TealAuto
User's Manual
Program
Version 1.52
Last
Updated:
Introduction
Contents
Installing
Terms used in this document
Chapter 1 – Overview
Using TealAuto
Fueling Logs
Trip Logs
Service and Expense Logs
Reports and Summaries
Configuration
Meter Minder
Chapter 2 – Fueling
Logs
Fueling Entry Screen
Fueling Types
Data Fields
Fuel Quantity and Price
Notes
Converting Units
Chapter 3 – Trip Logs
Trip Entry Screen
Trip Types
Accounts
Notes
Chapter 4 – Service
and Expense Logs
Scheduled Services Screen
Vehicle Services Screen
Services Entry Screen
Service/Expense Types
Data Items
Notes
Chapter 5 –Reports
and Summaries
Start and End Dates
Summary Reports
Text
Memo Pad
Doc File
CSV Formats
Summary Statistics
Comparison Reports
Vehicles
Accounts
Payment Types
Fuel Stations
Service Stations
Fuel Grades
Fuel Brands
Report Types
Bar Charts
Timeline Graphs
Chapter 6 –
Configuration
Vehicles
Fuel Stations
Fuel Grade
Fuel Brands
Service Locations
Services
Accounts
Payment Types
Chapter 7 – Meter
Minder
Chapter 8 – Settings
(Preferences)
Services
Meter
Units
Distance:
Fuel Quantity:
Fuel Efficiency:
Chapter 9 –
Converting Units
Opening the Conversion Calculator
Using the Conversion Calculator
Chapter 10 – Using
Services
Service Intervals
Initial Service
Chapter 11 – Advanced
Reports
Fuel Efficiency
Pump Accuracy
Quality of Gas
Octane Mileage
Expense Summaries
Lease Mileage
Chapter 12 –
Exporting Data to a Spreadsheet
Format
Example:
Chapter 13 –
Importing Data from a Spreadsheet
File Format
Getting the Data from the Desktop
Selecting the Memo
Setting Options
Selecting Columns
Undoing Changes
Chapter 14 – Purging
old Records
APPENDIX A –
Registering
APPENDIX B – Products
APPENDIX C – Credits
APPENDIX D – Contact
Info
APPENDIX E – Revision
History
Legal Notice
LICENSE
CUSTOMER LICENSE AGREEMENT
Thank you for trying TealAuto, the
advanced automobile mileage and expense-tracking program for PalmOS. TealAuto can be used to record fill-ups, trip
distance, service and expenses for multiple vehicles. The program is highly configurable, supporting
custom services, gas brands, gas grades, service stations and billing accounts. Unmatched reporting capabilities also allow
exporting and summarizing of information in charts, graphs, memos, or
documents.
This archive contains the following files:
Program files:
TEALAUTO.PRC The
TealAuto program file
TPSETUP.EXE Windows
easy-installer program
Document files:
AUTODOC.PDF This document in
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format
AUTODOC.PDB This document in
Palm (TealDoc) format
AUTODOC.HTM This document in
HTML format (sans images)
REGISTER.HTM TealPoint
Registration form in HTML format
REGISTER.TXT TealPoint
Registration form in text format
Use
the Palm Install Tool that comes with your organizer to install the program
file TEALAUTO.PRC. The Palm Install
Tool can be found as an icon along the left hand side inside the Palm Desktop
program on your desktop computer.
Instructions
on how to use the PalmOS Install Tool are in the User Handbook that came with
your Palm, Handspring, CLIE, WorkPad, or other PalmOS handheld.
You may
also wish to install the manual file AUTODOC.PDB, which is this document
in handheld-friendly format for reading with our product TealDoc.
On a
Windows PC, you can alternatively run the automatic installer program
double-clicking on the TPSETUP.EXE installer program, and following the
on screen prompts.
Hardware Buttons:
The four physical buttons
(typically labeled Date, Address, To Do, and Memo) on the bottom of the
handheld.
Scroll Up/Down Buttons:
The physical rocker switch or
separate buttons at the bottom center of the handheld.
Graffiti:
The special letter-like symbols
you write to enter text with your stylus.
Graffiti Entry Area:
The rectangular area at the bottom
of the display screen where you can write letters using the graffiti input
language.
