The most difficult aspect of using a new software program is where to begin.
With our budgeting software, Up Your Cash Flow XT2009 (XT2), it is not unusual for beginners to be up and running within an hour. How is this accomplished?
In XT2 there are several ways to begin the budgeting process:
You may import a company's financial statements into XT2. Map your accounts to our accounts. The mapping process can be done by mapping individual accounts or a group of selected accounts. XT2 also has an automatic mapping feature. With the click of a button, automatic mapping takes place. All you need to do is make sure that the mapping meets your requirements.
You may also key in your financial statements. Typically this should take no more than 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the number of accounts in your financial statements.
As you key in data, you will be asked whether an expense is fixed or variable. As you know, 90 to 95% of all expenses in the budget are set up as fixed or variable. Click the appropriate button and you have immediately established the formula for a fixed or variable expense. Any expense not meeting those criteria can be edited. After the mapping process has been completed, all data will be automatically entered into your budget (profit and loss), cash flow and balance sheet forecast. Edit the items as you see fit. Within a very short period of time, your budget, cash flow forecast and forecasted balance sheets will be completed.
A side note: The developer taught his 13-year-old grandson, who knows nothing about accounting, how to use the key in section of the program. Within 45 minutes his grandson had prepared the beginning of a 12 month company budget, cash flow forecast and forecasted balance sheets.