As some of you may be aware, the latest 0.9.3 release is actually 1.0 Release Candidate. It has been 3 weeks from that release and we are approaching the final release if 0.9.3 turns out to be as good as it seems so far.

One of the main issues, the #1 on our list, actually, is documentation. There is a lot to update and add in the existing documentation. Since, the core developers are mostly non-native English speakers, we would rather have native English users write that.

Our documentation uses the docbook format, but if you can't handle this format, or you feel more comfortable with HTML or even a .odf file, we will convert it to docbook for you. Our main need is the text, we can add later the necessary images to make sure that all screen are created with the same theme and so on.

In the CVS source, you can find the existing documentation in the /doc/en/ folder. In the web, you can find the HTML help here: http://kmymoney2.sourceforge.net/online ... index.html

So, if you are a KMyMoney user and you want to help, this is our chance. You can post here or in our mailing lists, and let us know where you can help.

Any doubts or comments, don't hesitate to post.

I will have a look at what is available over the weekend if that is not too late.

According to my version of LyX I have various DocBook formats but I am not sure whether they are the same DocBook as you are talking about. Otherwise, I can send stuff in ODF.

You can try opening the files in /doc/en and check if they look ok. The timing is ok with us. Thanks!

No, it's a different docbook which my system opens in Kate; the easiest way for me to edit the text at this stage would be to add comments; so could you let me know the correct markups to go round comments? Thanks.

john_hudson wrote:No, it's a different docbook which my system opens in Kate; the easiest way for me to edit the text at this stage would be to add comments; so could you let me know the correct markups to go round comments? Thanks.

Isn't that ? See index.docbook for examples of comments. Or am I misunderstanding the question?

Thanks; it looks reasonable; I'll try it and the team will have to deal with the consequences!

I'm Italian and I see that the program is translated (mostly) into Italian, but the help isn't (or at least it isn't in the version I'm using).
If you need a translation of the manual, let me know.

I haven't been able to find any way of downloading the docbook sources from the website; so I am working through the chapters on the web and have the following comments/suggestions on the first four chapters. If you have an alternative way doing this, let me know.

General: both 'personal finance' (singular) and 'personal finances' (plural) are used; as Wikipedia only recognises the first, I suggest you standardise on it.

On first opening, therefore:

KMyMoney, the personal finance manager for KDE

This handbook describes KMyMoney version 1.0

1 Introduction

First sentence:

. . . personal finance manager . . .

Feature parity

. . . KMyMoney intends to provide all the important features . . .

Correctness: I think 'Accuracy' would be better; so I suggest:

Accuracy. Based on tried . . . are kept in good order.

What KMyMoney is not

. . . As a personal finance manager . . . intended to meet . . .

I don't see any need to add the sentence 'It would be possible . . . plugins.' unless you have something specific in mind. I would leave it out.

KMyMoney is not a clone of . . . Although sharing features that can be found in other similar applications, KMyMoney seeks to offer a more helpful and more indvidualised view of your finances.

Chapter 2. What's new in this release

General comments:

I'm not sure how many of these are actually 'new'; some seem to me familiar from earlier versions.

I don't think this should just be a set of links to the main section; this doesn't exactly help an existing user to know what has been added.

So, either make this a simple list of the key changes since the last stable release or keep the links but give enough explanation before the link so that a user can decide whether they want to use the link or not.

Chapter 3. Making the most of KMyMoney

I don't think the style of this chapter is helpful; anyone who has got this far wants a number of tips about how to 'make the most of' KMyMoney. This is a quick stab at the sort of thing I think should be in this chapter but it could easily be extended by others if you agree with my sentiments.

Unless you keep you money under the floorboards, you probably make use of one or more institutions where you have accounts which may be in credit or debit. In order to familiarise yourself with the way KMyMoney works, choose an account you want to track of with KMyMoney and select File>New in order to set up an account file.

If you have used another personal finance manager, you may be able to import the data from it into KMyMoney.