Silkscreen Buttons:
The four, printed circular, tap
areas (typically labeled Home, Menu, Calculator, and Find) to the left and
right of the graffiti drawing area.
Menus:
The drop-down menus you get when
tapping on the silkscreen Menu button.
TealAuto is
a convenient and powerful data collection and analysis system, allowing you to
easily enter fueling, service, and trip information while on the road. Powerful summary and analysis tools allow you
to track and graph that information as well, all while still on the move. It even features a handy meter minder
countdown timer with an alarm to keep those pesky parking tickets at a minimum.
TealAuto is
a standard PalmOS application program.
While it contains facilities for importing and exporting data to a
desktop computer through the Palm Desktop, it does not contain a PC-component,
and thus is compatible with PC’s, Macs, and any type desktop computer that can
HotSync to the handheld.
Once
installed, run TealAuto by tapping on the “TealAuto” application icon on the
PalmOS application launcher screen, reachable by tapping the “Home” silkscreen
button on the handheld.
TealAuto
is easy to use, and consists of six basic interface screens, reachable by six
icons in the upper right corner of each screen.
From left to right and top to bottom, the icons correspond to: Fueling Entries, Trip Entries, Service and
Expense Entries, Reports and Summaries, Configuration, and Meter Minder.
The Fueling Logs screen is used to
log information about gas station stops, and records the date, station,
odometer readings, notes, billing account, and the price, quantity, and grade
of the fuel purchased.
The Trip Logs
screen logs trip, accident, and memo reports.
Trip entries contain a date, start and stop odometer reading and allow
assigning the elapsed mileage between up to three billing accounts. Accident and memo reports contain only one
odometer reading, and can be used to store information relating to an event
associated with a particular date or mileage.
Services and
Expenses are logged into this screen, which stores the cost, date, vendor, and
mileage associated with this event. Services
and expenses can be chosen from a configurable list of entries. Services can also be assigned a repeating
time or mileage interval, so TealAuto can remind you when regular maintenance
is due.
TealAuto features
unmatched reporting and graphing capabilities, features accessible from the Reports
and Summaries screen. Here, data can
be summarized or exported to external formats including the memos, Doc files,
and comma separated value (CSV) files. A
wealth of analysis tools is available, allowing the break down of data records
into text reports, bar charts, or timeline graphs.
TealAuto is
extremely configurable. In the Configuration
screen, the user can define a virtually unlimited number of vehicles, gas
brands, gas stations, gas grades, payment types, billing accounts and
service/expense types.
A simple but
useful feature, the Meter Minder functions as a straightforward
countdown timer with an alarm and multiple retries.
The
Fueling Logs screen displays all fueling log entries for the current
vehicle along with the date and selectable information about each entry, such
as the type, odometer reading, calculated fuel efficiency (for full fill-ups),
gas station, payment method, etc.
Tap “Edit” to enter the Fueling Entry
screen to see or modify details for an existing entry or “New Entry” to create
a new entry from scratch.
Use
the Fueling Entry screen to enter details for a stop to the gas
station. An on-screen keypad is
available for easy Graffiti-free entry of numerical values. When the “enter” button is pressed on the
keypad, the next empty text field is automatically activated.
Three fill-up “types” can be selected: Full, Partial, and Estimated. While all three accept the same data,
distinguishing between different fueling stops with different types allows for
selective report generation (see “Reports and Summaries”). For instance, it’s possible to generate fuel
efficiency reports that ignore any results calculated using data from
“estimated” fueling log entries.
Through drop down menus, the gas station
(location), gas grade (octane), payment type, and billing account can be
selected for the fueling stop. These
selections come from the user-defined list of available choices.
TealAuto supports two methods of entering
gas quantities. While the amount
purchased can be entered as a number of gallons (or liters), it can also be
entered as a price per gallon. If so,
the gallons purchased are calculated automatically when the total fuel cost is
entered. The latter method is often
preferable, as the fuel price can be entered while gas is being pumped, leaving
only one quantity (the total cost) to be entered after pumping is done.
A freeform note or memo can be associated
with each entry. The first line appears
on the fueling entry screen. To expand
the note to full screen, tap on paper-shaped the “note” icon.
