complete home journal™
TRANSCRIPT
Protection Plus – Homeowner Edition
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing The Complete Home Journal software. The following documentation provides detailed
instructions for utilizing the many software features available. Instructions are provided for both the Protection
Plus – Homeowner Edition and the Premier Business Edition. Please take the time to read through the
documentation which explains how to fully utilize the product. If you have additional questions, feel free to
contact our support department at any time.
Navigation
The Complete Home Journal software offers multiple ways to access the many features provided. You may use
the conventional menu items at the top of your screen or access either a toolbar or modern tile navigation
screen.
Tile Navigation The tile navigation window provides a simple & colorful graphical view of the most common software features
so that you may quickly access the features needed. Simply click on a tile to instantly go to the software feature.
Navigation Preference You may choose your default navigation preference (Tiles or Toolbar) by double-clicking an empty area of the
tile navigation screen and responding to the prompt.
Tile Location Preference You may click any tile and while holding down your left mouse button, drag it to a different location on the
screen. Repeat to reorganize the tiles to match your preferences.
Tip You may quickly toggle between Tile Navigation or the Toolbar by clicking the blue square icon in the lower right corner of your screen as shown below. You may also click Show Toolbar or Show Tile Navigation on the main menu.
Main Menu The standard menu provides the ability to navigate to all features of the software by selecting any of the
following items located at the top of the screen displayed horizontally across.
File
View
Inventory Clicking the Inventory menu item will immediately bring you to the Inventory window.
Journal
Reports
Window Used to select a window which was previously opened.
Help
Toolbar
Toolbar buttons
You may click any of the large toolbar buttons to quickly navigate to any of the following features: Open, Inventory, Purchase, Interior, Exterior, Mechanical, Documents, Image Export, Heirs, Contacts, Help & Exit
Files
New File To create a new file, select File…New File from the main menu or click the New tile from the Navigation window.
Enter a name or number to identify your file. You may also use a combination of letters and numbers (up to 20 characters)
Enter a description of the new file. You may use any text up to 50 characters
Click the Add button
Note: The Protection Plus Homeowner edition has a limit of 5 files, the Premier Business edition has no limit.
Open Existing File To open an existing file, select File…Open from the main menu or click the Open tile from the Navigation
window.
Select the file name to open from the list of all files
Click the OK button
The name of the open file will be displayed on the top status bar.
Close File To close an open file, select File…Close from the main menu or click the Close tile from the Navigation window.
Change Description To change the description of a file which was input when creating the new file, select File…Change Description
from the main menu.
Enter the new description
Click the OK button to save
Update Company Info (Premier Business Edition Only) The Premier Business Edition provides the ability to input company contact information and a company logo
graphic for use in reports.
To update the company contact information, select File…Update Company Info from the main menu.
Enter your company information in the fields provided
Click the Add button to import a logo graphic
Click the OK button to save
Delete File To delete a file, select File…Delete from the main menu or click the Delete tile from the Navigation window.
Select the file name to delete from the list of files
Click the OK button
Home Inventory To capture home or small business inventory information, select Inventory from the main menu, click the
Inventory button on the Toolbar or Tile Navigation window.
Locations & Categories Choose how you would like to view your inventory by selecting the Location or Category radio button located in the top left portion of the screen. The default view is by Location.
Adding a New Inventory Location When viewing your home inventory by Location, you can add a new inventory location/room by clicking the
Modify Locations button (located at the bottom/left) which will then display the window below.
Enter a unique name for the new location or select a location from the drop down list.
Click the Add button to add the new location.
Removing a Location You may delete a location by selecting it from the list and clicking the Delete button. Importing Rooms from the Interior Journal Optionally, you may click the Import button to add the same rooms that appear in your Home Interior Journal to your Home Inventory Locations list. The Home Interior Journal is used to track interior home improvement projects.
Adding a New Inventory Category When viewing your home inventory by Category, you can add a new inventory category by clicking the Modify Categories button (located at the bottom/left) which will then display the window below.
Enter a unique name for the new category or select a category from the drop down list.
Click the Add button to add the new category.
Removing a Category You may delete a category by selecting it from the list and clicking the Delete button.
Inventory Items Adding a New Inventory Item To add a new inventory item click the New Item button on the Inventory window which will then display the window below.
Viewing Inventory by Location
Enter a unique name for the new item or select an item from the drop down list.
Select the Category to which the new item belongs from the category drop down list.
Click the Add button to add the new item.
Viewing Inventory by Category
Enter a unique name for the new item or select an item from the drop down list.
Select the Location where the item is located in your home from the drop down list.
Click the Add button to add the new item.
Once an item is added you may enter the detail information in the General, Purchase, Appraisal & Warranty tabs. You may also enter any miscellaneous Notes about the item. Click the Save button once you have completed your changes to save the information or the Done button to exit without saving.
General & Purchase Information
Changing a Location or Category When a new item is added you selected a location and category for the item. If you would like to change the location of the item or change its category you can do so easily. Choose a different location and/or category by clicking the small down arrows in the Location and Category fields located in the General Information section then click the Change button.
Appraisal Information
Warranty Information
Estate Planning
Click the Manage Heirs button to add name & contact information of heirs
Notes
Tips:
Click the spell checker button to check & correct spelling errors in the Notes
Click the right mouse button to add bullet or numbered lists and change font sizes & color
Saving an Inventory Entry Click the Save button to save the information for the current item. Removing an Inventory Entry Click the Delete button to remove the current item from the inventory. You will be asked for confirmation of your delete request.
Images You may add up to 6 images per item by clicking the small Add buttons located in the Digital Images section of the inventory window. Once an Add button is clicked, a popup window will be shown to select an image file. You may select an image which has a file type of .JPG, .BMP or .GIF
Pictures 1 & 2 are always shown, click the 3-4 tab in the Digital Images section for pictures 3 & 4, click the 5-6
tab for pictures 5 & 6.
Once an image is added a small preview image will be shown next to the Add button in the digital images
section.
Image Viewer Click the small preview picture in the Digital Images section to popup a window with a larger view of the picture.