If you have some regular receipts into or outgoings from this account, go to Payee and enter the names of both the payers and the payees involved; then go to Schedule and fill in a New Schedule for each transaction. If you haven't entered the payee or payer, KMyMoney will offer you the opportunity to do this in the middle of entering the schedule.

To add other new transactions go to Ledgers; you can add new payees and categories in the middle of a transaction or by going to Payees or Categories before entering the transaction.

You will probably find that the default Categories do not exactly match your needs; you can easily delete ones you know you are never going to need and add others that you need. But when you are entering a transaction, you only have to type a few letters of a category and KMyMoney will offer you a drop down list of the matching categories from which to choose.

You can add different accounts managed by different institutions; the preferred one will show when you open KMyMoney but you can quickly switch to any of the others.

When you make a payment, KMyMoney will work out what the next cheque number should be; delete this if you are not making a cheque payment or edit it if the first cheque you enter is not cheque number 1.

Every so often you may get statements of your account from the institutions you use; you can reconcile your KMyMoney accounts against these statements so that you have an accurate statement of the current state of your finances.

If you go to Reports, you will find several default reports; to customise these, open one similar to the sort you perfer and then select 'New' (not 'Copy'); you can then customise this to your needs and mark it as a preferred report if you wish.

Though KMyMoney is not intended for use in a business context, if you are running a business on your own and so do not need payroll functions, you will probably find that KMyMoney is sufficiently customisable to meet your needs particularly as it comes with budgeting and forecasting features and you can export your customised reports via CSV into other applications.

Mapping your finances to KMyMoney

If you accept my suggestions above, delete this section and put the explanations of each type of account etc. in the relevant section of the handbook.

Chapter 4. Using KMyMoney for the first time

Running KMyMoney for the first time

Once KMyMoney has fully loaded two windows will be opened. The top window, 'Tip of the Day' offers one of a series of important or useful pieces of information about the application.

You are recommended to . . .

. . . the Frequently Asked Questions . . .

The main window

NB The reports icon has changed. The Forecase icon is missing.

Creating a new file

KMyMoney supports multiple currencies . . . from here on new figures and text is needed as this has changed significantly.

Creating accounts

Is this section needed if someone has already gone through 'Creating a new file'? I find this confusing.

Schedules
Categories
Payees
Quicken Interchange Format (QIF) Import
Searching for transactions
Reconciliation

I don't thing these sections are necessary. The information is elsewhere anyway.

Backing up OK

Contacting the developers / Reporting Bugs

Try to reproduce it

. . . It's useful to know whether the bug:
only happened once and you couldn't get it to happen again or
happens every time or
happens sometimes but not others.

Tell us what you expected to happen

. . . bug report where it is not obvious . . .

Here is the second instalment on Chapters 5-9; my eyes are getting blurred with all this detailed work and I am going to be out for part of tomorrow but I will carry on as far as I can, assuming this is helpful.

Chapter 5. Institutions

Account Options

In account options it says you can only delete an account if there are no transactions relating to it but before this section it says you can delete an institution and all its accounts; this is inconsistent and needs changing/clarifying.

Chapter 6. Accounts

. . . similar functionality to the Categories . . .

. . . in the Categories chapter . . . [upcoming is inappropriate and unnecessary]

The institution (Bank) name

As far as I can tell, all the figures and all the text below this heading need to changed.

Opening / viewing accounts

This section appears superfluous.

Editing Account Information

The figure is no longer current.

Deleting accounts

. . . unable to delete an account . . .

Chapter 7. Categories

. . . categories under which transactions are filed.

Editing a Category OK

VAT Support

You can turn an expense/income category . . . [I think that is what you really mean]

. . . one for each percentage rate. I create these on both the income and the expense sides so that I have eight categories in total. . . .

. . . Let's assume . . . entry method; once I have entered . . . there's a VAT assignment and calculate the VAT part, create a second . . . and reduce . . . ['calculate', 'create' and 'reduce' are all covered by 'will' earlier in the sentence]

Deleting categories

If you try to delete a parent category, a dialog explains that, if you delete the parent category, its sub-categories are moved up one level and asks if you want to delete them all at the same time.

