POINT & SHOOT HOME MANAGER 2.0 Copyright (C) 1988 All Rights Reserved Applied Micro Systems Technology Kurt H. Diesch Member, Association of Shareware Professionals Revised: July 7, 1988 Point & Shoot Home Manager is a dedicated home management database program designed for IBM Personal Computers and 100% compatibles. Applied Micro Systems Technology reserves the COPYRIGHT to this program and all related materials. The user is granted a non-exclusive license to use the program and is encouraged to pay for the program if it is found to be useful. Payment of the $35 registration fee will entitle the user to full registration including printed documentation and user support. Government and business entities may not use the program without paying the full registration fee. Please register your program with the form included at the end of the documentation. REMEMBER: Shareware is not free! Send payments to: Applied Micro Systems Technology P.O. Box 1596, Welch Ave. Station Ames, Iowa 50010 The user is also granted permission to make unlimited copies of the program and to distribute those copies as long as no fee is charged for the program. A duplication charge not to exceed $5 may be collected. Applied Micro Systems Technology specifically disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for any particular purpose. In no event shall Applied Micro Systems Technology be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential or other damages. MEMBER - ASSOCIATION OF SHAREWARE PROFESSIONALS The author of this program is a member of ASP and has agreed to comply with its standards: Programming standards- - The program meets ASP's definition of Shareware. - The program has been thoroughly tested by the author and should not be harmful to other files or hardware if used properly (although ASP cannot warrant this; therefore, the user should take normal precautions in trying new software). Documentation standards- - Sufficient documentation is provided to allow the average user to try all major functions of the program. - The program author has explained the Shareware concept in a professional and positive manner. Support standards- - The program author will respond as described in the documentation to people who send registration payments. At a minimum, the author will send an acknowledgment of payment. - The author will respond to written bug reports from registered users when the user provides a self-addressed, stamped envelope (some authors will respond by phone, but this is not an ASP requirement). - Incompatibilities with other software or hardware, major or unusual program limitations, or known problems are noted in the documentation that comes with the shareware version of the program. General- - The author keeps his/her membership in ASP current. - The author recognizes that any user may appeal to ASP for any unresolved dispute that arises. If you feel that the author has not complied with these standards in some manner or if you register the program with the author and subsequently have any disputes with the author which cannot be resolved, please write the ASP at: Association of Shareware Professionals 325 118th Ave SE, Suite 200 Bellevue, WA 98005 While ASP cannot warrant programs nor the actions of members, ASP will do what it can to assure that all authors who claim membership comply with ASP standards. These standards are the assurance of quality and support that you will get when you register Shareware produced by ASP members. SHAREWARE To promote better understanding of the shareware concept, ASP has developed the following official definition of shareware: Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. So, Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- INTRODUCTION .................................... 1 INSTALLATION .................................... 2 GENERAL OVERVIEW ................................ 5 DATABASE COMMANDS ............................... 6 MAIN MENU COMMANDS .............................. 10 Account ...................................... 10 Editor ....................................... 10 Finance ...................................... 10 Homework ..................................... 10 Insurance .................................... 10 Labels ....................................... 10 Phonebook .................................... 10 Records ...................................... 10 Setup ........................................ 11 Utility ...................................... 11 Vehicle ...................................... 11 ACCOUNTING SYSTEM ............................... 12 Accounting Fundamentals ...................... 12 Accounting System Setup ...................... 16 Account ...................................... 17 Genledger .................................... 18 Posting ...................................... 19 Standards .................................... 20 Yearend ...................................... 20 EDITOR COMMANDS ................................. 22 Overview & Command Summary .................... 22 The Editing Screen ............................ 23 Options ....................................... 23 Cursor Movement ............................... 24 Editing Commands .............................. 25 Search Commands ............................... 26 Block Commands ................................ 27 Miscellaneous Commands ........................ 28 FINANCE COMMANDS ................................ 29 Report ....................................... 29 Update ....................................... 29 HOMEWORK DATABASE ............................... 30 INSURANCE DATABASE .............................. 31 LABELS COMMAND .................................. 32 PHONEBOOK DATABASE .............................. 33 RECORDS DATABASE ................................ 34 SETUP ........................................... 35 UTILITY COMMANDS ................................ 36 Fixup ........................................ 36 VEHICLE DATABASE ................................ 37 REGISTRATION FORM ............................... 38 INTRODUCTION ------------ The Point & Shoot Home Manager arose from dissatisfaction with available programs to manage the details of operating a home. The Point & Shoot Home Manager encapsulates, within a single program, the primary data management tasks necessary in the home. The Point & Shoot Home Manager is a collection of dedicated databases for complete home budgeting, tracking of home maintenance, home inventory and important record tracking, name and address tracking, and vehicle maintenance recordkeeping. A full featured financial calculation system is included. This is not simply a home budgeting system like so many others. This is a comprehensive home management system. Point & Shoot Home Manager requires the following hardware and software to operate correctly: o IBM or 100% compatible computer with 320K minimum memory o 2 floppy disks or hard disk (recommended) o MS-DOS version 2.0 or greater o Color/graphics, monochrome, EGA or VGA display adaptor o CONFIG.SYS file must set FILES=20 As you are well aware, part of the reward for writing well-received software is monetary. If you would like to continue to use Point & Shoot Home Manager, a $35 payment will register your copy of the program. The registration fee entitles you to printed documentation and user support. Another benefit of registration is that I will take your feedback into consideration for future versions of the program. Please use the registration form found in this documentation file to register your copy of the program. - 1 - INSTALLATION ------------ Installation of this program is as simple as operating the program itself. Follow these installation instructions carefully. If any problems are encountered, first check your computer. If you still have problems, enlist the aid