Load Multiple Images at Once
Click the Load All button directly to the right of the Digital Images section to load up to 6 images at once. A popup window will be shown to select up to six image files. You must hold down the Ctrl key when clicking to select multiple files. You may select any images which have a file type of .JPG, .BMP or .GIF An example of the multiple image selection window is shown below with 3 image files selected.
Removing an Image Click the small Clear button next to the image you would like to remove.
Estate Planning-Heirs
The Heirs screen allows you maintain a list of people and their contact information to designate as an heir for
any inventory items. Click the Manage Heirs button on the Estate Planning tab on the inventory window or click
the Heirs tile on the Tile Navigation window.
Adding an Entry Click the New button to create a new entry. Enter the name and contact information in the fields provided. Click the Phone and Notes tabs to access the fields in those sections.
Saving Click the Save button to commit any changes made on the screen.
Updating an Entry Click a name from the list of names to the left of the screen. Make changes in any of the fields and commit by clicking the Save button.
Deleting an Entry Click a name from the list of names to the left of the screen. Click the Delete button and confirm when prompted.
Purchase & Home Details
To capture Property, Financial, Real Estate Agent & Insurance information, select View…Purchase Info from the
main menu, click the Purchase button on the Toolbar or Tile Navigation window.
Click the Property, Financial, Real Estate Agent or Insurance tabs as shown below to enter information for those sections.
Property Information
Financial Information
Insurance Information
Saving Click the Save button to commit any changes made on the screen.
Digital Images
Digital images may be added in the following sections of the software: Purchase Information, Inventory, Interior
Journal, Exterior Journal, Mechanics Journal. If you have the Premier Business Edition, you may also add a
company logo to be displayed on select reports in the File…Update Company Info screen.
Adding Images You may add up to 6 images per item by clicking the small Add buttons located in the Digital Images section of any screens which support images. Once an Add button is clicked, a popup window will be shown to select an image file. You may select an image which has a file type of .JPG, .BMP or .GIF The screens below demonstrate the image capabilities of the software using the Inventory screen as an example.
Pictures 1 & 2 are always shown, click the 3-4 tab in the Digital Images section for pictures 3 & 4, click the 5-6
tab for pictures 5 & 6.
Once an image is added a small preview image will be shown next to the Add button in the digital images section
as shown below
.
Image Viewer Click the small preview picture in the Digital Images section to popup a window with a larger view of the picture.
Load Multiple Images at Once Click the Load All button directly to the right of the Digital Images section to load up to 6 images at once. A popup window will be shown to select up to six image files. You must hold down the Ctrl key when clicking to select multiple files. You may select any images which have a file type of .JPG, .BMP or .GIF An example of the multiple image selection window is shown below with 3 image files selected.
Removing an Image Click the small Clear button next to the image you would like to remove.
Image Export
Images are associated with detail entries throughout the software and are shown as smaller images when
viewing on screen and in the reports. Full resolution images, the same as when taken with your camera are
stored in an images data folder and are available for exporting. In addition to the reports provided by the
software, it is also helpful to have a copy of all the full resolution images available.
Select the Export Images tile from the Tile Navigation window to export all images for the file currently opened
to a folder. Once the export is completed, you will receive a confirmation message. You will also notice that the
image files are named in a user friendly way so that you can easily identify the image based on the file name.
Reports
Report Selection To create a report, select Reports from the main menu or click one of the report tiles from the tile Navigation
window. Available reports are shown below:
Inventory Reports Select Inventory Reports from the Reports main menu to access all available inventory reports.
Standard Reports
Standard inventory reports include: Inventory by Location, Inventory by Category, Inventory by Location (Large Picture Format), Inventory by Category (Large Picture Format), Inventory by Heir, Image Index, Bar Graph, Heirs, Cover Page & Summary. The most common report is Inventory by Location which shows a detailed inventory listing sorted by location. You can create a comprehensive reporting package by creating several of the reports such as: Cover Page, Inventory by Location, Inventory by Category and Summary. If you assigned heirs to any items also include the Inventory by Heirs report.
Custom Item Detail Reports
The custom item detail reports allow you to create a simple inventory listing for a specific room with a custom
sort order. You also have the ability to choose ALL rooms along with a custom sort order.
Titles & Footers
Select a standard Home Inventory, Business Inventory or Custom Title to be used on the Inventory Report generated. You may also optionally enter a custom footer for the left and/or right side. In addition, you can also choose a custom color for the main title, sub titles and footers. Options You can determine if images and appraisal information are shown by clicking the check box on or off.
You may also check the option for Extra Large Pictures if your image files are large and need to be compressed.
If you have an older computer or one with insufficient memory, this option will allow you to create the reports.
Once the Create Report button is clicked, a report Preview window will open to display the selected report as shown below. The Preview toolbar shows icons across the top providing the following tools: Search, Print, Quick Print, Page Setup, Scale, Hand Tool (drag to scroll), Zoom, Paging, View, Background Color, Watermark, Export & Exit.
Purchase Report To create a purchase information report, select Reports…Purchase Information from the main menu or click the
Purchase Report tile from the Navigation window.
Contacts Report To create a contacts report, select Reports…Contacts from the main menu or click the Report button from the
Contacts window.
Address Labels To create address labels for a group, select Reports…Address Labels from the main menu or click the Print Labels
button from the Contacts window.
A window will be displayed allowing you to select an address group with instructions to load the labels into your printer.
Home Improvement Reports To create a home improvement tracking reports, select Reports from the main menu and choose one of the
following options:
Home Exterior
Home Mechanics You may also choose any of these reports by clicking the appropriate tile from the Navigation window.
To Do List Report To create a To Do List report, select Reports…To Do List from the Reports main menu.
Report Export & Custom Output Options Report Preview Toolbar Once a report is requested, a report Preview window will open to display the selected report as shown below. The Preview toolbar shows icons across the top providing the following tools: Search, Print, Quick Print, Page Setup, Scale, Hand Tool (drag to scroll), Zoom, Paging, View, Background Color, Watermark, Export & Exit.