Chapter 8. Payees

. . . all the payees and payers involved in transactions. . . . two main areas: a list of payees and payers . . .

. . . particular payee or payer and viewing their transaction . . .

[A payee is someone who receives money from you; a payer is one who gives money to you; both are covered in the Payees section]

Payees List

. . . list of payees and payers . . . payees list . . .

Adding a Payee or Payer

. . . a payee or payer . . . any name in the payee list and choose "New payee". This creates a new payee called 'New Payee.' Double-click on this payee to enter the name of the new payee or payer.

Renaming a Payee or Payer

. . . a payee or payer, simply double-click on their name and . . . affect the name in . . .

Deleting a Payee or Payer

. . . a payee or payer, right-click their name . . . a payee or payer . . . a payee or payer have been . . .

Personal Information

The figure is no longer current

Transaction Matching Settings OK

Viewing Transaction History

. . . the Transaction tab . . .

The figure is no longer current

Chapter 9. Schedules

Introduction OK

The scheduling type [Types of schedule ?] OK

The schedule view

The figure is no longer current

The new schedule dialog OK

Editing schedules OK

Deleting Schedules OK

The calendar view

To remove a type . . .

Entering scheduled transactions [rather than 'schedules']

Scheduled transactions can be entered . . .

Manually entering schedule transactions

. . . enter a scheduled transaction . . .

Confirming the transaction to enter

Letting KMyMoney enter a scheduled transaction for you [rather than schedule(s)]

. . . which transactions are scheduled on startup . . .

. . . overdue transactions or transactions due . . .

I will work on adding your suggestions. Thanks a lot!

About the plugins. There is actually a plan to create an integration framework to share data with other applications. That is something that could be leveraged by business.

The What's New sections has to be updated with all the new features since 0.8.9.

Chapter 3. Making the most of KMyMoney. I added your tips at the end of the section. I leave it to others to decide whether we purge or move the rest of it.

Chapter 4. Using KMyMoney for the first time. I updated most of it, but the Creating new file still has to be updated. Also some sections should be moved.

Chapter 6. Accounts. The Institutions and Editing Account sections still have to be updated.

Chapter 8. Payees. Personal Information section still needs to be updated. The image of the transactions has to be updated too.

Chapter 9. Schedules. Update the image.

Great job, John!!!

A further contribution (this may or may not be my last this weekend - depends how things go).

Chapter 10. Ledgers

The Ledger View

The Ledger view . . .

. . . several key actions: . . .

The figure is no longer current

The view has three elements: [to me 'components' is too weighty in this context]

The account drop down list OK

The transaction list

. . . list allows you to change the . . .

Entering Transactions

The sentences 'To enter a transaction . . . split into multiple categories.' are redundant and confusing. They should be deleted.

Using the transaction input form ['input' for consistency]

The figure is no longer current

The sentence 'Creating a transaction . . . transaction to the ledger.' is redundant and should be deleted.

. . . is not used directly by . . .

. . . unsure which method . . . ['which' is better when they are specified] . . . in more detail elsewhere.

Entering the required information is a redundant heading in this context; it should be deleted or additional headings added relating to transaction type and entering the transaction.

. . . That is, if you start typing KMyMoney . . .

The Payee

. . . payee or payer, such as address details can be updated in the Payees view later.

The Category

The Category associates a transaction with an income or expense category for accounting and reporting purposes and enables you to group certain transactions.

If you wish to associate parts of the transaction with different categories, . . . withdrawal of 50 of which you use . . . To assign these three parts to the three categories, Food, Beer and Cash, click on the Split button. This brings up . . .

[I think it would make much more sense to place the section on Split transactions here rather than at the end the section on Entering transactions]

The Memo OK

The Check Number OK

The Date

. . . on how the date input field can be used to make entering dates quicker and easier.

The Amount

Enter the required information for the transaction.

