in easy-to-read graphs and charts. This high-level view helps you catch issues before they become problems.

Reports for Your Stakeholders

Keeping executives and other stakeholders in the loop is important. One-click reporting makes it simple to get data on the performance of your plan as it’s executed and then share those reports. They can even be filtered to give stakeholders the only information they want.

There’s so much more that ProjectManager does to make sure your plan is a success. From unlimited file storage to resource and team management, we allow you to make your business plan and implement it successfully.

What Other Free Excel Templates Can Help You Build a Business Plan?

Our business plan template collects a lot of information, but in order to have a thought-through plan, you’ll want to use some of the other free project management templates we have free on our website.

Project Charter Template

For your plan to work, you need to have a project charter. Our free project charter template helps you figure out the scope of your project, identify objectives and deliverables and even start figuring out the tasks, resources and costs for the work to come.

Statement of Work Template

The statement of work outlines the course of your project plan, including activities, deliverables and the timetable. It defines these essential components of any plan and acts as the first step in your journey to creating a project plan. The free statement of work (SOW) template lays it all out for you.

Project Proposal Template

Before the plan comes the proposal. It’s the pitch to get your project approved so you can then create a plan. The free project proposal template sets the stage and all you have to do is add the details. When approved you have already made the first step towards a plan, which makes it that much easier.

Related Business Planning Resources

If you’re looking for more information about business and planning, then check out the resources page on our website. We have tutorial videos, blog posts and guides that address every aspect of project management. Here are just a few relevant articles.

• 15 Free Word and Excel Templates for Business 
• Strategic Planning in Business
• Why You Need a Reliable Business Continuity Plan
• How to Choose a Project Planner That’s Right for You

ProjectManager is an online tool that gives you real-time data to make better decisions when managing your project. Organize your teams, help them collaborate and drive your project more efficiently to a successful end. Join the tens of thousands of teams that already use ProjectManager and take your free 30-day trial today.

Start your free 30-day trial

Deliver faster, collaborate better, innovate more effectively — without the high prices and months-long implementation and extensive training required by other products.

• Newsletters
• Best Industries
• Business Plans
• Home-Based Business
• The UPS Store
• Customer Service
• Black in Business
• Your Next Move
• Female Founders
• Best Workplaces
• Company Culture
• Public Speaking
• HR/Benefits
• Productivity
• All the Hats
• Digital Transformation
• Artificial Intelligence
• Bringing Innovation to Market
• Cloud Computing
• Social Media
• Data Detectives
• Exit Interview
• Bootstrapping
• Crowdfunding
• Venture Capital
• Business Models
• Personal Finance
• Founder-Friendly Investors
• Upcoming Events
• Inc. 5000 Vision Conference
• Become a Sponsor
• Cox Business
• Verizon Business
• Branded Content
• Apply Inc. 5000 US

Inc. Premium

Top 10 Business-Plan Templates You Can Download Free

Why reinvent the wheel get free professional business plan templates at no cost..

Writing your business plan. Ughhhh.

It's definitely not the most exciting part of starting a business. In fact, if you're like a lot of entrepreneurs, you're probably going to find yourself pulling a few all-nighters to get one done before heading into your first pitch for funding . Because that's the thing--your business plan is a pretty important.

Any funder worth his or her salt wants to see it right off the bat. Moreover though, a solid business plan is a living document that will continue to guide your efforts as your business grows. Recently, I shared 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups , an infographic created by Mark Vital over at Funders and Founders.

A lot of those mistakes (most of them, in fact) are the result of poor planning. Bad location, a marginal niche, having no specific user in mind, raising too much or too little money--all of these issues can be prevented or at least mitigated with good planning.

Creating your business plan is more than just getting your ideas down on paper for potential funders to see. It's an exploratory process in which you can evaluate your options, test your assumptions about your idea, and even discover new opportunities. It might even lead you to kill off aspects of your business before investing too much time or money in them.

That doesn't mean you have to bust out Word and start the plan from scratch. A template is great--you probably aren't doing anything that hasn't been done before, so it provides a proven structure for your plan. Pretty much everything on it can be customized. Check out these comprehensive business plan templates you can download for free to get you started:

1. Score's Business Plan Template for Startups

Score is an American nonprofit dedicated to helping entrepreneurs get their companies off the ground. Its template, available as a PDF or Word download, asks a whopping 150 questions and is generic enough to customize for most types of businesses. The Refining the Plan resource that comes with it is helpful, especially if this is your first crack at writing a business plan.

