User Guide

Complete guide to using Hindle Consultants Budgeting & Bank Account Monitor

Getting Started

1. Account Registration

To start using the platform, visit the registration page and select your preferred subscription plan:

Starter Plan: Perfect for individuals or small businesses with basic needs
Professional Plan: Ideal for growing businesses with multiple accounts
Enterprise Plan: Custom solutions for large organizations

Registration Features

Currency Selection: Choose from AUD, CAD, EUR, or GBP for your account
Promo Codes: Apply promotional codes for discounts during registration
Billing Options: Select monthly or annual billing (annual saves 20%)
Trial Period: Optionally start with a trial period before payment

2. Initial Setup

After registration, complete these initial setup steps:

Bank Accounts

Add your bank accounts to begin tracking. Navigate to Manage → Bank Accounts and enter:

Account name
Current balance
Account type

Suppliers

Create supplier entries for all your payment providers. Go to Manage → Suppliers and add:

Supplier name
Category (utilities, subscriptions, services, etc.)
Contact information (optional)

Recurring Payments

Set up recurring payments for regular expenses. In Manage → Recurring Payments:

Select a supplier
Enter payment amount
Choose payment day of month
Select frequency: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, or Yearly

Core Features

Dashboard

Your main hub displays key information at a glance:

Current Balance: Real-time account balance with quick edit
Upcoming Payments: Next 30 days of scheduled transactions
Recent Activity: Latest transactions and changes
Quick Actions: Fast access to common tasks

Projections

View forecasted cash flow up to 100 months ahead. The projection feature shows:

Detailed View: Every individual transaction with running balance
Monthly Summary: Aggregated income/expenses per month
Overall Summary: High-level financial overview

Using Projections

Navigate to the Projection tab
Select your preferred view (Detailed, Monthly, or Overall)
Look for negative balances highlighted in red
Adjust recurring payments or one-time costs to optimize cash flow
Export projections to CSV for external analysis

Transaction Management

Editing Transactions

Modify transaction amounts for current and next month to match actual invoices:

In the projection view, click the edit icon on any transaction
Update the amount to reflect the actual invoice
Add a note explaining the change (optional)
Save - future months continue using the recurring pattern

Transaction Reasons

Categorize spending with transaction reasons for better analytics:

System learns common reasons and suggests them
Create custom reasons for specific expense types
View spending breakdowns by reason in Analytics

Analytics

Gain insights into spending patterns:

Spending by Category: See where money goes
Trends Over Time: Track changes month-over-month
Supplier Analysis: Identify largest expenses
Budget Variance: Compare actual vs. projected

Settings & Customization

Branding

Customize your account appearance (Admin only):

Logo Upload: Add your organization logo (max 2MB, PNG/JPG)
Primary Color: Choose brand color for buttons and highlights
Secondary Color: Select complementary accent color
Currency: Change display currency (AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP)

User Management

Admins can manage organization users:

Add new users with email invitations
Assign roles (Admin, Manager, User)
Enable/disable user accounts
Reset passwords
View activity logs

Security Settings

Two-Factor Authentication: Enable SMS-based 2FA for login
Phone Number: Update contact phone for 2FA codes
Password: Change your password regularly
Session Management: View and revoke active sessions

Billing & Subscriptions

Managing Your Subscription

Access billing information in Settings → Billing:

View current plan and renewal date
Change subscription plans
Update payment method
View invoice history
Download receipts

Payment Methods

All subscriptions use Stripe for secure payment processing:

Credit/debit cards accepted
Multi-currency support
Automatic payment in advance
Invoices emailed automatically

Promo Codes

Apply promotional codes during registration or plan changes:

Enter code in the "Promo Code (Optional)" field
System validates and shows discount percentage
Discount appears on all pricing displays
Applied automatically to checkout

Data Export & Reporting

Export Options

Export data to CSV for external analysis:

Click export button on any table
Filtered data exports based on current filters
Open in Excel, Google Sheets, or other tools

Available Exports

Transaction history
Recurring payments
Projection summaries
Supplier lists
Account balances

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

2FA Code Not Received

Verify phone number is correct in Settings
Wait 30-60 seconds for SMS delivery
Request new code if needed
Contact admin if issue persists

Balance Projection Incorrect

Verify starting balance is accurate
Check all recurring payments are entered correctly
Review transaction overrides for current/next month
Ensure payment frequencies match actual schedule

Currency Not Updating

Refresh the page after changing currency
Clear browser cache if needed
Check that currency is saved in Settings

Promo Code Not Working

Verify code is spelled correctly
Check code hasn't expired
Ensure code applies to selected plan
Look for success message after applying

Best Practices

Maintaining Accuracy

Update current balance weekly
Review and edit transactions as invoices arrive
Keep supplier information current
Categorize transactions consistently

Financial Planning

Check projections monthly for cash flow issues
Use analytics to identify cost reduction opportunities
Set up alerts for low balance warnings
Review annual vs. monthly billing for savings

Security

Enable two-factor authentication
Use strong, unique passwords
Log out when using shared computers
Review audit logs regularly (admins)

Support

Need additional help? Contact us:

Email: support@hindleconsultants.com
Help Center: /help
FAQ: See Help page for common questions