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 this 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. Program Requirements: The Bill Drawer is a Microsoft Windows program, and as such requires Windows Version 3.0 or higher. In addition, MS-DOS Version 3.3 or higher is also required. This version of The Bill Drawer is written in Microsoft Visual Basic, and because of this, you may find performance, especially initial program loading, slightly sluggish in comparison to commercial Windows programs. If this is your case, try using Windows Standard Mode instead of Enhanced Mode. You will find that most Windows programs execute much faster in this mode. The "About Program Manager" menu option, under the "Program Manager Help" menu indicates which Windows mode you are currently using. To force Windows into Standard Mode, use "WIN /S" to load Windows. Note that if you run a lot of DOS programs under Windows, you may want to revert to Enhanced Mode to run DOS programs. Visual Basic Runtime: The Microsoft Visual Basic runtime, a file named VBRUN100.DLL, is required to run both the Bill Drawer installation program and the main program. This file may or may not be included in this distribution package depending on where you received it from. If the file was not included in this package, and you do not already have it, you can download it from CompuServe (GO MSBASIC) or a local bulletin board. Look for a BBS that contains a Windows file section. This file is freely distributed by Microsoft. After you download the file, copy it to your main Windows directory (usually \WINDOWS) before executing The Bill Drawer installation program. If the VBRUN100.DLL file is included with this distibution package, no special considerations are required, as the installation program will copy it for you. Registration: Per the license agreement, you may use this program for 30 days to evaluate it's suitability to your needs. At the end of this period you must either register it or delete it from all computer systems where it was installed. The registration fee is a very reasonable $15 (US) payable to: MelissaSoft Systems 11676 Windcrest Lane San Diego, CA 92128 Please use the "REGISTER.TXT" form when registering, you can print it with Windows Notepad (under the Accessories group). Registration includes a printed manual, current version of the program, and notification of new program versions. We have many exciting plans for future versions of this program, but they will not happen without enough people telling us they like the program by registering it. Installation: The Bill Drawer comes with an automated install program, which will install the programs, files, and help files required to execute the program under Microsoft Windows to your hard disk. To execute this install program, following the following steps: 1. Make sure you have at least 1 megabyte of freespace on your hard drive. 2. Load Windows and make sure that all extraneous applications are closed. 3. Select the "Run" menu option under "Program Manager File" menu. 4. Run the install program, by entering a command line of "A:INSTALL.EXE" or whatever path will point to the install program. 5. Complete the desired install options and select "OK". Installation Options: The following installation options are supported: View README File - Check this option box to view this file, before continuing with the rest of the installation. View License Information - Check this option box to view the terms upon which this program can be used. You must review and agree to these terms before installing the program. Install Programs - Check this option to copy the program and help files to your hard disk. Install Demo Files - Check this option to copy the demonstration files to your hard disk. This option is highly recommended. Once you have reviewed the demonstration files and want to start fresh with your own data, delete all ".IX" and ".DAT" files per the packing list below. All files, except the "FRM0100.DAT" file must be deleted. The program will then create new, empty files for you the next time it is run. Build Program Group - Check this option to build a Windows program group for this program. This option supports the Windows Program Manager only, if you are using another Windows shell, like the Norton Desktop, do not use this option. From Directory Name - Enter the drive and path where the installation files can be found. The format entered must be "drive:\path" or an error message will be displayed. To Directory Name - Enter the hard drive and path where you want the program installed. The format entered must be "drive:\path" or an error message will be displayed. Manual Installation Process: Should the automated install program fail for any reason, you can try manually installing the program using the following steps: 1. Create a directory on you hard disk for The Bill Drawer. For example, "CD C:\MELSOFT\BILLS". 