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Vertex42 Money Manager is a free Excel spreadsheet template configured as a personal financial tool. However, unlike most free Excel templates, it's more than a single page of preconfigured cells and formulas. In fact, it's a full-featured financial planning, recording, and reporting tool that can help you keep track of everything from gifts to retirement savings. To use it, you must have Microsoft Excel 2003 or better.
We unzipped Vertex42 Money Manager's download and clicked it. Excel opened in protected mode with the template displaying the first sheet, the Help page, which serves as both the introduction and setup instructions as well. We clicked Enable Editing to allow us to enter our own data in Money Manager's cells. The intro recommended frequent data backups and noted that Excel files can become corrupted. The setup process consisted of five steps: Customize Categories (Or Don't); Define Your List of Accounts; Define Your Yearly Budget; Record Transactions; and Track Your Progress. In addition to the Help sheet, worksheets labeled Transactions, Reports, and Categories covered a wide range of financial issues. For example, the Charity and Gifts Categories listed six choices: Tithing, Charitable Donations, Religious Donations, Gifts, Christmas, and Charity. In fact, Money Manager behaves like any preconfigured Excel template. We entered data in empty cells and left grayed-out cells alone, unless we were customizing the template. Tiny red triangles opened small but useful tip boxes that explained things quite well, such as Starting Balance and Projected End Balance fields in the Yearly Budget Planner.
Vertex42 Money Manager packs a lot of useful tools in one free package that will be familiar to frequent Excel users and easy for newcomers to pick up, thanks to extensive documentation and assistance. Since it's an Excel template, it's easy to customize and personalize, too.
Publisher's Description
From Vertex42:
The Vertex42 Money Manager is a simple money management spreadsheet for Microsoft Excel that helps you create and manage a budget. Organize your income and expenses into convenient categories. Add, edit, or delete categories as needed. The Transactions worksheet lets you record withdrawals, deposits, purchases, and transfers for multiple checking, savings, and credit card accounts. The Report worksheet lets you compare your budget to your actual spending on a monthly or year-to-date basis. This spreadsheet can be a useful alternative to other money management software, especially for people who are comfortable using Microsoft Excel. The file contains a detailed Help worksheet that provides step-by-step instructions. An OpenOffice.org version and a video tutorial are available via the author's web page: http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/money-management-template.html
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All versions:
2.7 starsout of 7 votes
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Current version:
2.7 starsout of 7 votes
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My rating:
Write review
Results 1-7 of 7
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"This is not free. It comes with sweetpack malware"
Version: Vertex42 Money Manager 1.1.1
Pros
There are none
Cons
If you download this you will play HELL trying to get rid of the Sweetpacks toolbar and ads
Summary
Some one else mentioned this program had malware in it. I didn't pay attention because I didn't think Cnet would allow that. I was wrong. Cnet has changed, I'm disappointed in them. Anyway save yourself a big, big headache and leave this alone. In order to get rid of the malware imbedded in this program, you have to go into your registry and delete anything that says sweetpacks or sweetIM. Google sweetpack and then you'll know. Boy Cnet this is really not good.
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"Comes free with "Sweetpacks" Malware!"
Version: Vertex42 Money Manager 1.1.1
Pros
None yet. I probably won't use it since it installed a browser hijacker.
Cons
Read above.
Summary
I'm pretty disappointed, Cnet.
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"Excel spreadsheet is all I received."
Version: Vertex42 Money Manager 1.1.1
Pros
Nothing good to say.
Cons
Joke Joke Joke
Summary
Not worth the time or effort.
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"Easy, Flexible, Just what I needed"
Version: Vertex42 Money Manager 1.1.1
Pros
Straightforward spreadsheet interface. Usable with no changes, but also able to customize if desired
Cons
Installed Incredimail without my knowledge. I hate that.
Summary
This was just what I was looking for. I've used spreadsheets for years to track my budget but kept wanted to move to something else that would do tracking/reporting for me. But, the way I like to keep track of certain things wasn't supported in any budget software I could find. This spreadsheet allows me to track what I want AND get reports and graphs. Plus, I like not being locked in to a programmer's idea of a "transaction entry" dialog box and being able to generate any kind of reports or graphs that I want.
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"Useful and effective"
Version: Vertex42 Money Manager 1.1.1
Pros
No program is required for this, just the ms office excel.
Easy if you know the basic knowledge of the power in excel.
Have their own help and tip sheet in the beginning.
I am a college student and it works really well with it.Cons
Might have a confusion in the beginning but it will be easy if you play with it more.
Summary
It is useful and effective.
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"Lousy Lousy"
Version: Vertex42 Money Manager 1.1.1
Pros
Nonel-useless
Cons
Not very useful
Summary
Don't bother
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"Great and useful"
Version: Vertex42 Money Manager 1.1.1
Pros
I customized it for my own purposes.
Cons
no cons - you can also customize it if you find a missing part
Summary
If you want to keep track of your budget, this software is suggested.