2. U.S. Small Business Administration Business Plan Engine

The SBA's template is available to fill out online and then download as a PDF. You can go back in and edit it as needed, so don't worry about having everything ready the first time you sit down to tackle it. Even broken into sections, it's a long document and a bit of a slog to get through, but it produces a professional-looking and useful business plan. This is particularly helpful if your idea isn't fully fleshed out and you know you have homework to do--it prompts you for information.

3. The $100 Startup's One-Page Business Plan

Who said a business plan has to be a long, complicated document? Some funders are going to want to see a lot of detail, but you can provide that in appendices. The $100 Startup, the website for the best-selling book of the same name, has a ton of stripped-down resources for entrepreneurs, including this super simplified business plan template.

4. LawDepot's WYSIWYG Business Plan Template

This one says you just have to answer a few simple questions and will be "done before you know it!" Don't believe it. A business plan should take time and a lot of homework, but if you've already done that, LawDepot's template is a decent choice. It walks you through getting started, marketing, product, competitive analysis, SWOT, and more, with a window below the input fields to show you the plan as you work away at it. You can download it free with a trial subscription, but you'll have to remember to cancel it within the week if you don't plan to continue using it.

Editor's Note: Looking for Business Loans for your company? If you would like information to help you choose the one that's right for you, use the questionnaire below to have our partner, BuyerZone, provide you with information for free:

5. sme toolkit business plan samples.

The SME Toolkit, jointly offered by IFC and IBM, offers a simple two-page outline of what should be included in your business plan to meet the minimum requirements of funders and tax authorities (in the U.S.). It contains 10 broad sections, including market analysis, management and organization, etc., with a one-paragraph explanation of each. A second download on the same page is an Excel file to help with your financial projections.

6. Office Online Templates Galore

Of course, Microsoft offers a ton of business plan templates for Office users (you can get birthday invitations while you're at it). If you'd rather do a business plan presentation than a Word doc, you can download one of Microsoft Office's half a dozen or so PowerPoint templates for just that purpose. You'll want to customize it with your company branding (you have your branding down, right?), but it's easier than starting from a blank PPT.

7. vFinance Inc. Business Plan Template and Guide

Global financial services firm vFinance offers a basic, 30-page business plan template to download from its website--one the company says has been downloaded more than a quarter of a million times. No, it won't be completely unique, but vFinance knows what it's doing and the template is pretty comprehensive. VFinance is the creator of the massive Venture Capital Directory and has tailored the plan to appeal to funders. If that's your goal, definitely check this one out.

8. Invoiceberry Templates for Word, Open Office, Excel, or PPT

U.K. online invoicing software brand Invoiceberry offers free business plan templates in .docx, .odt, .xlsx, and .pptx formats. Each one also contains a marketing plan and executive summary template. There's a catch, though--the company asks you to take one of the following three actions before you can download the template: like it on Facebook, give it a +1 on Google+, or give it your email address. If you don't mind doing that, it's a good deal. Kudos to Invoiceberry for figuring out this effective lead-gen tactic too!

9. Santa Clara University's My Own Business Institute Plans

Santa Clara U's MOBI is an initiative of its Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Leavey School of Business. On the site, you can download each of the 15 business plan sections individually as Word documents, or grab all 15 together in one doc. There's a ton of other helpful resources as well, including guidelines for evaluating your potential sites, a list of key people to review your plan, and sample financial sheets.

10. RocketLawyer's Business Plan Templates by State

Like some of the others, you fill out RocketLawyer's form and download the business plan when you're done--but its template allows you to choose your state before getting started. These plans are tailored to meet your financing requirements in your state, which is a huge bonus for those seeking funding through banks. It's also heavily geared toward financing, making it a good choice if that's a priority for you.

