Boot Disc 8/boot-disc-1997-04.iso/PDA_Soft/Psion/misc/S3aExp/S3AExp2.txt

Text File | 1996-09-01 | 14KB | 280 lines

EXPENSES MANAGER V1.2 (S3A Only)
--------------------------------

Following the success of my Home Accounts program S3ABANK, a
number of people have suggested that I issue some of the optional
modules as standalone programs.  This is the fifth of these modules (the
others are the Investment Tracker, S3AINVx.ZIP, the Financial
Planner, S3APLANx.ZIP, the Fuel Consumption monitor
S3AFUELx.ZIP and the Home Inventory, S3AHOMEx.ZIP, where 'x' is
the version number).  This program allows you to keep track of your
Expense Account, accepting expenses by category, and automatically
calculated vehicle journeys.

To Install the program, do the following:

1.     Put S3AEXP2.APP into any \APP\ directory\.
2.     Put S3AEXP2.OVL into an \APP\S3AEXP\ directory.
3.     If you have a Company Vehicle and would like to use the optional
    vehicle monitor put the S3ACAR2.OVL module into the
    \APP\S3AEXP\ directory as well.
4.        If you want to use the optional On-Line Help (Highly
    recommended) put the file S3AEXPH.OVL into the
    \APP\S3AEXP\ directory.
5.        If you want to use the optional Print option put the file
    S3AEXPP.OVL into the \APP\S3AEXP\ directory and the file
    S3APRINT.DYL into an \OPD\ directory.  Note that this file is
    common to all my programs, so if you have more than one of them
    you only need one copy of this file.
6.    Install as usual, using <PSION-I>.

Now go into the program, ideally using <PSION-N> to name the file
for the first trip, although the default name EXPENSE is used if you
just press <ENTER>. The 'nag' screens can be removed by registering
the program, which will also allow you the full 200 entries/trip.  The
unregistered version allows you just five entries, to see the capabilities
of the program, and a limited number of categories.

You will then be asked for a title for the trip, the overall allowance for
the trip, either per-diem or total (leave this at zero if it is not
applicable), the vehicle rate (for example, 25c/mile would go in as 0.25,
although again, leave at zero if it is not applicable) and the symbol for
the Currency in use.  If you are never going to use multiple currencies
this can also be left blank.  If you have loaded the optional Vehicle
Monitor module, you will also be asked if you wish to add a monitor
page to this trip, and if you say 'yes' you will be asked for the Vehicle
name and number and whether you wish the program to start up in the
Expenses screen or the Vehicle Monitor screen.

Working through the MENU commands will show you the capabilities
of the program, but to get the best out of it, I suggest you go through the
following mini-tutorial.

First thing to do is add a few Categories using <PSION-M>.  I suggest
Food, and Car Park  as a start.  Now put in some dummy entries, either
from the Menu, the 'hot key' <PSION-E>, or just by pressing
<ENTER>.  I suggest you put in one Car Park bill, ensuring it is a
'Spend' and the category is 'Car Park', and two Food Bills with the
category set to 'Food'.  Now enter a vehicle journey, again either from
the Menu or the 'hot key', <PSION-J>.  You will see that the cost is
evaluated automatically, depending on the Vehicle Rate you entered at
the start.  Finally, enter another Food Bill, but set it as a refund, to
demonstrate money received back from the Company.  Note that this is
the limit for the unregistered version. If you register you will be allowed
200 entries.

Now, from the Category menu, select 'Category Filter' or <PSION-C>
and select 'Food', leaving the Date Filter OFF.  Pressing <ENTER> now
gives you a display of only those entries associated with that filter.  Now
select the filter again and reset it to 'None'.  Note that selecting the filter
to 'Distance' will show just vehicle journeys.  The additional Date filter
can be used if, for example,  you wish to see Food bought in just
January.