of someone who is perhaps more knowledgeable with computers than yourself. A third alternative is to contact AMST. Note: Only registered users will receive support, but if you are testing the program, you may receive limited support. The only files required to run the Point & Shoot Home Manager are: PASH.EXE The Point & Shoot Home Manager Program. This file must reside on a bootable disk for floppy systems, or it must be available in the current directory or in the PATH if used on a hard disk. *.DBD These are the database definition files used with the databases in the Point & Shoot Home Manager. These files must be available on the data disk for floppy systems, or in the current directory if used on a hard disk. Whether using a hard disk or dual floppy disk system, you must use a CONFIG.SYS file that contains the following line: FILES = 20 DUAL FLOPPY DISK SYSTEMS ------------------------ 1) Copy PASH.EXE from the Point & Shoot Home Manager distribution disk to a bootable floppy disk. 2) Copy all of the "DBD" files from the Point & Shoot Home Manager distribution disk to a blank data disk. 3) Place the new bootable disk in drive A: and the data disk in drive B:, switch to drive B: and invoke the Point & Shoot Home Manager from drive A: A> B: B> A:PASH 4) The Point & Shoot Home Manager should run. The SETUP command should be used immediately to set the program parameters. - 2 - HARD DISK INSTALLATION ---------------------- If running the Point & Shoot Hard Disk Manager: 1) Use the FILE COPY command to copy PASH.EXE to the \P&S directory. 2) Use the TREE MAKE command to create a directory to hold the Point & Shoot Home Manager data and use the FILE COPY command to copy all files with the ".DBD" extension to the new data directory. 3) Use the MENU ADD command to add the PASH command to the user-defined menus. Remember to select the data directory as the directory path. 4) The SETUP command should be used immediately to set the program parameters. If not running the Point & Shoot Hard Disk Manager: 1) Create a new subdirectory on the hard disk for the Point & Shoot Home Manager program and data files. 2) Copy all the files on the distribution disk to the newly created directory. 3) The Point & Shoot Home Manager program may now be run from the new directory by changing to that directory and entering the following command: PASH 4) To run the Point & Shoot Home Manager from one directory and to store the data files in a different directory, first create a separate directory to hold the Point & Shoot Home Manager data files, and copy the files with the ".DBD" extension to that directory. Note: The PATH command in AUTOEXEC.BAT must include the path containing PASH.EXE. The Point & Shoot Home Manager may then be executed from the data directory by making that directory the default and entering the PASH command. 5) The SETUP command should be used immediately to set the program parameters. REMEMBER: Set FILES = 20 in CONFIG.SYS file! - 3 - PRINTING THE DOCUMENTATION -------------------------- To print the documentation, type the following from the DOS prompt: COPY PASHDOC.TXT PRN: Another option to print the documentation is to use the File Print command found in the Point & Shoot Hard Disk Manager. Following is a complete list of the Point & Shoot Home Manager program and data files contained on the distribution disk. CHANGES TXT Program revision history FILES TXT A file containing this file list PASH EXE The Point & Shoot Home Manager program PASHDOC TXT Program documentation PASHACCT DBD Account database definition file PASHGL DBD General ledger database definition file PASHHOME DBD Home maintenance database definition file PASHINS DBD Insurance database definition file PASHPHON DBD Phonebook database definition file PASHRECS DBD Records database definition file PASHVEH DBD Vehicle maintenance database definition file READ ME Last minute changes and installation help In addition, the Point & Shoot Home Manager will create files with either a ".DB" extension which are database files (files that contain actual data), or ".Kxx" extension which are index files for a database (the xx denotes the field numbers described later). Other files may be created with the EDITOR command. - 4 - GENERAL OVERVIEW ---------------- The desired method of program operation is to place PASH.EXE in one directory (or one floppy disk) and the files with .DBD extensions (the database definition files) in a separate directory (or disk). The second directory (or disk) becomes the data directory (or disk). The program is then invoked from the data directory (or disk). This method requires setting the PATH command appropriately for hard disks. The advantage of separating the program data from the program itself is that more than one directory (or disk) could be used for data. Thus, distinct data for different years or different people using the program can be maintained. This method avoids having to place the PASH.EXE file in each data directory (or disk). When Point & Shoot Home Manager is run, the main program screen will appear. The top line of the screen displays the name and version of the program, a copyright notice and the current date and time. The center portion of the screen displays a detailed copyright notice and registration information. The bottom section of the screen displays the program menus with an explanatory line on the bottom. Most of the program functions are executed through the list of commands shown in the bottom area of the screen. The [Space], [BackSpace] or [left/right arrow] keys may be used to highlight the desired command. The one-line description of the command shown on the last line of the screen will change appropriately. To execute any of the functions, press the first letter of the command or hilite the command and press [Return]. Some commands will invoke another command list. The name of the current command list is always shown on the left side of the command list. You may move to a previous command list by pressing the [Esc] key. Each command list also has a QUIT command which will move to the previous command list. In general, the [Esc] key serves to abort any operation or selection. Occasionally, you will be presented with a vertical list of choices for some program options. Select from these lists either by pressing the up or down arrow keys to move the highlight bar and pressing [Return] when the desired option is highlighted or by pressing the first letter of the options. You may optionally press the [Esc] key to abort the selection process. At any time during the operation of the program, you may press the [Alt-C] key combination to activate an on-screen calculator. The [Esc] key will return you to the program at the point from which you started the calculator. A calendar screen is also available at any time with the [Alt-L] command. To quit the program and return to the operating system, press [Esc] or select QUIT from the Main Menu command list. - 5 - DATABASE COMMANDS ----------------- The Point & Shoot Home Manager contains several databases. A database is a collection of data in a format that is similar to a collection of index cards. Each record in a database is equivalent to a card in an index file. Each piece of information in a record is called a field. An entire group of similar records is stored in a single file called a database. In this program, the database files end with the .DB extension. To assist in sorting and retrieving data in the Point & Shoot Home Manager databases, the program maintains key files which are separate files (ending with .Kxx) consisting of data from one field from a database kept in sorted order. The databases included in the Point & Shoot Home Manager are Accounts, General Ledger, Home Maintenance, Insurance, Phonebook, Records, and Vehicle Maintenance. The commands used to work with