Phoenix - User Help

New - Opens a new budget.

Open - Opens an existing budget file.

Load Actuals - Loads the actual data from the Phoenix Cash Book. See To Load Actual Transactions

Load Projected - Loads Actuals to the current date & projects cash flow for the rest of the budget period using an existing budget.  See Load Projected

Save - Saves your current work. Select this option if you wish to record your work in a budget file. The spreadsheet can be saved with a name of your choice. See Save.

Save As - Saves the current work to another file.

Close Budget - Power Budgets Only. Closes the budget you are currently working in. See To Open a Budget

Properties - Brings up a summary of information related to the currently loaded budget for editing or review. See Budget Properties

Merge - Join any existing file to your current work. This function allows you to merge the figures from any spreadsheet file already saved into the current spreadsheet on screen. When merging, the file amounts to be merged may be shifted backwards or forwards in time, and may either overwrite or be added to the values on screen.  Using this function, several spreadsheet files may be merged into one. This allows a number of separate budgets to be prepared for individual enterprises and then combined for comparison with actual transactions. See Merging

Combine Sheets - Power Budgets Only.  Combine multiple sheets within your budget into a single sheet. See Combine Sheets in Power Budgets

Downgrade Power Budget Data... - This option is visible in Budget Planner only: This function is used to convert single sheet Power Budget file to a format that can be opened in Budget Planner.  See Downgrade a Power Budget file to Budget Planner

Upgrade Budget Planner Data... - This option is visible in Power Budgets only: This function will convert a Budget Planner budget so that it is able to be opened and used in Power Budgets.  See Upgrade a Budget Planner file to Power Budgets

Export - Send data to either a comma delimited or text file.  See also: Printing and Distributing Budget Reports

Print - Print the spreadsheet.

Exit - Exit Phoenix Budgets.

Cell - Allows you to Edit the active cell.

Account Allocations - Edit monthly total income or expenses by accounts. You may enter the Income or Expenses allocated to each account for the current cell.  That is, for the month and category which is highlighted.

Category Total - Sets the total value of a category for the current budget period. When setting expenses or income for a particular category (spreadsheet row) it is sometimes more convenient to enter the year total. This function will enter your year total for the selected category and then distribute the amount over each month within the category. If data has already been entered in the row, then you may allocate the amount proportionally to maintain the same proportion each month as was there previously. Alternatively, you may allocate the amount evenly.

Worktable - Allows you to enter or edit any worktables defined for this category.

Planning Table – If you have created a Planning Table, it will be represented as a row at the bottom of your budget.  If you make a cell active in that row you will then be able to select this option to edit the Planning Table members.

Variable Costs - If you have created a Planning Table, it will be represented as a row at the bottom of your budget.  If you make a cell active in that row you will then be able to select this option to enter/edit a Variable Cost Worktable for that particular Planning Table.

Whole Numbers – Omit cents from budget values

Sort Categories - Sort the Categories or rows into Alphabetical order, Order of Entry or by Group. See Sort / Group

Hide Category – This option allows you to hide the selected category.  Any values entered for this category will no longer be included in the budget figures.

Restore All Hidden – This option restores all categories that you have hidden in the budget.

Zeroes - Show or hide Categories with zero balances. This is indicated by the appearance of a tick to the left of this option when all zeroes are displayed. Once you have budget or actual figures loaded into the spreadsheet, you may select this option to temporarily hide any rows that have a $0.00 total. Any hidden row is only temporarily removed from the spreadsheet display and is not deleted from the file. The hidden rows can be made to reappear by re-selecting this menu option.

Change to GST Exclusive/Inclusive - This option is only visible in Power Budgets.  This feature allows the user to switch the view between GST Exclusive & GST Inclusive depending on the mode you are entering data. See also View GST and Nominate the GST Status of your Budget in Power Budgets

Restore Column Widths - Restore the width of each column to its default width.  The column width may be changed by dragging with the mouse on the line between each column heading.

Period - Change the months over which the budget plan operates. When the spreadsheet is initially displayed it is set to the current accounting period as indicated across the top of the screen, for example, Jul'2013 to Jun'2014. The spreadsheet period may be shifted forward in time, shortened in time, or extended to cover a number of years. See To Select the Period and To Move Period.

Opening Balance - This selection allows you to enter the Opening Balance for the Selected Accounts (See Accounts below).  If no accounts have been selected, the Opening Balance figure is entered for the Balance Row and operated as a Cash flow balance.

Planning Tables – Access the Planning Tables area of Phoenix Budgets.  See Activity Planning

Use Account - This command lets you select which reconciled account/s to use as well as set one of the accounts as the default account.

