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* * * My Little Realm, v2.0 * * * - The Checking Routine - ____________________________________________________________________ General Information ____________________________________________________________________ Important This is the evaluation version of My Little Realm's Checking Routine. It is a full-featured, fully functional program. The registered version of Checking comes with a Review program which allows you to view your checking file in a scrollable window, query the file, and generate a year-to-date summary. Review is a powerful complement to your Checking program. The registered version comes with a menu driver so your programs are never more than a keypress away. The menu has a documentation viewer, a screen saver, and cursor control. Thank you for trying the Checking routine! ____________________________________________________________________ Introduction When it comes to maintaining records, keeping it simple is keeping it fun. Well, maybe not fun exactly, but it's certainly a lot less work. The Working Window in Checking is in the form of a check that you write. The yellow box inside it displays your running balance. Just below and attached to the Working Window is the Information Box through which Checking communicates with you about field data (reminders called field prompts) and any entry errors you might make. The Viewing Window is on the right side of the screen. It lists the Quickeys that simplify data entry. Due to the size of this document, it is divided into two sections. If you're new to Checking be sure to read Section 2 before you attempt to use the Checking Routine. It's an introduction to Checking, replete with examples and detailed explanations. Section 1 is the reference portion of the documentation. ____________________________________________________________________ The Interface Windows. Checking's screen consists of three types of windows: a Working Window, a Viewing Window, and an Options Window. If you are using a color monitor the Viewing Window is always green, the Working Window red and the Options Window blue. You select processes (like writing a new check) in the Options Window. You create records in the Working Window, and you find your Quickeys in the Viewing Window. ---------------------------- Extended processing options. Several processing tasks, called extended processing options or EPO's, are not listed in the Options Windows, because they are functions that only occasionally need to be performed. EPO's are used to "extend" a program's power and functionality. To find out what EPO commands are employed by Checking, enter <?> (the question mark) in the Options Window. The EPO's of Checking are defined at the end of this document. ---------------------------- Quickeys. The Quickeys in Checking give you single key access to the names of your creditors (all those people and companies to whom you give/mail your checks). Enter the names of your Pay To recipients once and forget about typing them in ever again. You can store up to thirty-six Quickey Pay To names. ____________________________________________________________________ Getting Started Note: If you have a color monitor, press <#>, the pound sign in the Options Window to install the color mode. The very first thing you'll want to do with Checking is make the program uniquely yours. To do that, you should create your Pay To names Quickey list. You can do that in two ways. First, you can simply start using Checking. As you create your records, Checking will look at the Pay To names to see if they are already on the Quickey list. If they aren't, Checking will append the names to the Quickey list for you automatically and display them in the Viewing Window. Second, you can create your Quickey list by using the Change Quickeys EPO. Enter <\>, the backslash, in the Options Window. This method also allows you to sort the Quickey Pay To names, change the names that appear in the Working Window and change the Tax Codes. Note: If you are already using MLR's Charging program, you can put Checking in the same directory to let both programs share the Tax code file. They do this automatically. If you'd rather they used different Tax codes, you must put each program in a separate directory. You have thirty-six Quickeys to use. Experience suggests you first go through your checkbook register and use the Change Quickeys function to enter the twenty or twenty-five most used Pay To names. Sort them if you like. Then let Checking automatically insert the Pay To names that crop up after that. Remember, you can use the Change Quickeys EPO to change and sort them at any time. Checking is a powerful program that can do a lot for you, but you have to know how to make it work properly to get the most out of it. Please read the rest of this documentation carefully. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Program Information ____________________________________________________________________ Section 1 ____________________________________________________________________ You have four processing choices in the Options Window: _________________________________________________ | | | Please enter your selection: __ | | | | 1 Checks/Deposits 2 Balancing Books | | 3 Change 4 Print/Delete | |_________________________________________________| There are several EPO's available in Checking as well. Refer to the section entitled "Extended Processing Options" at the end of this document. __________________ Option # 1, entering new checks and deposits. ~ Field Definitions ~ - Check number field (required). This field allows you to declare the type of record you want to enter, such as personal checks, regular deposits, autowithdrawals, and interest deposits. Checking displays your next check number in this field and a field prompt in the Information Box (which is part of the Working Window) to remind you of the choices you have in the check number field. When you have finished entering new checks and deposits, you return to the Options Window by pressing <esc> in this field. Information Box with Check Number field prompt: ___________________________________________________ | | | To enter a check number or make a deposit press: | | Bank Interest <A> Autowithdrawal | | <esc> Exit <D> Deposit <enter> Accept # | | or enter your own number (1 to 9999) | |___________________________________________________| Key Description Creates a bank interest record (the interest earned on your checking account). The bank interest is entered after you receive your bank statement, so the record is cleared automatically when you create the record since the amount has already been credited to your account. <A> Creates an autowithdrawal record (non-personal check). This type of record represents those amounts withdrawn from your account that are not accounted for by your personal checks. Use this key to create records