The most common tools utilized are Print to create a paper copy of the report and Export to a PDF file. You may easily export a report by clicking the following icon:
If you are using a paper size other than 8.5 x 11 inches, you can easily change the scale settings to fit any page size by clicking the scale icon:
You can save on printing costs by simply exporting a report to PDF format which may then be stored on any media such as a CD/DVD or a flash drive.
Color & Footer Options To change footers and select colors, select Reports…Color & Footer Options from the main menu or click the
Color & Footer Options tile from the Navigation window.
You may optionally enter a custom footer for the left and/or right side and choose custom colors for the main title, sub titles and footers. Individuals using the software for business purposes often use the footer fields to display the client’s name/address and their business name.
Document Library System Requirement: You must have the Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser installed in order to use the
Document Library.
To access the document library, select View…Document Library from the main menu or click the Documents tile
on the Tile Navigation window.
The library lets you conveniently organize any documents into folders that you create. You may find it useful to
create a number of folders such as Insurance, Legal & Purchases which makes it easier to find documents. The
Document Library supports adding many file types including: Images, PDF, Word and Excel.
Folders Add a Folder Click the Add Folder button on the left side of the Document Library window below the folder list. The following window will be shown:
Enter a unique folder name and click the Add button to create the new folder.
Delete a Folder Select a folder and click the Delete button on the left side of the Document Library window below the folder list.
Documents Add a Document Click the green plus + button at the top of the Documents list for the selected folder. The following window will be shown:
Enter a name to describe the document file.
Click the Select File button to choose the file.
Click the Add button
Once added, the document will be added to the Documents list for the selected folder. Delete a Document Select a document and click the red minus – button at the top of the Documents list. Print a Document Click the Print button to print the document you are currently viewing in the preview window. Exporting Documents You may export ALL documents for the current file by clicking on the Export Documents button.
Once the Browse for Folder dialog appears, navigate to the location on your computer where you would like the
export utility to save the documents and click OK.
Once the export has been completed, you will receive a confirmation message as shown below. The message
shows the exact location on your system where the exported documents are located. Note that the export
location will be a new folder which the software automatically creates to include the file name plus the word
“Documents” which is placed in the folder you chose above.
When you navigate to the new folder shown in the confirmation message, you will see that all documents
associated with the file have been placed in the folder with a user friendly name so you know the content of the
file based on its file name.
Templates
New Template To create a new template, select Tools … Create Template from the main menu or click the New Template tile
from the Navigation window. A template is a special type of file which you can setup with any common
categories, locations and items so it can be copied when creating a new file. Please note that the Tools menu is
only available in the Premier Business Edition however the New Template option from the tile Navigation
window is always available.
Enter a name, number to identify your file. You may also use a combination of letters and numbers
Enter a description of the new file. You may use any text up to 50 characters
Click the Add button
A new template file will be created with a prefix of “Template”
Open the new Template file just as you would any other file
NOTES:
Template files do not support adding images. Images should be added to an actual file once created from the template.
Once created, a template file may be updated with locations, categories and items the same as a normal file.
Home Improvement Tracking
Home improvement tracking for interior, exterior and mechanical improvements is also included. The software
is organized into three sections to easily keep track of any improvements.
Select Journal…Interior from the main menu to access the Interior Journal or select the Interior tile from the
Navigation window.
Interior Journal
Adding Rooms
Click the Rooms… button in the lower left section of the Interior Journal window.
Enter a unique new room name or select one by clicking the small drop down arrow.
Click the Add button to add the new room.
Repeat to add any additional rooms.
Deleting Rooms
Click to select a room from the list of Interior Rooms.
Click the Delete button.
Note: A confirmation message will be displayed to confirm that all detail entries for the room will be
deleted.
Adding Interior Details
Click the appropriate Tab at the top of the Interior window to choose from Floor, Wall, Ceiling, Window, Wood, Fixture or Misc.
Click the New Type… button to add a new type for the tab currently selected.
Enter the General Information, Purchase, Installation and Dimensions for the type selected.
Click the small Add buttons in the Digital Images section to add images.
Note: If you have rooms previously entered from the Inventory section of the software, you may click the
Import button to add the same rooms to the Interior Journal.
Exterior Journal
Select Journal…Exterior from the main menu to access the Exterior Journal or select the Exterior tile from the
Navigation window.
Adding Categories
Click the Category… button in the lower left section of the Exterior Journal window.
Enter a unique new category name or select one by clicking the small drop down arrow.
Click the Add button to add the new category.
Repeat to add any additional categories.
Deleting a Category
Click to select a category from the list of Exterior Categories.
Click the Delete button.
Note: A confirmation message will be displayed to confirm that all detail entries for the category will be
deleted.
Mechanics Journal Select Journal…Mechanical from the main menu to access the Mechanics Journal or select the Mechanics tile
from the Navigation window.
Adding Categories
Click the Category… button in the lower left section of the Mechanics Journal window.
Enter a unique new category name or select one by clicking the small drop down arrow.
Click the Add button to add the new category.
Repeat to add any additional categories.
Deleting a Category
Click to select a category from the list of Mechanical Categories.
Click the Delete button.
Note: A confirmation message will be displayed to confirm that all detail entries for the category will be
deleted.
To Do Lists Select View…To Do Lists from the main menu to access the To Do Lists.
To Do Lists allows homeowners to create task lists for both home maintenance and improvement projects. When using the business version of the software, business owners may create lists of action items related to their business.
Adding a List
Click the Manage Lists…button in the lower left section of the To Do Lists window.
Enter a unique new name for the list or choose one of the predefined list names by clicking the small drop down arrow.
Click the Add button to add the new list.
Repeat to add any additional lists.
Deleting a List
Click the Manage Lists… button on the To Do Lists window then select a list.
Click the Delete button.
Note: A confirmation message will be displayed to confirm that all detail items for the list will be deleted.
Adding a Task
Click the Add Task… button directly below the Tasks list, a new window will popup as shown below.
Enter a unique new name for the task.
Click the Add button to add the new task.
