Simple Synchronizing

1. Open the synchronizing_example.acc file (in the Examples folder).
2. Click on the Rescale Budget tab to find the rescaling controls.
3. Open the synchronizing_example.bgt file (in the Examples folder).
4. Click the Synchronize button which is to the right of the Rescaled Budget textbox:







5. Choose a common total for Expenditure and the Rescaled Budget in the dialog box. For this example click on the circle next to $20,000 to indicate that you wish the Expenditure figure in the Accounts section to be set equal to the current value of Rescaled Budget.






6. Click OK to confirm.
7. Switch to the Account Details/ Expenditure tab and you will see that Expenditure now equals the Rescaled Budget figure of $20,000. Note that there is also a Synchronize button on the Expenditure tab.

   If you turn the Synchronize function OFF, and then ON again - by clicking the Synchronize button twice - notice that switching it ON a second time does not cause the dialog box to open again. The program has recognized that the two quantities are already equal - at $20,000 - so the question of which quantity to use as a common total is now redundant.

8. But putting the Synchronize function in the ON state not only allows you make these quantities equal, it also ensures that they remain equal - so changes to Expenditure are reflected by identical changes to the Rescaled Budget total, and vice-versa.

Synchronizing and the charts

1. Before you switched ON the Synchronize function, the chart for the Primary Account showed the effect of an optimized expenditure:






2. After the synchronizing operation the chart now shows the effect of the increase in Expenditure - matching the current total for the Rescaled Budget - and indicates that the account would be in debit within a few years:







Note: This visualization of the effect of your planned budget on the balance of your 'accounts', is one of the most powerful aspects of the program's design.

'Synchronization' - visual indicators

1. There are several visual reminders to indicate that the Synchronize function is ON - i.e that Expenditure and the Rescaled Budget total are synchronized .
   1. When Synchronize is ON, the icons on the synchronize buttons are in color rather than monochrome.

      There are three buttons in the program's interface: one on the Expenditure tab, one on the Rescale Budget tab, and one on the toolbar.

   2. There is a red border around the Rescaled Budget and Expenditure scrollbars:
   
   
   
   
   
2. Click on one of the Synchronize buttons now to turn OFF the synchronizing action. Notice the buttons revert to monochrome and the red border around the scrollbars disappears.