Editorial Disclosure: Inc. writes about products and services in this and other articles. These articles are editorially independent - that means editors and reporters research and write on these products free of any influence of any marketing or sales departments. In other words, no one is telling our reporters or editors what to write or to include any particular positive or negative information about these products or services in the article. The article's content is entirely at the discretion of the reporter and editor. You will notice, however, that sometimes we include links to these products and services in the articles. When readers click on these links, and buy these products or services, Inc may be compensated. This e-commerce based advertising model - like every other ad on our article pages - has no impact on our editorial coverage. Reporters and editors don't add those links, nor will they manage them. This advertising model, like others you see on Inc, supports the independent journalism you find on this site.

The Daily Digest for Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders

Privacy Policy

ConsumerSearch.com

• Home & Garden
• Fitness & Sports
• Family & Pets
• Health & Beauty

The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Best Free Business Plan Download

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur looking to start your own business? One of the essential tools you’ll need is a well-crafted business plan. A business plan serves as a roadmap for your venture, outlining your goals, strategies, and financial projections. While there are countless resources available online, finding a free business plan download that meets your specific needs can be challenging. In this ultimate guide, we will explore the key factors to consider when searching for the best free business plan download.

Understanding Your Business Needs

Before diving into the world of free business plan downloads, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your specific business needs. Consider factors such as the industry you’re entering, the size and scope of your venture, and your target audience. This will help you narrow down your search and find a business plan template that aligns with your requirements.

When assessing templates, look for ones that offer sections related to market analysis, competitor research, financial projections, and marketing strategies. These components are vital for creating a comprehensive and effective business plan.

Researching Reputable Sources

With numerous websites offering free business plan downloads, it’s essential to research reputable sources before making any commitments. Look for websites that are well-established and trusted within the entrepreneurial community.

One way to gauge credibility is by reading user reviews or testimonials from other entrepreneurs who have used their templates. Additionally, consider resources provided by government agencies or reputable organizations focused on supporting small businesses.

Customization and Flexibility

While a free business plan download can be an excellent starting point for crafting your own document, it’s crucial to find one that allows customization and flexibility. Your business is unique, so having a template that can be tailored to fit your specific needs is essential.

Look for templates that are easily editable in popular software programs like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. This will enable you to modify sections, add or remove content, and personalize your business plan to reflect your vision.

User-Friendly Interface

Another important aspect to consider when choosing a free business plan download is the user-friendliness of the interface. A complicated or confusing template can easily lead to frustration and wasted time.

Opt for templates that have a clean and intuitive design, with clear instructions on how to fill in each section. A user-friendly interface will ensure a smooth and efficient process as you work on creating your business plan.

In conclusion, finding the best free business plan download requires careful consideration of your specific needs, research into reputable sources, customization options, and a user-friendly interface. By taking these factors into account, you can find a template that serves as an excellent starting point for crafting an effective business plan that sets you up for success. Remember, while a free download may be helpful, investing in professional advice or consulting services can further enhance the quality of your business plan and increase your chances of achieving your entrepreneurial goals.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

MORE FROM CONSUMERSEARCH.COM

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

• You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
• You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
• You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
• A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

• Project management Track your team’s tasks and projects in Hive
• Time tracking Automatically track time spent on Hive actions
• Goals Set and visualize your most important milestones
• Resourcing Track time and assign teammates to projects
• Forms Gather feedback, project intake, client requests and more
• Proofing & Approvals Streamline design and feedback workflows in Hive
• See all features
• Analytics Gain visibility and gather insights into your projects
• Automations Save time by automating everyday tasks
• Hive Apps Connect dozens of apps to streamline work from anywhere
• Integrations Sync Hive with your most-used external apps
• Templates Quick-start your work in Hive with pre-built templates
• Download Hive Access your workspace on desktop or mobile
• Project management Streamline initiatives of any size & customize your workflow by project
• Resource management Enable seamless resourcing and allocation across your team
• Project planning Track and plan all upcoming projects in one central location
• Time tracking Consolidate all time tracking and task management in Hive
• Cross-company collaboration Unite team goals across your organization
• Client engagement Build custom client portals and dashboards for external use
• All use cases
• Enterprise Bring your organization into one unified platform
• Agency Streamline project intake, project execution, and client comms
• University Marketing Maximize value from your marketing and admissions workflows with Hive
• Nonprofits Seamless planning, fundraising, event execution and more
• Marketing Streamline your marketing projects and timelines
• Business operations Track and optimize strategic planning and finance initiatives
• Education Bring your institutions’ planning, fundraising, and more into Hive
• Design Use Hive to map out and track all design initiatives and assets
• On-demand demo Access a guided walk through Hive
• Customers More on how Teams are using Hive now
• FAQ & support articles Find answers to your most asked questions
• Hive University Become a Hive expert with our free Hive U courses
• Webinars Learn about Hive’s latest features
• Hive Community Where members discuss and answer questions in the community
• Professional Services Get hands-on help from our Professional Services team
• Hive Partners Explore partners services or join as a partner
• FEATURED WEBINAR