When entering fuel quantities or prices in a
foreign currency or measurement unit, use the “Unit Converter” from the “Edit”
menu to convert the values to local equivalents. See the Unit Converter chapter of this document
for more details.
Tap
“Edit” to enter the Trip Entry screen to see or modify details for an
existing entry or “New Entry” to create a new entry from scratch.
The Trip
Entry also features an on-screen keypad.
As on the Fuel Entry screen, when the “enter” button is pressed
on the keypad, the next empty text field is automatically activated.
Unlike
fueling entries, trip entries contain a selectable type which affects which
data fields are available. “Trip”
entries contain both a start and end odometer reading, and are used to record
events associated with traveling a specified distance. The end odometer reading can be specified as
an actual final value, or as an elapsed distance (trip miles).
Note:
When creating a “Trip” entry, always enter
both a starting and ending odometer reading, as the difference between the
two is required to calculate correct trip distances.
“Accident”
and “Memo” entries, however, are used to record notes and events associated
with a single location and time, such as an accident report or notable
sighting.
The
elapsed mileage for “Trip” events can be divided by up to three separate
billing or tracking accounts. This
allows for, say, a trip to be easily billed as 50% business and 50% personal
without creating two separate trip entries.
Enter the miles to assign to the second and/or third account, and the
remaining balance will automatically be calculated and assigned to the first
account.
As
with fueling entries, a freeform note or memo can be associated with each
entry. To expand the note to full
screen, tap on paper-shaped the “note” icon.
The
Service and Expense Logs screen displays non-fueling transactions that
have an associated cost. This can
include simple expenses such as parking and tolls, or scheduled maintenance
items such as oil changes and tire rotation.
When scheduled services exist, the numbers
of miles and days until the next scheduled service are shown under the heading
“Services Due”. To view individual
scheduled services, tap on the “Schedule” button to enter the Scheduled
Services screen.
The
Scheduled Services screen shows all services attached to the current
vehicle, along with the next date and/or miles at which the service is
scheduled. Services listed only include
those that have been explicitly linked to the current vehicle. To link or unlink services from the global
available list, tap on the “Edit Services” button.
While the global list of services is defined
in the Configuration screen, services
must be linked to a specific vehicle before they can be used for that
vehicle. This customization process
allows them to have periodic service intervals that vary from one vehicle to
the next.
Tap on the “Add” or “Rem” buttons to link or
unlink, services from the available global list. Tap on the “Edit” button to modify an
unlinked service, or “New” to create a new service.
Once services are linked (“active”), they
can be scheduled to issue a reminder after a specified number of weeks and/or
miles. When so selected, the date or
mileage of the first (next) scheduled service should be set. Future services continue at the specified
intervals.
The
Services Entry screen is similar to both the Fuel and Trip
Entry screens.
Entries can be designated as “Service”,
“Expense”, or “Misc” types. A scrolling
list of services and expenses presents items to be selected for the
transaction. When a “Service” or
“Expense” type is selected, only entries
of that type appear. When “Misc” is
set, however, all items are displayed.
Standard drop down lists and text entry
fields allow for entry of odometer readings, total cost, entry location,
payment, and billing account.
As with fueling entries, a freeform note or
memo can be associated with each entry.
To expand the note to full screen, tap on paper-shaped the “note” icon.
The Reports and Summaries screen
presents powerful tools to analyze trends and compute statistics from
transaction logs entries.
The transactions used in the reports are
specified by a range of dates, which default to the full range of entries
present in the log when the screen is first entered. While start and end dates can be modified
individually, on-screen buttons allow the start time to be easily set to
encompass the 1-month, 3-months, or 1-year interval preceding the current end
date. Hold down the Page-Up scroll
button to abort a summary report in progress.
The
first of eight report options, Summary Reports summarize statistics
calculated from selected transactions in the specified date range. If the “Show individual transactions”
checkbox is selected, they can also optionally show details of individual
transactions, or export these transactions to external file formats for
importing into spreadsheets, word processors, or other programs.