for amounts withdrawn from your account automatically by creditors. Examples include: 1 Life insurance autowithdrawals 2 Mortgage payment autowithdrawals 3 Deductions by your bank for writing checks 4 Automated teller machine (ATM) cash withdrawals 5 Deductions by your bank for a line of credit Any amount drawn against your account that is not entered as a personal check must be accounted for as an <A> (autowithdrawal) type record. The autowithdrawal record may be entered when you make the actual withdrawal or when you receive your bank statement. If the withdrawal has already been cleared, i.e., you're entering the record from your bank statement, clear the record when you create it. If the record is for an ATM cash withdrawal, you can either enter the record when you make the withdrawal and declare it outstanding, or wait until you receive the bank statement listing the withdrawal, at which time you would enter the record and declare it cleared. Refer to Section 2, sub-section "Automated Teller Machines" for more information. <D> Creates a deposit record (to your checking account). This record, like an ordinary check entry, must be cleared manually. Use this record type for your automatic payroll deposits as well as your ordinary deposits. <esc> Ends the input session and returns you to the Options Window. Pressing <esc> in any other field in the Working Window also returns you to the Options Window, but without creating a record of the data you have currently showing in the Working Window. <enter> Means you accept the displayed check number to create a personal check record which must be manually cleared. Checking automatically displays the next check number in the sequence and displays it in the check number field. [Note: When the check number reaches 9999, Checking automatically resets the check number count to 1. If your new series begins with a different check number, you will have to enter it manually the first time as described in the following paragraph.] #### Enters a new check number to create a personal check. This last item listed in the Information Box gives you the means to enter a new check number from one to four digits long. This is an auto-entry if the number is four digits long, but you must press <enter> after anything less. An ordinary check is created and must be manually cleared when you balance your checkbook. Once you have entered a check number, Checking continues the sequence by automatically displaying the next check number as described in the preceding paragraph. In general, you will simply press <enter> when Checking asks you for the next check number since most checks are written sequentially. If you're just starting out with Checking, the first check number displayed is 1. To override the displayed check number you merely type in the check number you want to start with (somewhere between 1 and 9999). From that point on, Checking will keep track of your check numbers. If for some reason your checks are written out of order, you can enter a new check number at any time, and Checking will pick up the sequence at that point. If you press a deposit, autowithdrawal or bank interest key (<D>, <A>, and , respectively), Checking will remember your next check number and present it to you again after you finish the current entry. The displayed check number does not have to be erased to enter any of the letter keys or to enter a new check number. For example, if Checking is displaying: Check # 1234_ just press <D> to make a deposit record, or to create a bank interest record, or <A> to make an autowithdrawal record, or you can simply key in a new check number. There is no need to delete the displayed check number. If you accidentally begin an entry by pressing the wrong, albeit acceptable key (an instead of a <D>, for example), you can press <esc> at any point during the record's creation and return to the Options Window and no record will be created. Then simply press <1> in the Options Window to begin again. The check number field is an automatic field if your entry is four numbers long, so you do not press <enter> after a four digit entry. Furthermore, you need not enter a one, two or three digit check number with leading zeroes (e.g., 0023). You can if you wish, of course, it's a matter of preference. It takes as many keypresses to enter: 0234 [auto-entry] as it does to enter: 234 <enter> See the section called Special Situations near the end of this document for more details regarding automatic teller machines, bank interest, automatic salary deposits, and bank deductions. __________________ - Date field (required). The date must be entered in the standard American format of mm/dd/yy. Only the month and day need be entered (but both must be entered as double digits). You do not enter the slashes. The year is automatically generated by Checking and displayed. If it is acceptable, just press <enter>. If you wish to change the year you can simply backspace one or two spaces to enter the correction. The Checking Routine will accept dates for the current month and the four preceding months. You cannot enter future dates in the Checking Routine. __________________ - Pay To field (22, required). Enter the name of the check recipient on this line either manually or by using the Quickeys found in the Viewing Window. If you type in a name that does not appear in the Quickey list and you have space for another name in the list, Checking will automatically append that Pay To name to the list and display it in the Viewing Window. In some cases Checking enters the Pay To field name for you. If the entry is a deposit (that is, if in the check number field you pressed <D>), Checking will automatically write in "Deposit" for you. If you entered in the check number field, Checking will insert "Bank Interest" in this field. To enter a name that appears on your Quickey list, type the corresponding Quickey in the Pay To field and press <enter>. The Quickeys can be entered in upper or lower case. Use the Quickeys whenever possible to avoid unnecessary keystrokes. One note of caution ... If there is a chance that you might purchase Checking, remember that you'll receive as a bonus the Review Checking Files program, too. The Review program uses your checking file to create a year-to-date summary of all your Quickey Pay To names, but it requires that you use the Quickeys consistently, otherwise the accuracy of the tabulations in the Y-T-D Summary, found in the Review Routine, may be called into question. For example, if when entering checks you sometimes press Quickey <J> for "Ye Local Grocer" and sometimes enter "YLG" on the Pay To line manually, the records you entered as "YLG" will not be tallied along with those you entered using Quickey <J>. The reason for this is that the Pay To names do not match as far as Checking is concerned. So if you think there is a chance that you'll purchase Checking and utilize the Y-T-D Summary