Hive 101 for Managers

Designed solely for workspace leaders, the Hive Team dives into advanced features like Dashboards, Resourcing, and Approvals to can help you manage your team more effectively.

• Request Demo
• Get Started

The Best Project Plan Template

• Michaela Rollings
• August 23, 2024

Table of Contents

In any organization, project plans are essential documents that outline the goals, objectives, scope, timelines, resources, and potential risks associated with a specific project.

These plans provide a roadmap for all team members to follow and help ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal. Better yet, having a project plan template make that roadmap even more clear and replicable across teams.

The Main Benefits of Project Plans

One of the key benefits of project plans is that they provide a clear direction for all team members involved in the project. By clearly outlining the goals and objectives of the project, team members can understand what is expected of them and how their individual contributions fit into the bigger picture. This helps to align everyone’s efforts towards achieving the desired outcome – and that’s even easier with a project plan template.

Project plans also help to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget. By outlining the specific timelines and resources required for each phase of the project, project managers can better track progress and make adjustments as needed to keep the project on track.

Hive’s to-do list view pictured above.

This helps to mitigate the risk of delays and cost overruns, which can have a significant impact on the overall success of the project.

Additionally, project plans help to identify potential risks and challenges that may arise during the project. By considering these factors early on, project managers can develop strategies to address them proactively and minimize their impact on the project.

This can help to improve the overall chances of success and reduce the likelihood of unforeseen issues derailing the project. Making project plans repeatable with a project plan template also helps the reduction of issues that could arise.

What Does A Project Plan Template Help You Do?

What’s even better than any old project plan? A free project plan template, built custom for your team and needs. When you’re just starting out, you don’t always have the money, time, or energy to spend on paying someone to build out a complex plan. But our free project plan plan template will cover that for you.

Set Clear Goals

One of the key reasons why project plans are important is that they help teams to clarify their vision and set concrete goals for their project. By outlining the project’s mission, objectives, and strategies, a project plan provides a framework for decision-making and helps to keep the team or organization on track towards its long-term goals – it can even help you automate them.

Without a clear plan in place, it can be easy for teams to lose focus and become overwhelmed by day-to-day operations. That’s why we’re helping you develop this project plan template – it will take you 60 seconds to create, and it will save you HOURS down the line. Here’s why it’s helpful to have a project plan template.

Communicate With Stakeholders

In addition to providing a roadmap for the business, a well-developed project plan also serves as a communication tool for stakeholders. Whether it’s potential investors, employees, or suppliers, a project plan can help to convey the project’s goals and objectives in a clear and concise manner. There’s no easier way to ensure you’re all on the same page than a project template.

This can be particularly important when seeking financing, as lenders and investors will want to see a well-thought-out plan that demonstrates the company’s potential for success.

Anticipating Future Challenges

Another key reason why project plans and a project plan template are important is that they help store and replicate successful past projects. If you’ve got a project template that has been battle-tested and used throughout the course of months and years, it’s easier to guarantee project success.

This level of preparation can also help the business to navigate unforeseen challenges and adapt to changing market conditions.

6 Steps to Writing A Project Plan

Writing a project plan is essential for effectively managing and executing a project. To ensure success, it is important to follow a systematic approach to develop a comprehensive and well-thought-out plan.

The following are the steps needed to write a project plan, whether it’s from a project plan template for Word, or something more complex, like an agile project plan template:

1. Define the project scope: Identify the objectives, deliverables, timeline, budget, and resources required for the project. Clearly outline what needs to be accomplished and the constraints that need to be considered.

2. Identify key stakeholders: Determine who will be involved in the project and their roles and responsibilities. This includes team members, sponsors, clients, and any other relevant parties.