the databases are generally identical and are described here. Differences that occur will be covered in the associated detail section of this documentation. IMPORTANT: NEVER turn the computer off while the program is operating. Always quit first. Damage to databases could result from turning the computer off while the program is running! In general, the program databases operate in the same fashion. After selecting the appropriate database from the program main menu, a screen will appear that displays information relative to the database in use. Line 24 of the screen will display information related to the current database. This line will show, in order, the name of the current database, the current order of the database, the page and number of pages total, the current record number, the number of records currently stored in the database, the total number of records counting previously deleted records, and the number of records that may still be added to the database (dependent on disk space remaining). Browse: Shows the records in tabular format. The [PgUp/PgDn] and [up/down arrow] keys may be used to move through the list. The [left/right] arrow keys scroll the screen horizontally. [^Home] and [^End] jump to the beginning and end of the database respectively. [Esc] returns to the original database screen at the original record and [Return] selects the record that the arrow is pointing to. Search options in the Browse command allow quick location of records. The [F1] and [F2] keys are used to set the primary and secondary search strings for the field currently shown on the left side of the browse screen. After setting the desired search strings, [F5] and [F6] are used to search forward or backward. A match indicator is shown on the lower right corner of the screen. - 6 - Delete: Deletes the current record after user confirmation. Enter: Enters a new record into the current database. For an explanation of data entry, see the section on Data Entry Screens. Find: Finds a record matching a selected field. You will be prompted to enter a string to match. Find options include equal to, greater than or equal, less than, and partial match. Key: Used to add or delete keys in the database. A prompt will ask if the desired action is to add or delete a key. After selecting the appropriate option, a list of key field choices will appear from which the desired field may be selected. Key fields are marked with a K or k to indicate unique keys or duplicate keys respectively. Unique key fields that have been predefined for a database may not be deleted, and a maximum of 10 key fields may be defined for a database. Order: Changes the record display order. A list of key field choices will appear from which you may select the desired order. Key fields are marked with a K or k to indicate unique keys or duplicate keys respectively. Report: Allows the user to select a report to print for the database. All databases have at least two report options: All records or current record summary. Other reports available are covered in detail in the sections describing each database. Reports will print in the current database order. Transfer: Transfers the database records to an Ascii file for use by other programs. Each field in the database will be placed on a separate line in the output file. Text fields will be enclosed in quotes, numeric fields are left-justified without quotes. The field specifications are detailed in the appropriate database section. The Transfer command creates a file with the same name as the current database, but with a ".TFR" extension. If the transfer file already exists, you will be asked if it is OK to replace it. Update: Updates the current database record. For an explanation of data entry, see the section on Data Entry Screens. - 7 - Several additional database commands are available but are not shown as menu items: [F5] [F6]: Move to the previous/next record. [^Home] [^End]: Jumps immediately to the first/last record of the database. [PgUp] [PgDn]: If the current database contains more than one screen of data, these commands are used to select the other pages. At many points in the program, you will be using the Enter and Update commands to enter and/or change information on the screen. After you have selected the Enter or Update command, a flashing "*" will appear on the data screen to indicate where information is to be entered. A cursor will also show the current position within a data field. (Data fields are the hilited areas of the screen). Some or all of the following commands will be available for data entry: [left/right arrow]: Moves the cursor within the current field. If the cursor is at the first position in a field, then the previous field will be selected. If the cursor is at the last position in a field, then the next field will be selected. [^left/^right arrow]: Moves the cursor to the first/last position in the current field. [up/down arrow]: Selects the previous/next data field for editing. [F1]: Inserts the current date into the current field of the database (only if the field is a date field). [F3]: Performs a lookup into another database for quick data entry. This command is only available in some databases and will only operate on some fields. When the lookup command is selected, the program will attempt to find a record in another database that matches the current field. If the field is blank or a match could not be found, the familiar Browse screen will appear. The Browse commands described previously may be used to locate and/or select a record. Appropriate information will then be returned to the current database with the fields completed. - 8 - [F5]: Accepts changes to the current record and moves to the previous record of the database. (Not available in Enter mode) [F6]: Accepts changes to the current record and moves to the next record of the database. If in Enter mode, a new blank record will appear for data entry. [F8]: Blanks the current field. [Enter]: Same as right or down arrow for next field. [Esc]: Aborts changes made to the current record and completes Enter/Update action. [F10]: Accepts changes made to the current record and completes Enter/Update actions. Power outages and surges as well as computer malfunctions may cause corruption to occur in the databases of the program. The only security you have against such problems is to make regular backups of your data. It is suggested that you use a rotated backup routine where you keep two copies of backups. Alternate between these disks each time you perform a backup. When making your backups, you may either use the backup program that comes with your DOS disks or any other commercial backup program (like Point & Shoot Backup/Restore). To backup your data, you must specify all files that end with the ".DB" extension as well as files that end with a ".Kxx" extension, where then xx is a number that identifies the field number for the key. Other files that may have been created with the built-in editor should also be specified for backups. If the need ever arises to restore your databases from your backup disks, follow the procedure in your backup program documentation to restore your data. - 9 - MAIN MENU COMMANDS ------------------ The Main Menu is the center of Point & Shoot Home Manager activity. Some of the Main Menu commands move to another command list, while others will immediately execute a command. Following is a description of the Main Menu commands. ACCOUNT Moves to the accounting functions command list described later in this documentation. The accounting functions are used to track and maintain the financial records of your home. EDITOR Invokes the built-in text file editor. Text files of up to 64K may be edited. FINANCE Invokes the financial calculation system. Eight different financial scenarios are presented to aid in the analysis of