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.he PC-Check - Checkbook and Savings Record Keeper 1.00 Page # .op PC-Check Operations Manual Version 1.00 The Forbin Project and John Friel III 1 Sept 84 This manual is a brief description of the Commands and usage of PC-Check. PC-Check is, for the most part, self explanatory but may need clarification in some areas. PC-Check is a public domain program. We request a donation of only $5.00 for its use. Those that donate will receive published announcements for future enhancements to PC-Check and other programs written by the Forbin Project. PC-Check may be shared with other people under two conditions; that there is NO CHARGE for the copy(s) and that the source code is not modified in any way, shape or form. Please keep an unmodified copy around just for this purpose. You may modify your own copy of the source code to suit your personal tastes. For more information on this program or more detailed information on interfacing TURBO Pascal with the IBM PC or Compatibles, (this was developed on a Tava PC!) please write to the Forbin Project at : The Forbin Project John Friel III 715 Walnut Street Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 Copyright (c) The Forbin Project and John Friel III All rights to PC-Check are reserved by the Forbin Project. .pa T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S Page Description .................................. 3 System Requirements .......................... 4 Starting PC-Check ............................ 5 Commands ..................................... 6 Add a Transaction ....................... 7 Checking Deposit ................... 7 Checking Withdrawl ................. 7 Checking Interest .................. 7 Savings Deposit .................... 8 Savings Withdrawl .................. 8 Savings Interest ................... 8 Exit ............................... 8 Clear Transactions ...................... 9 Change Transaction File ................. 9 Show Balance Sheet ...................... 9 Print Summary ........................... 10 Browse Transaction File ................. 10 Exit PC-Check ........................... 11 Appendix A TURBO Pascal Usage ...................... 12 Appendix B Transaction File Description ............ 13 Appendix C A sample session with PC-Check .......... 14-23 .pa 1.0 D E S C R I P T I O N PC-Check is a checkbook and savings account record keeping system. The most notable feature in this program is its ability to keep track of both Cleared and Uncleared entries in the Transaction file. This translates to absolutely no extra work involved when it comes time to balance the checkbook or savings account. All totals are clearly marked through out the program for easy verification. Like all methods of record keeping, they remain accurate as long as all entries are included. This can't be stressed enough. If poor records are kept, the program just won't work. .pa 1.1 S Y S T E M R E Q U I R E M E N T S PC-Check REQUIRES an IBM PC or clone with 64k and a Color/Graphics card. As soon as I have a monochrome card and monitor on my system, I will update the program for it. Alas, money does not grow on trees. The use of a hard disk will greatly speed up the file access which is already quick. This program was previously coded in dBase II and was too slow for any amount of transactions to be scanned. PC-Check is about 100 times faster that dBase II. One option in PC-Check requires the use of a printer. If you have a printer connected to you machine, you can have a listing of the transaction file to put away with your monthly statements. If you don't have a printer connected, please do not use option 5 from the Main Menu. .pa 2.0 S T A R T I N G P C - C H E C K PC-Check is started by entering PC-Check <cr>. PC-Check will then display its logo at the top of the screen. Immediately after the logo, a window will open prompting you for the name of your transaction file name. This file name can be preceded by an optional drive specifier if the file is on another drive. You are limited to eight characters for the file name and cannot include a file suffix. Here are some valid file names: C:John Tranfile B:checks (ect. ect...) Invalid file names would be as follows: B:checks.trn checkfile.dat You get the idea. PC-Check follows all entered file names with the suffix of `.CHK' so you can tell them from other files. If you decide that you really didn't want to run PC-Check, just press the <cr> key and you will be asked if you want to quit. Reply Y or N as you choose. Note too that a lot of commands in PC-Check do not require the use of the <cr> key. Just another little convenience for you. If you are just starting and do not have a file already, PC- Check will ask you if you want to create the file. Again, answer with Y or N. If you selected Y, it will go ahead and create the file on the specified drive (or default if no drive specifier was included). See Appendix A for a description of the file and it's record format. If you selected N, the cycle of asking for the file name will repeat. Now you are given the Main Menu. Notice how the upper left corner of the window has [ Main Menu ] flashing? This is to tell you that the Main Menu is active. Sometimes, it gets a little confusing as to which Menu you are in. The window corner that is flashing is always the active window. One exception to the rule is discussed in the Browse command. .pa 2.1 C O M M A N D S There are Seven commands in the Main Menu as follows. 