3. Create a work breakdown structure: Break down the project into smaller tasks and subtasks to organize and prioritize the work that needs to be done. This will help ensure that all aspects of the project are considered and accounted for.

4. Develop a timeline: Create a schedule that outlines the start and end dates of the project, as well as key milestones and deadlines. This will help keep the project on track and ensure that tasks are completed in a timely manner.

5. Assign resources: Allocate resources, such as personnel, equipment, and budget, to each task in the project plan. This will help ensure that the necessary resources are available to complete the project successfully.

6. Monitor and control progress: Establish metrics and key performance indicators to track progress and measure the success of the project. Regularly review and update the project plan to address any deviations or issues that arise.

By following these steps, you can develop a well-structured and detailed project plan that will guide the successful completion of your project.

Get Hive’s Free Project Plan Template

We know how hard it is to get started with a business – we started one too! Hive has been around since 2016, but we know that it can be so tricky to get out of the gate.

The good news is that we’ve used our project planning and AI superpowers to bring you a free business plan template that can be customized to your EXACT needs. How you might ask? Our super impressive new AI tool .

All you have to do to get your own personal business plan is visit mind.hive.com and type in the following command: “Create a project plan for me.”

You’ll be able to add in the amount of days you’d like it to plan across, and you can also interact in real-time and add feedback to the AI planner. So if it spits out something that you don’t like, you can just ask the AI to change it.

From there, you can get and download your project plan, get started, and head for world domination. Getting a free business plan template has really never been easier. And you’re in total control!

Best Prompts to Generate a Great Project Plan

With Hive’s project action plan template generator, you’ll need to feed a prompt to the AI. Here are a few places to start:

• “Generate a project plan for a new startup in the cosmetics space looking to launch their first product”
• “Build out a project plan for a construction company looking to kick off three local house builds at once”
• “List the steps I’d need to take to start a business in Colorado”
• “Generate a free startup plan for a non-profit dog adoption agency in Minnesota”

These are just a few places to start! The sky is the limit, and we want this project plan template to be as customized as possible.

Have any feedback for us about project plans? Email us at [email protected].

Want to spread the word share on social, get started with hive.

Test Hive out with a 2 week free trial.

Terms of Service

Privacy Policy

© 2015 – 2024 HIVE® GLOBAL INC.

• Best Hearing Aids
• Best OTC Hearing Aids
• Most Affordable Hearing Aids
• Hearing Aids: See All Topics
• Best Medical Alert Systems
• Best Medical Alert Systems with Fall Detection Devices
• Best Medical Alert Watches
• Medical Alert Systems: See All Topics
• Best Mattress for Back Pain
• Best Mattress for Arthritis
• Best Adjustable Beds
• Sleep: See All Topics
• Explore All Adviser Topics
• Explore NCOA.org

The NCOA Adviser Reviews Team researches these products & services and may earn a commission from qualified purchases made through links included.

The NCOA Adviser Reviews Team researches these products & services and may earn a commission from qualified purchases made through links included. NCOA does not receive a commission for purchases. If you find these resources useful, consider  donating to NCOA .

Estate Planning Guide and Checklist for 2024

Key takeaways.

• Common estate planning documents are wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and living wills.
• Everyone can benefit from having a will, no matter how small their estate or simple their wishes.
• Online estate planning services offer basic packages for less than $200.
• Estate planning attorneys can cost several hundred dollars per hour.
• Estate plans must be updated after significant life events.

Why you can trust us

Our Reviews Team consists of trained lawyers who have spent hundreds of hours researching estate planning and using the services we recommend. We only recommend services we find to be helpful and accurate. To develop our reviews and guidance, we:

• Spent 300 hours researching and using online estate planning services
• Consulted with legal experts, probate attorneys, and financial planners to learn the best practices in estate planning
• Went behind the paywall to gain firsthand experience with five of the top online will creation services to review and compare them with each other
• Read hundreds of customer reviews on trusted third-party websites, such as Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot

What is estate planning?

Organizing your affairs in preparation for the end of your life is an important task, and estate planning is an ongoing process that includes much more than writing a will. This type of planning helps determine who can make decisions on your behalf, who takes care of your dependents, and how to avoid unnecessary taxes and waiting periods.

