Set and Maintain - Preferences
This screen is where you set the basic operating preferences for the program. These preferences effect operation on a program-wide basis. Other preferences effecting the operation of individual accounts, categories, reports etc. are described in their related Help.
Regions &/or currency for all transactions
This determines the primary region/currency which is used to determine program operation. You must select a primary region/currency, before you can create any accounts.
Once you have nominated a region, Budgets GetReal continually requests the latest details on the import configurations, to be used for financial institutions in the region. Budgets GetReal uses these configuration files in importing transaction files , which you download from your bank.
Only one Region can be active at one time. Configurations are currently maintained for the following countries: Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States.
Even if you do not live in one of these regions, Budgets GetReal can still import and process transaction files downloaded from your bank. The only requirement is that they be in a decimal currency. The Import Configuration Editor allows you to recognise the date format of imported files, in your local language.
In these cases you select one of the Currency options: Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc or Other Decimal Currency.
Foreign currency transactions.
Budgets GetReal does not incorporate a multiple-currency feature, as implemented in some other accounting programs. This is a deliberate design to maintain the simplicity of the program.
Nevertheless Budgets Get Real can handle a wide range of multiple-currency situation simply without the unneeded complexities of larger accounting systems. More on Using Budgets GetReal with multiple currencies.
Note that multi-currency features are usually not required for credit cards, linked to accounts denominated in your primary currency. This is because your bank will automatically convert all overseas purchases, to show on your statement.
Warn if budget summary is invalid
The Budget Monitor displays an overview of your budget progress for the past 4 weeks (prior to your last imported transaction). Ideally you would like your transactions to always be fully imported and fully categorized and up to date, but in reality this won’t occur.
Each time program starts
Budgets GetReal needs to access the Internet for latest configuration information prior to the following operations. The required information must be accessed once for each time you open the Budgets Get Real program - otherwise the operation will fail
- Set & Maintain > Accounts: You must have latest configurations to create new Accounts. You can edit existing accounts even if download fails.
- Transactions > Import File: All imports of downloaded files require access to latest configurations.
- Set & Maintain > Configuration: Access to change the configurations of Accounts require access to latest configurations.
Other tasks may require access to latest configuration information, however this is not essential.
This preference determines if the program automatically connects, and retrieves the latest configuration information, immediately after you open the program. It will do this as a background task, that will fail without notification if an internet connection is unavailable.
Password protect access to the program
This optional password is additional to the standard encryption of the database. It is used to control access to Budgets GetReal and prevents unauthorised persons opening the program and viewing your data. The access password also protects any backup of the database you make.
We suggest you apply an access password to all files sent over the internet eg you may exchange your financial details with your accountant / bookkeeper. You should also password protect any backup files saved on remote servers e.g. gmail.com.
Sensitive information, such as bank login usernames and passwords, should ONLY be stored in the Password Vault. Information stored in the Password Vault cannot be viewed by persons with access to the access control password. More on Password Vault.
To enter / modify an access password click on this preference and follow the instructions.
Note, that if you add an access password, there is no easy way to open Budgets Get Real or your database, if you forget it. Informed Choices Pty Ltd can retrieve your access password for you, however charges will apply. There is no way to access or retrieve information from the Password Vault, if you forget a password known only to yourself.
Access Passwords can be one or more words (letters or numbers) from 6 to 32 characters long. Passwords are case in-sensitive. Spaces are allowed but be careful if you enter double spaces.
