"BankPlus" by Pete Sipple Written for the Psion Series 3a and 3c (May 1997) BankPlus is a financial package which allows the user to create up to sixteen accounts, which can be either BANK or CREDIT CARD accounts. It will automatically pay standing orders, arrange inter-account transfers, and lets you print a statement to screen or printer. It allows the user to verify bank statements, and comes with a basic password facility, to prevent casual prying. BankPlus is not the most feature-packed program available, but is designed for users who want a quick & easy way of keeping their bank accounts in order. Installation of BankPlus ======================== BankPlus runs on a Series 3a or 3c only (Versions are available for the Series 3 and Siena) To Install: 1. Create a directory called \APP\ on either the A:, B:, or M: drive 2. Copy BANKPLUS.OPA , BANKPLUS.PRG and BANKPLUS.HLP into the \APP\ directory. If you are upgrading from v1.x to v2.x, then BANKPLUS.UPG needs to be in this directory too. 3. From the system screen, select 'Install' from the 'Apps' menu, and move to Bankplus.opa using the cursor keys. v2.2 allows for 16 accounts and 30 categories. Faster operation, more export options, enhanced password protection, quicker screen updates, three month graph view, several speedups, fixes and tweaks. v2.1 has faster standing order processing, new Archive function, graph of monthly transactions, Categories allow all accounts to be viewed, currency converter easier to use. v2.0 incorporates significant changes to file structure as well as file names. An upgrade file BANKPLUS.UPG is supplied. This will be run once if required when v2.0 is run for the first time. V1.3.1 Includes a revised help file structure. The file BANKPLUS.HLP contains the help data required. v1.2.3 incorporates some changes to the file structure, notably the addition of a 'Category' option. BankPlus detects the upgrade, and makes appropriate file structure changes. As a safety measure, a backup copy of each datafile is taken (OLDBNKx.ODB). These files can be deleted once the upgrade has been safely completed. Files included with this release ================================ BANKPLUS.OPA - Application file BANKPLUS.PRG - The program file BANKPLUS.HLP - The help file (optional) BANKPLUS.UPG - Upgrade file for 1.x to 2.x file structure. BankPlus will create a datafile for each account specified. They will be placed in a directory called \BNK\ on whichever drive has been specified in the Settings menu. A small file called BANK.SET will be created in M:\OPD\ . Do not delete this file - it contains data vital to the operation of BankPlus. The following files are associated with BankPlus: \BNK\BANK.CAT - Category names & settings \BNK\BANK.USE - Useful information \BNK\BANK0x.ODB - The actual account transaction data \BNK\BANKSO.ODB - Standing order settings & info \OPD\BANK.SET - Bank settings, inc account names xxxxxx.BPA files are BankPlus archive files ============================================================ BASIC OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: ============================= When you first run the program, you will be presented with a menu called SPECIAL, from which you can specify a password if required, but more importantly, to setup bank accounts. Select 'Setup Accounts', and press [N] to enter a new account. As well as entering the name, you can set the currency symbol and select the type of account - either a BANK or CREDIT CARD account. Once you've set up your accounts, you get the main system menu, which is the business end of the program. Press the [Menu] key to access the menu. Menu Options ============ The 'Account' Menu Card presents a list of the accounts that you have set up - Select an account to use. Find - Search the selected account for an individual item New Item - To enter a new item. Just pressing [Enter] does the same job Transfer - Transfer funds between accounts Standing Orders - Setup or edit standing orders View - View a list of transactions/balances in date order (Bank statement) Check - To verify BankPlus data with your bank statement Balances - Total balances on all accounts (press [menu] for other commands) Categories - For an overview of category spend Print - Print a list of transactions/balances in date order (Bank statement) Tidy - Tidy entries older than specified date (entries are deleted) Archive - Copy data from all accounts into a seperate file for archiving Export - Export as Quicke, comma delimited or tab delimited (for spreadsheets) Currency Converter - A calculator for currency conversion Converter settings - Set currency conversion defaults Information - Bank account numbers, sort code, phone number and notes Display Graph - A visual representation of your accounts Setup Accounts - Change / setup bank account information Settings - To set basic defaults International - Setup currency details and number formats. Category settings - Up to 30 categories are allowed. Enter names here. Password - change password. Enhanced option