Estate planning covers any decisions regarding money, property, medical care, dependent care, and other matters that can arise when a person dies.

The biggest benefit of estate planning is peace of mind—you’ll know your wishes will be fulfilled for the benefit of your loved ones. At the very least, everyone should have a simple estate plan in place.

Elements of estate planning

Most of this process consists of creating and finalizing estate planning documents, such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and living wills. You can be as detailed as you want. Some people even include a letter of instruction with their estate to walk their family members through the documents.

A will, formally called a “ last will and testament ,” is a legal document stating how you want your executor (the person legally obligated to administer your estate) to distribute your assets when you die.

Dying without a will is known as dying “intestate,” which means state law will dictate what happens with your estate.

Probate refers to the process of distributing your estate after you’ve died. Your estate will go through the probate process whether you die with or without a will, but having a will ensures your executor honors your wishes. Going through probate court without a will is more time consuming and expensive, with the money coming out of your estate first.

If you already know where you want your assets to go, it’s easy to make a will without a lawyer . Online will services offer interactive questionnaires to help you create a legally binding will specific to your state.

A trust is a legal contract that allows another person (the “trustee”) to hold property for you (the “grantor”). This is typically so the beneficiaries (individuals or institutions who stand to inherit something) can use the property at some point in the future. You can place money, physical assets, or anything else of value in a trust.

Trusts are also helpful to hold property when beneficiaries are minor children who are not yet fit to handle their full inheritance. In that situation, the property will stay in the trust until the beneficiaries reach a certain age.

Property is also distributed faster in a trust because you avoid a lengthy probate court process, so it’s sometimes preferred for that reason.

Living trust vs. testamentary trust

You can create a living trust , also called an inter vivos trust, to hold property both before and after your death.

A testamentary trust is a type of trust that a will creates, so it only becomes effective after the grantor’s death.

The difference between these two kinds of trusts is that a living trust is effective while the grantor is alive, and a testamentary trust only becomes effective after the grantor’s death.

Revocable vs. irrevocable living trusts

A revocable living trust is one where the grantor retains the right to modify, amend, revoke, or terminate the trust. In an irrevocable living trust, the grantor is not allowed to make changes to the trust, but some states may allow the trustee to transfer property in and out of an irrevocable trust with permission from the trust’s beneficiaries.

A revocable trust becomes irrevocable when the grantor dies, since they can no longer make changes to it. Some people choose to place their assets in a revocable trust rather than only using a will. Upon the grantor’s death, the executor distributes assets in a trust faster because they don’t have to go through probate.

Helpful hint: Trusts are not just for wealthy people. Anyone who wants their property to go to their relatives in a quick and easy manner can create a trust. For example, parents of young children may put property in a trust specifically designated to fund a child’s education.

Power of attorney

Power of attorney (POA) refers to the authority you give someone else to make legal, financial, or medical decisions on your behalf. These documents are commonly included in online estate planning service packages.

The person to whom you grant power of attorney is called your “agent.” You identify this person in a document that only takes effect when you are considered unable to act on your own behalf, or you can grant someone POA for a specific purpose, such as purchasing a vehicle for you.

If you become unable to manage your own legal or financial affairs and you have not designated an agent to act on your behalf, a court may appoint one for you. Each state has its own laws on POAs, but the general types to be aware of include (but are not limited to) durable, limited, and financial.

A durable power of attorney means your agent can continue to act on your behalf even when your situation changes, such as if you become ill and are unable to make decisions. It can grant broad authority or be restricted to a specific purpose.

Helpful hint: Some states allow “springing” durable POAs, which means the POA only takes effect when you are deemed incapacitated. This is useful if you don’t want to give someone else decision-making authority right away, but want protection if you ever need someone to advocate on your behalf.

A limited power of attorney gives the agent authority to make decisions for a specific purpose, or for a limited period of time. In contrast, a general POA gives the agent broad authority to act.

A financial power of attorney gives the agent authority to manage your financial affairs. You can make this effective immediately or at the time of an event, like a sudden incapacitating illness or death.

Health care decisions

Health care is one of the most common aspects of estate planning. You want someone you trust to help ensure your wishes are respected if you become unable to advocate for yourself. Living wills, health care proxies, and advance health care directives are tools you can use to protect yourself in the future.