How you subsequently treat the program when you have submitted the
claim is up to you.  However, I have provided 3 suggested methods:

1.   Start a new file for your next trip, using the Menu, or <PSION-N>.

2.   Draw a line under the final entry, using the Menu, <PSION-L> or
just <L>.

3.   Reconcile those entries that have been claimed, using the Menu,
<PSION-R>,<R>, or just the <Space Bar>.  This is the method I
recommend.

For the purposes of the demonstration, reconcile the three food entries.

If we now assume that the claim has been paid, we need to remove the
entries, so press <PSION-A> to archive them.  Note from the dialog
that you actually have various options available, but for now use the
'Archive Reconciled Entries' option.  Because this is the first time the
option has been used, you will be prompted for a file name for the
Archive.
This will not occur in subsequent uses of this option.  Now, you will be
asked to select which Archive to use, although at the moment you only
have a choice of one, and whether to Append or Overwrite.  Again, this
is a personal decision.  Some people are happy to run just one Archive
file, some people prefer a file for each type of claim.  Some like to just
keep the last set of records, some like to add the new ones onto the old
ones. For the demo, leave it at Append, and press <ENTER>.

We can now look at the Archive file using the Menu or just <PSION-
SHIFT-A> or the diamond key.  This simply displays the information
with a header giving details of when and where the entries originated
(and the currency, if that was selected). Note that under the 'Special'
Menu, you still have the Category Filter option, and that full Search
facilities are available under the 'Search' Menu (But only if the Filter is
turned 'off').  If you do run multiple Archive files, then the 'File' menu
gives you the appropriate options you will need.

Now return to the main screen, either from the Menu, <PSION-SHIFT-
E>, the Diamond key, or just <Esc>.  Note that in this main screen
entries can be updated or deleted by using the options in the 'Edit'
menu, or <TAB> or <Delete> and that <PSION-P> will print out the
entries.

If you have more than one Trip or more than one Archive, there are
various switching methods. In the case of Trips, use <PSION-O> to
open an existing trip.  In the Archive, use <PSION-S> to switch
between archives.  In both screens, the L/R arrows will also cycle
through trips/archives.

The usual <CTRL-MENU> option is available to cycle through Status
Windows.  Note that the 'Distance' column is not available if the Status
Window is selected 'On'.

If you specified a currency symbol during the initial setup of a trip, you
will be able to use the 'Currencies' option under the 'Special' menu to
specify a second currency.  Simply enter the label and the rate relative
to the original currency.  For example, if your main currency is English
Pounds and you add US$ then the rate figure should be about 1.5.  If
that is the wrong way around for you just select 'Inverse Rate' as your
method and put the inverse in.  Now, whenever you input an entry, you
will have the option of using the secondary currency, and the figure will
be automatically converted to the main trip currency.

Now, select 'Set Preferences' from the Menu or <PSION-Q>.  This
allows the following:

    Default Entries.

If you find you are entering the same details on a regular basis, you can
set it up as a Default Entry .  Select the option, and then the 'New Entry'
option.  Note that this menu also allows you to subsequently update or
delete the entry.  Now fill in the details, giving it a recognisable name.
This entry can now be recalled by using the menu, or by using <PSION-
G> instead of <PSION-E> or, most easily, by using Shift-Enter.  After
selecting the entry, the default values are filled in for you.  If you want
to set up a default journey, simply select the 'New Journey' option from
the original menu instead.

    Default Archive File

If you use multiple archive files, the program will default to displaying
the last used file.  Using this selection you can change that so it always
defaults to the same file, or asks you which one you want, every time.

    Step on Reconcile.

If you are reconciling a number of entries it is often useful to automatically
step the cursor to the next entry after reconciling an entry.  This option will
allow that to happen automatically.

    Printer Configuration

This is a repeat of the option available from the Main screen and allows you
to specify the Printer type (Parallel, Serial, File).

    Toggle Total/Balance

By default, the total column shows the overall spend.  Use this option if
you would rather it displayed the amount of your allowance remaining.