Repeat to add any additional tasks, click the Done button once completed.
Updating Task Details
Enter the task and supply notes.
Click the check box next to the task name to mark the task as completed or not completed.
Click the Save button to save the changes.
Deleting a Task
Click the appropriate Task from the list of Tasks.
Click the Delete button to permanently remove the task.
Spell Checking Spell checking is available throughout the software for Description and Notes fields. Click the small red check mark button to the right of the field being checked as shown below and the Spell check window will be shown.
Standard spell check features are available to change and ignore values plus additional dictionary options are
available by choosing the Options button.
Text Formatting Advanced text formatting is available throughout the software by clicking the right mouse button while positioned in Description and Notes fields. The most commonly used features selected are Font to adjust colors and sizes and Bullets & Numbering to add bullet or numbered lists. The advanced formatting selected will also be used on reports.
Tools NOTE: The Tools menu item is only available in the Premier Business Edition. Select Tools from the main menu for data Archive/Restore and Compact database utilities.
Archive Select Tools…Archive Client Data from the main menu. A new window will be shown listing all the client files, select the client to be archived and click the OK button.
A confirmation message will be shown to confirm that you would like to remove the select client’s data from
your database and place it into a folder. Select Yes to proceed or No to cancel the archive. Once the archive has
completed, be sure to note the location on your computer where you chose to save the data. You may then
move the folder to any location of your choosing such as an external hard drive or CD/DVD.
Restore Select Tools…Restore Archived Client Data from the main menu. A new window will be shown providing instructions to perform the restore. Once the Import button is clicked, the selected data will be imported back into the database and may be updated.
Create Template Please see the Templates section of this guide for detailed instructions. Compact Database The compact feature may be used when working with large amounts of data to shrink the database and save disk space. Select Tools…Compact Database from the main menu to begin the compact. We recommend that you always run a Backup of your data prior to utilizing the compact feature.
Contacts
Managing Contacts
You may access Contacts by selecting View…Contacts from the main menu or by clicking the Contacts tile on the Navigation window. The Contacts window allows you to create Groups so that you may easily organize your contacts. Homeowners often create groups such as Family & Friends while individuals using the business version of our product create groups such as Customers, Prospects & Business. NOTE: Only the Premier Business Edition includes the Estimate feature.
Groups Click the Groups button on the Contacts window to show the Address Groups window.
New Group Enter a unique group name in the text box and click the New button. All groups including the one just added will be shown in the Groups list below. Delete Group Select a group from the Groups list and click the Delete button. Please note that when removing a group, all entries assigned to that group will also be deleted. Adding a Contact Click the New button to create a new entry. Enter the name and contact information in the fields provided. Click the Phone , Personal, Business and Notes tabs to access the fields in those sections. Saving Click the Save button to commit any changes made on the screen. Updating a Contact Click a name from the list of names to the left of the screen. Make changes in any of the fields and commit by clicking the Save button. Deleting a Contact Click a name from the list of names to the left of the screen. Click the Delete button and confirm when prompted.
Professional Estimator Tool (Premier Business Edition Only) The Premier Business Edition includes an estimator tool available by clicking the Estimate button on the Contacts window. Business owners providing inventory services may use the tool to assist with estimating the cost of conducting an inventory for potential clients.
Rate Preference Choose your rate preference, you may choose Hourly, Square Foot or Room. Based on the preference chosen, the estimate will be calculated using the Service Rates you set. Choosing an hourly rate is typically more conservative and ensures that you are paid for the time spent conducting the inventory. Service Rates Set your rates by entering the amount you charge either: Per Hour, Per Square Foot or Per Room. You should ensure that you have a rate set to match the Rate Preference chosen. Job Information Enter the number of rooms, building size and check the boxes if the customer wants you to include Attic, Basement and/or Garage spaces. You may also enter any additional notes in the Notes field which will be displayed on the Estimate or Invoice document.
Calculating the Estimate Click the Calculate button. The calculated total will be shown in orange text to the right. You can make any changes on the screen and click the Calculate button again to recalculate.
Adjustments Adjustments to the calculated total either positive or negative may be made by entering an amount in the Adjustment Value +/- field. Adjustments are often entered after seeing the space and using your past experience to gauge the time it will take to complete the job. Sales Tax If your state requires that sales tax is added, use the Calculator button to compute the tax amount and enter it in the Sales Tax field.
Create Estimate Document Once you are satisfied with the Grand Total for the estimate, click the Create Estimate button to generate a document which you may print or email as shown below:
We suggest that you always export a copy to a PDF file to keep a record of the estimate provided.
Create Invoice Document You may also use the tool to create an invoice document. Click the Create Invoice button to generate a document which you may print or email as shown below:
We suggest that you always export a copy to a PDF file to keep a record of the invoice provided.
Backup & Restore You can easily backup and restore all the data on your system using the built in utilities.
Backup To backup all data, select File…Backup All Data from the main menu or click the Backup Data tile from the
Navigation window.
Select the location on your system where you would like the data to be saved
Click the OK button
A new directory named CHJBackup will be automatically created to store the backup data, images and
documents. Copy or Move the CHJBackup folder to safe location such as an external hard drive, DVD or any
other media which has enough storage.
NOTE: Do NOT modify or rename any of the files contained in the CHJBackup folder or you will not be able to
restore the data.
Restore To restore and replace your local database with data from a previous backup, select File…Restore All Data from the main menu. Follow the on screen instructions as shown below, be sure to select the backup location which contains the CHJBackup folder previously created.
Depending on the amount of data being restored, the restore process may take several minutes. Once completed, a confirmation message will be displayed.
Support Additional support is available for further assistance. Please visit us online or contact us via email. Complete Home Journal – Protection Plus Homeowner Edition Visit us online: www.TheHomeJournal.com Email: [email protected] Complete Home Journal - Premier Business Edition Visit us online: www.HomeJournalBusiness.com Email: [email protected]
System Requirements
Hardware: PC or Mac (Mac must have Windows installed)
Operating System: Windows 7 or Higher Recommended (will run on Windows XP & Vista) Free Disc Space: 100MB
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing The Complete Home Journal software. The following documentation provides detailed
instructions for utilizing the many software features available. Instructions are provided for both the Protection
Plus – Homeowner Edition and the Premier Business Edition. Please take the time to read through the
documentation which explains how to fully utilize the product. If you have additional questions, feel free to
contact our support department at any time.
