Magnum One/Magnum One (Mid-American Digital) (Disc Manufacturing).iso/d6/chkbk301.arc/MANUAL.DOC

Text File | 1990-07-14 | 17KB | 317 lines

                        Bruce Foreman Photography
                             2643 University
                           San Angelo TX 76904


        This package may be freely copied and given to others, placed on
    computer bulletin boards, and transmitted providing no charge is made,
    the programs are not altered in any way, and the CHEKBOOK,
    CONFIGuration program, sample configuration files and documentation
    files all are included in the distribution disk/archive.

        This software package is distributed in the "Try Before You Buy"
    concept and persons finding it suitable to use is requested to send
    payment of $25.00 to the address above.

        A license to use this software for 30 days in order to determine
    suitability for use is granted.  If this software is still in use after
    the 30 day period it should be assumed that it has been found suitable
    and the program should be registered by sending $25.00 payment.

        Upon receipt of payment, the latest version without the shareware
    notice screen and delay will be sent by mail on 5 1/4 floppy disk along
    with any new utilities that have been developed since this version.


                             Warranty

        No warranty of any kind is in effect.  No liability or
    responsibility for any damages of any nature arising from the
    installation or use of this software is acknowledged or assumed.  You
    use this software at your own risk.

                           Introduction

         I needed a simple easy to use single entry accounting program that
    would not tie me or any of my employees up for long tedious sessions of
    data entry.  All of the ledger and accounting packages I looked at were
    either "overkill" being far more intensive than I needed, or were so
    incredibly complex to setup and use, with tedious and detailed data
    entry to the point where it seemed far sinpler to do things the old
    fashioned way.  This checkbook program is an alternate version of a
    small business ledger package I developed for my own use.  The business
    version functioned so simply and effectively I had to have a similarly
    working program to maintain my household checkbook.

         This program offers several advantages in simplicity and ease of
    use that make it worth looking over and trying if you also would like
    something far less complex than conventional checkbook packages.

         All commands and functions are accessed from one main menu and are
    simple to understand and use.  Data files may be used for annual,
    quarterly, or monthly accounting periods and when "closed" simply need
    to be saved to floppy, or renamed from DOS to be saved for later
    reference and "audit".  Data files are simple ASCII text files and may
    be directly edited with any ASCII capable word processor if needed
    (providing line entry format is not altered).  All math "summaries" are
    recalculated from "scratch" each time, insuring that sum errors do not
    persist after the original ledger line item is corrected.

        To make it even simpler, what this program does is to provide you
    with one entry point for deposits and expense items; and then with one
    summary command tell what the total deposits were, total expenses by
    category, and then subtract the expenses from deposits to give you
    current checkbook balance.

        It doesn't get any simpler.

                            Capacity

        Versions of the main program have been tested with between 900 and
    940 transaction items in memory.  Some intermittent "choking" was
    encountered at somewhere around 920-928 items so the capacity has been
    limited to 900 items.  In my own studio business I seemed to be writing
    about 400 checks annually and might have been able to squeeze in a
    whole year of entries if the present capacity had been there.  But I
    had the earlier versions limited to 450 items due to limited memory on
    the computer I started out with, so I ran the data files on a quarterly
    basis.  This current version should handle check and deposit activity
    for most people on an annual basis.


                            Setup

           CHEKBOOK.EXE is the personal/household ledger program.
    CHEKBOOK.CFG is the configuration file read by the program as it
    initializes.  The expense names are easily edited to suit your needs
    with the CBCONFIG.EXE module.

        To install on a hard drive simply create the directory the programs
    and data files will be in and extract them into it from the archive or
    copy them over from the distribution diskette.  Put all files in the
    same directory.

        For floppy disk operation, copy all the files extracted from the
    archive over to a bootable floppy with COMMAND.COM on it.  Everything
    including the data files the programs will create should fit
    comfortable on a single floppy disk.

         The first thing you must do to initialize the software is to use
    the configuration module.  CHEKBOOK.EXE will not function without the
    respective .CFG data file to read in on execution.  So type CBCONFIG at
    the DOS prompt and at the menu load in the sample configuration
    provided.  If for some reason the .CFG file is missing or corrupted all
    you need to do is make a new one.  Use the change options on the menu
    and save the results or type in the following example using any ASCII
    word processor.  The best way is to use the CBCONFIG.EXE module as it
    provides warnings with any reserved use account you attempt to change.
    If you must create the configuration with an ASCII word processor DO
    FOLLOW THE WARNINGS ON USE AND NAMING OF RESERVED ACCOUNTS in the
    documentation.