protects BankPlus when multitasking Explanation of "Clearing" & "Stmt" ================================== By default, new entries are marked as "uncleared", which means that they haven't appeared on your monthly statement from your bank. The Balance shown on the main menu screen shows "Balance" (which includes all transactions, cleared or not, as of today's date) The 'Cleared' total shows the amount shown on your latest bank statement. To adjust "cleared", use the "check" option from the statement menu. Press [C] to confirm that an item is cleared, ie. has appeared on your statement. Note that items with a transaction date greater than today's date will not affect the current balance, until that date is reached. Standing Orders =============== There is no limit to the amount of standing orders that can be setup. Every seven days BankPlus automatically checks and pays any standing orders that are due in the current month, or next month by default. This can be expanded from the settings menu option if required. Standing orders can be set to all months, or to specific months, to accomodate non specific standing orders. Printing via PsiWin =================== Psion have not released a way of accessing the "Psion Print" command from OPL at this time, which means that it is not possible to print from BankPlus to a printer via PsiWin. The official workaround is to use the RPRINT.EXE file supplied on Disk One of the PsiWin set of disks. This is a DOS executable program. Explanation of Credit Card accounts =================================== Some users have expressed confusion over how "credit card" account types work. Here is a summary of how they should be used. Definition - If you have a credit card account, it should be set up as such under the Setup Accounts option. Bank makes a 'Credit card' card works in an opposite way to a "Bank' account, in that debits are added to the balance, rather than deduced. This is why the balance on the statement issued by your credit card company shows a positive balance and payments are deduced from the outstanding balance. This means that when you enter a transaction into Bank, you will enter it as a "debit", whereas payments are "credits" Balances - If an account is correctly set as a 'Credit card' account, the fact that your 'credit card' balance is money that you owe, is reflected in the Balances total. If you were to owe $100 to Visa/Mastercard, the "Balances" option would show a "debit" and reduce your total balance accordingly. Transfers - If you wish to make an inter account transfer to show that you have made a payment to your credit card company, you would select "Transfer", and set the "From Account" to be the bank account, and the "To Account" to be the credit card account. The "Transfer amount" should not be a negative amount. Categories ========== This option is for users who wish to keep a record of transaction types, for example, cash, cheque, payment, petrol, etc. transactions. The names of the transaction types are entered (max of 30 in the 'Category names' screen, and the Category function is enabled in the Settings menu. When new items are entered, you have the option to select that category. Reports / Find / View can then search or list by category. Note to upgraders ================= If you are upgrading from BANK - delete BANK3.OPA , BANK3A.OPA , BANK.PRG which will be located in the \APP\ and \BNK\ directories. All datafiles are compatible. If you are upgrading from BankPlus v1.x, delete BANKPLUS.EXT and BANKPLUS.ADN which will be located in the \APP\ and \BNK\ directories. Note that the file structure has changed. When you run BankPlus v2.x for the first time, you will be prompted to update your files. The file BANKPLUS.UPG will need to be in your \APP\ directory together with the BANKPLUS.OPA file. Once the upgrade has been completed, the files BANKPLUS.UPG , BANK.INI and BANKDEF.ODB will no longer be required. ========================================================================= BankPlus for Siena ================== A version of BankPlus is now available for the Psion Siena. This is available from usual sources. Contact the author for more details. Bank (Series 3) =============== Bank is still available for Series 3 users, but only has provision for five accounts, as well as a few other minor limitations. Bank and Bankplus are available as Shareware. The registration fee of 8 UK pounds covers BANK and BANKPLUS. ========================================================================== Registering BankPlus ==================== BankPlus is Shareware, and if you find this program useful, you are asked to register it. The current price is 8.00 UK pounds. Cheques, made payable, to P.Sipple should be sent to the following address: Pete Sipple Top Floor, 17 Devereux Road Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 1DR England To register outside the UK, any of the following are acceptable: 1. Send a cheque drawn on a UK bank for 8ukp, made payable to "Pete Sipple" 2. Compuserve users can register online using SWREG - see below 3. Send a cheque drawn from your local bank, but payable in sterling, to "Pete Sipple" 4. Make payment by credit card (see below) 5. Contact a friend in the UK and ask them to forward payment in ukp. 6. Arrange for a direct payment into my bank account, see below. 