Navigation
The Complete Home Journal software offers multiple ways to access the many features provided. You may use
the conventional menu items at the top of your screen or access either a toolbar or modern tile navigation
screen.
Tile Navigation The tile navigation window provides a simple & colorful graphical view of the most common software features
so that you may quickly access the features needed. Simply click on a tile to instantly go to the software feature.
Navigation Preference You may choose your default navigation preference (Tiles or Toolbar) by double-clicking an empty area of the
tile navigation screen and responding to the prompt.
Tile Location Preference You may click any tile and while holding down your left mouse button, drag it to a different location on the
screen. Repeat to reorganize the tiles to match your preferences.
Tip You may quickly toggle between Tile Navigation or the Toolbar by clicking the blue square icon in the lower right corner of your screen as shown below. You may also click Show Toolbar or Show Tile Navigation on the main menu.
Main Menu The standard menu provides the ability to navigate to all features of the software by selecting any of the
following items located at the top of the screen displayed horizontally across.
File
View
Inventory Clicking the Inventory menu item will immediately bring you to the Inventory window.
Journal
Reports
Window Used to select a window which was previously opened.
Help
Toolbar
Toolbar buttons
You may click any of the large toolbar buttons to quickly navigate to any of the following features: Open, Inventory, Purchase, Interior, Exterior, Mechanical, Documents, Image Export, Heirs, Contacts, Help & Exit
Files
New File To create a new file, select File…New File from the main menu or click the New tile from the Navigation window.
Enter a name or number to identify your file. You may also use a combination of letters and numbers (up to 20 characters)
Enter a description of the new file. You may use any text up to 50 characters
Click the Add button
Note: The Protection Plus Homeowner edition has a limit of 5 files, the Premier Business edition has no limit.
Open Existing File To open an existing file, select File…Open from the main menu or click the Open tile from the Navigation
window.
Select the file name to open from the list of all files
Click the OK button
The name of the open file will be displayed on the top status bar.
Close File To close an open file, select File…Close from the main menu or click the Close tile from the Navigation window.
Change Description To change the description of a file which was input when creating the new file, select File…Change Description
from the main menu.
Enter the new description
Click the OK button to save
Update Company Info (Premier Business Edition Only) The Premier Business Edition provides the ability to input company contact information and a company logo
graphic for use in reports.
To update the company contact information, select File…Update Company Info from the main menu.
Enter your company information in the fields provided
Click the Add button to import a logo graphic
Click the OK button to save
Delete File To delete a file, select File…Delete from the main menu or click the Delete tile from the Navigation window.
Select the file name to delete from the list of files
Click the OK button
Home Inventory To capture home or small business inventory information, select Inventory from the main menu, click the
Inventory button on the Toolbar or Tile Navigation window.
Locations & Categories Choose how you would like to view your inventory by selecting the Location or Category radio button located in the top left portion of the screen. The default view is by Location.
Adding a New Inventory Location When viewing your home inventory by Location, you can add a new inventory location/room by clicking the
Modify Locations button (located at the bottom/left) which will then display the window below.
Enter a unique name for the new location or select a location from the drop down list.
Click the Add button to add the new location.
Removing a Location You may delete a location by selecting it from the list and clicking the Delete button. Importing Rooms from the Interior Journal Optionally, you may click the Import button to add the same rooms that appear in your Home Interior Journal to your Home Inventory Locations list. The Home Interior Journal is used to track interior home improvement projects.
Adding a New Inventory Category When viewing your home inventory by Category, you can add a new inventory category by clicking the Modify Categories button (located at the bottom/left) which will then display the window below.
Enter a unique name for the new category or select a category from the drop down list.
Click the Add button to add the new category.
Removing a Category You may delete a category by selecting it from the list and clicking the Delete button.
Inventory Items Adding a New Inventory Item To add a new inventory item click the New Item button on the Inventory window which will then display the window below.
Viewing Inventory by Location
Enter a unique name for the new item or select an item from the drop down list.
Select the Category to which the new item belongs from the category drop down list.
Click the Add button to add the new item.
Viewing Inventory by Category
Enter a unique name for the new item or select an item from the drop down list.
Select the Location where the item is located in your home from the drop down list.
Click the Add button to add the new item.
Once an item is added you may enter the detail information in the General, Purchase, Appraisal & Warranty tabs. You may also enter any miscellaneous Notes about the item. Click the Save button once you have completed your changes to save the information or the Done button to exit without saving.
General & Purchase Information
Changing a Location or Category When a new item is added you selected a location and category for the item. If you would like to change the location of the item or change its category you can do so easily. Choose a different location and/or category by clicking the small down arrows in the Location and Category fields located in the General Information section then click the Change button.
Appraisal Information
Warranty Information
Estate Planning
Click the Manage Heirs button to add name & contact information of heirs
Notes
Tips:
Click the spell checker button to check & correct spelling errors in the Notes
Click the right mouse button to add bullet or numbered lists and change font sizes & color
Saving an Inventory Entry Click the Save button to save the information for the current item. Removing an Inventory Entry Click the Delete button to remove the current item from the inventory. You will be asked for confirmation of your delete request.
Images You may add up to 6 images per item by clicking the small Add buttons located in the Digital Images section of the inventory window. Once an Add button is clicked, a popup window will be shown to select an image file. You may select an image which has a file type of .JPG, .BMP or .GIF
Pictures 1 & 2 are always shown, click the 3-4 tab in the Digital Images section for pictures 3 & 4, click the 5-6
tab for pictures 5 & 6.
Once an image is added a small preview image will be shown next to the Add button in the digital images
section.
Image Viewer Click the small preview picture in the Digital Images section to popup a window with a larger view of the picture.