                     Sample CHEKBOOK.CFG file:

    Household checking account
     0
     3
     14
    Auto expense........
    Bank Charges........
    Credit cards........
    Deposits to account.
    Cash withdrawal.....
    Food 'n groceries...
    Rent & utilities....
    Hospital/medical....
    Insurance...........
    ....not defined yet.
    ....not defined yet.
    ....not defined yet.
    Miscellaneous.......
    ....not defined yet.

         Everything is left justified.  The 7, 0, & 15 are display colors
    setting white text, black background, and high intensity white hilite
    characters.  These may changed to any color setup that will work with
    your display.  Account names have to be a 20 character field and should
    be filled out with trailing periods as shown above.  The account name
    can be any length that will fit in its place on the CHEKBOOK.EXE main
    menu screen.

        A WORD OF CAUTION IS IN ORDER HERE!  DO NOT CHANGE THE NAME OF
    ACCOUNT D IN THE CHECKBOOK PROGRAM'S CONFIGURATION FILE!!!!  Account
    D is reserved for DEPOSITS to the checking account and all amounts in
    account D are added to the checking account balance instead of being
    deducted.

        The first time you run the program for each accounting period you
    have to start a new data file.  Usually you will want to transfer in
    your current and beginning checkbook balance.  For the ACCOUNT code use
    "$" rather than "D".  "$" will accumulate or add into the checkbook
    balance but will not count as a deposit so that in summaries your
    deposits for the period will be accurate.

         Then you are ready to begin entering ledger items.  Be sure to
    save the file frequently so that in case of power failure or other
    problem with the computer you don't lose data.  I save about every 10
    entries during a long "catch up" session.

                               Data Format

         Each time you use this checkbook program you are asked to input
    the date in month-day-year (mm-dd-yyyy) format.  Pressing <ENTER> or
    the return key will cause the system date from the clock to be
    automatically entered.  The "item" entry routine uses the first 5
    characters of the system date (mm-dd) for the date of the transaction.
    If you are making the entry on the same day as the system date pressing
    the "d" key will automatically use the "mm-dd" part of the system date
    for input.  The "@" key from the main menu allows you to change this
    date if you are inputting several items with the same date but diffrent
    from the system date.

    DATE:  (mm-dd) format - **CAUTION**  Be sure to use a - between the two
    digits of month and two digits of day.  Any other character may affect
    date sort and search functions.

    ITEM #:  This must be unique for each item.  For the first check in a
    new data file enter the actual check number.  From that point on until
    you begin using a new data file the computer will assign the next
    number when you enter the "n" character at this prompt.  If you need to
    skip one (voided check or lost check) manually enter the correct check
    number for that item and the program will pick up the sequence from
    there.  For other transactions (sales, collections, and deposits, enter
    the "#" and the program will use a separate "one up" number series for
    those.  Your current position in each of these "number stacks" is saved
    each time the data file is saved.  When you use the Change command from
    the main menu, it depends on each item number in the file being unique.

    NAME:  25 character spaces are allowed for this.  For each check
    written to the same party use identical spelling so the LIST by name
    function finds all of them.

    ACCOUNT:  Use single alphabetic characters.  The ACCOUNTS command at
    the main menu will show you the programmed account names and single
    letter codes.  ACCOUNT "C" is reserved for Sales or Collections and
    does NOT sum or affect any of the other amounts.  ACCOUNT "D" is
    reserved for deposits to your checking account balance and "adds in",
    increasing the balance.  ACCOUNT "H" is reserved for personal (non
    business expense) withdrawals/purchases and is subtracted from the
    balance but does not sum into the business debits total.  Do NOT use
    these ACCOUNTS for anything else or you will not get accurate
    summaries.

        NOTE:  In the personal home account version, accounts C & H may be
    used for any expense category desired.  The special ways in which C & H
    figure into summaries applies only to the business version.  The Sales
    Transaction Ledger program uses only one reserved account, N.  All
    others function as sales departments or accounts and useage is covered
    in the SALES.DOC file.

