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|Bบ |6Helpware|B บ                  ^1 Car Cost Calculator |B                 บ |6Helpware|B บ
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^Cby
^CRichard Wong

     CAR COST CALCULATOR helps you track the true cost of owning an
 automobile.  It is also a handy way to collect and print information for
 tax purposes.  Help Screens are available throughout the program with <F1>.

     The MAIN MENU contains the following choices:

           Load or create a file - Name the individual car file.
           Edit the current file - Update mileage, cost information, etc.
            View summary screens - Display analysis of costs for the car.
                   Print reports - Produce summary reports
                  Save this file - Write information to disk.
                   Return to BBD - Exit CAR COST CALCULATOR.

^CGetting Started

     All options on the MAIN MENU are selected by moving the highlight bar, use
 the <UP> and <DOWN> Arrow Keys, to the desired selection and pressing <ENTER>.

     Select "Load" from the MAIN MENU.  Type in the name for the file at the
 flashing cursor next to "Filename:".  For example, if you own a 1988 Bronco,
 type in BRONCO88 and press <ENTER>.  Up to eight characters may be used in a
 filename.  CAR COST CALCULATOR displays a Yes/No Box asking if you want to
 create a file named BRONCO88.  Select <Y>es or <N>o.

     NOTE: When you return to CAR COST CALCULATOR the car files are listed
 below the Drive/Path and Filename Boxes.  Move the highlight bar to the
 desired selection and press <ENTER>.

     If a file is created, the program asks for a more detailed description of
 the car.  Up to 40 characters can be used here.  The entry could be "1988
 Bronco II (Company Car)."  Select <ENTER> and CAR COST CALCULATOR returns to
 the MAIN MENU.

^CFeatures

     *  Select "Edit the current file" from the MAIN MENU and a pop-up menu
 appears containing five options.  Make a selection with the same keystrokes
 used in the MAIN MENU:

                               Fuel and Mileage
                               Monthly Expenses
                               Background Info.
                               Make/Model/Desc.
                               Expense Categories


     1.  Fuel & Mileage:  At the end of every month enter the odometer reading,
         gallons used, and the mileage breakdown - Commute, Business, Medical,
         or Personal.  CAR COST CALCULATOR makes the remaining calculations.

         HINT:  If you like, CAR COST CALCULATOR will compute one of the
                values.  Enter all but one of the values, highlight the
                remaining value, and press <F2>.  The highlighted value
                will be calculated from the other four, where a blank
                value is treated as zero.

         The individual mileage classes allow you to document your mileage
         for tax purposes or other uses.  However, CAR COST CALCULATOR does
         not force these values to match the number of miles driven for the
         month.  If you want the values to match, then press <F2> on one of
         the mileage classes or on the End-of-Month odometer field.

     2.  Monthly Expenses:  This feature is the heart of CAR COST CALCULATOR.
         Most of your auto expenses are entered here:  Loan/Lease payments,
         maintenance, insurance, gas & oil, tires, parts, cleaning, etc.  The
         display scrolls up to show additional expense categories.

         Type in the values for each expense.  Erase an individual value (cell)
         with <F7> and clear an entire month with <F8>.

         HINT:  CAR COST CALCULATOR will "plug in" constant values or spread
                a lump-sum over several months.  Highlight one month of the
                expense category and press <F3>.  Use the <UP> and <DOWN>
                arrow keys to display the proper month and year of the range
                beginning and end.  Press <ENTER>.

                Press <TAB> to choose between making each month of the range
                the same constant value or spreading the value evenly among
                all months.  Type the dollar-value for the range, then press
                <ENTER>.

     3.  Background Information:  Type the original purchase price, the date
         of purchase, and the odometer reading at the time of purchase.

         The purchase price and date are used for depreciation calculations.
         The odometer reading is used to calculate the first month's mileage
         after the "odometer at end of month" value is entered.

     4.  Make/Model Description:  To change the title on all displays and
         printed report, enter the make/model description to be used here.

     5.  Expense Categories:  To change the names of the expense categories
         on the monthly expense screens, highlight expense categories and
         press <ENTER>.

         The screen that appears will list the twenty expense category entries
         down the left side of the screen.  Use the <UP> and <DOWN> Arrow Keys
         to highlight the entry you wish to change.  Press <BACKSPACE> to take
         out letters.  Type in the new name for that category.

         To move an entry from its position to a new position, highlight the
         entry to be moved and press <ENTER>.  The entry is picked-up from its
         old position and moved out of line.  Use the <UP> and <DOWN> Arrow
         Keys to move the entry up or down in the list.  Press <ENTER> again to
         "drop" the entry back into line at the new position.


     *  Select "View summary screens" from the MAIN MENU.  From the information
 entered, CAR COST CALCULATOR prepares a variety of charts.  Press <PGUP> and
 <PGDN> to change screens.

          Depreciation Schedule
          Summary of Mileage and Fuel Economy
          Expenses by Category:  Scroll through expenses with the <UP> and
                                 <DOWN> Arrow Keys.


     *  Select "Print Reports" from the MAIN MENU.  The sub-menu has four
 choices:
                               Fuel and Mileage Report
                               Monthly Expense Report
                               Fuel and Mileage Summary
                               Monthly Expense Summary
                               Depreciation Summary

     Select an option with the <UP> and <DOWN> Arrow Keys and press <ENTER>.


     *  Select "Save this File" from the MAIN MENU to save all updated
 information to the file for this car.  The filename screen will appear.
 Highlight the filename, or type in a new filename, and press <ENTER>.

     *  Select "Return" to exit CAR COST CALCULATOR.

^CHelp at Tax Time

     Please consult your tax accountant about the applicability of ANY tax
 rules.  Reports and calculations in CAR COST CALCULATOR are based on the
 information available at the time of development.

     If you own a vehicle used for business, then you may be eligible for tax
 deductions based on the year's expenses and depreciation.  The Internal
 Revenue Service (IRS) allows you to compute vehicle expenses as the number of
 business miles multiplied by a standard rate, but your deduction may be higher
 if you itemize the expenses.  CAR COST CALCULATOR's expense reports may be
 helpful in this respect.

     CAR COST CALCULATOR computes depreciation using the "straight-line"
  method over a five-year period with no salvage value.  Your car's value
  is decreased by a fixed amount each year, and the car's full value is
  depreciated in five years.  A half-year averaging convention is used on
  the first year.  This means that a half-year's depreciation is taken
  in the year the car was placed into service, regardless of the actual
  purchase date (even if it's in December).

     If your car was purchased after 1986, then the Internal Revenue Service
  Tax Code specifies limits on the amount which can be depreciated each
  year.  CAR COST CALCULATOR will warn you if these limits are exceeded.
  The Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) limits for
  automobiles are:  $2,560 the first year, $4,100 for the second year,
  $2,450 for the third year, and $1,475 for each succeeding year in the
  recovery period.

     CAR COST CALCULATOR has applied general, conventional rules for
 calculations and reports.  CAR COST CALCULATOR does not imply any warranty for
 tax consequences of using data accumulated in this system.  Please consult a
 tax advisor.


^COutside BBD

    To run this program outside the ^1Big Blue Disk^0 menu, type: ^1carcost^0.

 DISK FILES THIS PROGRAM USES:
^FCARCOST.EXE
^FSAMPLE.CCC
