Manual
for AcBook 8.4
Welcome Screen
⊞ Sign in with Microsoft Signs in a user with MS account and displays the Main Screen.
Sign Out Signs out the currently signed in MS account.
Calculate Calculates the exchange value of input value based on the selected currencies.
↹ Sets the current currencies as default currencies.
⇅ Flips the Input & Output currencies.
Reset Displays the exchange rate for default currencies (as seen above).
Main Screen
↗ / ↙ Undocks / Docks the Data / Message Display panel.
<Calendar Icon> Opens a GUI to select a Date.
ADD DATA Adds Date, Particulars & Amount (collectively called Data) to Memory.
Clear Data Clears Particulars & Amount fields and Sets the Date field to today's date.
MODIFY Moves the Data selected in Data Display from Memory to the Data fields.
DELETE Deletes the Data selected in Data Display from Memory.
▲/▼ Collapses / Expands the Balance Summary panel.
¤ / × Shows / Hides the Entries in Balance Summary panel.
Context (Right-Click) Menu
Change Category… Allows changing of Category for the Data selected in the Data Display (without involving any exchange rates).
Change Group… Allows changing of Group for the Data selected in the Data Display.
Change Type Changes Type of the Data selected in the Data Display.
Menu & Tool Bar
File
Load* Loads Data to Memory from a default File.
New… Saves & Loads a new File. (Allows adding one Category to get started.)
Open…* Loads Data to Memory from a User-specified File.
Set as Default Sets the current File to be accessible from LOAD. (User-specific)
Save* Saves all Data from Memory to the loaded File. (Name in the title bar.)
Save As…* Saves all Data from Memory to a User-specified File.
Export Exports Data of current File to an Excel file with the same name.
Close* Removes Loaded Data from Memory. (Data not recoverable unless saved.)
Lock* Locks AcBook and displays the Login screen!
Exit* Quits the program.
Category
Add… Allows Addition of a new Category.
Edit… Allows Editing of the selected Category, including the Currency symbol & code.
Delete Deletes the selected Category. (Data in this Category also gets deleted.)
Reorder…* Allows Reordering of the Categories.
Transfer…* Allows Amount Transfer between two Categories. (Category names become Particulars for the Data entries.)
Group
Add… Allows Addition of a new Group.
Edit… Allows Editing of the selected Group.
Delete Deletes the selected Group. (Data in this Group gets moved to ‘Miscellaneous’.)
Tools
Sort by >
Date Displays the Data sorted by Date.
Particulars Displays the Data sorted by Particulars.
Amount Displays the Data sorted by Amount.
Search for >
Date Searches for & Displays the Data matching the Date.
Particulars Searches (case insensitive) for & Displays the Data matching the Particulars.
Amount Searches for & Displays the Data matching the Amount.
Show Raw Data* Shows the Data as it is stored in the *.mat files. (For Advanced Users.)
Set up Budget Allows setting up a monthly budget. (Definitely give it a try!)
Graphical Data Analysis* Brings up a panel for Graphical Analysis of the Earning and Expenditure Data in different formats. (Check it out!)
Random Insight Gives you random insight about what you have been doing during the last few months or on a particular day. (Just click it!)
Generate File… Loads a new User-specified File whose first entries are Balance of the loaded File.
Combine Files… Allows Combination of User-specified Files including the loaded File.
Add Users… Allows one to grant access to the loaded File to other users by adding their MS email ids.
Remove Users… Allows the original author of the loaded File to revoke access to it by removing other users' MS email ids.
Help
Manual Opens this webpage.
ChangeLog Opens this webpage.
New API Key… Allows to input a new API key for ExChanger. (Visit openexchangerates.org to get your own key.)
Update… Tries to Update AcBook to a newer version. (Internet connection required.)
License Opens this webpage.
Privacy Opens this webpage.
About See for Yourself.
Tips
Set your frequently used file as Default to Load it with 1-click using the Toolbar.
Try using some common-sense Keyboard Shortcuts; They Might Work!
Click on the Balance Summary table to see some data details and the Data.
Valid arithmetic expressions can be entered in any ‘numeric’ field.
Sum of multiple Data selections is shown in the Amount field.
Mark up your Data with Groups. There are a few built-in but you can add more as per your needs.
Various operations can be (un)done on Categories & Groups. Check them out!
Set up your monthly budget via 'Tools' by choosing specific categories and groups and get updates as you spend & 'Save'.
‘Show Raw Data’ allows quick editing for names of Categories & Groups and Particulars.
‘Graphical Data Analysis’ unveils 5 more toolbar buttons (see below): Zoom In, Zoom Out, Pan, Rotate 3D, and Data Cursor. Do try out the latter two.
Use 'Generate File...' for keeping monthly, half-yearly, annual, etc. records. (Be careful to not overwrite an existing file!)
When combining a single file using ‘Combine Files…’ menu, a dialog box will pop up from where Categories to be imported can be selected.
No Change to the Data is saved until you explicitly Save it. That is, there is no ‘auto save’ option so save your File once you notice a ‘*’ near the filename in the title bar.