Interest Rates - Allows you to apply interest rate charges to Accounts.

Accounts - This function displays the Setup Accounts Window from Phoenix.  You may at this stage enter a new account or edit current accounts.  The changes made to the accounts follow through to Phoenix, See Setting up accounts for details on Entering/Editing Accounts.

Categories - Income and Expense categories may be created or changed.  Selecting this option displays the Setup Categories Screen.  A new category can be inserted into the spreadsheet whenever required.  The new row will appear on a new line in the current sort order; the rest of the sheet moves down a line.  The new category will also appear for use in Phoenix.

The detail of an existing category can be altered in the spreadsheet. The changes will then also be made in the Phoenix.  See Setting up Categories for Editing or Setting Up New Categories.

Enterprises – See Setting up Enterprises

Edit GST Exclusive/Inclusive - This option is only visible in Power Budgets.  This feature allows the user to switch the Edit mode between GST Exclusive & GST Inclusive depending on the mode you are entering data. See also View GST and Nominate the GST Status of your Budget in Power Budgets

Factor Cells - Increase or decrease the values for the currently selected cells by a given percentage (enter a negative value to decrease).  You can factor just once cell or you can factor any number of cells at the same time.  For example, to factor an entire row, click the category name with the mouse to highlight the row, then choose the Factor Cells option with the mouse.  This will highlight the entire row.  Alternatively you can high specific rows and columns with the mouse and apply.

Remember:  You can only factor category cells.  You cannot factor totals, balances etc.  To factor all income or expenses, just select all the income and expense categories before factoring. See To Factor Amounts

Move Period - This option allows you to move the Period of the budget.  If shifts the entire budget forwards or backwards in time. See Move Period.

Chart – This option lets you chart values from your budget.  See Charts

Recalculate - This option is only visible in Power Budgets.  Forces a Recalculation of all values in the selected spreadsheet.

Show Hints - This option attaches a note to the mouse pointer to give a more detailed explanation of the function under the pointer.  You can turn the function on or off from the menu.

Assistant On - This option turns the screen Assistant On or Off.  When the assistant is on it will give a brief explanation on the item the mouse pointer is located on.  The information will be displayed just below the mouse pointer.  The Assistant option may be turned on or off at any time during the operation of the Budget . See Assistant for more information.

Calculator - Brings up the Windows Calculator.

Options - Set the period between auto save reminders

Spreadsheet - This option displays and optionally prints the cash flow spreadsheet report in various formats.

Totals Page by Enterprise - This option is only visible in Power Budgets. See Page by Enterprise Report

Annual Totals - If the current Report Period is greater than 1 year, this option will be available to subtotal the cashflow report every 12 months.

Worktables - Worktable reports are available sorted either by month, by category or by enterprise.

Accounts - This report displays the account balance of each bank account monthly for the duration of the report period. It also shows interest rates and calculations over that time frame.

Production - Production reports provide detailed information about Planning Tables or Enterprises.

Net Worth - The Net Worth report gives a quick synopsis of the balances of all assets and liabilities both at the start and the end of the report period.

Report Period - This option will allow you to customise your reporting period.  Use this option when you want a report with a period smaller than the full period of the current spreadsheet.  The selection process is similar to all period options through out Phoenix and Budget

Beside the menu option for Report Period is the current settings for the Report period i.e. Jul 2020 to Jun 2021. See Report Range for more information.

Tile Horizontally - If you have more than one sheet in your budget this option will make all of your sheets visible on the screen at the one time.

Cascade - If you have more than one sheet in your budget this option makes all of your sheets available for positioning on screen.

Arrange - Allows you to arrange your budget sheets.

Synchronous Scrolling - If this option is turned on, as you scroll in one sheet of your budget the other sheets scroll as well - keeping track with the original sheet.

Track Column Widths - If this option is turned on, as you adjust column widths in one sheet it automatically applies the width to all other sheets in your budget.

Phoenix Help - Displays the contents of the Help File.

Video Tutorials - Loads the video tutorials website using your web browser. Here you can view training materials related to various Phoenix topics.

What's New? - Displays details on what is new in the current version of Phoenix.

Activate - Loads the activation screen.

Cell Info Legend - This option is only visible in Power Budgets. This option shows the legend for the colours used with the Cell Info button.  See Displaying Worktables and Taxable Categories

Support - Various support options are displayed.

AGDATA Home Page - Loads the AGDATA website using your internet browser.

Budget Log - Displays the log of operations within the Budget program.

About Phoenix - Gives Information on your Budget program.