Tracking Payments

[Polyostinato]

Hi, I'm a music teacher and musician. I'd like to use my iPhone 3GS and Mac to track checks and cash I receive from students and from gigs. Would iBank App and software do this well? I'd like to be able to keep each student and band listed or categorized separately so I can quickly make an entry and check to see if I've been paid. This probably seems pretty basic but I haven't used any financial software before. Any ideas or App and software suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Brad

 

[Gregg2]

Well, you can try to find some specialize software, or you can just set up your own spreadsheet. Maybe you've never worked with spreadsheets, but, if that's true, this isn't too complicated. You'll catch on. Which SS software do you have? Numbers? Excel? other?

 

[Polyostinato]

I haven't used spreadsheets but I have Numbers and Excel.

 

[Gregg2]

Make a hand written "map" of what you want, such as:
Dates down the left hand column, student names across the top
The dates would then be headings for Rows, and the names headings for Columns.
Figure out where you want things added up in each student's Column.
Set that up in your spreadsheet file.
Now all you need to learn how to do is to set up some basic formulas to do the math for you. I'm sure help for that is available here for either Numbers or Excel.

Another resource would be the Help menus for either app. And, you can always buy a book on the basics of Excel or Office for Mac. I'm not sure if there's one dedicated to Numbers or iWork.

 

[Polyostinato]

I can set something up on my computer (such as a spreadsheet) but all data (checks, dates paid, check numbers) must be inputted from my phone and synced to the computer. I'll need the info on the phone, the computer is really the backup and my way of double-checking payments while at home. That's why I'm thinking an App and software combo might be the way to go. Will a spreadsheet still work?

Thanks,

Brad

 

[Gregg2]

I don't do syncing, so I don't have an answer on that. It sounds like the data points are small in number. To my way of thinking, just copying them over manually whilst looking at the data in front of my computer would be just as easy (perhaps easier?) than trying to make it transfer automagically.