loans and other investments. HOMEWORK Moves to the Home Maintenance database which is used to track maintenance activity for the home. INSURANCE Moves to the Insurance database which is used to maintain a record of valuables for insurance purposes. PHONEBOOK Moves to the Phonebook database which is used to maintain a list of names and addresses and to print labels or envelopes. RECORDS Moves to the Records database which is used to track the important records in your home (insurance policies, wills, etc...). - 10 - SETUP Moves to the program setup data screen described later. Setup is used to define the program parameters. UTILITY Miscellaneous program functions. VEHICLE Moves to the Vehicle Maintenance database which is used to maintain a record of maintenance performed on vehicles. - 11 - ACCOUNTING SYSTEM ----------------- The accounting system contained in the Point & Shoot Home Manager provides a comprehensive system for management of financial data. The system allows accurate tracking of income and expenses and provides the user with an up-to-date view of current financial condition. The following section on accounting fundamentals will provide the new user with an overview of accounting procedures and will assist the user in preparing the accounting system for use. Even if you are familiar with accounting practices, you should review this section to ensure that the Point & Shoot Home Manager accounting system is properly prepared. ACCOUNTING FUNDAMENTALS Several definitions are in order before proceeding with a discussion of accounting concepts: Assets: Assets are economic resources which are owned and have some value. Examples of tangible assets are land, real estate and cash. Some assets may be intangible, but still have some value. An example of an intangible asset is money that someone owes you (called Accounts Receivable in business accounting). Liabilities: Liabilities are debts (called Accounts Payable in business accounting). Purchases made with credit cards, loans from a bank, and a mortgage on a home are all examples of liabilities. Owner Equity: Owner Equity represents the resources invested in (typically) a business by an owner. In a simple accounting system, Owner Equity may be thought of as Net Worth. Revenue: Revenue is the value (usually cash) received for selling an asset or providing some service to someone (e.g., income from employment). Expense: Expenses are the costs incurred in the operation of a home or business. Typical expenses would be rent, gasoline, and insurance. Each of these accounting categories are types of Accounts. Accounts in the Point & Shoot Home Manager are contained in the Account database. The list of all the accounts in an accounting system is known as the Chart of Accounts. - 12 - Owner Equity is determined by taking total assets minus total liabilities. This calculation is known as the accounting equation and is fundamental to accounting practices: Owner Equity = Assets - Liabilities The accounting equation is represented in a report called the Balance Sheet. The Balance Sheet lists all Asset, Liability, and Owner Equity accounts with their respective totals. The Balance Sheet shows the reconciliation of the accounting equation. The numbers on either side of the accounting equation are always in balance, but why? The numbers found in the accounting equation are simply two views of the same thing. An asset is either owned outright or some money is owed on it. The difference between what is owned (assets) and what is owed (liabilities) represents the value of assets after all creditors are satisfied (Owner Equity or Net Worth). Any financial transaction that occurs can be expressed in terms of its effect on the accounting equation. When financial transactions occur, it is important to remember that assets, liabilities, and owner equity must remain in balance according to the accounting equation. The recording of financial transactions with this balance in mind is known as double-entry accounting and is key in understanding of the Point & Shoot Home Manager accounting system. Financial transactions are recorded in the General Ledger. Each transaction is represented in terms of the Accounts that it affects. The requirement that the Balance Sheet must remain in balance mandates that General Ledger transactions must have balancing entries. Each General Ledger entry has two sides. The left side is called a Debit entry and a the right side is called a Credit entry. The concept of Debits and Credits is often confusing to those not familiar with accounting practices. In accounting, the term Debit refers to an entry on the left side of a transaction in the General Ledger, and the term Credit refers to an entry on the right side of a transaction in the General Ledger. Therefore, Debit and Credit are simple equivalents of left and right, without any hidden or subtle meanings. Accounts are divided into categories as discussed previously. Each account category is either a debit account or a credit account. Recall that the accounting equation dictates that General Ledger transactions must maintain a balance between accounts. Correct assignment of debit or credit types to accounts ensures that this balance is maintained. The following chart shows the effect of debit entries (left side of General Ledger) and credit entries (right side of General Ledger) on the accounts: - 13 - Account Type Effect of Debit Effect of Credit ------------ --------------- ---------------- Asset increase decrease Liability decrease increase Owner Equity decrease increase Revenue decrease increase Expense increase decrease It is important to remember this chart when entering transactions in the General Ledger. With this chart in mind, refer to the following example Chart of Accounts. The thousands range of account types is a standard method of numbering the accounts in an accounting system, although the specific numbers within a range may vary. Accounts may be added or removed from this list depending on specific accounting needs. EXAMPLE CHART OF ACCOUNTS ------------------------- Account # Account Name Type Debit/Credit --------- ----------------- ---------- ------------ 1100 Cash Asset Debit 1200 Checking Asset Debit 1300 Savings Asset Debit 1400 Real Estate Asset Debit 2100 Mortgage Payable Liability Credit 2200 VISA Payable Liability Credit 3100 Net Worth Owner Equity Credit 4100 Salary/Wages Revenue Credit 4200 Interest Income Revenue Credit 5100 Auto Gas Expense Debit 5200 Auto Maintenance Expense Debit 5300 Interest Expense Expense Debit 5400 Mortgage Payments Expense Debit 5500 Utilities Expense Debit With this chart of accounts in mind, several examples of general ledger transactions follow which demonstrate the use of the accounting system, specifically the General Ledger. Note how the debit and credit totals of each transaction always balance. A home is purchased for $75,000 with a downpayment of $10,000 and the balance in a mortgage: Account Debit Credit ----------------- ------ ------ Real Estate 75000 Cash 10000 Mortgage Payable 65000 - 14 - A monthly mortgage payment of $850 is made. $725 of the payment is interest and the remainder is principal: Account Debit Credit ----------------- ------ ------ Mortgage Payable 125 Interest Expense 725 Checking 850 Repairs are made to an automobile at a service station for $200. Before leaving, the car is filled with gas totalling $25. The entire bill is charged to a VISA credit card: Account Debit Credit ----------------- ------ ------ Auto Maintenance 200 Auto Gas 25 VISA Payable 225 A paycheck is received in the amount of $2100. Automatic payments of $140 and $225 are made by the bank for utilities and previous VISA charges respectively. The remainder is deposited into checking: Account Debit Credit ----------------- ------ ------ Checking 1735 Utilities 140 VISA Payable 