Welcome to the PowerBudget v5.0 "Quick-Start" tutorial. Since this is a new program for you and there is no way for us to gauge your learning curve...be patient. You'll get it. Just follow the tutorial and if you ever get "off track", remember the ESCAPE key and the EXIT prompt are your friends. They'll help you get back to the beginning. Also, each section of this tutorial can be found in either the PowerBudget Guidelines you received with your purchase or they are also available for reference/print at our website:

PowerBudget v5.0 Guidelines

You will also note that as you use PowerBudget for the first time, the program will often offer you selection "prompts". We have defaulted these prompts to the most efficient action as "safety nets"; however, you may override most of them at your discretion. PLEASE PRINT THESE PAGES BEFORE GETTING STARTED.

This "Quick-Start" will guide you through Installation, Creating a mini-Chart of Accounts, Transactions

(both requisitions and purchase orders), Transfers, Reports and Saving off your work. Once you have completed this exercise you will have used many of the essential elements of the program; However, there are other features

available such as Open Purchase Orders, SubAccounts and various Management Reports to name a few. We recommend that you thoroughly familiarize yourself with the Guidelines to understand all the various program functions and capabilities. This is a hands-on, function-key driven, number crunching program, so please park your mouse while using the program.

Installation: If you haven't already, download v5.0 from the Internet or your program disk.(For easy access save to your desktop). Double-Click the saved file. An Extract box will be displayed. Click a Checkmark next to "Run After Extraction", then Click Extract. Click YES to create C:budget50 Directory? Upon completion, close all windows and then click on the PowerBudget icon on your desktop. This opens the program and you will now be at the Master Form. (If you are installing to a Win NT platform, you will need to create a shortcut on your desktop. www.powerbudget.com/shortcut.htm )

Understanding the Master Form: Every time you start a PowerBudget session, the program will open to the Master

Form. It is comprised of account code fields in the upper-half of the form and transaction fields in the lower-half.

PowerBudget is extremely flexible and can address virtually every code structure for sites, departments or grants.

This link will further explain the capacity of the account code fields and then you can judge how best to use the program

to track your own budget. http://www.powerbudget.com/onesize.htm

Function Keys: Note at the bottom of the Master Form... F1 - F12, each with a "keyword" description. The Function keys perform certain tasks which help simplify the overall process. You may also reference the Keyboard Help Template you received with your purchase. You will notice various onscreen "prompts" as you go through the program. They are there to help you: (ie: "ESC when done" means press ESCAPE key when finished.)

Moving around the Master Form/Program: Using the Tab/Shift Tab key or the Up/Down arrow keys will move the cursor between the fields in the Master Form. (Use the Enter key when "entering" data.) The Escape key in the Master Form will return the cursor to the Year field. In other areas of the program, the Escape key will highlight an "Exit" prompt which will exit that part of the program. In any of the Menus/Sub-menus, using the Escape key will "drill down" or return to the previous Sub-menu/Master Form. Using Exit from a sub-menu will automatically return to the Master Form.

Setting up your Budget: At the Master Form: Press F8 (FPLO Accounts)...

Highlight FPLO...enter...then ADD...enter.

(This will display the FPLO accounts screen and three blank account screens are visible.)

With the cursor in the Year field...type in a Fiscal Year (use Demo A)...enter.

Is this the Correct Budget Year?...YES...enter.

NOTE: The program is designed to track multiple budgets. It recognizes a new Budget year from existing budgets.

With the cursor in the Fund Field...Press F3 - List. This will display a list of fund codes in the program.

NOTE: Don't worry about the different codes/descriptions. These are for demo purposes only and probably won't relate to your own budget. All codes/descriptions are editable and you can add or delete codes as necessary.

Highlight a fund code...enter. Repeat this process for Program, Location and Object code fields.

Input a dollar amount in the Appropriations field.

(There is no need to use commas or decimals for even dollars...1000 = 1,000.00 or 1555 = 1,555.00)...enter.

With the cursor in the Comments field (no comments required/optional field)...enter.

This will place the cursor in the next account record, repeating all but the Object code & Appropriation dollar.

Tab key down to the Object field ...repeat the F3 - List process, select a different Object code and input a dollar amount. With the cursor in the optional comments field...enter.

This will place the cursor in the next account record, repeating all but the Object code & Appropriation dollar.

Tab key down to the Object field ...repeat the F3 - List process, select a different Object code and input a dollar amount. With the cursor in the optional comments field...enter.

(Note: The account screen has "scrolled" down to display the next account record. The first account record is "off screen" but available for edit/review by pressing the "Page Up/Page Down" to move between account records.)

At this next available account record (use page down key to return if necessary)...repeat the previous process of

creating an account and allocating a dollar amount.

With the cursor in the optional comments field...enter.

You have now created a Chart of Accounts comprised of four separate accounts.

Note: On screen directions...Escape when done....press Escape key...Save Changes...YES...enter.

This returns to the Master Form. Highlight Exit in the submenu...enter

With the cursor in the Year field...F3 List...Highlight Demo A...enter.

