The first step in anlyzing your finances
is to know where the money is going.
A Spending Record is a history of your money Transactions.
Why keep a history? So you can analyze your spending patterns and set up a
spending plan (or budget) to help you live within your means
and succeed with finances.
Each time you spend you are completing a money
Transaction
which has the following history elements:
DATE - WHEN did you spend the money?
PAYEE - WHO did you pay the money to?
AMOUNT - How much MONEY did you spend?
CATEGORY - WHAT did you spend the money for (food, clothing, etc.)?
INSTRUMENT - HOW did you spend the money (cash, check, debit card, etc.)?
ACCOUNT - WHERE did the money come from (checking, savings, credit card, etc.).
MEMO - WHY did you spend the money (a brief description)?
ID - Transactions have identifying numbers (TrID=Transaction ID, and/or Check Number).
There are 9 Main Menu selections:
The first selection, Spending Record, is where
you select an Account and enter Transactions.
The next five main menu selections (2 - 6) display Setup Screens.
The 7th menu selection is for selecting Reports.
The 8th menu selection is for selecting Database Utilities.
The 9th menu selection is for selecting Help Screens.
The five Setup Screens are for setting up Accounts, Payees, Categories, Subcategories, and Recurring Transactions.
Payees, Categories, Subcategories, and Recurring Transactions can be
added "on the fly" as you are entering Transactions, or you can
add, change, and delete them using their Setup Screen.
FwSPR Screen Shot:
Instructions for Adding a Transaction:
Select "Spending Record" from the Main Menu.
Select "Account Acronym" from the Acronym list.
Click Add to add a new transaction that will be added with the current (today's) date.
Change the date as necessary to match the actual date of the transaction.
Under the "Instrument" Heading click the button named "Unassigned"
and click one of the quick-select choices, if applicable.
If not applicable click the Instrument selection Down-Arrow ("v") button
then select the applicable Transaction Instrument.
Click the "P^" button and Add or Select Payee Name.
Enter the transaction Amount and, if not already selected,
click the +- Down-Arrow ("v") button to indicate that the Amount is
to Increase (+) or Decrease(-) the Account Balance (or skip to next step).
Click the "C^" button and Add or Select a Category and (if applicable)
a Subcategory. Selection will
default the sign using category's Transaction Type.
If more information is needed, Tab to the Memo field and
enter a short Description or Explanation.
Guidelines:
Press Tab to move from field to field.
At any time click the Sort (Recalc) button to calculate the
running Account Balance field.
Use the automatic Next Check Number feature when entering checks.
Check "CLR" when amount clears and "CLR Bal" to reconcile to bank balance.
Requirements:
Windows 10 version 18362 or higher
PC Desktop, Laptop, Tablet, or Notebook, Keyboard and Mouse
Important: You will want to use monitor with a screen
that is wide enough to see all of the data (see screen shot above).
Transaction and report lines are scrollable but do not wrap.