feature (and you probably will), you should always use the Quickeys. Otherwise you must enter the Pay To name exactly as it appears in the Viewing Window ... which defeats the purpose of the Quickeys. __________________ - Amount field (currency precision, required). The next entry is the Amount field. An amount may be as large as 99999.99. (That's $99,999.99.) Do not enter dollar signs or commas, only numbers and decimal points are allowed. You need not enter a decimal point followed by two digits when keying in a whole amount. The following examples illustrate acceptable figures: For $90.00 enter -> 90 or 90. or 90.0 or 90.00 For $90.70 enter -> 90.7 or 90.70 For $90.75 enter -> 90.75 __________________ - Tax Code field (single character entry, optional). If you've taken the time to set up your Tax codes, Checking will display them in the Information Box when your response to this field is required. If you want to skip this field press <enter>. If you have not set up any Tax codes, Checking will automatically skip this field when you are entering checks and deposits. (The Tax Code field label will not even be displayed if you delete all of the Tax codes.) The Tax Code field allows you to tag each check or deposit with a particular classification that can later be used to sum on. You can define up to four categories. Checking comes with four Tax codes as defaults, but you can easily change them at the time you create your own Pay To name Quickeys by using the <\> EPO (the Change Quickeys function). These codes correspond to the tax item box found in most ordinary checkbook registers. The difference here is that you don't have to manually go through all of your checking records at the end of the year, sort them into their proper categories, and tally them with your solar powered calculator. All you have to do to get a complete listing of your deductions for all four categories is run the Checking Routine, and choose option <4>, and select <3> in the sub-menu to print the Tax Summary. Income can be tracked using the Tax codes. If you want to track your part-time income (which you deposit into your checking account), set up one of the Tax codes as PT Income. Then, when you deposit a check from a client, tag the record of that deposit with the appropriate Tax code. If you deposit that income along with the rebate you received on your new portcullis and some spare cash you found in Merlin's Cave, be sure you deduct that portion of the deposit that is not part of your income on the Memo line using the <+> command, called the plus command, (see the Memo field description below). Example: 175.00 income from part-time job 25.00 rebate on new portcullis 36.75 cash from Merlin's Cave ------- 236.75 total deposit (goes on Amount line) -175.00 less taxable income being deposited ------- 61.75 equals amount to go on Memo line (using the "+" command) The <+> command on the Memo line is used in conjunction with the Tax codes to report an overage (i.e., an excess) in a record's amount to Checking. Thus, this record's Memo line would look like: Memo: +61.75 Checking would then deduct the $61.75 from the total amount of the Tax code category you set up as PT Income when it printed that amount (when you print out the Tax Summary Report). It's a good idea to double-check your figures, especially those used for tax purposes. It doesn't take much time to keep accurate records in Checking, and by keeping accurate records you can significantly reduce the amount of time you spend working on the Internal Revenue Service's wish list. The Tax codes do not have to represent those items that are solely additions or deductions to your income. In other words, they do not have to have anything at all to do with taxes. If you're planning a major renovation to the realm, for example, you might want to track costs. Make one of the Tax codes Home Costs, and whenever you pay for something pertaining to that home improvement, be sure you tag that record as a Home Costs item. Another way to utilize the Tax codes is to assign each code a more domestic function. Would you like to know what you spend in groceries every year? Make Tax code <1> Groceries. If you want to keep track of your rental payments, make Tax code <2> Rent. And if you pay your gasoline bills with gasoline credit cards, you can make Tax code <3> Gasoline, and every time you pay a gasoline credit card bill with a check, tag the entry with a <3> in the Tax Code field. You can also use the Tax Code field to track your cash expenditures. Define one of the Tax codes as Cash. Then, when you make the entry for the cash withdrawal (be it a check made out to cash or to yourself) tag that record with the Cash Tax code. You can then print out the results using the Tax Summary function in the Checking Routine. If you wish to change Tax codes in mid-year, be sure you use the <+> EPO to reset the Tax codes you want to change. For example, if you had set up Tax code <1> to be business expense and later that same year you decided to change it to charity, you would have to reset Tax code <1> to blank before making the change. Otherwise, all of those records with a Tax code of <1> which were business expenses would be included with your new Tax code records that are charitable deductions. Refer to the section entitled Extended Processing Options at the end of this document for more information. __________________ - Memo field (24, optional). The Memo field allows you to put a reminder on your records if you wish, just as you might with a real check. You can include almost anything, but there is one symbol you can place on the Memo line in Checking that has special significance. It's the plus sign, <+>, (called the plus command). The <+> Command. The <+> command on the Memo line is used in conjunction with the Tax codes to report an overage (i.e., an excess) in a record's amount to Checking. Checking uses this information when it generates the Tax Summary Report. If you decide to make one of your categories Groceries, for example, you can use the Memo field to deduct any cash you get while at the store. Let's say you bought groceries that cost $135.48 and then you wrote out your personal check for an amount that was fifty dollars greater so you'd have some cash. On that record's Amount line you would enter 185.48 (the total amount of the check), and on the Memo line you would enter: Memo: +50 got some cash which tells Checking that it should subtract that amount, $50.00, when it calculates the Tax code totals. When you run the Tax Summary function, you'll find out exactly how much you spent on groceries and how much you withdrew as cash, because at the end of the Tax Summary Report the final tabulations are listed in this fashion: Groceries Bus. Exp. Bus. Inc. Charity Tax totals: $2500.36 $650.55 $3021.33 $1002.00 Less deductions: $430.