225 Salary/Wages 2100 Note how all changes to accounts are made through entries in the General Ledger. The process of transferring the entries in a General Ledger to the Chart of Accounts balances is call Posting. If the General Ledger is used properly, all accounts will show current, up-to-date balances at all times. The remainder of the accounting section of this documentation provides operation details. If the accounting fundamentals section is not understood, then review this section again and/or refer to an introductory accounting text. - 15 - ACCOUNTING SYSTEM SETUP There are two steps in preparing the Point & Shoot Home Manager accounting system for initial use. After this initial setup, the accounting system should operate without further modification. The first step is to establish a Chart of Accounts in the Account database. Accounts should be created according to the guidelines discussed in the previous section on accounting fundamentals. If the Account database is not understood, review the section on accounting fundamentals and/or examine an introductory accounting text. The budget amounts should be entered in the Account database during this step. The second step in accounting system setup is to establish initial balances in the previously created accounts. This step is accomplished with the General Ledger database discussed later in this documentation. The key point in this procedure is that every entry in the General Ledger database must include offsetting debit and credit entries. In general, initial setup should include General Ledger entries that will establish initial balances in Asset and Liability accounts. The offsetting entry is usually some type of Owner Equity account. For example, to create the initial balance in a checking account, the General Ledger transaction might appear as follows: Account Debit Credit ----------------- ------ ------ Checking 500 Equity 500 If it is desired to show beginning activity in the Revenue and Expense accounts, then appropriate entries should be made in the General Ledger database for those account BEFORE establishing initial balances in the Asset, Liability, and Owner Equity accounts. Then, the Asset and Liability account balances can be created with by examining their current balances and making the appropriate adjustments. After the initial entries have been made, the YEAREND command may be used to transfer the initial balances into the forward balance fields of the Account database. Only use the YEAREND command at this point if you wish to remove the initial General Ledger entries from the General Ledger database and start the accounting system from a fresh point. - 16 - ACCOUNT The Account database is the foundation of the Point & Shoot Home Manager accounting system. In the Account database, the user may establish a Chart of Accounts for use with the General Ledger database. If the operation of the Account database is not understood, the Accounting Fundamentals section of this documentation should be reviewed. The reports included with the Account database are All Accounts Summary, Balance Sheet, Current Account Summary, Income Statement, and Trial Balance. If the Income Statement report is selected, the user will be given the options of Actuals Only, Budget Only, and Comparison of Budget - Actual. There are no special database commands in the Account database. Following is a list of the field definitions used with the TRANSFER command: Account : string[20] AccountNum : string[4] AcctType : string[1] DebCred : string[1] BudgetMth : numeric BudgetYr : numeric LYrDebits : numeric LYrCredits : numeric LYrBalance : numeric JanDebits : numeric JanCredits : numeric JanBalance : numeric FebDebits : numeric FebCredits : numeric FebBalance : numeric MarDebits : numeric MarCredits : numeric MarBalance : numeric AprDebits : numeric AprCredits : numeric AprBalance : numeric MayDebits : numeric MayCredits : numeric MayBalance : numeric JunDebits : numeric JunCredits : numeric JunBalance : numeric JulDebits : numeric JulCredits : numeric JulBalance : numeric AugDebits : numeric AugCredits : numeric AugBalance : numeric - 17 - SepDebits : numeric SepCredits : numeric SepBalance : numeric OctDebits : numeric OctCredits : numeric OctBalance : numeric NovDebits : numeric NovCredits : numeric NovBalance : numeric DecDebits : numeric DecCredits : numeric DecBalance : numeric YTDDebits : numeric YTDCredits : numeric YTDBalance : numeric GENLEDGER The General Ledger database is used in conjunction with the Account database. Any financial activity that occurs will be entered in the General Ledger database. The POSTING command (described later) will transfer that activity to the Account database. If the operation of the General Ledger database is not understood, the Accounting Fundamentals section of this documentation should be reviewed. The reports included with the General Ledger database are All Transactions Summary, Current Transaction Summary, and Single Account Activity. If the Single Account Activity report is selected, the Lookup screen will appear to allow selection of a single account from the Account database. After the desired account is selected, prompts will ask for start and end dates to confine the search range of general ledger transactions. After all prompts have been answered, the report will print. There are two special database commands in the General Ledger database. The [F3]-Lookup command is used to find an account in the Account database for entry in the General Ledger Account fields. The Lookup command is described in the section on database commands found earlier in this documentation. The second special command in the General Ledger database is the [F4]-Standard Entry command. This command is used to make a quick automatic entry in the General Ledger database. Standard general ledger entries must be previously defined with the STANDARDS command described later. When the Standard Entry command is invoked, a vertical list of standard entry choices will appear from which the user may select an entry. The selected entry will be automatically entered in the current General Ledger record. The fields may be edited before saving the record. - 18 - Following is a list of the field definitions used with the TRANSFER command: Entry : string[6] Date : string[10] Ref : string[8] Desc : string[30] Account1 : string[20] Amount1D : numeric Amount1C : numeric Account2 : string[20] Amount2D : numeric Amount2C : numeric Account3 : string[20] Amount3D : numeric Amount3C : numeric Account4 : string[20] Amount4D : numeric Amount4C : numeric Account5 : string[20] Amount5D : numeric Amount5C : numeric DTotal : numeric CTotal : numeric Posted : string[1] (will be Y or N) POSTING The POSTING command takes the accounts and debit or credit amounts from the General Ledger database and updates the corresponding account records in the Account database. Posting options include New Transactions or Reconstruction. If the New Transactions option is selected, only the general ledger records that have not been previously posted will be posted to the Accounts database. The Reconstruction option will force the program to clear the Accounts database (except for balances forward) and post all of the general ledger transactions to the Account database. The Reconstruction command may be necessary if any Account database records are deleted and the user wishes to recover the correct numbers for those accounts. The deleted accounts must be reentered in the Accounts database, then the Reconstruction command must be used. - 19 - STANDARDS STANDARDS allows up to 10 predefined general ledger transactions to be entered for quick entry in the General Ledger database. The STANDARDS screen is similar to the General Ledger screen. Any accounts entered in the STANDARDS area must be spelled exactly as found in the Account database or an error will occur during general ledger transaction entry. The [PgUp] and [PgDn] commands are used to display the different standard general ledger entries. The normal field entry commands are used to update the standard general ledger entries. YEAREND The YEAREND command is used to adjust the Accounts database and clear the General Ledger database to begin a new accounting year. The YEAREND command will alter the Account database and delete the current General Ledger database! Before using the YEAREND command, the Account and General Ledger databases and index files should be copied to a backup disk and marked for that year. After the YEAREND command is used, the previous Account and General Ledger databases will not be recoverable! 