Q: TMGPlan produces two files, PLANif.TMG and PROFORif.TXT. Which file(s) should I submit?  
A: The PLANif file (where i is your industry letter and f is your firm number) is the correct file to submit. The PROFORif file is simply a saved copy of the pro forma statement displayed by TMGPlan.  The pro forma is for your use; for example, after you get your report you may want to check to see how your outcomes matched what you were expecting.  [Although the pro forma is computed using all of the information in your plan, the pro forma file itself does not contain all of the details of the plan and that’s why it’s not adequate to submit it rather than the plan].

 Q: TMGPlan overwrites my PLANif.TMG file every I run the software and save a plan.  How can I save my plan file for future reference?
A:   TMGPlan reads files from and saves files to the folder that you select on the main screen. So, you may want to select a different folder if you are creating a new plan and want to save the old one.  For example, you might use Windows Explorer to created a different folder for each decision period, and then save the plan file and report file for that period in the folder. If you do use different folders, it is important to be sure that you are copying a file from the correct folder. 
       Do not change the name of a plan file.  If you do, the TMGPlan software will  not be able to find it or read it, and the president will not know whose plan it is.

Q:   Why doesn't the pro forma displayed by TMGPlan match my calculations?
A:   There can be many reasons for discrepancies. As noted on page 47 of the text, if the difference is only a dollar or two, in your calculations you may have rounded off numbers in a different way than was done by the computer.  If the difference is greater than that, you may have entered your plan information incorrectly, or your calculations may have had errors. For example, if the discrepancies are in the area of R&D expenses, you may have entered product feature information incorrectly.  On the Inputs for Pro Forma screen of TMGPlan, you are asked to enter the prior period's product features. TMGPlan uses these inputs to determine whether or not there were product changes, which impacts the R&D costs for product modifications. If in error you entered the current period's features instead, TMGPlan would compute R&D expenses to  be zero and the the pro forma would not be correct.  So, it’s always wise to double check that the values you enter are correct.
 

Q: I have an existing PLANif.TMG  file and I just want to make a few changes. How can I do this without having to re-enter everything?
A: On the main screen of TMGPlan, you can select  "Open/modify existing plan" instead of "Prepare new marketing plan.". Make certain that the setup information about the default folder is correct and that the plan file you want to modify is in  that folder.