--- title: How to create an Annual Business Plan with our free template description: Our Annual Business Plan Template will guide you to appraise resources, analyse competitive position, conduct a SWOT analysis, set targets and budget. image: https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hubfs/Business%20Plan%20image.png --- 10 March 2026 # How to create an Annual Business Plan with our free template WRITTEN BYJames Price | JPAbusiness [Business planning](https://www.jpabusiness.com.au/business-advice/strategic-direction) is about making your business as robust as possible, so it can take advantage of opportunities and also successfully withstand inevitable shocks. Annual business plans don’t have to be weighty documents, but they do need to contain some **key information**, with the most important being: - frank and honest **appraisal of resources** - analysis of your **competitive environment** - **SWOT analysis** - targets - budget. The [JPAbusiness Annual Business Plan Template](https://landing.jpabusiness.com.au/annual-business-plan-template) is designed to help you gather and organise this information into a document that can be easily and regularly referenced and shared with your team. [![Business Plan image](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Business%20Plan%20image.png?width=420&name=Business%20Plan%20image.png)](https://landing.jpabusiness.com.au/annual-business-plan-template) Whether your Annual Business Plan is 1, 10 or 20 pages long, the keys to its usefulness are: - the relevancy of its content - that it can be communicated with - key team members who you are relying on to be accountable for elements of your business performance - important financiers or investors in your business. Use our [free template](https://landing.jpabusiness.com.au/annual-business-plan-template) to ensure your plan is relevant, professional and of value to your business as a key management tool. ## Getting started The [JPAbusiness Annual Business Plan Template](https://landing.jpabusiness.com.au/annual-business-plan-template) consists of four parts: **Part A: Business and Resources Self-Audit** 1. Use the [JPAbusiness Business Health Check](https://www.jpabusiness.com.au/business-health-check) 2. Review your financial performance 3. SWOT analysis 4. Customer portfolio 5. Top 5 issues and challenges **Part B: Competitive Market Analysis** 1. Outline of competitors 2. Top 5 trends on competitive factors 3. Your point of difference versus main competitors **Part C: Outlook** 1. Outcomes, Strategy, Actions and Targets for the next 12 months **Part D: Budget to deliver the Annual Business Plan** **[![The_Annual_Business_Plan_Template_COVER](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/1.%20Images/4.%20Document%20cover%20images/Checklist%20and%20template%20covers/The_Annual_Business_Plan_Template_COVER.png?width=300&height=367&name=The_Annual_Business_Plan_Template_COVER.png)](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/operator/annual-business-plan-template)**   If you need support with strategic, annual or succession planning for your business, [contact the JPAbusiness team](https://landing.jpabusiness.com.au/contactus) for a confidential, no-obligation discussion.   ![Business planning for small to mid-sized businesses cover 2022](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/hubfs/1.%20Images/Updated%20document%20cover%20images%202022/Business%20planning%20for%20small%20to%20mid-sized%20businesses%20cover%202022.png) Free ebook Business planning for small to mid-sized businesses Business plans don't have to be excessively large or detailed, but they do need to exist in order to demonstrate your commitment to your business goals.  [Learn more ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/operator/business-planning-for-small-to-mid-sized-businesses) Share this Article Share this blog post on Twitter [mailto:?subject=Share%20this%20blog%20post&body=https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/how-to-create-an-annual-business-plan-with-our-free-template](mailto:?subject=Share%20this%20blog%20post&body=https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/how-to-create-an-annual-business-plan-with-our-free-template) Copied to clipboard Topics - [business planning ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/business-planning) - [template ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/template) - [strategic planning ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/strategic-planning) - [annual business plan ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/annual-business-plan) - [business plan ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/business-plan) - [strategic plan ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/strategic-plan) - [succession plan ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/topic/succession-plan) About James Price | JPAbusiness James Price has over 30 years’ experience in providing strategic, commercial and valuation advice to Australian and international business clients. James’ blogs provide business advice for aspiring and current small to mid-sized business owners, operators and managers. #### Related Blog Posts ### [How to give key staff an ownership stake in your business](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/how-to-give-key-staff-an-ownership-stake-in-your-business) From our experience, a successful employee incentive and ownership framework displays the following... [Read more ](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/how-to-give-key-staff-an-ownership-stake-in-your-business) ### [How to create Professional Development plans for your team](https://blog.jpabusiness.com.au/blog/how-to-create-professional-development-plans-for-your-team) Staff professional development (PD) needs are best identified through a formal performance... 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