7. Obtain payment in UK sterling notes and coins from a foreign currency exchange service. If requested, you will be sent the most current version of BankPlus by email. Please remember to include your email address (if appropriate) and the current version number (from 'About'). Files sent by email will be UUencoded if sent over Internet. If you cannot accept UUencoded email, or have no email account, a disk of the latest version can be posted out to you, but please add 1.00ukp for disk cost plus postage. CompuServe ========== Users of CompuServe can register using the Compuserve SWREG service. Type SWREG at the GO prompt, and quote 7100 as the registration ID. A charge of $15 will be applied to your CIS account, and you will receive your registration number by email. If requested, you can have upgrades sent to your account, providing that you accept that any mail charges levied by CompuServe for file transfer. The author can be contacted via Compuserve at 100333,3266 Credit Card =========== Payment can be made by Visa or Mastercard. Please add a £0.50 handling charge. For security reasons it is advised that credit card details are sent via post rather than in email. Please quote card name, number and expiry date and supply your postal address. Please make sure that the amount (£8.50) is quoted in sterling. Bank Account ============ If you wish, you can arrange for your bank to credit my bank account. Please note that unless you contact me to advise me that you have done this, I have no way of knowing who the payment is from, so please mail or email me to confirm the transaction. Also, please ensure that your name is quoted as a reference in the transaction to enable me to identify it. Bank: First Direct Address: Millshaw Park Lane, Leeds LS11 0LT, UK Account Number: 70172790 Sort Code: 40-47-86 As well as supporting the Shareware concept, registration brings additional benefits: 1. The latest versions of BankPlus will be emailed to you as soon as they are available, if requested. 2. You will be sent a registration number to remove the startup "nag" screen. 3. Wherever possible, your suggestions will be considered for future releases. ========================================================================= Latest Version: =============== The latest version of BankPlus can be obtained by any of the following methods: 1. Downloaded direct from the BankPlus homepage http://members.aol.com/petesipple/bankplus.htm 2. By email. Mail psipple@cix.co.uk for details 3. From the Psion forum on Compuserve 4. From the bankplus conference on CiX 5. From other shareware sources, inc the main FTP sites and 3lib 6. By sending a disk and stamped addressed envelope to the author ========================================================================= Contacting the author ===================== Comments, queries and bug reports are welcomed. I can be reached by email at: psipple@cix.co.uk or 100333,3266 (CompuServe) (please remember to state the version number that you are using!) * PLEASE NOTE THAT TELEPHONE REGISTRATION & SUPPORT IS NOT AVAILABLE * Finally: ======== Thanks to William Nightingale and Martin Packer for their help with designing the BankPlus icon. A big thanks also to my beta testers - Without your help, the program wouldn't be what it is today! Disclaimers, etc ================ Although this procedure appears stable, I cannot accept any liability for loss, or damage, as a result of using this procedure. The procedures included with releases of BankPlus remain copyright of Pete Sipple. You may freely distribute the files to other users, but please make sure that ALL files including this documentation are kept together. Reverse translation to obtain the source code is not permitted. Written by: Pete Sipple 20h May 1997 ================================================================== ** BANKPLUS REGISTRATION ** To: Pete Sipple Top Floor, 17 Devereux Road Southend-on-Sea Essex SS1 1DR United Kingdom Title: ___ First Name: _________ Last Name: ________________ Address: _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _____________________________________ Email: _____________________________________________ I enclose a cheque/Eurocheque/Money Order (in UK Pounds, payable to 'Pete Sipple', for ______ or Please charge my VISA/MASTERCARD/ACCESS card Card Number: ___________________________________________ Expiry Date: ____________ Signature: ______________________________ Date: ___________ Please quote the current version number: ______ Where did you hear about BankPlus: ___________________________ ======================================================================= Please post this form to the above address. Note that phone/fax registration is not available.