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Final results: $2070.36 $650.55 $3021.00 $1002.00 From the final tabulations you can see that $2500.36 was spent at grocery stores, but that $430 was deducted as cash. Note: If a record does not have a Tax code (i.e., the Tax code field is blank), Checking ignores any <+> command that appears on that record's Memo line. __________ <+> command rules summary 1. Amount must immediately follow a plus (+) sign 2. Amount must be followed immediately by a blank space 3. Amount can appear anywhere on the line, along with other notes you wish to append 4. Amount must be less than $1,000.00 5. Amount must be a positive number 6. There can be only one <+> command on a Memo line 7. Amount on Memo line must be <= the Amount line amount 8. Do not include dollar signs or commas Checking will notify you if it finds a valid amount on the Memo line that is greater than the amount of the check at the time the Memo line amount is entered. Checking will not flag what it considers to be invalid amounts on the Memo line at the time of entry. If an amount you enter is not valid to Checking (even if it finds the <+> symbol), Checking will assume you have entered data not meant to be numeric, and consequently, not meant to be subtracted from the check amount. Memo line amounts do not need to be entered as dollar amounts (e.g., 50.00 can be entered as 50). You need not enter decimal points for whole amounts. Valid Memo line amount examples include: cash at store+++50 +32.3 deducting gift+27.56 To be sure you are getting the deductions you want, run the Tax Summary function (option <4>, selection <3>). In addition to the Pay To name, the check number, and the record number, Checking will print, in parentheses, any valid Memo line amount it finds. If you aren't getting an amount in parentheses when you should be, you have entered the Memo line amount incorrectly. If so, you can use the Change function in the Options Window to correct the record. Refer to the <+> command rules summary above when making corrections. The record numbers appear on the Tax Summary printout so you can go directly to the records in question if you need to make any changes. Checking ignores the Memo line's <+> command for bank interest ( type) records. ____________________________________________________________________ Option # 2, clearing checks/deposits and balancing the register. Balancing Books allows you to update your checks and deposits by simply answering the question: Has this one cleared? <Y> <N> <C> You respond yes, no, or you can change the contents of the record by entering <C> if you notice an error in the Amount field. [Note: If you haven't used the Balancing function before, you should read Balancing Your Checking Account With Checking found in Section 2 of this document. It takes you through the entire procedure step by step.] You invoke this procedure after you receive your bank statement. After you enter the balancing function, Checking will display the first outstanding check or deposit it has on record and ask you if it has cleared. With your balance sheet in hand you simply compare the check number and the amount on the screen that Checking displays with the check number and amount printed on the balance statement. If everything is in order, press <Y> or <enter> to select it. Be sure you mark it returned in your register, too. After you've gone through all of the records appearing on your bank statement, Checking asks you if you wish to balance your checkbook register. If you've already entered your bank interest and autowithdrawal checks, as you should have, then by all means balance your checkbook. Enter the final balance appearing on your bank statement, and Checking will do the rest. If the numbers balance, Checking will so notify you. If there's a problem, Checking will tell you and display the difference. If you forget to enter your autowithdrawals and bank interest records before you clear your personal checks and deposits, press <esc> when Checking asks you if you want to balance your checkbook. Enter your <A> and records using option <1>. Then go back into option <2>, Balancing Books. When Checking asks if the next record has cleared, press <esc>. (Remember, your records are cleared when you create them, and you should have cleared the <A> records when you entered them since they have already cleared your account.) Checking will then ask if you want to balance your account, at which point you reply <Y>, yes. If you accidentally mark a record cleared, you can undo the mistake by using the left or up arrow keys to back up through the outstanding records to that record, and when Checking asks if that record has cleared, reply <N>. The right and down arrow keys will take you toward the end of your file. The keys <home> and <end> bring you to the first and last records, respectively. When clearing checks and deposits be sure you verify the amounts that you entered in Checking against those on the bank statement. This is the first step in preventing balancing problems. If you find an entry error, press <C> to correct the problem before continuing. After you've cleared all of the appropriate records, you simply press <esc> to advance to the next phase of this function, balancing your account. Give Checking the bank's final balance, and Checking will do the rest. If all goes well and your account balances, Checking offers its congratulations and you merely press any key to return to the Options Window. If something is amiss, Checking displays the difference between what your running balance is and what it should be. Jot down that amount. Directly beneath that information Checking displays a sub-menu offering you two choices. You can: <A> review the current batch of outstanding records and change any amounts you find that are incorrect, or ) reenter the bank's final balance, just in case you entered that incorrectly. If you wish to exit the Balancing Books function and attempt to find the error elsewhere, press <esc>. Refer to "When Books Don't Balance" in Section 2 of this document for more helpful tips. ____________________________________________________________________ Option # 3, changing the information in a record. This option allows you to make changes and corrections quickly and easily. It also allows you to void checks if the need arises. Checking asks for the record number. By entering the record number, Checking can take you directly to the record you want to change. If you don't know the number of the record, you can find the record quickly and easily. Just press <enter> when the record number is requested. You can then use the arrow keys to browse through the file. If you have a lot of records in your file, enter an approximate record number and then use the arrow keys to search the file from that point. When Checking displays the record you want to change, press <Y> or <enter> to select it. After you find the record, Checking will display a sub-menu of the changes that you're