1. Print all desired reports from the Account and General Ledger databases. 2. Copy the Account and General Ledger databases and index files to a backup disk or separate directory and label the backup disk for the accounting year. The files to copy include all files matching PASHACCT.* and PASHGL.*. 3. If the Account and General Ledger database files have been safely copied to a backup disk, the end-of-year net income (revenue - expenses) should be entered as a transaction in the General Ledger database to close the net income into an Owner Equity account. Any expense account (preferably a miscellaneous account of some type) should be used as the offsetting account in this General Ledger transaction. The net income may be obtained from the Balance Sheet report in the Account database. 4. Execute the YEAREND command to clear the Account records and post current year-to-date totals into the Balance Forward fields of the Account database. The YEAREND command will also clear the General Ledger database to begin a new accounting year. 5. If anything goes wrong with this procedure, copy the backup accounting files made in step 2 back to the working disk or directory and start with step 1 again. - 20 - You should now be ready to start a new accounting year. If you ever wish to reuse accounting data from a previous year, copy the files from the backup disk to a separate disk or directory and use the Point & Shoot Home Manager on that disk or directory. DO NOT COPY THE BACKUP DISK TO YOUR NEW WORKING DISK OR DIRECTORY OR THE NEW ACCOUNTING DATA WILL BE LOST! - 21 - EDITOR COMMANDS --------------- OVERVIEW & COMMAND SUMMARY The Editor contained in the Point & Shoot Home Manager is a full-screen text editor. It is similar to MicroPro's WordStar non-document mode and the program editors found in Borland products such as Turbo Pascal, Turbo C, or SideKick. If you are familiar with any of these editors, you should need little help in using the editor. Text is entered in the editor like typing on a typewriter. However, there are a few important differences. The cursor (a flashing underscore) always indicates where new text will be entered, and you can move the cursor throughout the current file in many different ways as described later. You can quickly correct mistakes using the delete commands. You can copy and move text with the block commands. You can locate text strings with the Find command and optionally replace that text with new text using the Find and Replace command. Each command for the editor is described in detail in the following sections, and a brief summary of commands is shown below. Note: the ^ character indicates a Ctrl-key combination. To execute a Ctrl-key function, hold the Ctrl key and press the letter shown. CURSOR MOVEMENT EDITING COMMANDS ------------------- -------------------------------------------- Word left ^F Find Options Word right ^G Find F5 or ^Q F ------------------ Line up Up Find/replace F6 or ^Q A B=Backwards search Line down Down Find next ^L G=Global search Page up PgUp L=Limit to block Page down PgDn Insert line F7 N=Replace w/o ask Top screen Home Delete line F8 or ^Y U=Ignore case End screen End Delete word ^T W=Whole words only Top of file ^Home End of file ^End BLOCK COMMANDS Left line ^left -------------------------------------------- Right line ^right Begin ^K B Copy ^K C Read ^K R Top block ^Q B End ^K K Move ^K V Write ^K W End block ^Q K Delete ^K Y Print ^K P OPTIONS MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS -------------------- -------------------------------------------- Toggle indent ^O I Date insert F1 Print file F9 Toggle tabs ^O T Save/resume F2 Lookup name F3 Save/done F10 or ^K D New file F4 Exit editor Alt-X or ^K Q - 22 - THE EDITING SCREEN When you select the EDITOR command, the main editor screen will appear. The center portion of the screen is the text editing area, and the bottom section of the screen displays the quick function key commands. The top line of the text editing window shows the editor status line. The status line provides the following information: o Command Echo: When the first key of a Ctrl-key command is pressed, the keystroke is echoed at the left edge of the status line. o Line n: Shows the number of the line containing the cursor. o Col n: Shows the column number containing the cursor. o Insert: Indicates that Insert mode is in effect. o Indent: Indicates that Autoindent mode is in effect. ^Q I toggles the autoindent mode on and off. o Tab: Indicates that fixed tabs are in effect. ^O T toggles fixed tabs on and off. o X:FILENAME.EXT: The drive, name, and extension of the file being edited. If the current file has not been named, only the current drive letter will be shown. OPTIONS Toggle insert mode (Ins) Selects Insert or Overwrite mode. In Insert mode, text to the right of the cursor is moved to the right as new text is entered. In Overwrite mode, any text at the cursor position is overwritten when the new text is entered. Toggle autoindent (^O I) When Autoindent mode is in effect, pressing Enter will move the cursor to the next line and to the same column as the first character of the previous line. Toggle fixed tabs (^O T) With fixed tabs, tab stops start at column 1 and occur every 8 columns thereafter. With smart tabs, tab stops are set at the first character of each word on the previous line. - 23 - CURSOR MOVEMENT The simplest commands in the editor are the cursor movement commands. Following is a description of these commands. Character left (Left arrow) Moves the cursor one character to the left. Character right (Right arrow) Moves the cursor one character to the right. Word left (^F) Moves the cursor to the beginning of the word to the left. Word right (^G) Moves the cursor to the beginning of the word to the right. Line up (Up arrow) Moves the cursor up one line. If the cursor is at the top line of the screen, the window scrolls down one line. Line down (Down arrow) Moves the cursor down one line. If the cursor is at the bottom line of the screen, the window scrolls up one line. Page up (PgUp) Moves the cursor up one screen. Page down (PgDn) Moves the cursor down one screen. Top of screen (Home) Moves the cursor to the top of the screen. End of screen (End) Moves the cursor to the bottom of the screen. Top of file (^Home) Moves the cursor to the beginning of the file. End of file (^End) Moves the cursor to the end of the file. Left on line (^Left arrow) Moves the cursor to column 1 of the current line. Right on line (^Right arrow) Moves the cursor to the end of the current line. Top of block (^Q B) Moves the cursor to the block-begin marker set with ^K B. End of block (^Q K) Moves the cursor to the block-end marker set with ^K K. - 24 - EDITING COMMANDS The editing commands allow you to insert and delete characters, words, and lines. A related command (Delete block) is discussed later in the Block Commands section. New line (Enter) In Insert mode, this command inserts a line break at the current cursor position. If Autoindent mode is on, the cursor moves to the new line and to the same column as