Simple Money 2006 1.2.2 - User Guide and FAQ

How to use Simple Money

1. Creating your new Simple Money file
   
   The first thing you need to do is create your Simple Money file. This is a file that stores all your data, such as accounts and bills.
   
   When you first start Simple Money, the welcome screen will give you two options. Select the Create a new Simple Money file option and click the OK button. Or you can select New File from the File menu.
   
   You will now see the New Simple Money File Wizard. This wizard will help you through all the steps of setting up your new Simple Money file, just follow the simple instructions.
   
   
2. Using your accounts
   
   Now that you have created your Simple Money file, you are ready to use your accounts, and to add your transactions. Transactions are records that belong to an account, such as deposits, withdrawals, credit card charges, etc.
   
   If you have multiple accounts, first you need to go to the account you want to use. Select Accounts from the Tools menu, and then select the account you want to use and click the Go to Acct button.
   
   To add a new transaction, select Add Transaction from the Edit menu, or click the Add button on the toolbar. Then enter the transaction's details and click the OK button. Or click the Add More button if you want to add another transaction.
   
   
3. Managing your bills and deposits
   
   Now that you know how to use your accounts and add transactions, it is time to learn how to manage your recurring bills and deposits. Simple Money will display your upcoming bills and deposits in the Bills & Deposits Manager (select Bills & Deposits from the Tools menu).
   
   To add a new bill/deposit to the list, select Bills & Deposits from the Tools menu, and then click the New button.
   
   Once you have paid a bill or made a recurring deposit, select Bills & Deposits from the Tools menu, and then select the bill/deposit from the list and click the Process button.
   
   
4. Managing your budget
   
   Simple Money allows you to set budget amounts for your expense categories, which can then be compared to your actual spending.
   
   To set your budget, select Budget Manager from the Tools menu, and then set your desired budget for each expense category. You can then run a "Budget vs. Actual Spending" report to compare your actual spending with your target spending (you will learn about generating reports in the next section).
   
   
5. Generating Reports
   
   Now that you know how to manage your accounts, bills and deposits, and budget, it is time to learn how to generate reports. Simple Money lets you generate reports to see how much money you are spending, and what you are spending it on. To generate a report, select the Reports menu option.
   
   Once your report is generated, you can print it by clicking the Print button, and you can export it to a CSV file so that you can open it in your spreadsheet program by clicking the Export button.
   
   
6. Conclusion
   
   By completing this tutorial, you should have a basic understanding of how to manage your personal finances with Simple Money.