what do you guys use?

Lirath · #1 12-13-2002, 05:40 AM

I want to find a program that I can use to calculate all the expenses I'm thinking of...

Ya know, I'm planning on starting my business, and I'm thinking of all the start-up onetime expenses I'll have. Like, rent for a place, licenses... server setup costs.. things like that..

Then I want to estimate costs/profits/net gain and just figure out how profitable I can be.

My first thought for a program is Excel.. can anyone recommend any others?

aah-jim · #2 12-13-2002, 05:44 AM

Sage is good. http://www.sage.com/
Or MS

Money

Toolz · #3 12-13-2002, 05:54 AM

Cigarette packet, nice bar to lean on and a sensible friend should do it - that's how most ventures start out.

Lirath · #4 12-13-2002, 06:00 AM

Yeah well, I'm a little more into planning. Especially if I want a bank to loan me 20,000 to get going

akashik · #5 12-13-2002, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toolz
Cigarette packet, nice bar to lean on and a sensible friend should do it - that's how most ventures start out.

couple of beer coasters help if you're getting into the fine details

Lirath,
The tricky bit isn't crunching the numbers so much as making sure you have *all* the numbers to begin with. If you have a local chamber of commerce or small business association nearby have a word in their ear. They might provide a few extra expenses you didn't think of.

Greg Moore

JeremyV · #6 12-13-2002, 10:54 AM

even after you swear you have thought of all the expenses.. there are more

123x · #7 12-13-2002, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Cigarette packet,

RackNine · #8 12-13-2002, 10:42 PM

Microsoft Excel works wonders if you're familiar with tables. When we'd first began playing with the idea of consumer hosting a couple years back I'd worked up formulas to calculate price per MB/GB/Unit sold to ensure profitability in this budget hoster's paradise

. Very simple to do and built-in formulas means you can customize the spreadsheets with any extra information needed.

Sincerely,

-Matt

Lirath · #9 12-13-2002, 11:51 PM

Wanna post your old excel document? I'd love you forever

skelley1 · #10 12-13-2002, 11:54 PM

start with excel, but then slowly convert it into access. Access is much better for this stuff if you want to be able to change things on the fly, make charts, pull out data, etc, but takes a bit longer to do.

RH4U · #11 12-14-2002, 02:22 AM

Just to let you know you can startup with alot less then 20k.

Lirath · #12 12-14-2002, 02:39 AM

Yeah. If all I was doing was web hosting. And I didn't want the best.

I am going to be getting a facility here locally because I am also doing web design, computer networking, computer repair and computer sales... on top of web hosting.

I actually should be seeking more than 20k

vhedesigns · #13 12-14-2002, 02:56 AM

Liarth,

Where's locally?

I created a document for a business plan that helps calculate all the that stuff but all my numbers are in their. I will see if I can clear it all out so you can take a look. Mind you that actually calculating all the numbers and fiquring expenses and revenue estimates tooks weeks!

I'll see what I can do to help you out.