Welcome to The Bill Drawer!

This program is designed to help you pay your bills in a timely 
manner.  Unlike "checkbook" programs, which assume you know what
you want to pay, "The Bill Drawer" helps you organize your bills
by their due date, then gives you powerful features to review, 
select and write checks for only the bills you desire.

In addition, there are many features to help you anaylze both 
your unpaid bills and expenditures, like:

   * Recurring Bills
   * Cash Requirements Reporting
   * Expense Catagories
   * Company Statistics
   * Check Register and Supporting Detail
   * Account Reconciliation
   * History Reporting
  
Basically, to use this program you follow the following cycle:

   1. Enter your bills as they are received.
   2. On a periodic basis review your cash requirements and bills
      that are due.
   3. Select the bills you wish to pay by total amount, due date, 
      company, or expense catagory.        
   4. Print the checks.
   5. Review and monitor your cumulative expedentures. 
   6. Reconcile your bank accounts.
   7. Produce the desired reports.
 
Overview:
   This window is used to select the initial bank account account
   to be used for paying bills.  Don't worry if you do not yet 
   know what bank account to use, it can be changed at anytime by
   returning to this window, or using the "Windows - Bank Accounts"
   menu selection.

Fields:
   Account ID - Select the desired bank account from the list box.
      To add a new bank account, use the "Windows - Bank Accounts"
      menu selection.

   Description - Description of the selected bank account.

   Balance - Balance of the selected bank account.

Menu Bar:
   File:
      Exit - Leave this program.  An option will be presented to take
         a back-up of all files.  This option is recommended.

      Backup Files
         Backup All Files - This option will backup all your data files
            to the current directory.  This option is recommended.

         Backup Company File - This option only backs up the company
            file to the current directory.

         Backup Catagory File - This option only backs up the catagory
            file to the current directory.

         Backup Bill File - This option only backs up the unpaid bill
            file to the current directory.
   
            Note: There are linkages between the company, catagory and 
            unpaid bill files.  These files should be backed up and 
            restored together.
   
         Backup History File - This option only backs up the check 
            history file to the current directory.

         Backup Form File - This option only backs up the check form
            layout file to the current directory.

         Backup Bank File - This option only backs up the bank account
            file to the current directory.

            Note: There are linkages between the history and bank files.
            These files should be backed up and restored together.

      Restore Files - The same options as "Backup Files" are presented
         to restore files from the previous backup.

      Clear History File - Clears paid items (payments, checks, etc.) 
         from the history file.  You will be prompted to supply a 
         cutoff date to be used.  Any item for the current bank paid
         on or before this date will be deleted.  Note that this
         function uses the current backup file as input, and will
         attempt to take a backup before clearing any items.  You
         must allow this backup to occur.    

   Windows:
      Bank Accounts - Opens another window for bank account
         information.  You can use this option to select a new
         bank account, or change the account information.

      Catagories - Opens another window for catagory information.
         You can use this option to add a new catagory for bill entry.

      Check Register - Opens another window to select and display 
         the check register for the current bank.

      Company Information - Opens another window for company
         information.  You can use this option to add a new
         company for bill entry.

      Enter Bills - Opens another window to enter bills.  Bills 
         can be entered as soon as they are received. 

      Pay Bills - Opens another window to select and pay bills.
         Bills can be selected for payment by company, catagory, or
         due date.

   Help:
      I'm Stuck - You found this option, it is what you are
         currently reading.

      Error Messages - Shows all fatal error messages and their
         corrective actions.

      About - Shows information about this program.  Including how
         to register.