allowed to make. Select the appropriate hotkey and Checking will erase the field contents and place the cursor in that field awaiting your new entry. Should you press an incorrect hotkey, press <esc>, and Checking will reinstate that field's old value. When Checking displays the sub-menu, you will oft-times notice that one or more of the hotkeys of the selections are not highlighted. This simply means that you cannot make those changes for that record. For example, if you are changing a deposit record, Checking will not allow you to change the Pay To field contents. If you're working on a bank interest record, Checking will not accept a Tax Code change. Finally, you are not allowed to change the record type of an entry. That is, you cannot change a deposit to a check, a deposit to an autowithdrawal, an autowithdrawal to a deposit, etc. ____________________________________________________________________ Option # 4, printing and deleting the file records. Checking displays a sub-menu from which you can choose to perform any of the following tasks: 1. Print the entire checking file 2. Print the outstanding checks only 3. Print a tax record summary 4. Delete old records and compress file 5. Return to the Options Window If you want to abort any of the above printouts (selections 1, 2, or 3) press <esc>. __________________ Selection # 1, print the entire file. This selection prints out your entire checking account file in register form, beginning with your starting balance and ending with your current running balance. It also prints the total outstanding amounts for your checks and deposits. __________________ Selection # 2, print the outstanding records. Selection 2 prints your outstanding check amounts and deposit amounts in separate columns and totals each. __________________ Selection # 3, print a tax record summary. The third selection prints only those records that have been tagged with a Tax code. The four Tax code categories are listed in separate columns. After all of the Tax code records have been listed with their amounts under the appropriate Tax code headings, the sub-totals and final totals are shown in a chart similar to the one in the following example. Groceries Bus. Exp. Bus. Inc. Charity Tax totals: $2500.36 $650.55 $3021.33 $1002.00 Less deductions: $430.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Final results: $2070.36 $650.55 $3021.00 $1002.00 You can choose to run the Tax Summary function on either the current year or the previous year. Each tax record generates two or three lines of output. On the first line are the record number, the check number (in angled brackets), the date (in MM/DD format), and any valid Memo Line amount (in parentheses). On the second line are the Pay To name followed by the check's amount under the appropriate category heading. If there is a memo, the third line will consist of the memo. Example: Charity Bus. Exp. ....... 107 <3213> 10/08 ( 21.75) Benny's Beanery 120.45 +21.75 for a present This sample tax record is record number 107, check number 3213, created on October 8 of the selected year (which appears at the top of the report), and it has a valid Memo Line amount of $21.75. The second line has the Pay To name and the check's amount printed under the appropriate category heading. The third line shows the memo which is "+21.75 for a present". At the end of the Tax Summary report, Checking prints the totals for each category, subtracts the deductions, and shows you the final tallies. If you have not defined your Tax Code fields, you will not be able to run the Tax Summary function. And remember, the Tax Code fields can be used to categorize your records any way you want. They do not have to be used solely for tax purposes. You can categorize your checks as educational expenses, music lessons, or travel expenses; and your deposits as part-time income, if you so desire. The only requirement is that they refer to your checking account. One final note. If you are using the Tax Summary Report for tax purposes, always double-check each entry to ensure its validity. Be sure you have a receipt for every medical deduction, charitable deduction, and so on. If you are using the <+> command, make certain that the Memo line amounts are correct. When you're positive that all of the amounts are correct, print out a final copy and keep it with your tax records. __________________ Selection # 4, delete old records and compress file. The final task performed under the # 4 option is the record delete and file compression function. This should be run once a year, ideally at the beginning of the year after you've run the Tax Summary Report and after most of the previous year's checks and deposits have cleared. This task removes many of the records in your file that are not outstanding that have a year date less than the system's year date. You don't have to save the deleted records, but you might want to find some piece of information stored on one. If you decide to save them, Checking will create a dump file called SAVECHCK.MLR on the floppy in your A: drive. Note: If you purchase MLR's Checking, the bonus program is a Review routine that, among other things, lets you view your dump files. You do not have to save any subsequent year's deleted records on the same disk that you are saving this year's deleted records. If you do, Checking notifies you that there is a previous dump file on the disk and asks you to select an appropriate action from the following sub-menu. 1 Abort this function 2 Delete the old dump file 3 Replaced the floppy, try again 4 Rename old dump file If you decide you want to keep the old dump file, you must either remove the floppy and put in another (selection 3) or tell Checking to rename the old file (selection 4). Checking keeps the base name SAVECHCK and appends a unique extension. You can also direct Checking to erase the older version of the dump file (selection 2) and proceed with the Delete/Compress function or, finally, you can elect to abort the D/C function altogether (selection 1). [Suggestion: Keep your old records for one year. Then, the following year, tell Checking to delete the old dump file and store the new one there, selection 2.] Do not run the Delete/Compress function too often. As already noted, once a year is ideal. If you are not cramped for hard disk space, you can probably afford to run it every other year. Given that situation, however, Checking would, when you did run Delete/Compress, erase two years of records, putting them in the dump file if you requested one. If you would rather have each dump file contain a single year, then you should maintain a yearly delete/compress regimen. Important! If you plan to generate the Tax Summary Report, do not run the Delete/Compress function until after you have created that report. That report can only be created from the records that exist on your hard disk drive (i.e., in your master file). If you are planning to maintain a yearly housekeeping regimen, print your Tax Summary Report and make sure it is correct before you run the Delete/Compress function. Warning! Potential problems await you if you do not keep your system's date accurate, especially with this function. You risk losing your entire file, for example, if you've allowed your system date to lag a year or two behind and then correct it before running this procedure. If, for instance, you've been creating records while the system year date was 1991, when in fact the real date was 1992, and then you correct the date prior to running this function, Checking will delete all of the records that have a year date that is less than the current year date that are not outstanding ... which in this case could be most of your file. Please, keep the date accurate. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Section 2 ____________________________________________________________________ Using the Checking Routine for the First Time After you've run the Change Quickeys function, you'll have the Quickey Pay To list necessary to run the Checking Routine. While you can run Checking without the Quickeys, you gain no advantages by doing so because you would have to enter all of the Pay To names manually. The only choice in the Options Window available the first time you run the Checking Routine is <1>, Checks/Deposits, which you use to enter your new checks and deposits. Checking will know that you have no records in your file and will ask for a starting balance. You must enter a starting balance. The starting balance should be entered without dollar signs or commas, and it must be greater than zero. > Finding your starting balance. Since you probably won't be starting a new checking account at the same time you start using the Checking Routine, you'll have to determine a starting balance by delving into your checkbook register. Assuming you balance your checkbook regularly, go back in your register to the last time you balanced it. If (and this is important) there are no outstanding checks or deposits occurring before that date, use the running balance you have as of that date as your starting balance. If there are outstanding entries that predate the most recent register balancing, go to the previous register balancing and see if there are any outstanding entries that predate it. If there aren't, then use that amount and enter all of the checks and deposits that have been written since then. Hint: If you haven't balanced your checkbook recently, you might want to postpone using the Checking Routine until you bring your register up to date. Wait until your bank sends you a new bank statement and balance the account. Then follow the advice given in the preceding paragraphs. ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?? ?? ?? Is your checking account beyond hope? You might find it ?? ?? advantageous to start a new account ... just a thought. ?? ?? ?? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? > Bringing your Checking checking account up to date. Once you have told Checking your starting balance, enter all of the checks and deposits that have occurred since that time (even those checks and deposits that have cleared). Enter these transactions in the order in which you have them listed in your register. Checking will display your running balance in the yellow box (called the Running Balance Box) you see in the Working Window. As you enter checks and deposits, that running balance is adjusted accordingly. The running balance Checking displays and the running balance you have in your register (assuming you've entered a running balance after every transaction in your register) should match as you make your entries. If, at any point, a discrepancy arises between the two amounts, you should resolve the inconsistency before you continue. Enter all of your register transactions into Checking. When you've finished, return to the Options Window by pressing <esc>. You must now invoke Option <2>, Balancing Books, to clear all of those records that have already cleared your bank. If you've marked them cleared in your checkbook register as you've balanced your checking account in the past, simply use your register to determine which checks and deposits have cleared. This should bring your account up to the present. Your running balance, shown in the Running Balance Box in the Working Window should be the same as the last balance entry in your register. If it isn't, return to the Options Window and invoke the Change function, option <3>. View your records using the arrow keys, paying special attention to each record's amount and record type (make sure you entered checks as checks, deposits as deposits). If you see an error, correct it at this time. If you still can't figure out where the problem is, choose option <4>, and select <1>, Print Entire File. This comprehensive report will give you a detailed listing of your checking account, showing your running balance after each entry. If you are still wondering where the problem lies, make certain that you've entered your starting balance correctly. Enter <|> in the Options Window to bring up the Change Starting Balance function. If the starting balance needs to be corrected, you can do so now. If it looks correct, press <esc>. > Entering records on a regular basis. It isn't necessary to run the Checking Routine every time you write a check or make a deposit. Unless you need to know precisely how much you have at any given point in time, simply write checks and make deposits, noting the necessary data in your register. Then let the transactions accumulate for a couple weeks. After you have a half dozen or even a dozen (it depends on you) transactions to record, enter them in the Checking Routine in a single session. As mentioned earlier, Checking adjusts the balance in the Running Balance Box after each record you enter. You need not write the new running balance in your register after every transaction you enter. It's a lot easier to enter all of your transactions and then make a note of the running balance at the end of that session on the line with your last check or deposit in the Balance column of your register before you leave the Checking Routine. Be sure you write the running balance in your register after you've updated your account so that you'll remember where you stopped. If you don't, you could accidentally reenter several transactions in your register. (Should that ever happen, use the <-> EPO to delete them.) Sample Register __________________________________________________________________ | Check Date Pay To Payment Deposit Balance | | $1000.00 | | 1001 3/10 Meat Market 10.26 | | 1002 3/11 Millwright 210.33 | | DPST 3/13 (sold some geese) 56.74 | | 1003 3/16 Molly Milliner 8.21 | | 1004 3/17 Moe's Moat Makers 27.47 | | 1005 3/20 Master Maccaby 11.94 788.53 | |__________________________________________________________________| Notice