Living wills

A living will states your preferences regarding health care planning, such as whether you want life-extending treatment, how you want to manage long-term care, what procedures you do or do not want, and other end-of-life matters.

Health care proxies

A health care proxy is a durable POA specifically for medical treatment—you appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf when you are deemed unable to do so by a medical professional.

Advance health care directives

Advance directives is an umbrella term that can refer to any document regarding future medical decision-making. It can refer to a living will, health care proxy, or other legal document.

One document to include with your advance directive is a HIPAA authorization. HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (1996). 1 This federal law protects your medical records by requiring a signed authorization form before you grant access to someone other than yourself. Having a signed authorization for your agent ensures they can access your medical records when the directive takes effect.

Tax planning documents

Taxes can take an alarming percentage of what you leave to your beneficiaries, but you can limit what taxes your estate pays in a few ways. Each state has its own tax laws, so your obligation will depend on where you live. While financial and tax planners are best equipped to advise you on these matters, you should consider a few types of taxes when organizing your affairs: estate, inheritance, and gift taxes.

According to the IRS, an estate tax applies to estates valued more than a certain threshold at the time of death. 2 You calculate the tax by:

• Adding the fair market value of everything a person owns
• Taking out deductions
• Adding the value of gifts made during the person’s lifetime
• Taking out any credits

If the estate value is above $13.61 million (as of 2024), the estate pays a tax to the federal government.

Inheritance tax

Only six states impose inheritance taxes:

• Pennsylvania

While estate taxes are owed to the federal government, inheritance taxes are owed to the state government. Additionally, while estate taxes are paid directly from the estate itself, inheritance taxes are paid by the heir or beneficiaries based on what they received in probate.

These taxes do not apply to surviving spouses or to payouts from life insurance policies. Instead, inheritance taxes usually only apply to more distant relatives and heirs. It’s unlikely this tax affects you, but it’s good to be aware of it if you live in one of the six states that apply it.

Many people choose to make gifts during their lifetime to reduce the value of their estate when they die. According to the IRS, gifting can take different forms : selling something for less than its full value, transferring the right to use income from property, or transferring money or property without expecting to receive the full value in return. 3 Usually, the person giving the gift owes the tax, but other arrangements are possible with the advice of a tax professional.

Estate planning checklist 2024

The best way to approach estate planning for the first time is to make a checklist for yourself. Everyone has unique needs, and an estate planning attorney may be helpful if your needs are complex. Before making the choice whether to hire an attorney or do it yourself, these are general steps you can take to get started.

☐ Take an inventory

Write down everything you own of value that you can think of. This may seem overwhelming, but keeping a running list of assets is worth the time to make sure nothing important is left out. Make sure to consider both tangible and intangible assets. Tangible assets are:

• Other physical items of value

Intangible assets are:

• Bank accounts
• Retirement accounts, like 401(k)s or IRAs
• Life insurance plans
• Financial elements, like bonds or annuities
• Other nonphysical items

Listing liabilities, like mortgages, lines of credit, and other debt, is a good idea as well. That’s because certain debts must be paid—even after death. In that case, it will come out of your estate.

☐ List your family members

The purpose of listing your family members is to account for the needs of immediate family and dependents. Your will and life insurance policies are the primary ways to plan for the needs of your surviving spouse and make guardianship designations for children and other dependents. Many people also make arrangements for pets.

☐ Choose which directives you want in place

The more you plan ahead, the fewer decisions you’ll have to make during an already stressful time. The tools discussed in this article (such as living wills, powers of attorney, and trusts) make navigating illness and other end-of-life matters easier because you’ll have a plan for most scenarios. Decide which tools you want in place and how to set them up.

Once you know which directives you want to include in your life plan, talk to anyone you are considering naming as an agent. You’ll want to be sure they are willing to act if needed. You should also consider naming secondary agents if the first person is unavailable when the directive takes effect.

☐ Designate your beneficiaries

A beneficiary is a person or institution inheriting a piece of your estate, such as money, physical property, or control of or interest in a business.

You should name your beneficiaries on your bank accounts, retirement accounts, and life insurance policies. If you name beneficiaries to those accounts in your will, make sure the names match to avoid any confusion.