1) Add Transactions 2) Clear Transactions 3) Change Transaction File 4) Show Summary Sheet 5) Print Transaction File 6) Browse Transaction File 7) Exit PC-Check All are selected by pressing the corresponding number on the keyboard. My preferred method of operation includes pressing the Num Lock key for easy entry of the various amount prompts. .pa 2.2 Add Transactions This will open a window in the middle of the screen and give you (what else), another Menu. Add covers Six different types of transactions: CD -- Checking Deposit CW -- Checking Withdrawl CI -- Checking Interest SD -- Savings Deposit SW -- Savings Withdrawl SI -- Savings Interest All transaction entered from Add Transactions are set to an uncleared state. 2.21 Checking Deposit Selecting this will open a window over the Add Transaction Menu and show you Three prompts. Answer the Date prompt with the correct date of the deposit to the account. Only valid dates can be entered. The amount is entered in the standard dollar format and can be optionally entered without a decimal if the amount is a whole number. I.E. $20.00 could be entered as just 20. (the period is the end of the sentence) And last, there is room for a memo of up to 30 characters. This can be nul if you don't want a memo. PC-Check will then ask you if the entered data is correct. Respond with a Y or N. If you answered Y, the transaction is added to the transaction file. Lastly, you are asked if you want to exit the checking deposit window. If you answer N, the entries will clear and and you can enter another deposit. When Y is entered, the window will disappear and you will be back in the Add Transaction Menu. 2.22 Checking Withdrawl This window come up looking like a blank check (well, use your imagination). The date prompt is the same as before and is the same in all transactions. The Check No. is a a whole number (no decimals here!) with room for 5 digits. You must press <cr> after the check number and all remaining fields. There are 40 characters available to enter the name of the person or business the check was written to. The rest of the fields are just as in a Checking Deposit. 2.23 Checking Interest This has the same prompts as the Checking Deposit. .pa 2.24 Savings Deposit This has the same prompts as the Checking Deposit but flags the transaction as a savings transaction. 2.25 Savings Withdrawl This has the same prompts as the Savings Deposit. 2.26 Savings Interest This has the same prompts as the Savings Deposit. One final note on the transactions. They all take up the same amount of space in the file but the transaction type flag is different for each one. 2.27 Exit Add Transaction This just takes you back to the Main Menu. .pa 2.3 Clear Transactions You may have noticed by now that every command opens up a new window. Well, I like to use windows because they look neat and keep the information organized. You would use this option when you get your monthly statement and or canceled checks. Usually the statement will have the checks numbered for easy reference. PC-Check will then scan the transaction file from beginning to end looking for uncleared transactions. When it finds an uncleared one, it pauses to display the data for that transaction and asks you if it has cleared. Stop and verify that the data is correct. If the data displayed is NOT correct, make a note of the transaction number, Quit the current window (answer Q to the prompt) and go to the Browse option to correct it. If it show up on your statement, then press Y. If not, press N. If you got to this window by accident or you want to quit, press Q. Proceed through the scan until you have covered all the transaction. PC-Check only changes the transaction cleared flags. You will then be given a total for the number of transactions in the file and how many you have cleared. There, now you have just balanced your checkbook! To check your totals against what PC-Check has, exit this window and you will return to the Main Menu. From there, select option number 4 to see PC-Check's totals. 2.4 Change Transaction File If you are like me, you might have two checking accounts to keep track of. This will bring up the File Allocation screen just like when you started the program. Enter the name of your other transaction file just as before. The previous file will be closed and the new one opened for use. 2.5 Show Balance Sheet This is where PC-Check will go through your transaction file totaling all the transactions. Both cleared and uncleared are in separate figures for easy reference. Near the bottom of the screen are the grand totals. Make sure that you have entered any interest that may have been included on your account into the appropriate Deposit transaction. This would throw off the totals if not done. .pa The last Four totals show what you have in your accounts. The numbers labeled `Bank Balance' should match the totals on your bank statement. If they don't, check to see if you have entered all of the transactions on the statement and Browse the transaction file for incorrect entries. The numbers labeled `Real Balance' show just that, the balance of your account including any transactions that did not get to the bank before the statement was sent out. If you are overdrawn, (tch, tch) the totals will show in RED. PC-Check does NOT guarantee a positive balance, but will help you head off those nasty overdraft penalties. The last line of the window will show you how many transactions are in the file and wait for you to press any key to continue. Pressing any key takes you back to the Main Menu. 2.6 Print Transaction File This option requires that you have a printer connected to you computer. PC-Check sends control codes to the printer to make the print condensed so it can display each transaction on a single line. You would use this option after you balance your account as a backup listing of all entered transactions. Please make sure the printer is turned on and ready. PC-Check dislikes a non-ready peripheral. 