the first character of the previous line, otherwise the cursor moves to column 1 of the new line. In Overwrite mode (Insert off), the cursor will move to column 1 of the next line without creating a new line. Insert Line (F7) Inserts a new line at the current cursor position. Tab (Tab) Moves the cursor to the next tab stop. In Insert mode, any text to the right of the cursor is moved along with it. If Insert mode is off, only the cursor will be moved. The location of the next tab stop depends on whether fixed tabs or smart tabs are in effect as discussed previously. Delete current character (Del) Deletes the character at the current cursor position and moves any characters to the right of the cursor one position to the left. Delete left character (Backspace) Deletes the character to the left of the cursor and moves the cursor to the left one position. Any characters to the right of the cursor are moved to the left one position. If the cursor is at column 1, the cursor is moved to the end of the previous line and the current and previous lines are joined together. Delete word (^T) Deletes the word to the right of the cursor. Delete line (F8 or ^Y) Deletes the current line and moves any lines below it up one line. The cursor moves to column 1 of the next line. - 25 - SEARCH COMMANDS The search commands allow you to find and replace text strings. Find (F5 or ^Q F) Lets you search for a string of up to 30 characters. When you select this command, you will be asked for a search string. The last search string entered (if any) will be displayed. You can select it again by pressing ENTER, edit it, or enter a new search string. To edit the search string, BACKSPACE deletes the previous character, ^R restores the previous string, and ^U or ESC cancels the command. After the search string is entered, you will be prompted for search options. Any previously entered options will be shown. Again, these may be edited or accepted. The following options are available for the Find command: B Searches backward from the current cursor position toward the beginning of the file. L Limits the search to the current block. n Finds the nth occurrence of the search string. U Ignores the case of the target string. W Searches for whole words only Find and Replace (F6 or ^Q A) This command works the same as the Find command, except you can replace the "found" string with any other string up to 30 characters in length. After entering the search string, you will be asked for a replacement string. The last used replacement string will be shown, and you can edit or accept it. Like the Find command, you can enter options for the Find and Replace command. The options available are the same as the Find command except for the following additions: G Searches globally through the entire file for the search string. N Replaces any matches without confirmation. Find next (^L) Repeats the last Find or Find and Replace command. - 26 - BLOCK COMMANDS A block of text is any contiguous unit of text that you define. A block can be as small as a single character or as large as the entire file that you are editing. A block is defined (marked) by placing a block-begin marker at the first character in the desired block and an block-end marker just beyond the last character in the desired block. Once you have marked a block, that block may be copied, moved, deleted, written to a file, or printed. When you mark a block, the marked text will appear in a different color that the rest of the text. A defined block will remain in effect unless the Block Delete command is issued or a new block is defined. Begin block (^K B) Marks the beginning of a block. The marker itself is not visible, and the block itself will not be marked until the End block command is given. End block (^K K) Marks the end of a block. Like the begin-block marker, the end block marker is not visible and the block itself will not be displayed unless both markers are set. Copy block (^K C) Creates a copy of a marked block of text at the current cursor position. The original block is left unchanged and the block-begin and block-end markers are placed around the new copy of the block. Move block (^K V) Moves a marked block of text from its current position to the current cursor position. The block markers remain around the block at its new position. Delete block (^K Y) Deletes a marked block of text. After using this command, there will be no marked block of text. Read block (^K R) Reads a file into the editor at the current cursor position and marks it as a block. When you use this command, you are prompted for the name of the file to read. If you have used this command earlier, the last file name entered is displayed. You may enter a new file name (even a different disk or subdirectory), make changes to the file name currently displayed using BACKSPACE, or accept it by pressing ENTER. You may cancel the command by pressing ^U. - 27 - Write block (^K W) Writes the currently defined block to a file, and the block remains unchanged. You are prompted for a file name, just like the Read block command. If the file already exists, you will be asked whether you want to overwrite it. If you press N (for No), you can enter a new file name, make changes to the current name using the BACKSPACE key, or cancel the command using the ^U command. If no block has been defined, the Write block command is ignored. Print block (^K P) Prints the currently marked block on the printer. If no block is marked, the entire file is printed. MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS Help (Alt-H) A screen listing the editor commands is shown. Pressing any key returns to editing mode. Date Insert (F1) The current date will be entered at the current cursor position in the editor. Save/resume (F2) Saves the current file (if it is named) and resumes editing. Lookup name (F3) Opens the Phonebook database and allows selection of a name and address for insertion into the editor at the current cursor position. The lookup command operates like the browse command as described in the database commands section of this documentation. New file (F4) Loads a new file into the editor. If the current file has been modified, you will be asked whether you wish to save the file before a new one is loaded. After confirmation of the save, a directory search string may be entered for the current directory, after which a directory list will appear for file selection. Print file (F9) Prints the entire text file to the printer. Save/done (F10) The file is saved and the control returns to the main menu. Exit editor (Alt-X) The current file is abandoned (after confirmation if changes have been made) and the program returns to the main menu. - 28 - FINANCE COMMANDS ---------------- The financial calculator is a set of data screens called "scenarios" that allow you to fill in the blanks to calculate answers to some standard financial questions such as payments on a loan. To use the financial calculator, you must first select a scenario that matches a situation you are investigating by using the [PgUp] and [PgDn] keys. Each scenario displays a different screen of information. The screen will describe the scenario and there will be places for information to be entered that the program needs. REPORT The REPORT command is used to print the results of the financial calculator. UPDATE The data fields in the financial calculator will vary depending on the scenario you have selected. These data entry areas will be the inverse areas of the screen. The UPDATE command allows you to change the scenario information. The program will be asking for some of the following information on each screen: Present Value: The current value of the loan or account Future Value: The value at some time in the future of the loan or account APR: The annual percentage rate of interest charged or earned