To check the budget balance of Demo A... press F12 - Balance.

Since there are no transactions, the budget balance will match the original appropriation (ie: original budget).

Press F10 - Clear. Returns cursor to the Year field and "clears" the screen.

Transactions: At the Master Form with Demo A in the Year field...press F3, F3...

This displays a list of the accounts you just created. Highlight an account...enter.

NOTE: Make a note of which account you selected for later reference when printing a sample report.

This will put the account onscreen into the Master Form which will charge the transaction against this account.

Tab key to the Date Field. (Press F1, F1...displays Help information regarding Date Formats).

Press Escape to return to the Master Form. Choose any Date format...input todays date....enter.

In the Req # field...input a Requisition number (ie: 1234, A345, ABC1 etc.)...enter.

Tab key to the Encumbered field...enter a dollar amount (ie: 15, 12.50, 136.27 etc.)...enter.

With the cursor in the Description field...type a narrative regarding this transaction.

(You have up to 300 character spaces available in the Description field)...enter...

Add this transaction?...YES...enter.

NOTE: The Description field may be used as a powerful search tool in creating management reports.

Using "key words" (ie: Transfer, Vendor name, Product name etc.) in the Description field allows you to

search for all transactions containing the "key words" anywhere in the description field and create a report.

With the cursor in the Year field and the Account still onscreen...F12...displays account balance information.

F10 - Clear... returns the cursor to the Year field and clears the screen.

F12 - Balance... displays the budget information reflecting the new encumbrance and the new total budget balance.

To edit this transaction, Tab key down to the Req # field, press F2 Find...

Display a list of Req. No's... YES...enter. This will display the one req #...

Enter puts a checkmark/selects this req#...

F2 again will display this requisition transaction record.

Tab key to the PO# field...enter a PO#...(ie: ABC123, 12X333, 112233)...

enter the Exp (expended) dollar amount...

delete the Enc (encumbered) dollar amount... .

(RULE: Encumbered + Expended = Actual Amount of Transaction.)

Press Escape key...Note the cursor is now at the top of the screen highlighting... Exit...enter...

Save changes? Yes...enter. This returns to the Master Form...

Escape or F10 returns the cursor to the Year field.

With the cursor in the Year field, F12 - Balance displays the updated total budget information.

NOTE: As records are added, edited or deleted the database is updated immediately...meaning real time data.

Press Escape or F10 to return the cursor to the Year field.

Transfers: With the cursor in the Year field...F11 Transfer...FPLO to FPLO...enter.

NOTE: Make a note of which accounts you use in Transfer for later reference in printing reports.

This is a single account transfer to another single account.

Transfer FROM...(displays your Chart of Accounts) highlight an account...enter.

Transfer $...input the dollar amount to be transfered...enter.

Transfer TO...(displays your Chart of Accounts) highlight another account...enter.

The transfer is completed. Press Escape...returns to the Master Form.

NOTE: Multiple account transfers are also available (ie: from one account to multiple accounts)

Reports: With the cursor in the Year field...F5 REPORTS...highlight Summaries...enter.

By pressing Enter twice more, the program will accept the default date range.

NOTE: Date ranges may be changed to suit specific report requirements.

Highlight FPLO...enter. Condensed...enter. Highlight Viewer...enter.

(This will display a Summary report for all accounts.)

NOTE: You should be able to see Expenditure and Transfer summary information.

Using U/D & L/R arrow keys allows you to read this first report...When finished press Escape twice.

This returns to the Reports Menu. Highlight Account Detail...enter.

By pressing Enter twice more, the program will accept the default date range.

Press F4 to select/display all accounts (4) in this budget year (Demo A).

This will identify the number of reports to be viewed/printed...enter Yes to proceed.

Press enter for Separate reports and press enter again for a sort by Date.

Highlight Viewer...enter. Using U/D & L/R arrow keys allows you to read each report...escape.

Continue?...Yes...enter. This will display the next account detail report. When finished...escape.

Repeat this process until all accounts have been displayed or select No to continue.

By pressing Escape twice more you will return to the Master Form.

Printing: PowerBudget is defaulted to print to an HP Universal setting. You may have to change this setting in order

to successfully print your reports. To change the printer setting: F6 Utilities...User Preferences...

Tab down to the Current Printer field and F3 List the different printers...scroll to/highlight the printer that matches your printer and click the LMB (Left Mouse Button)...press escape and that returns to the Master Form.

NOTE: If you are still unable to print refer to your guidelines for more detailed information regarding printer settings, Network printers etc..

Exit/Saving: From the Master Form...F7 Exit...Are you sure...Yes...enter.

Print updated reports?...No...enter.

BACKUP NOW? Yes...enter.

Backup to Floppy?...No...enter.

Begin Backup now?...Yes...enter.

At this point you will notice a series of boxes. When they have all turned green you have saved your data, performed an integrity check, exited the program and returned to your desktop.

Tips: These procedures and many others are referenced in the Tips section of the guidelines. Please familiarize yourself with the entire book and especially these pages.