Load Multiple Images at Once
Click the Load All button directly to the right of the Digital Images section to load up to 6 images at once. A popup window will be shown to select up to six image files. You must hold down the Ctrl key when clicking to select multiple files. You may select any images which have a file type of .JPG, .BMP or .GIF An example of the multiple image selection window is shown below with 3 image files selected.
Removing an Image Click the small Clear button next to the image you would like to remove.
Estate Planning-Heirs
The Heirs screen allows you maintain a list of people and their contact information to designate as an heir for
any inventory items. Click the Manage Heirs button on the Estate Planning tab on the inventory window or click
the Heirs tile on the Tile Navigation window.
Adding an Entry Click the New button to create a new entry. Enter the name and contact information in the fields provided. Click the Phone and Notes tabs to access the fields in those sections.
Saving Click the Save button to commit any changes made on the screen.
Updating an Entry Click a name from the list of names to the left of the screen. Make changes in any of the fields and commit by clicking the Save button.
Deleting an Entry Click a name from the list of names to the left of the screen. Click the Delete button and confirm when prompted.
Purchase & Home Details
To capture Property, Financial, Real Estate Agent & Insurance information, select View…Purchase Info from the
main menu, click the Purchase button on the Toolbar or Tile Navigation window.
Click the Property, Financial, Real Estate Agent or Insurance tabs as shown below to enter information for those sections.
Property Information
Financial Information
Insurance Information
Saving Click the Save button to commit any changes made on the screen.
Digital Images
Digital images may be added in the following sections of the software: Purchase Information, Inventory, Interior
Journal, Exterior Journal, Mechanics Journal. If you have the Premier Business Edition, you may also add a
company logo to be displayed on select reports in the File…Update Company Info screen.
Adding Images You may add up to 6 images per item by clicking the small Add buttons located in the Digital Images section of any screens which support images. Once an Add button is clicked, a popup window will be shown to select an image file. You may select an image which has a file type of .JPG, .BMP or .GIF The screens below demonstrate the image capabilities of the software using the Inventory screen as an example.
Pictures 1 & 2 are always shown, click the 3-4 tab in the Digital Images section for pictures 3 & 4, click the 5-6
tab for pictures 5 & 6.
Once an image is added a small preview image will be shown next to the Add button in the digital images section
as shown below
.
Image Viewer Click the small preview picture in the Digital Images section to popup a window with a larger view of the picture.
Load Multiple Images at Once Click the Load All button directly to the right of the Digital Images section to load up to 6 images at once. A popup window will be shown to select up to six image files. You must hold down the Ctrl key when clicking to select multiple files. You may select any images which have a file type of .JPG, .BMP or .GIF An example of the multiple image selection window is shown below with 3 image files selected.
Removing an Image Click the small Clear button next to the image you would like to remove.
Image Export
Images are associated with detail entries throughout the software and are shown as smaller images when
viewing on screen and in the reports. Full resolution images, the same as when taken with your camera are
stored in an images data folder and are available for exporting. In addition to the reports provided by the
software, it is also helpful to have a copy of all the full resolution images available.
Select the Export Images tile from the Tile Navigation window to export all images for the file currently opened
to a folder. Once the export is completed, you will receive a confirmation message. You will also notice that the
image files are named in a user friendly way so that you can easily identify the image based on the file name.
Reports
Report Selection To create a report, select Reports from the main menu or click one of the report tiles from the tile Navigation
window. Available reports are shown below:
Inventory Reports Select Inventory Reports from the Reports main menu to access all available inventory reports.
Standard Reports
Standard inventory reports include: Inventory by Location, Inventory by Category, Inventory by Location (Large Picture Format), Inventory by Category (Large Picture Format), Inventory by Heir, Image Index, Bar Graph, Heirs, Cover Page & Summary. The most common report is Inventory by Location which shows a detailed inventory listing sorted by location. You can create a comprehensive reporting package by creating several of the reports such as: Cover Page, Inventory by Location, Inventory by Category and Summary. If you assigned heirs to any items also include the Inventory by Heirs report.
Custom Item Detail Reports
The custom item detail reports allow you to create a simple inventory listing for a specific room with a custom
sort order. You also have the ability to choose ALL rooms along with a custom sort order.
Titles & Footers
Select a standard Home Inventory, Business Inventory or Custom Title to be used on the Inventory Report generated. You may also optionally enter a custom footer for the left and/or right side. In addition, you can also choose a custom color for the main title, sub titles and footers. Options You can determine if images and appraisal information are shown by clicking the check box on or off.
You may also check the option for Extra Large Pictures if your image files are large and need to be compressed.
If you have an older computer or one with insufficient memory, this option will allow you to create the reports.
Once the Create Report button is clicked, a report Preview window will open to display the selected report as shown below. The Preview toolbar shows icons across the top providing the following tools: Search, Print, Quick Print, Page Setup, Scale, Hand Tool (drag to scroll), Zoom, Paging, View, Background Color, Watermark, Export & Exit.
Purchase Report To create a purchase information report, select Reports…Purchase Information from the main menu or click the
Purchase Report tile from the Navigation window.
Contacts Report To create a contacts report, select Reports…Contacts from the main menu or click the Report button from the
Contacts window.
Address Labels To create address labels for a group, select Reports…Address Labels from the main menu or click the Print Labels
button from the Contacts window.
A window will be displayed allowing you to select an address group with instructions to load the labels into your printer.
Home Improvement Reports To create a home improvement tracking reports, select Reports from the main menu and choose one of the
following options:
Home Exterior
Home Mechanics You may also choose any of these reports by clicking the appropriate tile from the Navigation window.
To Do List Report To create a To Do List report, select Reports…To Do List from the Reports main menu.
Report Export & Custom Output Options Report Preview Toolbar Once a report is requested, a report Preview window will open to display the selected report as shown below. The Preview toolbar shows icons across the top providing the following tools: Search, Print, Quick Print, Page Setup, Scale, Hand Tool (drag to scroll), Zoom, Paging, View, Background Color, Watermark, Export & Exit.