        SUBACCOUNT:  Use single letter codes here too.  The same subaccount
    code letter cannot be used with more than one account.  I use "G" for
    Rent/Utilities ACCOUNT.  "R" as a SUBACCOUNT code for the rent/lease/or
    mortgage payment, and "U" as SUBACCOUNT code for all utilities.  I
    cannot use "R" in another ACCOUNT for "repairs" because it is already
    in use in ACCOUNT "G".  The SUBACCOUNT is as much an alternate account
    as it is a subaccount.  Pressing the <ENTER> key places an "*" in this
    field if you don't need a code there.

        AMOUNT:  This is entered in the familiar ####.## format to two
    decimal places.  Do not use the dollar sign or commas.


                        GENERAL STUFF

         SUMMARIES:  Selecting this from the main menu prompts for a month
    (1-12) or 0 for a summary of the whole file.  The whole file is scanned
    from the first item, if a month was specified items not matching that
    month are ignored otherwise each item amount is added to the
    appropriate account balance and the totals are printed to the screen at
    the end of the scan.  Expenses are all totaled, deposits are totaled,
    and if the summary is for the whole file all expenditures are
    subtracted from the checkbook balance.

    If the summary is for a month, the checkbook balance is zeroed out and
    a file summary should then be done to recalculate it.

        FILENAMES:  I've tried for a middleground between simplicity and
    flexibility here.  Each of the programs uses two "canned" filenames
    (the first two on the SAVE and LOAD screens), SPECIAL allowing you to
    define a unique filename, and EMERG for just what it implies-an
    emergency save to get data to disk without overwriting the last loaded
    version.  Do not use an extension when typing the filename for load or
    save functions because the program assigns its own and if you add one
    it will cause a program error.  The business version assigns a .BUS
    extension to data file filenames and looks for the same when loading
    them in from disk.  The directory function from the main menu screens
    out all other filename extensions and only displays those data files
    available for the program to work with.  The extension used by the
    household/personal version is .HOM, that for the sales program is .INC
    and both function in the same manner.

             EDITING THE DATA FILE WITH AN ASCII WORD PROCESSOR


        If you're using multitasking with limited memory, or your word
    processor uses lots of memory this may not work.

        First SAVE the file.  Then switch to another window or memory
    partition. Invoke your ASCII word processor and make the necessary
    changes, exit the word processor, and switch back to the original
    window or partition and the main menu of the EZLEDGER.EXE program.  Use
    the LOAD file command to load back the edited file and you're ready to
    continue.


                         Emergency Procedures

         I've been using these programs in some form or other since
    sometime in 1983 without disastrous data loss by observing a few
    "safety" precautions.  Frequent backup is a good idea with any data you
    don't want to lose and periodically I simply copy the data files
    generated by these programs off to a floppy disk.

         But in the course of normal data entry, something may cause you to
    suspect that something has gone wrong and the integrity of data in
    memory comes under question.  Since the entire working data file is in
    memory this can be a matter of real concern.  One thing you can do is
    to use the LIST All items function from the main menu and in most cases
    simply examining the listed entries should reassure you that the data
    is sound.

         If there is any lingering doubt and you have entered quite a few
    items without periodic saves then save the file using the EMERGency
    filename.  This will allow you to save the file for examination with a
    word processor or utility such as Vernon Buerg's LIST.COM without
    overwriting the definitely uncorrupted file loaded in at the beginning
    of your data entry session.

        Just remember, make periodic saves and if you suspect something has
    gone wrong save using the EMERGency filename so as not to corrupt the
    original file on disk.

                     Programming Concepts

        There are better methods and better code to accomplish a ledger
    program than what has been used here.  But the main thrust was to keep
    things simple.  Random access disk files allow more flexibility with
    the data, but can be more prone to data corruption and loss as the size
    of the file grows.  The sequential file format I've used is far
    simpler, much less prone to "disaster", and is easily edited with ASCII
    editors once the format is fully understood.

        The search code in the LIST by name routine could have used an
    INSTR function and been capable of finding the the search string in the
    middle of the name text.  More efficient but then the tabulation of
    dollars involved could be affected by "irrelevant finds".  Staying with
    a left justified search string allows a better shot at having the name
    search find only valid target transactions and helps keep the sum more
    accurate.

         Playing with the sample data files enclosed should give you a feel
    for how the various features work and suggest specific applications in
    your situation.