This report aims to present a literature overview for physicists in radiotherapy departments who intend to buy/use/customise a Monte Carlo treatment planning system for electron and photon therapy. Attention will be focused on commissioning, selection of treatments requiring Monte Carlo, variance reduction techniques, accelerator head modelling, patient modelling (conversion CT Hounsfield units), hardware requirements and the required knowledge to operate a MCTP system. An overview of the existing Monte Carlo dose engines and MCTP systems will be given.