2.7 Browse Transaction File Yet another window covers the screen. This time, there are several more options that can be used without the <cr> key. They are in square brackets as follows: [F] Displays the first record in the file. [L] Displays the last record in the file. [N] Displays the next record or reshows the last record if you are at the end. [P] Displays the previous record or reshows the first record if you are at the beginning. [+] Skips Ten records toward the end of the file. [-] Skips Ten records toward the beginning of the file. [Q] Quits the Browse window and goes to the Main Menu. [E] Edit the current record. The only command listed that needs more explanation is Edit. Edit opens a flashing RED window that contains a duplicate of the current record displayed on the screen in GREEN. PC-Check then changes the color to CYAN so you can tell what you are changing. .pa You are required to reenter the date. The <cr> key may be pressed for the remaining entries to indicate that they are to remain as they are. To change one or more of the entries, just type over the data displayed and press <cr>. After the data has been modified, PC-Check gives you a chance to abort the changes and exit or accept the changes as you have specified. When you are returned to the Browse window, the record that you just edited will not reflect the changes until you redisplay the record. Hitting [N] and then [P] will reshow the record and your changes then appear. 2.8 Exit PC-Check This closes the current transaction file and you are returned to the DOS prompt. PC-Check may easily be re-entered by pressing F3 and <cr>. You will also note that running PC-Check does not require a reload of COMMAND.COM after you exit. .pa 3.0 A P P E N D I X A 3.1 TURBO Pascal Usage TURBO Pascal was used to create PC-Check for several reasons. It creates a total working environment very similar to basic, but that is where the similarities end. The language is easy to work with. It allows structured top-down programming and the ability to define your own types of variables. Just as a side note, PC-Check does not have a single GOTO statement! Another advantage is the creation of .COM files from the compiler. No more having to load BASIC and then run your program. The program editor is another big plus to the system. It emulates the WordStar editor almost completely. TURBO Pascal also lets you use all of the available memory in your system. Programs can be larger than the available memory by the efficient use of overlays. I could go on and on about TURBO Pascal. By the way, I am not affiliated with Borland International, just a very happy customer. .pa 4.0 A P P E N D I X B 4.2 File Structure The following is really a copy from the source code which shows the file structure. type check_trans = (cdeposit, cwithdrawl, cinterest, sdeposit, swithdrawl, sinterest); check_type = record post_date : string[8]; check_no : integer; to_who : string[40]; amount : real; memo : string[30]; check_tran: check_trans; cleared : boolean; end; In all, each record stored in the transaction file is 91 bytes. The file is random access with the potential for 32,767 transactions total. If for some reason, you need to store more records than this, the program can accommodate a file that would take up all the space on a 20 meg hard drive! In other words, as many records as you need. Why not the larger of the two incorporated you say? With the latter method, TURBO would slow down a little bit and I didn't think that anyone would use up 32,767 records. That would be almost a hundred transactions a day! .pa 5.0 A P P E N D I X C 5.2 A sample session with PC-Check Enter everything in curly brackets {}, the return key is marked by a <cr>. The rest will be my comments. Start up PC-Check and enter "TEST" as your transaction file name. Then we are going to add 12 transactions to the file, 2 of every type. [ from the DOS Ready prompt ] {PC-Check<cr>} [ PC-Check shows the logo and asks for a file name ] {test<cr>} the transaction file name {Y} Yes, we want to create it Now you are in the bottom window called the Main Menu. Everything starts and ends in the Main Menu. Shall we begin? {1} Go to the Add Transaction Menu {1} Adding a checking deposit {090184} The date entered was September 1st, 1984 {100<cr>} Notice I left off the cents. Its not required. {my first deposit<cr>} a simple memo... {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {N} No, I want to enter another one [ here the screen will reset ] {090184} Enter the date again {55.55<cr>} a nice odd amount {2nd deposit memo<cr>} {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {Y} Yes, I want to Exit. [ now you will be back in Add Transaction ] Lets exit this Menu for a moment to take a peek at