When you are satisfied that all the fields have been filled in correctly, click on Enter. If you accidentally press or click on Enter before you have finished entering all the data, click on Edit to resume entering the data.

Directly inputting transactions into the list

. . . to use the transaction form by selecting Settings >Configure>KMyMoney from the menu bar . . . to enter transactions directly.

Starting the edit OK

Editing transactions OK

Deleting transactions

To delete a transaction . . .

Split Transactions [See earlier note on the placing of this section]

. . . divide up a transaction into multiple categories, representing, for example, the different items purchased with a single purchase at a store.

. . . click the split button. [It might be worth adding the icon here for clarity]

. . . To save this part of the split, press . . .

. . . entering a part of the split, . . . all parts of the split, press . . .

Matching Transactions [I haven't used this function; the English is correct but I don't know if it is up-to-date]

Understanding the Cleared State

. . . the difference between the beginning balance and the cleared transactions . . .

Changing Transaction Settings

Show transaction form . . . transaction input area at the bottom . . .

. . . show what direct transaction entry looks like compared with the . . .

The first figure is certainly not current.

Other Functionality

The figure is no longer current

. . . the Payees page . . .

[The section probably needs detailed editing to take account of the many changes in the Transaction Options]

Managed one more stint this weekend.

Chapter 11. Investments [I do not have any investments; so I have not used this module. My comments will just cover English and possibly readability]

Investments in KMyMoney

Investments

. . . common investments; so they're . . .


Base Currency OK

Investment Accounts OK

Brokerage Accounts OK

Creating an Investment Account

. . . account you have just created . . .

Adding Investments to Your Account

New Investment Wizard

Identification. An optional field to enter additional . . .

Online Source. . . . investment cannot be . . .

Investment Summary Information OK

Investment Transactions

Activity OK

Symbol Name OK

Shares, Price & Total Amount

. . . to enter just the total . . .

Fees OK

Account OK

Working With Foreign Investments OK

Updating Prices OK

Online Price Quotes

How Online Quotes Work OK

Assigning a Quote Source

Later versions of KMyMoney contain support for . . . [this needs to be edited to reflect the current situation]

Adjusting a quote OK

Fetching Quotes OK

Editing or Adding Quote Sources

[fourth paragraph] . . . called getquote.sh that contains custom quote . . .

Unimplemented Features [are any of these now implemented?]

Chapter 12. Currencies

. . . set up one bank account in Euros and another in British Pounds and still have your credit card account in US Dollars.

Base currency OK

Account setup OK [note that 'setup' is normally accepted as a noun but not as a verb]

Entering transactions using different currencies [note plural of transactions needed in both headings]

. . . database . . .

. . . database . . .

Exchange rates for currencies

Entering prices manually

. . . price of one currency in terms of a second currency. . . . the price of 1 USD in terms of 1 EUR is 0.83; that is, 1 USD costs 0.83 EUR. The first currency is the one being . . . [not sure whether that is any clearer - see what you think]

. . . Enter the first currency (USD in the example above) in the Security field. Enter the second currency (EUR in the example above) in the Currency field. . . .
Online currency updates OK

Chapter 13. Reconciliation

What is reconciliation? [needs ?]

Reconciliation involves matching the transactions you have entered with the transactions listed in a statement, be it a bank statement, credit card statement, loan statement or any other statement. If any discrepancies are found then either you or the person who created the statement have made a mistake.

To reconcile an account, choose your account from the drop down list and click on the [icon] Reconcile Ledgers icon, select Accounts>Reconcile or use the key combination Ctl+Shift+R.

The reconciliation wizard

Statement details OK

Interest OK

Clearing transactions OK

Chapter 10 is updated. I will go on with the rest later. Thanks!

Chapter 11. Investments. Needs new images and probably new text because the transaction editor has been moved to the Ledgers View.

Chapter 12. Currencies. Updated.

Chapter 13. Reconciliation. Updated. Probably needs an addendum about the common reconciliation for those coming from 0.8.x and new images because you now can see the Cleared balance while reconciling.