    Toggle Total Sign.

Having used the program myself, I could not decide whether I wanted
the Total column to be negative or positive.  Simple solution was to
make it configurable for either one.

    Date Format

As various different date formats are used throughout the world, I have
allowed for various options.  If I've missed one, let me know.

    Decimal Places

This allows configuration of the number of decimal places to display.

    Font

Use this to specify Swiss or Roman font

    Preference Repeat

If you would prefer to stay in the 'Set Preferences' menu while setting
up the program, rather than having to reselect it, use this option.

Under the 'Special' menu option, the final 2 menu items allow you to
toggle between large and small fonts for each screen, and to open up a
word processor memopad, similar to that implemented in the Agenda,
to keep text records. Personally I use it to record trip times for the
subsequent claims.

There is also a  'Backup' and 'Restore' options under the 'Trip' Menu.
This simply makes a 'mirror' copy of your data somewhere else on the
disc, to restore if something goes adrift with the original data.

Note that the per-diem allowance is worked out by multiplying the
number of days between the first and last dates in the entries by the per-
diem figure.  This works for my system where an overnight stop
'triggers' a day's allowance.  If anyone does it differently, please let me
know.

OPTIONAL VEHICLE MONITOR

Although the main screen can cope with occasional use of your own car
at the Company's expenses, a number of people pointed out that it did
not really help if you had a Company vehicle and you needed to keep
track of ALL of the mileage covered.  This, then is the purpose of the
Vehicle Monitor screen.  You enter every journey undertaken, with start
and end values for the odometer, and you can allocate each trip to a
category.  There are 2 built-in categories, for Business and Personal, but
you can add additional specific Business categories if you so wish.   I
think it's use is fairly self-explanatory, as it uses the same principles as
the main program.   However, as a tutorial, try this:

1.  Create a new trip and say 'Yes' to the Vehicle Monitor.

2.  Enter the Name and Number of the vehicle and specify whether you
want Expenses or the Vehicle screen to be the primary screen.

There are 3 built-in Categories called 'Business', 'Personal' and 'Unallocated'.
However, you have the option of adding extra categories, although these
will all be treated as 'Business' for the purpose of display calculations.

3.  Enter a couple of new categories - Client names for example.

4.  Now press <ENTER> to start the log.

5.  Enter all the details, with a description and using one of the
categories.

6.  Now enter a few more, using the 'Personal' and 'Unallocated'
categories as well.  Note that the 'Odometer Start' figure defaults to
the previous 'Odometer Finish' figure, as it assumes you have to
account for ALL the use of the vehicle.

You should now see how the module will work, with the distance totals
permanently displayed at the bottom, and by using the filter, you can
see how various distances are charged against different Categories.

I should point out that I see this not as a standalone function, but an
add-on to a trip file.  Normal expenses, Hotel, Food etc are still entered
in the main screen, while you simultaneously keep track of the vehicle
in the secondary screen. I do, however, see a linkage that might be
needed to 'feed through' the journey entered in the Vehicle screen, to
the main screen.  I will work on that once some 'real' users have had a
chance to comment and put it in V1.3.

If you find the program useful and wish to register it, please see the file
REGISTER.TXT  for up-to-date instructions on how to register.  Apart
from giving you a 'warm' feeling, allowing you 200 entries/trip, and
getting rid of the 'nag' screens, registering will give you access to full
support and notification (only by E-Mail I'm afraid) of regular, free,
updates.   If anyone has any useful suggestions for improvements, I will
always try and include them in the next version.

If you want to contact me, use the addresses in REGISTER.TXT, or I
am always available on Compuserve 100023,543 or E-Mail on
[e-mail]

Also, I now have a WWW Home Page at
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/alanrichey   I will always
have news of the program, any bugs found, any enhancements planned,
and the latest BETA test version for downloading, so please pay a visit.

Cheers

Al Richey