Payment: The amount paid on a loan or withdrawn from an account at periodic intervals # Payments: The total number of periods in question. Remember to enter the number of months if that is what the program is asking for! This might be a good place to use the built-in calculator [Alt-C]. After numbers that fit your situation have been entered, pressing the [F10] key will cause the program to calculate the results. UPDATE may be used again to change the numbers and display new results. - 29 - HOMEWORK DATABASE ----------------- The Homework database is used to maintain a record of maintenance performed on your home. Property Id is the major key in this database. The reports included with the Homework database are All Items Summary and Current Item Summary. There are no special database commands in the Homework database. Following is a list of the field definitions used with the TRANSFER command: PropId : string[10] Date : string[10] Desc : string[40] MatSource : string[30] MatCost : numeric LabSource : string[30] LabCost : numeric TotalCost : numeric - 30 - INSURANCE DATABASE ------------------ The Insurance database is used to maintain a record of valuables in your home for insurance purposes. Description is the major key in this database. The reports included with the Insurance database are All Items Summary and Current Item Summary. There are no special database commands in the Insurance database. Following is a list of the field definitions used with the TRANSFER command: Desc : string[40] Location : string[30] PurDate : string[10] PurPrice : numeric CurrValue : numeric RepCost : numeric LastReview : string[10] - 31 - LABELS COMMAND -------------- The LABELS command is used to print labels or envelopes. When the LABELS command is selected, a box will appear on the screen titled "GENERIC LABEL PRINTER." The field editing commands (described earlier) may be used to enter an address (or any other text) to print on a label or envelope. After the desired entry has been made, the [F3] key will print a standard business envelope (on HP Laser printers only). If a return address has been established (see SETUP), then that address will print on the upper left corner of the envelope. The [F4] key prints the entered address on a label on the printer specified as the label port in SETUP. Labels and envelopes may be repeated by selecting the [F3] or [F4] key again. The [Esc] key terminates the LABELS command and returns to the main menu. To print envelopes or labels from the addresses found in the Phonebook database, refer to the Phonebook Database instructions found later in this documentation. - 32 - PHONEBOOK DATABASE ------------------ The Phonebook database is used to maintain a list of names and addresses. The NAME field is the major key in this database. Names will be sorted according to last name order. The reports included with the Phonebook database are All Names Summary, Current Name Summary, Envelope Address (standard business envelopes on HP Laser printers only), and Label Address. The Label Address report allows printing of all names or the current name only. Label printing is designed for single column labels measuring 3-1/2" x 1". There are no special database commands in the Phonebook database. Following is a list of the field definitions used with the TRANSFER command: Name : string[30] Address1 : string[30] Address2 : string[30] City : string[20] State : string[2] Zip : string[10] Phone1 : string[14] Phone2 : string[14] Birthday : string[10] Comments1 : string[30] Comments2 : string[30] Comments3 : string[30] Comments4 : string[30] - 33 - RECORDS DATABASE ----------------- The Records database is used to maintain a record of the location of important records like insurance policies and wills. Description is the major key in this database. The reports included with the Records database are All Item Summary and Current Item Summary. There are no special database commands in the Records database. Following is a list of the field definitions used with the TRANSFER command: Desc : string[40] Location : string[30] LastReview : string[10] - 34 - SETUP ----- The SETUP command is used to establish the configuration for the program. In SETUP, you can select program colors and other defaults. Available fields for SETUP include: COLORS: If your computer has a color monitor, you will be allowed to edit the program colors. Only some of the colors can be set including the background, low text, normal text, headline, and help line. A sample screen is shown to assist in color selection. Use the up and down arrow keys to select a color to modify, then use the left and right arrow keys to choose a color. The new colors will take effect when you quit SETUP. BEEPER ON?: If "Y", the computer's beeper will sound on errors and other places within the program. Set this to "N" if the beep is not desired. HOUR CHIME?: If "Y", the computer's beeper will sound when the time reaches the hour mark. DEF PRINTER: Identifies the type of printer used with your computer for reports. LABEL PORT: Identifies the printer port used for labels. This is usually LPT1, but if you are using a second printer for labels, then you would set the label port to LPT2. DEFAULT RETURN ADDRESS: This is the return address that will print on envelopes. - 35 - UTILITY COMMANDS ---------------- UTILITY commands are general purpose commands that do not fit in other areas of the program. After selecting UTILITY, a vertical list of utility options will appear for selection. The available utility commands are described below. FIXUP Fixup performs two functions. First, it attempts to rebuild damaged databases by scanning the database and reconstructing the index files. Second, fixup attempts to free unused disk space by eliminating old records (previously deleted) from the database. The fixup command may be necessary in two situations. o Damage has occurred in one of the databases for some unknown reason. A damaged database is indicated if the program suddenly aborts while in the middle of an activity. A message may appear on the screen indicating some type of fatal error. o You have deleted many records from a given database. Fixup will free unused disk space and speed database access. When you select the Fixup command, a list of databases will appear. After you select the desired database, you will be asked if your backups are current. The fixup operation will then begin. It is important that you have a good set of backups before attempting fixup in case anything goes wrong. IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE YOU DON'T COPY A CORRUPTED DATABASE ONTO AN OTHERWISE GOOD BACKUP DISK. - 36 - VEHICLE DATABASE ---------------- The Vehicle database is used to maintain a record of maintenance performed on your vehicles. Vehicle Id is the major key in this database. The reports included with the Vehicle database are All Item Summary and Current Item Summary. There are no special database commands in the Vehicle database. Following is a list of the field definitions used with the TRANSFER command: VehId : string[10] Date : string[10] Mileage : string[10] Desc : string[40] MatSource : string[30] MatCost : numeric LabSource : string[30] LabCost : numeric TotalCost : numeric - 37 - REGISTRATION FORM ----------------- PROGRAM: Point & Shoot Home Manager VERSION: 2.0 SERIAL NUMBER: ____________________ Applied Micro Systems Technology P.O. Box 1596, Welch Ave. Station Ames, Iowa 50010 Name __________________________________________________ Company __________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ Phone ( ) _______________________ Payment $_______ $35 for full registration, printed documentation and user support. (no cash please) IA add 4% tax. Where did you hear about this program? ____________________ Comments __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ - 38 -