The most common tools utilized are Print to create a paper copy of the report and Export to a PDF file. You may easily export a report by clicking the following icon:
If you are using a paper size other than 8.5 x 11 inches, you can easily change the scale settings to fit any page size by clicking the scale icon:
You can save on printing costs by simply exporting a report to PDF format which may then be stored on any media such as a CD/DVD or a flash drive.
Color & Footer Options To change footers and select colors, select Reports…Color & Footer Options from the main menu or click the
Color & Footer Options tile from the Navigation window.
You may optionally enter a custom footer for the left and/or right side and choose custom colors for the main title, sub titles and footers. Individuals using the software for business purposes often use the footer fields to display the client’s name/address and their business name.
Document Library System Requirement: You must have the Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser installed in order to use the
Document Library.
To access the document library, select View…Document Library from the main menu or click the Documents tile
on the Tile Navigation window.
The library lets you conveniently organize any documents into folders that you create. You may find it useful to
create a number of folders such as Insurance, Legal & Purchases which makes it easier to find documents. The
Document Library supports adding many file types including: Images, PDF, Word and Excel.
Folders Add a Folder Click the Add Folder button on the left side of the Document Library window below the folder list. The following window will be shown:
Enter a unique folder name and click the Add button to create the new folder.
Delete a Folder Select a folder and click the Delete button on the left side of the Document Library window below the folder list.
Documents Add a Document Click the green plus + button at the top of the Documents list for the selected folder. The following window will be shown:
Enter a name to describe the document file.
Click the Select File button to choose the file.
Click the Add button
Once added, the document will be added to the Documents list for the selected folder. Delete a Document Select a document and click the red minus – button at the top of the Documents list. Print a Document Click the Print button to print the document you are currently viewing in the preview window. Exporting Documents You may export ALL documents for the current file by clicking on the Export Documents button.
Once the Browse for Folder dialog appears, navigate to the location on your computer where you would like the
export utility to save the documents and click OK.
Once the export has been completed, you will receive a confirmation message as shown below. The message
shows the exact location on your system where the exported documents are located. Note that the export
location will be a new folder which the software automatically creates to include the file name plus the word
“Documents” which is placed in the folder you chose above.
When you navigate to the new folder shown in the confirmation message, you will see that all documents
associated with the file have been placed in the folder with a user friendly name so you know the content of the
file based on its file name.
Templates
New Template To create a new template, select Tools … Create Template from the main menu or click the New Template tile
from the Navigation window. A template is a special type of file which you can setup with any common
categories, locations and items so it can be copied when creating a new file. Please note that the Tools menu is
only available in the Premier Business Edition however the New Template option from the tile Navigation
window is always available.
Enter a name, number to identify your file. You may also use a combination of letters and numbers
Enter a description of the new file. You may use any text up to 50 characters
Click the Add button
A new template file will be created with a prefix of “Template”
Open the new Template file just as you would any other file
NOTES:
Template files do not support adding images. Images should be added to an actual file once created from the template.
Once created, a template file may be updated with locations, categories and items the same as a normal file.
Home Improvement Tracking
Home improvement tracking for interior, exterior and mechanical improvements is also included. The software
is organized into three sections to easily keep track of any improvements.
Select Journal…Interior from the main menu to access the Interior Journal or select the Interior tile from the
Navigation window.
Interior Journal
Adding Rooms
Click the Rooms… button in the lower left section of the Interior Journal window.
Enter a unique new room name or select one by clicking the small drop down arrow.
Click the Add button to add the new room.
Repeat to add any additional rooms.
Deleting Rooms
Click to select a room from the list of Interior Rooms.
Click the Delete button.
Note: A confirmation message will be displayed to confirm that all detail entries for the room will be
deleted.
Adding Interior Details
Click the appropriate Tab at the top of the Interior window to choose from Floor, Wall, Ceiling, Window, Wood, Fixture or Misc.
Click the New Type… button to add a new type for the tab currently selected.
Enter the General Information, Purchase, Installation and Dimensions for the type selected.
Click the small Add buttons in the Digital Images section to add images.
Note: If you have rooms previously entered from the Inventory section of the software, you may click the
Import button to add the same rooms to the Interior Journal.
Exterior Journal
Select Journal…Exterior from the main menu to access the Exterior Journal or select the Exterior tile from the
Navigation window.
Adding Categories
Click the Category… button in the lower left section of the Exterior Journal window.
Enter a unique new category name or select one by clicking the small drop down arrow.
Click the Add button to add the new category.
Repeat to add any additional categories.
Deleting a Category
Click to select a category from the list of Exterior Categories.
Click the Delete button.
Note: A confirmation message will be displayed to confirm that all detail entries for the category will be
deleted.
Mechanics Journal Select Journal…Mechanical from the main menu to access the Mechanics Journal or select the Mechanics tile
from the Navigation window.
Adding Categories
Click the Category… button in the lower left section of the Mechanics Journal window.
Enter a unique new category name or select one by clicking the small drop down arrow.
Click the Add button to add the new category.
Repeat to add any additional categories.
Deleting a Category
Click to select a category from the list of Mechanical Categories.
Click the Delete button.
Note: A confirmation message will be displayed to confirm that all detail entries for the category will be
deleted.
To Do Lists Select View…To Do Lists from the main menu to access the To Do Lists.
To Do Lists allows homeowners to create task lists for both home maintenance and improvement projects. When using the business version of the software, business owners may create lists of action items related to their business.
Adding a List
Click the Manage Lists…button in the lower left section of the To Do Lists window.
Enter a unique new name for the list or choose one of the predefined list names by clicking the small drop down arrow.
Click the Add button to add the new list.
Repeat to add any additional lists.
Deleting a List
Click the Manage Lists… button on the To Do Lists window then select a list.
Click the Delete button.
Note: A confirmation message will be displayed to confirm that all detail items for the list will be deleted.
Adding a Task
Click the Add Task… button directly below the Tasks list, a new window will popup as shown below.
Enter a unique new name for the task.
Click the Add button to add the new task.
Repeat to add any additional tasks, click the Done button once completed.