the Balance sheet. This will help you get used to moving from menu to menu in the program. {7} Exit the Add Transactions Menu [ now you are in the Main Menu ] {4} Select the Show Balance Sheet Menu [ a window opened up called Balance Sheet ] [ the disk did a quick spin and now some ] [ totals are on the screen. ] There are now 2 different fields that have a total of $155.55 in them. The Uncleared Checking Deposits and the Real Balance near the bottom. You have added 2 transactions, both were Checking Deposits. Since you haven't received your bank statement (coming up soon), they haven't cleared and the Bank Balance still shows 0.00 . The last line in the window should say there are 2 transactions in the file, press any key to continue. Go ahead and press any key when you are done looking at the window. (I'll wait...) Glad to have you back! Did you see those neat graphics? We still have more time if you want to see them again. Go on, press the 4 and watch them again. Ok, more neat graphics are in store, so be patient. We have more transactions to enter now. {1} re-enter the Add Trans Menu {2} select Checking withdrawl [ the Add Menu was replaced with what looks like ] [ a blank check. (using your imagination??) ] {090284} note that the date does not need a <cr> {101<cr>} the first check number {John Friel III<cr>} make the check out to me {5.00<cr>} a mere 5 dollars {PC-Check donation<cr>} the memo {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {N} No, I want to do another {090384} another date {102<cr>} the next check {7-11<cr>} {5.00<cr>} another 5 dollars {for gas<cr>} memo {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {Y} Yes, I want to Exit. [ you are back in the add Menu ] {3} select Checking Interest {090384} another date {1.23<cr>} {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {N} No, I want to do another {090384} another date {1.23<cr>} {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {Y} Yes, I want to Exit. [ you are back in the add Menu ] [ now lest do the same for Savings ] .pa {4} select Savings Deposit {090384} another date {1.23<cr>} {savings deposit<cr>} {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {N} No, I want to do another {090384} another date {100<cr>} {savings deposit<cr>} {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {Y} Yes, I want to Exit. [ you are back in the add Menu ] {5} select Savings Withdrawl {090384} another date {10<cr>} {savings withdrawl<cr>} {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {N} No, I want to do another {090384} another date {10<cr>} {savings withdrawl<cr>} {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {Y} Yes, I want to Exit. [ you are back in the add Menu ] So far so good. We only have the Savings Interest transactions to go. Hang in there, we're almost to those neat graphics and a balanced account! Lets continue... {6} select Savings Interest {090384} another date {.50<cr>} 50 cents ( not much huh ) {savings interest<cr>} memos should be descriptive {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {N} No, I want to do another {090384} another date {1<cr>} only 1 dollar {savings interest<cr>} memos should be descriptive {Y} Yes, the transaction looks right. {Y} Yes, I want to Exit. [ you are back in the add Menu ] .pa Good! Now you have entered a total of 12 transactions into the file. Lets go to the Balance Sheet and see whats cooking. This time, See if you can get there without my help. If you have problems, turn the page and I will tell you how. See you there! .pa Did you have any problems? You didn't? Great! But for those of you that did, here is how it is done. {7} Exit the Add Transactions Menu [ now you are in the Main Menu ] {4} Select the Show Balance Sheet Menu Now that we are all at the Balance Sheet, lets take a closer look at the figures. The window should look something like the following: Deposits Withdrawls Interest Cleared Checking 0.00 0.00 0.00 Savings 0.00 0.00 0.00 Uncleared Checking 155.55 10.00 2.46 Savings 101.23 20.00 1.50 Checking Savings Total Cleared 0.00 0.00 Real Balance 148.01 82.73 Total Transactions = 12 Press any key to Return Lets examine these by transaction. Since we still haven't got the Bank statement yet, all of the Cleared total in the top third are 0.00 . We made 2 of every type of transaction. As mentioned earlier, all transactions added to the file are Uncleared. The checking deposits were $100 and $55.55 so the uncleared checking deposits is $155.55 . To make this part a little shorter, PC-Check has totaled all of the transactions in their respective places. .pa In the bottom third, labeled Total Cleared, are 0.00s again. You guessed it, that elusive statement still hasn't arrived. The Real Balance is calculated as follows. Pay close attention. Checking: Cleared Deposit 0.00 + Cleared Interest 0.00 - Cleared Withdrawls 0.00 ------------------------------- = Total Cleared 0.00 >------+ =============================== | | Total Cleared 0.00 <------+ + Uncleared Deposits 155.55 + Uncleared Interest 2.46 - Uncleared Withdrawls 10.00 ------------------------------- = Real Balance 148.01 =============================== Savings is calculated in the same manner. Looks like the Postman has brought us a statement! So lets get back to the Main Menu so we can clear the entries listed. [ Statement on the following Page ] .pa Very First Federal Trusting Bank ---------------------------------------- Statement. Code Checking Amount ---- ------ CW 5.00 CW 5.00 CI 1.23 CD 100.00 CD 45.55 --------------------- Balance 136.78 Code Savings Amount ---- ------ SD 1.23 SD 100.00 SW 10.00 SW 10.00 SI 0.50 SI 1.00 --------------------- Balance 82.73 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Key : CW Checking Withdrawl SW Savings Withdrawl CD Checking Deposit SD Savings Deposit CI Checking Interest SI Savings Interest .pa Ok, lets go to the Clear Transactions window and do just that. {2} select Clear Transactions [ the window overlaps the current screen ] Now the disk does a quick spin and the first transaction that we entered show up on the screen. Because the file was new when we started, all of the entries will show up. The valid options for this window are Y, N and Q. Upper or lower case is fine, PC-Check is not picky. Keep the Bank statement handy. As the transactions are displayed, enter the appropriate response. For your convenience, I will also list the actions to take. {Y} the first deposit cleared [ The second transaction is now on the screen ] Right away we seem to have a problem. Looking at the statement, we see a deposit for $45.55 and the current transaction shows $55.55. We will assume that the Bank is correct in this case. (As a note, do not always assume the Bank is correct, Banks do make mistakes too.) Make a note of the transaction that is in error, you will need this in the next step. The correct response to this transaction would be Q. ALWAYS correct any mistakes when they are found. PC-Check then scans the rest of the file to total the amount of transactions and reports the following. Total Transactions = 12 Total Cleared = 1 Press any key to Return Go ahead and press any key. You are now back in the Main Menu. The transaction in error must now be Edited. Option 6, Browse Transaction File, lets us do just that. Select 6 and we can begin. {6} select Browse Transaction File [ the Browse window covers the screen ] Now we see the Browse sub-commands at the top of the window. The transaction in error was #2. Pressing [E] now does nothing. You must first have a transaction displayed so PC-Check knows which transaction to edit. .pa Press [F] and then [N] to see the transaction in error. {F} show the First transaction {N} show the Next transaction Transaction #2 is now displayed on the screen. As we have a transaction displayed, the [E] is now active. {E} Edit the current transaction Here another window opens up showing the transaction below in GREEN. PC-Check changes the correction color to CYAN so you can tell what is being changed. {090384} enter the date again. it turns CYAN. {<cr>} we don't want to change the Check number. In a Deposit, Check No. defaults to 0. {<cr>} Like-wise for the Pay To entry. {45.55<cr>} Here we change the amount of the deposit. Note that if the CYAN number has less decimal places than the original number, Only what is entered in CYAN is accepted. {<cr>} Leave the memo alone. {Y} Yes, the correction look right {Y} Yes, we want to exit. [ the Edit window has just disappeared ] The transaction that we just edited, (on the screen now) does not have the changes we made! That is because we have edited the file directly. To see the changes to transaction #2, press [P] and then [N]. {P} show the Previous transaction {N} show the Next transaction Now transaction #2 has the correct amount for the deposit. We can hit the [Q] now because we want to finish Clearing the other entries on the statement. {Q} Quit the Browse window [ Browse window disappears ] {2} Back to Clear Transactions Now notice that transaction #2 was the first one to show. That is because #1 was cleared by you the first time. This one now shows the correct amount so you can clear it. {Y} clear 2nd deposit {Y} clear check 101 {Y} clear check 102 {Y} clear checking interest for 1.23 {N} bypass this because only 1 checking interest shows on the statement {Y} clear 1st savings deposit {Y} clear 2nd savings deposit {Y} clear 1st savings withdrawl {Y} clear 2nd savings withdrawl {Y} clear 1st savings interest {Y} clear 2nd savings interest That was the last entry in the file. PC-Check then shows you that there are 12 transactions in the file and 10 transactions were cleared. Go ahead and press any key to Return. [ back to the Main Menu ] Now lets take a look at the Balance Sheet. (number 4) Got it on the screen? Good. Now compare the totals under the Total Cleared heading. They should match the totals from the Bank statement. Note too that the Total Cleared is $1.23 LESS than the Real Balance. This is because of the $1.23 Checking interest did not show up on the statement (look at the uncleared checking interest total) but is available to you in your account. Also note that the Total Cleared and Real Balance for your savings account match. This is correct because all of the transactions for the savings account cleared on the Bank statement. Viola! You have just balanced your checkbook! You have successfully completed the walk-through of PC- Check. Please consider the donation of $5.00. Good software at a good price is hard to come by. We at the Forbin Project support the idea of "Share-ware" and "Free-ware" and hope all of you do to. It's because of you that we are able to bring you helpful programs like PC-Check. Thanks again. The Forbin Project John Friel III 715 Walnut Street Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613