2. Copy all the distribution files to this directory. No files or programs need to reside in the Windows directory. For example, "COPY A:\*.* C:\MELSOFT\BILLS". 3. Create a new program group and program item, using the Windows Program Manager File Menu (New option). The program item should reference the correct path and "MAP0112.EXE". For example, a command line of "C:\MELSOFT\BILLS\MAP0112.EXE" would be entered for the new program item. 4. Use the Windows Notepad to review LICENSE.TXT. This is the Program License Agreement whose conditions you must agree to. 5. Double click on your new program item. New Features: Version 1.12 of this program has the following new features: * A clear history file capability was added. You can now clear history (paid items, checks, deposits, etc.) from the file by bank and date paid. This will speed processing in the "Check Register" window (see MAPMENU.HLP). * A second instance of the program, i.e. running the program twice, will now be detected and disallowed. This protects the files from multi-user damage. Version 1.11 of this program has the following new features: * A "void check" capability was added. You can now enter checks that you manually voided (see MAP18.HLP). * Correction capabilities were added to the "Check Register". You can now correct any check, cash payment, withdrawl or deposit that was entered incorrectly (see MAP13.HLP). * Void entry capability. You can now void any check, cash payment, withdrawl, or deposit on the "Check Register", and the program will automatically reverse it (see MAP13.HLP). * Clearing checks now has better feedback. A confirmation window containing the check number and amount is now displayed. * The word "DOLLARS" can now be printed on the check, if it is not included on the pre-printed form (see MAP9.HLP). Major Fixes: Version 1.12 corrects the following problems: * An "Overflow!" message occurred when entering a check or printing checks and the last check number was over 32000. * History file backup failed if the old backup file could not be found. * The "Enter a Check" window will now always update the last check number for the bank, even if it's not higher. * The "Change a Bill" catagory listbox was not sorted. Version 1.11 corrects the following problems: * The "Cancel" button is supported when adjusting the bank balance, or adjusting company or catagory totals. * Double lines on the "Check Register" after canceling a check, withdrawl, or deposit have now been eliminated. * Check amounts of less than 1 dollar (cents only) will now be correctly printed on the check. * Catagory seek errors after deleting a catagory with outstanding bills has been corrected, provided the bill is corrected first. No other significant problems were reported. There were no changes to any of the files, so they keep the "0100" designator. Help Files: All help files have an extension of .HLP and can be reviewed and printed through NOTEPAD, in addition to the program itself. Packing List: README.TXT This file. LICENSE.TXT License Agreement. REGISTER.TXT Registration Form. MAP0112.EXE The Bill Drawer Program INSTALL.EXE Install Program VBRUN100.DLL Visual Basic Runtime (may not be included) MAP1.HLP Enter Bills Help Text MAP2.HLP Company Help Text MAP3.HLP Company Special Options Help Text MAP4.HLP Company Summary Info Help Text MAP5.HLP Pay Bills Help Text MAP6.HLP Select Bills to Pay Help Text MAP7.HLP Change Bills Help Text MAP8.HLP Print Checks Help Text MAP9.HLP Check Form Setup Help Text MAP10.HLP Catagory Help Text MAP11.HLP Bank Account Help Text MAP12.HLP Check Register Help Text MAP13.HLP Check Register Details Help Text MAP14.HLP Cash Requirements Report Help Text MAP15.HLP Check History Report Help Text MAP16.HLP Catalog Summary Report Help Text MAP17.HLP Company Summary Report Help Text MAP18.HLP Enter a Check Help Text MAP19.HLP Enter a Deposit Help Text MAP20.HLP Enter a Withdrawl Help Text MAPMENU.HLP Main Menu Help Text MAPHELP.HLP Help on Help Text MAPABT.HLP About Help Text MAPMSG.HLP Error Message Help Text VEN0100.IX Company Index File VEN0100.DAT Company Data File VENIX.BAK Company Backup File VENDAT.BAK Company Backup File VOU0100.IX Unpaid Bills Index File VOU0100.DAT Unpaid Bills Data File VOUIX.BAK Unpaid Bills Backup File VOUDAT.BAK Unpaid Bills Backup File CAT0100.IX Catagory Index File CAT0100.DAT Catagory Data File CATIX.BAK Catagory Backup File CATDAT.BAK Catagory Backup File HST0100.DAT History Data File HSTDAT.BAK History Backup File BNK0100.DAT Bank Account Data File BNKDAT.BAK Bank Account Backup File FRM0100.DAT Check Form Data File FRMDAT.BAK Check Form Backup File Trademarks and Copyrights: The Bill Drawer is (C) Copyright 1992 MelissaSoft Systems. All rights reserved. Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows and Visual Basic are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation. All other brand or product names are either registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.