Ledger is a simple accounts program for the Psion based on a few simple principles. I have tried to keep everything fairly simple both from a user and a programming point of view. That means it should be easy for you to use and for me to maintain.
Send me comments/feature requests at benc-ledger@dass.prestel.co.uk
Ledger is shareware - you may use it for long enough to decide if you like it or not. When you have decided, you must either register it or stop using it. To not do so is illegal. A suggested trial period is about one month.
To register, send a cheque, postal order or Girobank transfer slip
for œ10 (ten pounds sterling) to:
Ben Clifford,
7 Broke Court,
Guildford,
GU4 7HQ,
England.
You will receive a registration key which will disable the annoying
registration demands in your copy and enable additional features which
do not work in the unregistered version. You must not reveal your
registration key to anyone else.
One of the principle differences between Ledger and other programs is that Ledger has no categories, only accounts. An account is somewhere where money comes from or goes to. Every transaction takes money from one account and puts it in another: when you buy some food, you take money from your WALLET account and transfer it to your FOOD account. When you are paid, you take money from your WAGES account and transfer it to your WALLET or BANK account. The total of the FOOD account is therefore how much you have spent on FOOD and the total of your WAGES account is how much you have been paid.
Accounts are placed into categories for the purpose of totalling.
For example, you might place all bank accounts in the BANKING category, expenses in EXPENSE and income in INCOME.
Each account has a style. This refers to the module which handles the account. Style modules add additional functionality to accounts without being built into the main application.
Ledger comes supplied with several style modules, in the \APP\LED directory and you can add additional modules just by placing them in that directory.
This creates a new account. In order to use ledger, you'll need at least two accounts. At the first dialog, enter the name for the account. It is the filename used to store the account, so must follow filename rules (eg 8 letters max, no spaces). Accounts may be stored on any drive, but must be stored in the ledger directory (which will be used by default). After pressing enter, the Account Details dialog appears. Here, fill in:
This brings up a dialog allowing you to choose an account to display in Ledger view.
This allows you to edit the description, caetegory and style of the current account.
This removes the account from the accounts list. It does not delete the account file from the disc.
This brings up information specific to the style of the account. In many styles, this does nothing, but, for example, in the SUBACCT style, it brings up a list of sub-account totals.
This creates a transaction, transferring money between the current account and a chosen destination account.
If the style of either account requires further information, it will ask for it when the transaction dialog box has been completed.
This allows a previously entered transaction to be edited. Operation is much the same as New Transaction.
This marks the highlighted transaction as cleared. This has meaning in BANK accounts and may do in others, dependent upon the style.
This deletes a previously entered transaction, in both accounts.
This will take you to the account with the other end of the highlighted transaction
These sort the transactions in the current account as detailed.
This sorts primarily into two groups, cleared transactions and uncleared transactions. Within these groups, the transactions are sorted in date order.
These are sorted by the alphabetic content of the description field. This can be used if cheque numbers are entered in the description field to get an ordered list of cheques.
This moves uncleared transactions to the end of the account with resorting the whole account. This is useful on flash disks where resorting the whole account is very wasteful.
This creates a new standing order. Information is input much as for the new transaction dialog. There are additional options to allow the frequency of the transaction to be set, monthly or weekly, and on which day to cause this to happen.
Edits a standing order.
This causes processing of pending orders to occur immediately. This will happen automatically at midnight. If you had the program closed at midnight, you might want to force processing to happen with this option.
Deletes a standing order. It does not delete transactions which have already been carried out, but no more will be added.
This will check all accounts for integrity. It will check that each transaction has an entry into both source and destination accounts. If an error is found, it will bring up an error dialog. The best thing to do in this case is delete the transaction and re-enter it.
This updates the totals on the account screen.
Zooms in or out.
Allows entry of registration details.
Exits.
Ledger comes supplied with several account styles.
The Normal style has basic functionality. It provides a single total for the money in the account and is what should be used if no special functionality is needed.
This is designed for keeping track of your bank accounts.
It provides three totals:
This style allows you to maintain sub-accounts within one account.
For example, this can be used for keeping track of money loaned to people. Normally, a seperate account for each person would be needed, which might result in a large number of accounts, with very few transactions. With Subacct, all your debts can be stored in one account, and a sub-account summary given for the accou nt, listing each sub-account and the total for that account.
When you enter a transaction into a Subacct, you are prompted to choose a sub-account, or set up a new one.
The sub-account totals are shown by choosing the Style Information option.
Like Bank, this has several totals. They are:
I don't use it myself, so I don't know what to do with it.
This was something I created rather lightheartedly. All the other bank programs for the Psion offer options such as petrol trackers. I don't have a car, so don't buy much petrol, however I am fond of ale, so I created a beverage tracker.
When you transfer into a Bevvy-style account, you are prompted for the number of jars and the size of jar - 440ml (standard UK beer can size), 1 pint and half-pint (standard pub sizes).
The total line gives the normal monetary total, the total volume of ale purchased and the average price per pint of beverage.
These are the categories I have set up on my own Psion. This example is based on my personal usage of Ledger. Do not feel that you have to use the program in this way - your needs and desires will vary.
Accounts in this category represent expenses, such as BEER, CLOTHES, HARDWARE and FOOD.
These accounts show all my income. I have WORK, INTEREST, ALLOWANCE and MISCIN.
Here I have accounts which represent money which I have, available to spend.
My bank accounts are in this category, as well as my wallet account and a LOAN account, to track money which I have borrowed or am owned.
This contains just the treasury account, which is used to put in initial balances for the accounts. It is necessary because money cannot be created in the Ledger universe. The total of the Treasury account is pretty meaningless.
I also enter transactions from an account into Treasury with a value of œ0.00 to make a comment about the account, such as "New Cheque Book ordered."