in the above sample register that the running balance was not entered into the Balance column after every transaction. The user entered all six of the transactions in a single session and then copied the running balance from Running Balance Box in the Working Window to the Balance column in the register. The user would then wait until another half dozen or so transactions had been entered into the register before updating Checking's checking account again. If you want to copy the running balance into your register after every transaction, feel free to do so. It's just more work, and that's what Checking is designed to help you avoid. ____________________________________________________________________ Balancing Your Checking Account With Checking. To balance your account you'll need your register, bank statement, deposit slips, autowithdrawal receipts, ATM receipts, autodeposit receipts, canceled checks, etc. You might not need or have all of the items listed here. Different banks do things differently. Some banks will send receipts of your autowithdrawals, some will merely provide the data you find printed on your statement, and still others will do it both ways. The trick is to make sure you have all of the information you need. Then ... 1. Bring your register up to date by writing in it all of the automatic withdrawals, bank interest, and bank charges which are listed on your bank statement but which do not appear in your register. All of the withdrawals and deposits that do not already appear in your register (but are listed on the bank statement) must be entered. You should mark all of these transactions cleared in your register since they have already cleared your account. 2. Bring your Checking checking account up to date by entering all of the new transactions you now have in your register using option <1> in the Options Window. [Note: Any amount deducted from your account that is not represented by a personal check is made an <A> type (autowithdrawal) record. Bank interest entries are type records. <A> type records can be declared cleared or outstanding when you create them. If you are getting the information for the creation of these records from the bank statement, then you should mark them cleared. If, however, you've decided to enter your ATM cash withdrawals when you make the withdrawal rather than when you receive your bank statement, enter those records as <A> type and declare them outstanding.] After you've entered all of your new transactions from your bank statement, write your running balance in your register's Balance column. 3. Return to the Options Window and choose option <2>, Balancing Books. Checking will display your records beginning with the oldest and ask if each has cleared. Refer to your bank statement. If the record Checking shows you is listed there, mark the transaction cleared in your register and reply <Y>, yes, to Checking's query. You should also make a little checkmark next to the transaction on the bank statement. If it isn't listed on your bank statement (i.e., if it hasn't yet cleared your bank), press <N>. When you've cleared all of the transactions on your bank statement, press <esc>. [Note: Remember that your bank interest records are cleared upon entry. That means they will not be displayed to you when you are clearing your normal records. Your <A> type records may or may not appear, depending on whether you declared them outstanding or cleared when you created the records.] As you mark your records cleared, be sure you compare the amount of the check or deposit as it appears on your bank statement to the amount in the corresponding checking account record in Checking. It's easy, fast, and it's the single most important step you can perform to prevent balancing problems. If you inadvertently mark a record cleared that isn't, use the left pointing arrow key to move back to that record and press <N>. 4. After you've updated all of your outstanding records, press <esc> to go to the second phase of Balancing Books. Checking will ask if you want to balance your checking account. Press <Y>. Then all Checking needs to know is the ending balance on your bank statement. It will make all of the necessary calculations and report its results. If everything balances, make a note in your register to that effect. If the books don't balance, Checking will display the difference, and you'll have some sleuthing to do. ____________________________________________________________________ ++ When Books Don't Balance ++ If a discrepancy arises between what your running balance is and what the bank claims you have, Checking displays the following information in the Working Window and Information Box. Working Window and Information Box ______________________________________________________________ | _______________________ | | User name # 1 | | | | User name # 2 | Balance: $1,174.70 | | | |_______________________| | | | | Bank's balance ==> $1,222.50 ^ | | Plus deposits ==> $ 232.20 | | | Minus checks ==> $ 302.10 | | | Your balance --------- | | | should be ==> $1,152.60 < ----- Trouble! | |--------------------------------------------------------------| | Difference ==> $ 22.10 | | A Review current outstanding records | | B Reenter the bank's final balance | |______________________________________________________________| The difference between what your balance is (found in the Running Balance Box) and what it should be, using the amount you entered as the bank's final balance, is displayed in the Information Box along with two options as shown in the example above. Jot it down before proceeding. _________ The bank's final balance. When Checking displays the blinking Trouble! warning, the very first item to check is the bank's final balance. If the amount you entered as the bank's final amount (shown at the top of Checking's computations) is incorrect, press to reenter it. (Refer to the sample Warning! screen above.) _________ Reviewing the outstanding records. If you've made an error by declaring one of the records cleared when it wasn't (or you left one outstanding when it should have been cleared), you can quickly change that record's status and rerun the balancing portion of the Balancing Books function by selecting <A>. You can also make changes to the Amount fields in your outstanding records, if necessary. After you press <A>, Checking will let you review your outstanding records. If it appears that the problem is that a record was cleared erroneously, find the record using the directional keys. Checking will ask if that record has cleared, reply <N>, no, and Checking will change that record's status from "Cleared" to "Outstanding". Then press <esc> to advance to the balancing portion of the function. If the error is an incorrect amount in one of the records, display that record and press <C> while Checking asks if this record has cleared. This starts the Change function