Are you about starting a data entry business? If YES, here is a complete sample data entry business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.
Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a data entry business. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample data entry marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for data entry businesses. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.
Why Start a Data Entry Business?
Becoming your own boss and earning good income from running a data entry company is within the grasp of any intelligent and serious-minded person. It is very possible to become either a full-time data entry professional earning a living, or to be a part-time data entry professional supplementing a regular paid income.
Another role is to simply do it for fun or to build up a broader portfolio of skills. You can indeed turn your data computing, analytic and capturing skills into a career that doesn’t affect your day job.
Be launching this type of business, you just have make certain that you are comfortable with computing data with little or no error, and that it is something you don’t mind doing almost every single day of your life. If you don’t already have data entry related qualifications, consider getting a diploma in mathematics or statistics, or taking a workshop so that you are at least aware of the major requirements for data entry.
There are data entry groups and freelancer associations in many countries and it’s a good idea to belong to them so that you can meet other aspiring and established data capturers, get information, seek career advice, and establish your credentials as a writer. A quick search using search engines and social media should find such organizations in your local area or country.
Aside from your innate data entry, computing and analytic skills, you would also need a workable business plan document to be able to run a standard data entry company with a good number of freelance data capturers and full – time employees under your payroll. The sample data entry company business plan template below will guide you towards writing yours.
A Sample Data Entry Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
Data entry companies falls under the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry and players in this industry provide data processing or hosting activities. Data processing services provide specialized reports from information supplied by clients.
Hosting services can include web and application hosting. Their services range from automated data entry to processing data.
A recent report published by IBISWorld shows that as a result of an immense marketing push by some of its largest companies to popularize cloud computing, the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry has experienced steady growth over the past five years.
In addition, the continued movement of media industries to online platforms has led to greater demand for industry services from internet-based companies that require industry operators to manage their information technology (IT) infrastructure needs.
As a result of these trends, industry revenue is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 5.5 percent to $154.4 billion over the five years to 2017, including a 3.6 percent jump in 2017 alone.
If you are a close observer of happenings in the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry, you will notice that the industry provides infrastructure used for a variety of information technology (IT)-related activities, ranging from web hosting to automated data-entry services.
Over the five years to 2017, businesses have increasingly outsourced their IT infrastructure needs, directly benefiting industry operators. The advent and popularization of cloud computing, one of the industry’s fastest-growing product offerings, has similarly led to greater demand.
Over the next five years, industry revenue is expected to grow. As the technology required to process and host data becomes more complex, the level of expertise needed to effectively manage large data centers will rise. The Data Processing and Hosting Services industry is indeed a growing industry and pretty much active in the united states and other developed countries.
Statistics have it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 63,418 registered data processing and hosting companies in this industry, employing about 620,999 people and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $154 billion annually.
The industry is projected to continue to grow at a 5.5 percent rate. It is important to state that there is no company with a dominant market share in the industry.
There are loads of players in this industry because the entry barriers for the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry are low. As a matter of fact, the required startup cost for a new organization can be as low as the cost of acquiring a computer/laptop and internet device without the need of employees, significant capital expenses or even an office facility.
The Data Processing and Hosting Services industry is very open to any aspiring entrepreneur who has the required skills to start his or her own business and of course make good money from the industry.
As a matter of fact, it was projected that over the next five years, new technology will continue to emerge that will make it easier for more players to come into the industry hence increasing the competition in the industry.
2. Executive Summary
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC is a registered data entry company that will be based in Saint Paul –Minnesota, but would operate all over the United States. We have been able to secure a standard office facility in a busy business district in Saint Paul, the largest city in Minnesota where we intend coordinating all our data entry activities from.
We are a data entry company that is set to compete in the highly competitive Data Processing and Hosting Services industry not only in the United States market, but also in the global market.
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC will be involved in services such as data entry, data processing, database management services amongst others. Our business goal is to become one of the leading data entry services companies in the United States and we will make sure that every data entry job that we handle for our clients will compete with the best in the industry.
Our workers are going to be selected from a pool of talented and highly detailed professionals with various skills as it relates to the services we offer.
We will make sure that we take all our workers through the required trainings that will position them to meet the expectation of the company and to compete favorably with leading data entry companies in the United States and throughout the globe.
At Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC, our client’s best interest comes first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC is founded by Jefferson O’Brien (MSc Mathematics & Statistics) and his friend and business partner Jack Whyte (BSc Computer Science). They have a combined qualification and experience that will position them to perform excellently in the Data Processing and Hosting Services Industry.
3. Our Products and Services
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in industry. We want to compete favorably with the leading data entry services in the United States which is why we have but in place a competent quality assurance team that will ensure that all our services meet and even surpass our customers’ expectations.
We will work hard to ensure that Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC is not just accepted in Saint Paul – Minnesota, but also throughout the United States of America. Our service offerings are listed below;
- Data entry services
- Data processing computer services
- Database management
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our vision is to establish a standard data entry company whose services and brand will not only be accepted in Saint Paul – Minnesota, but also throughout the United States of America.
- Our mission is to provide professional and highly creative data entry services that will assist businesses, individuals and busy corporate executives in achieving their business and personal goals. We want to build a data entry company that can favorably compete with other leading brands in the industry.
Our Business Structure
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC, is a data entry cum data processing Services Company that will be launched in Saint Paul – Minnesota, but it hopes to grow big and secure outsourced jobs from big corporations and top corporate executives from all over the United States of America.
We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of world class business we want to own. This is why we are committed to only hire the best hands (freelancers/data capturers and back office staff) within our area of operation.
At Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stakeholders.
As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;
- Chief Executive Officer
- Operation Manager
- Human Resources and Admin Manager
- Sales and Marketing Executive
- Accountant
- Data Capturers/Data Analyst
- Client Service Executive
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Chief Executive Officer – CEO:
- Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
- Builds, interconnects, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
- Accountable for fixing prices and signing business deals
- Answerable to providing direction for the business
- Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
- Evaluates the success of the organization
- Reports to the board
Operation Manager:
- Serves as project manager of the organization; works directly with employees on the field
- Grows strategic plan by studying technological and financial opportunities; presenting assumptions; recommending objectives.
- Completes subsidiary objectives by establishing plans, budgets, and results measurements; allocating resources; reviewing progress; making mid-course corrections.
- Shapes company image by collaborating with customers, government, community organizations, and employees; enforcing ethical business practices.
- Upholds quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards.
- Makes certain that production and development department perform efficiently, coordinate employee efforts, and facilitate communication between management and data capturers/data analysts
- Ensures that the organization work in line with international best practices
Admin and HR Manager
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
- Designs job descriptions with KPI to drive performance management for clients
- Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of HR Policies, Procedures and Processes
- Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
- Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
- Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
- Carries out induction for new team members
- Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
- Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
- Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities
Sales and Marketing Manager
- Succeeds at doing external research and coordinates all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
- Models demographic information and analyzes the volumes of transactional data generated by customer
- Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
- Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
- Accountable for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
- Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
- Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding sales
- Creates new markets cum businesses for the organization
- Empowers and motivates the sales team to meet and surpass agreed targets
Accountant/Cashier:
- Accountable for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
- Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
- Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
- Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
- Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies.
- Responsible for administering payrolls.
- Ensures compliance with taxation legislation.
- Handles all financial transactions for the organization.
- Serves as internal auditor for the organization.
Data Capturer/Data Analyst
- Responsible for handling core services such as data entry services, data processing computer services and database management services amongst others
- Responsible for developing records management processes and policies, identifying areas to increase efficiency and automation of processes, identifying, evaluate and implement external services and tools to support data validation and cleansing
- Produces and tracks key performance indicators
- Monitors and audits data quality
- Liaises with internal and external clients to fully understand data content
- Manipulates, analyzes and interprets complex data sets relating to the employer’s business
- Creates data dashboards, graphs and visualizations
- Mines and analyze large datasets, draw valid inferences and present them successfully to management using a reporting tool.
Client Service Executive
- Welcomes clients by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
- Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
- Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
- Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make inquiries
6. SWOT Analysis
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured data entry business that can favorably compete in the highly competitive Data Processing and Hosting Services industry in the United States and the world at large.
Part of what the business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a SWOT analysis for Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC;
- Strength:
Our core strength lies in the power of our team; our freelance and back office workforce. We have a team of highly proficient people with excellent qualifications and experience in various niche areas in the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry.
Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected freelance and back office staff, our services will be guided by best practices in the industry.
- Weakness:
As a new data entry cum data processing services company, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from top profile clients in the fast growing and highly competitive Data Processing and Hosting Services industry; that is perhaps our major weakness. Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to promote our business the way we would want to.
- Opportunities:
Beyond doubt, the opportunities in the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry is massive considering the number of individuals (busy corporate executives) and corporate organizations whose businesses and lifestyle depends on the services of data entry cum data processing service providers.
- Threat:
Every business faces a threat or challenge at any part of the life cycle of the business. These threats can be external or internal. This shows the importance of a business plan, because most threats or challenges are to be anticipated and plans put in place to cushion whatever effect they might bring to the business.
Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a data entry company operating in the United States are unfavorable government policies, the arrival of a competitor within our location of operation and global economic downturn which usually affects spending / purchasing power.
There is hardly anything we could do as regards these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trends
Notable trends in the data processing and hosting industry shows that businesses have increasingly outsourced their IT infrastructure needs, directly benefiting industry operators. As a matter of fact, most companies lack the internal capability to handle their IT needs efficiently and consolidation is expected to be the dominant trend among the industry’s larger companies
The fact that operators in the data processing and hosting Services industry help their clients handle everything that has to do with their data makes it an interesting service related business to venture into.
During the recession, low corporate profit and low per capita disposable income discouraged individuals and companies from hiring data entry companies, though loads of data entry services entered the industry during the recession because of its low barriers to entry.
As the economy bounces back, the demand for data entry cum data processing services is expected to return to the industry, with solid revenue and enterprise growth over the next couple of years.
The fact that the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry is a service-based industry makes it easier to set up. While products may include monthly or yearly subscriptions, mobile apps and online memberships, players in the industry thrive on the scope and niche of services they offer.
As a matter of fact, it was projected that over the next five years, new technology will continue to emerge that will make it easier for more players to come into the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry hence increasing the competition in the industry.
8. Our Target Market
Before starting our data entry company, we are certain that there is a wide range of both corporate and individual clients who cannot successfully run their businesses without outsourcing some of their data related operations to a third party service provider.
In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to various corporate organizations and individuals who we know can’t afford to do without our services. We have conducted our market research and survey and we will ensure that the services we offer well accepted in the market place.
Below is a list of the people and organizations that we will specifically market our services to;
- Busy top corporate executives
- Schools
- Transport and Logistics Companies
- Busy businessmen and businesswomen
- Hotels
- Hospitals
- Banks, Insurance Companies and other related Financial Institutions
- Blue Chips Companies
- Manufacturers and Distributors
- Research and Development Companies
Our Competitive Advantage
The competition in the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry is getting stiffer by the day, you have to be highly thorough and come up with detailed services and concepts in order to survive in the industry. The Data Processing and Hosting Services industry is indeed very prolific and at the same time a highly competitive industry. Clients will only hire your services if they know that they can get nothing but the best from you.
We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry means that you are not only expected to be able to deliver consistent and highly detailed jobs, but you must be able to meet set targets. No one would want to continue to hire your services if don’t always meet up with the target date of completion of projects.
Our competitive advantage lies in our effective quality control system, having a cost-effective distribution system, ability to quickly adopt new technology and of course, the power of our team and management. We have a team of competent and highly proficient data capturers and data analysts in various niche areas in the industry, a team with excellent qualifications and experience.
Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected workforce, our fees and services will be guided by best practices in the industry.
Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.
9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to meet and surpass the expectations of all our clients.
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC will generate income by offering the following services;
- Data entry services
- Data processing computer services
- Database management
10. Sales Forecast
We are well positioned to take on the available market in the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough profits from our first six months of operation and grow our data entry company to enviable heights.
We have been able to critically examine the data entry market, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast.
Below are the sales projection for Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC, it is based on the location of our business and of course the wide range of our services and target market;
- First Fiscal Year: $120,000
- Second Fiscal Year: $260,000
- Third Fiscal Year: $450,000
N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and arrival of a competitor offering similar data entry services like us. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.
- Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy
The Data Processing and Hosting Services industry is experiencing growing competition, hence we have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing.
Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the Data Processing and Hosting Services industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall business goal of Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC.
Our goal is to grow Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC to become one of the top 10 data entry companies in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in the United States of America but also in other parts of the world.
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;
- Introduce our business by sending introductory letters/emails alongside our brochure to corporate organizations, schools and key stakeholders.
- Promptness in bidding for business data entry and data processing related contracts from the government and other corporate organizations
- Advertise our business in relevant business magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations.
- List our business on yellow pages’ ads (local directories)
- Attend relevant international and local expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
- Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver excellent services.
- Leverage on the internet to promote our business.
- Engage direct marketing approach.
- Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients.
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
We have been able to work with our in house brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to become the number one choice for both corporate and individual clients in the whole of the United States and beyond which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity of our data entry company.
Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC;
- Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community based events/programs.
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our services.
- Install our billboards in strategic locations all around Saint Paul – Minnesota and other key cities in the United States of America.
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas.
- List our business data entry cum data processing services company in local directories/yellow pages.
- Advertise our data entry services company in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
- Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our official vehicles are well branded with our company logo et al.
12. Our Pricing Strategy
Usually, data entry services companies will bill hourly rates, and depending on the type of task, service charges can fluctuate drastically. Other companies bill a flat monthly fee based on the number of requests a client is allowed to place each month.
At Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC we will adopt both the hourly billing rate and flat monthly fee. We will ensure that we keep the prices of our services below the average market rate by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance from corporate organizations who would hire our services. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our customers at regular intervals.
We are aware that there are some one off jobs or government contracts which are always lucrative, we will ensure that we abide by the pricing model that is expected from contractors or organizations that bid for such contracts.
- Payment Options
The payment policy adopted by Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.
Here are the payment options that Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC will make available to her clients;
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment with cash
- Payment via credit cards/Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via check
- Payment via mobile money transfer
- Payment via bank draft
In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for our services without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials to clients who may want to deposit cash or make online transfer for services rendered.
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
From our market survey and feasibility studies, we have been able to come up with a detailed budget on how to achieve our aim of establishing a standard data entry company in Saint Paul – Minnesota and here are the key areas where we will spend our startup capital;
- Business incorporating fees in the United States of America will cost – $750.
- The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license will cost – $3,500.
- Renting/leasing a small office space that will accommodate the number of employees for at least 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) will cost – $150,000.
- Equipping the office (computers, printers, projectors, markers, server / internet facility, furniture, telephones, filing cabinets, and electronics) will cost – $10,000
- Amount required to purchase the needed software applications – $3,500
- Launching an official website will cost – $500
- Amount need to pay bills and staff members for at least 2 to 3 months – $70,000
- Additional Expenditure such as Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions will cost – $5,000
Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need about one hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) U.S. dollars to successfully set up a medium scale but standard data entry company in the United States of America.
Please note that you can successfully launch this type of business from any part of the world with just a functional laptop, internet facility and the required software applications. But if you choose to build a business with structure, a business that does not revolve around one man or woman, then you should follow the above structure.
Generating Startup Capital for Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC is a business that will be owned by Jefferson O’Brien and his friend and business partner Jack Whyte. They are the financiers of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the business to just three major sources.
These are the areas we intend generating our startup capital;
- Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of stocks.
- Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members.
- Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).
N.B: We have been able to generate about $50,000 (Personal savings $35,000 and soft loan from family members $15,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $100,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.
14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.
One of our major goals of starting Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running. We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to consistently offer excellent and error – free services at a very competitive price than what is obtainable in the industry.
Excel Pro™ Data Entry Services, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.
As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.
Check List/Milestone
- Business Name Availability Check: Completed
- Business Incorporation: Completed
- Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts in various banks in the United States: Completed
- Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
- Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
- Securing a small but standard office facility: Completed
- Application for business license and permit: Completed
- Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
- Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
- Generating part of the startup capital from the founders: Completed
- Writing of Business Plan: Completed
- Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
- Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
- Design of Logo for the business: Completed
- Secure trademark for our products: In Progress
- Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of the needed furniture, office equipment, software applications, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
- Creating Official website for the business: In Progress
- Creating Awareness for the business: In Progress
- Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress