Overheads Maggie Thatcher said once that what this country needs to set it straight is more small businesses, and for all the budding Arthur Daleys who want to take her up on the idea Entrepreneur is an essential purchase. Seriously, though, if you are one of those near legendary small businesses that we are often being told really do get by with 8 bit home micros, this package could possibly represent the best £25 you ever invest. In common with all of the Brainpower series of programs written by Triptych Software, you receive a teaching tape, an applications tape and a truly superb manual. Together they form an adult educational/utility package of unsurpassed quality. The bulk of the manual teaches the essential basics of balance sheets, accounts, business tax, cash flow and profit, etc - all the factors which underlie a successful business, but are too easily overlooked. The applications tape requires you to enter a lot of data about the expected sales, costs, revenue, debts, production capacity, overheads, number of employees, that you expect your business to have. Once entered, the program shows the way your company will develop, highlighting problem areas where your cash, your profit, your raw materials or whatever will run out and also, if you wish, how changes in your pricing costs, or sales figures will influence the health of your finances. If the situation looks sufficiently favourable you can have your projections printed out to present to your bank manager who, overwhelmed by your thoroughness, will cough up the necessary readies without a qualm. My only reservation about the package is that Triptych should be prepared to offer updates at regular intervals to take account of changes in VAT, etc. Not only a potential lifesaver for some people, this should also find a place in schools and colleges all over the country. Tony Kendle , Popular Computing Weekly |