Updating Task Details
Enter the task and supply notes.
Click the check box next to the task name to mark the task as completed or not completed.
Click the Save button to save the changes.
Deleting a Task
Click the appropriate Task from the list of Tasks.
Click the Delete button to permanently remove the task.
Spell Checking Spell checking is available throughout the software for Description and Notes fields. Click the small red check mark button to the right of the field being checked as shown below and the Spell check window will be shown.
Standard spell check features are available to change and ignore values plus additional dictionary options are
available by choosing the Options button.
Text Formatting Advanced text formatting is available throughout the software by clicking the right mouse button while positioned in Description and Notes fields. The most commonly used features selected are Font to adjust colors and sizes and Bullets & Numbering to add bullet or numbered lists. The advanced formatting selected will also be used on reports.
Tools NOTE: The Tools menu item is only available in the Premier Business Edition. Select Tools from the main menu for data Archive/Restore and Compact database utilities.
Archive Select Tools…Archive Client Data from the main menu. A new window will be shown listing all the client files, select the client to be archived and click the OK button.
A confirmation message will be shown to confirm that you would like to remove the select client’s data from
your database and place it into a folder. Select Yes to proceed or No to cancel the archive. Once the archive has
completed, be sure to note the location on your computer where you chose to save the data. You may then
move the folder to any location of your choosing such as an external hard drive or CD/DVD.
Restore Select Tools…Restore Archived Client Data from the main menu. A new window will be shown providing instructions to perform the restore. Once the Import button is clicked, the selected data will be imported back into the database and may be updated.
Create Template Please see the Templates section of this guide for detailed instructions. Compact Database The compact feature may be used when working with large amounts of data to shrink the database and save disk space. Select Tools…Compact Database from the main menu to begin the compact. We recommend that you always run a Backup of your data prior to utilizing the compact feature.
Contacts
Managing Contacts
You may access Contacts by selecting View…Contacts from the main menu or by clicking the Contacts tile on the Navigation window. The Contacts window allows you to create Groups so that you may easily organize your contacts. Homeowners often create groups such as Family & Friends while individuals using the business version of our product create groups such as Customers, Prospects & Business. NOTE: Only the Premier Business Edition includes the Estimate feature.
Groups Click the Groups button on the Contacts window to show the Address Groups window.
New Group Enter a unique group name in the text box and click the New button. All groups including the one just added will be shown in the Groups list below. Delete Group Select a group from the Groups list and click the Delete button. Please note that when removing a group, all entries assigned to that group will also be deleted. Adding a Contact Click the New button to create a new entry. Enter the name and contact information in the fields provided. Click the Phone , Personal, Business and Notes tabs to access the fields in those sections. Saving Click the Save button to commit any changes made on the screen. Updating a Contact Click a name from the list of names to the left of the screen. Make changes in any of the fields and commit by clicking the Save button. Deleting a Contact Click a name from the list of names to the left of the screen. Click the Delete button and confirm when prompted.
Professional Estimator Tool (Premier Business Edition Only) The Premier Business Edition includes an estimator tool available by clicking the Estimate button on the Contacts window. Business owners providing inventory services may use the tool to assist with estimating the cost of conducting an inventory for potential clients.
Rate Preference Choose your rate preference, you may choose Hourly, Square Foot or Room. Based on the preference chosen, the estimate will be calculated using the Service Rates you set. Choosing an hourly rate is typically more conservative and ensures that you are paid for the time spent conducting the inventory. Service Rates Set your rates by entering the amount you charge either: Per Hour, Per Square Foot or Per Room. You should ensure that you have a rate set to match the Rate Preference chosen. Job Information Enter the number of rooms, building size and check the boxes if the customer wants you to include Attic, Basement and/or Garage spaces. You may also enter any additional notes in the Notes field which will be displayed on the Estimate or Invoice document.
Calculating the Estimate Click the Calculate button. The calculated total will be shown in orange text to the right. You can make any changes on the screen and click the Calculate button again to recalculate.
Adjustments Adjustments to the calculated total either positive or negative may be made by entering an amount in the Adjustment Value +/- field. Adjustments are often entered after seeing the space and using your past experience to gauge the time it will take to complete the job. Sales Tax If your state requires that sales tax is added, use the Calculator button to compute the tax amount and enter it in the Sales Tax field.
Create Estimate Document Once you are satisfied with the Grand Total for the estimate, click the Create Estimate button to generate a document which you may print or email as shown below:
We suggest that you always export a copy to a PDF file to keep a record of the estimate provided.
Create Invoice Document You may also use the tool to create an invoice document. Click the Create Invoice button to generate a document which you may print or email as shown below:
We suggest that you always export a copy to a PDF file to keep a record of the invoice provided.
Backup & Restore You can easily backup and restore all the data on your system using the built in utilities.
Backup To backup all data, select File…Backup All Data from the main menu or click the Backup Data tile from the
Navigation window.
Select the location on your system where you would like the data to be saved
Click the OK button
A new directory named CHJBackup will be automatically created to store the backup data, images and
documents. Copy or Move the CHJBackup folder to safe location such as an external hard drive, DVD or any
other media which has enough storage.
NOTE: Do NOT modify or rename any of the files contained in the CHJBackup folder or you will not be able to
restore the data.
Restore To restore and replace your local database with data from a previous backup, select File…Restore All Data from the main menu. Follow the on screen instructions as shown below, be sure to select the backup location which contains the CHJBackup folder previously created.
Depending on the amount of data being restored, the restore process may take several minutes. Once completed, a confirmation message will be displayed.
Support Additional support is available for further assistance. Please visit us online or contact us via email. Complete Home Journal – Protection Plus Homeowner Edition Visit us online: www.TheHomeJournal.com Email: [email protected] Complete Home Journal - Premier Business Edition Visit us online: www.HomeJournalBusiness.com Email: [email protected]
System Requirements
Hardware: PC or Mac (Mac must have Windows installed)
Operating System: Windows 7 or Higher Recommended (will run on Windows XP & Vista) Free Disc Space: 100MB