Choose backup beneficiaries for your assets if a person is unavailable or dies before your estate distribution. You can also name a beneficiary in a “residuary” clause in your will. This person will inherit anything left over after your estate distribution.

Helpful hint: This is a good time to check the named beneficiaries on all of your accounts to make sure they are updated. For example, if you are married for the second time, and your first spouse is still named as a beneficiary of a bank account, you can change it to your current spouse to avoid conflict in the future.

☐ Look up your state’s laws

States have different laws regarding what happens when a person dies. To ensure you have optimal asset protection, check your state’s probate and estate or inheritance tax laws . If you believe an estate or inheritance tax may apply in your state, contact a professional to help you reduce your tax burden as much as possible.

☐ Choose a law firm or online service

Now that you have a clear picture of your estate and who should receive it, you can decide whether an online estate planning service is right for you.

If you aren’t leaving behind any dependents and you have a good idea of how you want to distribute your estate, you can easily find an online legal service to get you started with estate planning documents and help you create a will online. Many services include living wills and POAs, as well as the option for attorney advice.

If you have dependents who will need care after you’ve died, you want to disinherit a family member, or you’re generally having trouble deciding how to divide your estate, you have two options. The first is to use an online estate planning service and opt for the package that includes attorney assistance. Services will typically charge an annual fee to have access to an attorney. Still, this fee is likely to be less than paying for a private attorney.

Our top choices for estate planning services offer basic will packages starting at $39.99. But you can get a package that includes attorney assistance, as well as additional estate planning documents, for around $249. Estate planning attorneys will either offer services for a flat fee or charge several hundred dollars per hour to work with you.

If you have more complex needs, you may want to contact a law firm specializing in estate administration and planning. Many attorneys offer free consultations to help you find the best fit.

After estate planning

Once you’ve finalized all the necessary documents and the originals are in one safe space, remember to keep them updated.

We spoke with Tim Hurban , Esq., an estate planning attorney licensed in Georgia and Michigan with more than 12 years of experience, about how often and when you should update your estate planning documents. He advised “updating your will and other estate planning documents . . . based on individual circumstances and life events.” Specifically, Hurban told us you should review and update these documents in situations such as changes in:

• Family structure (marriage, divorce, children, grandchildren)
• Assets and liabilities (property, business, financial circumstances)
• Laws (tax, inheritance)
• Personal wishes
• Health care preferences

Typically you should revisit your estate plans every three to five years—even without major life changes. If you create your documents using an online will maker service, many services offer free, unlimited changes for at least the first 30 days after purchase. With services that offer a membership, you’ll generally be able to make unlimited updates to your estate documents, so long as you pay the monthly or annual subscription. The Reviews Team chose Trust & Will as the “Editor’s Pick” in our roundup of the best online will makers of 2024 because of their helpful guidance and ongoing updates, a service that costs $199.99.

You can supplement the benefits of estate planning by using other tools to plan for your future. NCOA’s Age Well Planner gives personalized guidance on financial, health, and other decisions.

Frequently asked questions

Estate planning is not only about your peace of mind—it gives your loved ones guidance on how to move forward after you’re gone. It also plans for the care of individuals or animals who depend on you. Effective estate planning can also minimize the tax burden and probate costs that would typically deplete your estate.

The biggest mistake you can make in estate planning is failing to have a plan at all. A simple will is better than no plan—even if your situation is complicated. Other common mistakes are not properly executing estate planning documents, not providing for future care of dependents, and not expressing wishes for end-of-life care.

Not necessarily. Many small or straightforward estates can be managed using a low-cost online service. These services sometimes provide the option of consulting with an attorney for an additional fee. For very large or complex estates, consulting a specialized attorney or tax professional is a good idea.

Absolutely not! Everyone benefits from estate planning. In fact, failing to plan can lead to lengthy court processes and high probate fees, which affect small estates to a greater degree than large ones. Planning ahead allows your loved ones to keep as much of your estate as possible by avoiding unnecessary costs or taxes.

Have questions about this review? Email us at [email protected] .

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/hipaa.html
• IRS.gov. Estate Tax. Found on the internet at https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estate-tax
• IRS.gov. Frequently Asked Questions on Gift Taxes. Found on the internet at https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes