This file contains the latest additions or changes to CheckStar IV. Getting Help ------------ A Help Index has been added to CheckStar IV. By using this index, a user can directly select information on any topic covered by the On-Line help. This broadens the scope of help available from the current program context to all available information on file. The Help Index is accessible by pressing the Ctrl-F1 key combination from within most program locations. Registering your copy of CheckStar IV ------------------------------------- To register your copy of CheckStar IV, return the enclosed yellow registration form. In return, we will send you a registration password which has your name encoded. The password characters will include the numbers 0 through 9 and the letters A through F. When this password is entered, it will replace any reference in the program to "New User" with your name, and eliminate the registration reminder message when you exit CheckStar IV. Keep your password in a permanent place in the event you have to reinstall CheckStar IV. The password can be entered using the following procedure. 1. From the Main Menu, press the Ctrl-R key combination. 2. Type your password and press the Enter key. Repeated transaction entry --------------------------- When entering a transaction of the same type and of similar data to one previously entered, CheckStar IV provides you with a quick entry option which allows you to use the data from the previous transaction as the default data for the next transaction. Here is the procedure to do that. 1. From the Check Register Menu, highlight a transaction which is similar to the new transaction to be entered. 2. Press the Ctrl-U key combination. 3. Modify the data as needed. 4. Press the F10 key to save the new transaction. Quick Menus ----------- For added convenience CheckStar IV has provided the user with quick access to the other Main Menu options directly from the Check Register Menu. These "Quick Menu" selections parallel the Main Menu options except that they are preceded by the Alt key. From the Check Register Menu these are the command options. - Press the Alt-2 key combination for the Account Menu. - Press the Alt-3 key combination for the Category Menu. - Press the Alt-4 key combination for the Reports Menu. - Press the Alt-5 key combination for the Reminders Menu. Chapter: 13 Split transactions -------------------------------------------------------------------------- An automatic amount calculation option has been added for split transaction entries. When entering the Payee or Memo portions of a split entry, the user can enter a formula which CheckStar IV will use to calculate the amount and paste it in the amount column. The Algebraic Expression Evaluator is used to perform this calculation so the formula format used is the same as described for the evaluator. There are a few minor differences. The first is that the formula should be bracketed by the characters "{}". The second is the use of the variable @TA within the formula which represents the Main transaction amount. Here are a few examples of how this automatic amount calculation can be used. By entering the formula {@TA * 0.25} in the Payee or Memo fields of a split window and then pressing the Crtl-C key combination, twenty five percent of the total transaction amount would be automatically entered in the amount column for that split transaction. By entering the formula {(@TA/70) * 100} in the Payee or Memo fields of a split transaction and then pressing the Ctrl-C key combination, an amount which is thirty percent greater than the total transaction entry amount will be calculated and automatically entered in the appropriate amount column. While these amounts could be calculated as easily with the popup calculators, the real utility of this option lies in its application with Memorized Entries. Example 1: Let's assume everytime you deposit your paycheck, you always deposit 10% of your salary into savings. Set up categories for your paycheck and savings. We will create a temporary split transaction and use the Memorized Entry feature to memorize it permanently. Here is how to do that. 1. From the Check Register Menu, press the D key to create a deposit entry. 2. Enter the Date, Payee, Amount and Memo of your choice. 3. At the category entry, enter B. (Refer to the CheckStar IV manual for a detailed explanation of these options.) Press the Enter key. At this point, you are looking at the split transactions entry window. 4. Enter the category you have selected for 'Salary' and press Enter. 5. At the Payee entry type in the formula {(@TA/90) * 100}. Before pressing the Enter key, press the Crtl-C key combination. This will cause CheckStar IV to calculate the actual Salary on the fly. Press the Enter key to save the formula and accept the calculated dollar amount. 6. Enter the Memo of your choice and press Enter. 7. Press Enter to bypass the amount. 7. Enter the category you have selected for 'Savings' and press the Enter key. 8. At the Payee entry type the formula {@TA * 0.1}. Again, you must press the Crtl-C key combination to calculate the amount. 9. Enter the Memo of you choice and press Enter. 10. Press the F10 key to exit the Split transaction entry window and again to save the transaction. 11. Now memorize this split transaction using the procedures outlined in your CheckStar IV manual. When memorizing, set the option 'Modify transaction(s) when entered' to 'Y'. 12. From now on, to use this entry, press the F9 key, highlight this Memorized Entry, enter the appropriate dollar amount and press F10. CheckStar IV will automatically calculate and enter both the 'Salary' amount and 'Savings' amount and save the transaction to the check register. 13. After creating a Memorized Entry, you can erase this split transaction from the check register if not currently needed. Example 2: Suppose you wanted to document how much sales tax you have collected from items sold in a business. The amounts can be easily calculated using this feature. If the sales tax in your area is 8.25%, you can create a Memorized Entry much the same way. For this example, in step 5 above, enter the formula {@TA-(@TA*0.0825)} which would represent your actual sales. In step 8, type the formula {@TA*0.0825} which represents your sales tax. NOTE ---- The values inside the brackets '{}' can be either fixed amounts or formulas, positive or negative, and can be used in either the Payee or Memo fields of a transaction. The removal of the formulas --------------------------- If you want to have CheckStar IV automatically remove these formulas from the split payee or memo fields after the amounts are calculated, there are 2 options available to do the job. The option @D deletes the entire formula including the brackets. The option @R replaces the entire split payee or memo with the entry in the main transaction payee or memo. For example, if you want to delete the formula, you could enter @D{(@TA/90) * 100} in step 5 or @D{@TA * 0.1} in step 8 etc. You can place these commands (@D and @R) anywhere outside the {} brackets. The commands @D or @R along with the formula will be deleted automatically. IMPORTANT --------- When creating a Memorized Entry using formulas such as those described above, set the Memorized Entry option 'Modify transaction(s) when entered' to 'Y' in order to force a recalculation of the formula when entered. Chapter: 10 Printing checks ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TIPS & TRICKS: When you print checks using the Ctrl-P command from the Check Register Menu, CheckStar IV pops up a list of the available check layouts. If you are only using one check layout, erase the others. This way, CheckStar IV will bypass the popup list and automatically use the default check layout available to print your check. To erase any check layout, press the Ctrl-P key to pop up the list, highlight the layout to be erased and press the E key. Chapter: 14 Memorized Entries -------------------------------------------------------------------------- When Memorizing an Entry, the Payee/Payor information can be pasted at the Entry Name prompt by pressing the Ctrl-P key combination. When more than one transaction is blocked, the Payee/Payor of the first transaction will be selected. Chapter: 22 User Setup Options Addendum --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following new User Setup Options have been added since the manual was printed. Some have been inserted in the list rather than adding them to the end. This was done to keep options grouped by similarity of function. However, some setup option are no longer numbered as they appear in the manual. General Setup Options --------------------- 19: Set number of decimals for the RPN Calculator: When using the RPN Calculator, you have option to set the number of decimals places to be displayed by the RPN Calculator. To change this option, highlight this option, press the Enter key and type the number of decimal places to be displayed. 20: Set number of decimals for Algebraic Expression Evaluator: This option is similar to option #19 above except it sets the Algebraic Expression Evaluator display. 40: Require a key press when exiting CheckStar IV: If you run CheckStar IV from within a Dos Shell program you may not be able to see the Time Tracker information when exiting CheckStar IV. When enabled, this option allows you to view the Time Tracker information before completely exiting CheckStar IV. Check Register Setup Options ---------------------------- 14: Automatically unpost postdated transactions when entered: When this option is set to YES, CheckStar IV automatically unposts all postdated transactions as they are entered. 15: Pad asterisks in amounts when printing checks: When this option is set to YES, CheckStar IV will left justify the numeric amounts printed on the check with asterisks. Report Setup Options -------------------- 5: Include zero balance subcategories in the summary reports: This option which is similar to option 4, includes or excludes subcategories whose balances are zero. 18: Print detailed transaction information: If enabled, detailed reports are printed in the compressed mode and include complete transaction information. If disabled, detailed reports are printed in normal mode, with a limited display of the Payee and Memo information. Chapter: 20 Calendar ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CheckStar IV provides a quick method of going back to the current date when using the calendar. Simply press the C key. Customizing CheckStar IV's Reports Menu --------------------------------------- Each account in CheckStar IV is, by default, assigned to the standard Reports Menu. However you can customize this menu for each account by following the procedure as described in the CheckStar IV manual, pages 43 and 44. By copying a reports template to an account, the account retains its own custom copy of the Reports Menu, which can then be modified as you see fit. See pages 109 and 110 of your CheckStar IV manual. Additional Check Layouts ------------------------ 786 Systems is providing four preformatted check layouts with CheckStar IV. These layouts labeled STYLE-A, STYLE-B, STYLE-C and STYLE-D fit the checks you can order from 786 Systems. APPENDIX E ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PROBLEM: When I attempt to print a check with my laser printer, the check does not come out of the printer. SOLUTION: You need to add a form feed (@PB) command to the end of your check layout. Edit your check layout using the Ctrl-E command from the Check Register Menu. Add the command @PB at the end of the last line of your check layout. Save the form and exit. PROBLEM: When I exit CheckStar IV, my printer retains the setup last used when I printed checks. How can I get my printer reset automatically? SOLUTION: Although the printer could be cleared by CheckStar IV when exiting the program, this method causes delays under certain conditions. The more elegant solution is to embed a printer reset command at the end of the check layout. PROBLEM: When I attempt to print checks or reports CheckStar IV preceeds the information with some unexpected characters. SOLUTION: There are two separate printer driver assignments which must be made. One is for printing checks and the other is for printing reports. Be sure that the right driver has been assigned for each function. Refer to the chapter titled Printer Setup in your CheckStar IV manual.