bpmToolbox
Introducing bpmToolboxbpmToolbox is the software component of the Best Practice Modelling System, and allows users to efficiently build their own best practice models within Microsoft Excel® whilst also tailoring the theme of these models to reflect personal or corporate preferences. The two primary objectives of bpmToolbox are to:
bpmToolbox is not prescriptive about what users model using Microsoft Excel®, but rather how the modelling is done - i.e. it ensures that spreadsheet models are always best practice. |
Highlights Movies
Click here to watch highlights of bpmToolbox being used in the interactive best practice training tutorials to build best practice models.
System Requirements
- Windows 2000, XP, Vista or 7.
- Microsoft Excel 2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007 or 2010.
Screenshots
The following screen shots show each of the four ribbon tabs which bpmToolbox adds to Excel 2007, as well as the bpmToolbox Options dialog box, which is used to create and manage themes:
How It Works
bpmToolbox is a sophisticated best practice modelling program which has been designed to work within Microsoft Excel®, thereby allowing users to enjoy the compatibility and freedom which comes with using the world's most common spreadsheet modelling program, whilst ensuring that models are built efficiently and in accordance with the Best Practice Spreadsheet Modelling Standards.
bpmToolbox contains tools which are used during every stage of the model development process to accelerate the speed of development whilst enforcing best practice requirements upon the underlying model. Hence, in a typical model development process, bpmToolbox provides tools which:
- Create a best practice personal or corporate theme within Excel - often designed to be consistent with corresponding Word or PowerPoint themes - which can easily be transferred between multiple bpmToolbox users working in teams;
- Insert standardized sheets linked to a central automated table of contents (which may include printed page numbers);
- Maintain hyperlinks between all sheets within a workbook to create a website-like feel to the model;
- Apply customisable, consistent, best practice formats and styles;
- Allow the rapid restructuring of workbooks - i.e. renaming, re-titling, moving, hiding, unhiding and/or deleting sheets;
- Provide for the reliable linking of multiple workbooks in accordance with the standards;
- Insert keys into a workbook explaining the consistent use of formats & styles and other best practice methodologies to model users;
- Facilitate the analysis of data over multiple time periods, including historical and forecast data analysis and mapping (commonly used in business planning models);
- Quickly and easily add error, alert and sensitivity checks throughout a model, with a summary of these checks being provided in separate, dedicated checks summaries as per the standards;
- Allow content to be created ultra-efficiently, including formulas, charts, controls, hyperlinks, logos, range names and dashboard outputs;
- Undertake extensive auditing of models, including detailed formula analysis, error-sourcing and best practice search and repair tools;
- Ensure the viewing and printing consistency of models, including page numbering and headers and footers which reference an automated, multi-level table of contents; and
- Create and enjoy the benefits of organization-wide best practice standardization.
bpmToolbox vs. bpmToolbox Lite
bpmToolbox is available in two editions - bpmToolbox and bpmToolbox Lite. bpmToolbox Lite is the free basic edition of the of bpmToolbox, and provides the core tools required for implementing best practice workbook structuring, navigation and formats and styles. bpmToolbox Lite also contains bpmTraverse. The full version of bpmToolbox expands on the core tools provided in bpmToolbox Lite by providing a full range of efficiency enhancement and content creation tools for every possible modelling project.
The table below provides a summary of the differences in functionality between the full edition of bpmToolbox and bpmToolbox Lite:
| Functionality / Tools | Full | Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Base sheets system |  |
|
| Table of contents | |
Limited |
| Workbook restructuring | |
Limited |
| Best practice formats & styles | |
|
| Content creation tools | |
Limited |
| Keys | |
 |
| Time series analysis | |
|
| Automated error checks | |
|
| Accessories | |
|
| Charting | |
|
| Forms / controls rapid insertion | |
|
| Custom hyperlinks creation | |
|
| Workbook & header / footer logos | |
|
| Range naming systemization | |
|
| Presentation outputs creation | |
|
| Auditing | |
Limited |
| Workbook printing and viewing systems | |
Limited |
| Multiple workbook handling | |
|
| Quick efficiency tools | |
|
| Theme customization | |
Limited |
| Team-wide standardization | |
|
Pricing
The full edition of bpmToolbox is licensed on an annual per-machine basis, with the annual licence fee including upgrades, training and ongoing technical support. Licence fees for both editions of bpmToolbox, including any applicable taxes, are provided below:
| Edition | Annual Licence Fee ($AUD) |
|---|---|
| bpmToolbox Lite for Microsoft Excel | Free |
| bpmToolbox for Microsoft Excel | $660.00 |
Contact us to discuss significant discounts and addition benefits for large volume users (i.e. usually 10+ machines on a single licence) and site licences.
Organization-Wide Standardization
BPM recognizes that the value provided by bpmToolbox increases exponentially when the standardization which it creates is adopted across an organization of Microsoft Excel users, even when there are vastly different levels of modelling experience and utilization between members of that organization. Standardization, with regards to both the application of the Best Practice Spreadsheet Modelling Standards and the automated adoption of a corporate theme, is the key to facilitating teamwork and the transferability of models within an organization.
To encourage this organization-wide standardization, BPM provides volume licensing arrangements with many benefits including:
- Discounted pricing;
- Custom theme file creation embedding;
- Automated licensing;
- Installation, registion and other technical support; and
- Discounted training and support.
Contact us today to discuss volume discounting benefits for you organization.
Online Help & Support
In addition to extensive free online and offline training courses, BPM provides detailed online bpmToolbox help documentation and an ever-increasing repository of example models. These resources are regularly expanded and updated.
If you are unable to find what you're looking for online, please contact us and one of our consultants or software support technicians will assist you.
Request a bpmToolbox Tool
Our software development team is always looking for feedback from best practice modellers.
If you have some suggestions for us about how we can improve bpmToolbox, please fill out our Request a bpmToolbox Tool Form and we'll take your suggestions into consideration whilst developing the next upgrade of bpmToolbox.