from where you can change the amount, and if necessary, any <+> command amount you might have on the Memo line. Once you leave the Balancing Books function, Checking updates your file. That means that all of the records you declared as cleared would no longer be accessible to the Balancing Books function the next time you run it since it can only handle the currently outstanding records. To alter the status of a record once the file has been updated, you must use the Change function. _________ Missing an entry? Make sure you have a record for every line item listed on your bank statement. You can use the Change function, option 3, to peruse your records. Autowithdrawals are easy to overlook, especially the `incidentals' banks frequently charge such as check cashing fees, late payment interest charges, costs for new checks, etc. Make sure you didn't forget one of your deposits, either. That includes the bank interest your account has earned. It's frequently very little money, but it's enough to cause a balancing problem. _________ Double check your amount entries. You can also use the Change function to double check your amount entries. Note the date of the first transaction on your bank statement and use the scrolling keys to find the records in your file that have that date. Begin your amount comparisons at that point. Don't forget to compare all of your transactions. Checks, deposits, autowithdrawals, bank interest ... they must all match. You should also compare the checks and deposits that are still outstanding (those that appear in your checkbook register, but not on the bank statement) to be sure they were all entered properly. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ++ Special Situations ++ Voiding checks. If you wish to void a check choose <3>, the Change function, in the Options Window. After you find the record you want to void, Checking displays the normal sub-menu for making changes. Select 2, Void Checks. Checking asks for confirmation. You can only void checks that have not yet cleared. Once you have voided a check, it cannot be undone. Furthermore, the only way you can see the voided check is to view it using the Change function (even though you are no longer allowed to change it), or you can print out the entire checking file, (option <4>, selection <1>). __________________ Automatic salary deposits. If your company deposits your earnings into your checking account automatically, you'll receive a deposit receipt from your employer in lieu of a check. Enter the amount of the deposit into your register at the time you receive the receipt. Don't wait until your bank statement comes to enter this transaction. This is a <D> entry in the Check Number field, and you clear it after you have received your bank statement. __________________ Automatic teller machines (ATM's). When you make cash withdrawals from your checking account using ATM's, you need not bother entering a record of the transaction until you receive the bank statement with the ATM deduction. At that point you enter it as an autowithdrawal. This record is an <A> entry in the Check Number field. After you've entered the contents of the autowithdrawal record, Checking will ask you if you want to declare it cleared or outstanding. Since it has alreay gone through your bank, declare it cleared. This method is especially handy if you maintain a cushion in your checking account, and don't need to monitor your running balance closely. If, however, you'd rather enter your cash withdrawals immediately so your running balance more accurately reflects your current financial well-being, enter them as autowithdrawal records, but declare them outstanding. When it's time to balance your checkbook, you'll have the added step of declaring them cleared, but since you'll be clearing all of your regular checks manually, it isn't that much more overhead. __________________ Bank deductions. If your account is penalized by the bank for a tardy payment, or charged interest on a line of credit, or if the cost of writing checks is deducted from your account, make those costs <A> entries, autowithdrawals. You enter these transactions after you've received your bank statement. Put the bank's name on the Pay To line and be sure to declare these charges cleared since they have already been deducted from your account. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Extended Processing Options. EPO Definition <\> Change a Quickey, name on the check, or a Tax code. Checking asks which Quickey you want to change. When you enter a Quickey, Checking erases the current Pay To name and places your cursor in the Viewing Window. If you find you've entered an incorrect Quickey, press <esc> in the Viewing Window to resurrect the old Pay To name. When you've finished making corrections to your Quickey list, press <esc>. Checking then asks if you want to sort your Quickeys. If you like having them sorted, you should reply <Y>. [Hint: The names are more easily found in the list if the names are sorted.] Next, you can change the names on the check and finally the Tax codes. You have thirty-six Quickeys. They can be up to nineteen characters long if entered using this function. If you use the auto-append method, they can be up to twenty-two characters long, but only the first nineteen are displayed in the Viewing Window. - - - - - - - - - <|> Enter a new starting balance for your checking file. When you enter a new starting balance, Checking updates your file immediately and displays the new running balance in the yellow box inside the Working Window. Warning! Once you have run the Delete/Compress function described above (option <4>, selection <4>) you must not invoke this EPO. - - - - - - - - - <-> Delete a specific record. You find and select the record you want to delete the same way you do when using the Change function. Checking will ask you to verify the record. Please do so, because when a record is erased in this manner it is gone forever. It cannot be saved to your dump file. This EPO is handy if you find you've accidentally entered a record twice (hence the second entry is of no historical value, unlike a voided check). - - - - - - - - - <+> Reset the Tax Code field in all records that have a specific Tax code to blank. If you've set up one of your Tax codes as a special projects code, you can reset the Tax code status on all of the records with that Tax code to blank. Only the records with a current year date are affected. Read the section entitled "Special Projects and the Tax Codes" found in the Tax Code field definition above for more information. - - - - - - - - - <$> Print an order form for My Little Realm's Checking. - - - - - - - - - <?> Display available EPO's for this routine. ____________________________________________________________________ + The End + ____________________________________________________________________ (c) Copyright 1991 - 1992 John L. Salisbury