Reports can be generated in the following
formats:
Displays the information in a scrollable
window. The text can be copied or
edited, or printed to an attached printer if the program TealPrint is
installed. Text reports are limited to
32k in size, however; so large reports should be output to Memo or Doc File
format instead. They can also be copied
to the root of an external storage card as the file “Report.txt” using the
“Copy to Card” button.
Exports the report to one or more Memo Pad
memos. As memos are limited to 4k in size,
TealAuto creates new memos as needed to fit all the text in the report. As text in memos can be selected and copied
from the Palm Desktop software, exporting to the Memo Pad can be a handy way to
export data to the desktop.
Standard Doc files are a simple text file
format supported by most PalmOS document readers like TealDoc. This option creates a new uncompressed
document with a name of your choosing.
If you have a desktop conduit installed as part of a PalmOS word
processor that supports Doc format, this can be an alternate way to import data
to the desktop.
By default, three data formats above output text in human-readable form. Alternatively, data can be output in comma-separated-value (CSV) format commonly supported by most desktop spreadsheet and database programs. This can be particularly useful in conjunction with the “Copy to Card” feature.
See the “Exporting Data” section of this
document for more information on using CSV files to export data to a
spreadsheet program.
Summary reports calculate some basic statistics about the transactions in the date range, including:
Days of operation
Days
between first and last transactions in date range
Fueling entries
Number
of applicable fueling entries in date range
Trip log entries
Number
of applicable trip entries in date range
Service/expenses
Number
of applicable service and expense entries in date range
Total fuel purchased
Amount
of gasoline purchased (gallons/liters)
Average fuel purchased
Average
amount of gasoline purchased per fueling transaction (gallons/liters)
Average fuel efficiency
Average
fuel efficiency in time period (mpg/kpl)
Average days between fuelings
Total
elapsed days in the time period divided by the number of fueling events
Average miles between fuelings
Total
elapsed miles in the time period divided by the number of fueling events
Average fuel cost per mile
Total fuel
expenditures in the period divided by the number of miles
Total estimated fuel cost
If fuel
entries exist in the time period with no cost entry, this item estimates the
total fuel cost using the average fuel cost for missing entries.
Total trip distance
Total
distance assigned to trip log entries in date range (miles/km)
Total distance
Total
distance traveled (miles/km)
Total fuel cost
Total
cost of fuel purchased ($)
Average fuel cost
Average
cost of fuel per transaction ($)
Total service and expense cost
Total
spent on service and expense entries ($)
Logged operation cost
Total
service, expense, and fuel cost ($) based on actual logged costs
Logged cost per mile
Logged
operation cost divided by total distance ($ per mile/km)
Logged approximate cost per month
Projected
total cost of operation per month ($ per month) based on logged costs
Total operation cost
Total service, expense, and fuel cost ($),
using average fueling cost for fueling entries with no entered cost.
Total cost per mile
Total operation cost divided by total
distance ($ per mile/km) including estimated fuel cost for fueling entries with
no entered cost
Total cost per month
Projected total cost of operation per month
($ per month) including estimated fuel cost for fueling entries with no entered
cost
Projected annual distance
Projected
annual mileage based on date range (miles/km per year)
Adjusted direct expenses
Total
fuel and service expenses, adjusted by each account’s direct rate ($)
Adjusted travel expenses ($)
Total
assigned trip miles, adjusted by each account’s mileage adjustment rate ($)
Adjusted travel miles ($)
Total
miles assigned to accounts (miles/km)
Comparison reports are designed to track a
single statistic relating to a range of transactions, and analyze how that
figure varies over time or in relationship to a particular variable. For instance, average fuel efficiency can be
calculated for a range of dates, and compared from vehicle to vehicle. Additional conditions can be specified for
each report, such as only including transactions from a specified account, for instance. Available choices differ by variable field.
Six different variable options are
supported, each summarizing the following statistics:
·
Average
Fuel Efficiency
·
Average Fuel Prices
·
Total Fuel Purchased
·
Average Fuel Purchased per Transaction
·
Total Cost
·
Average Cost per Transaction
·
Elapsed Total Distance
·
Total Trip Distance
·
Projected Annual Distance (mileage)
·
Average Fuel Prices
·
Total Fuel Purchased
·
Average Fuel Purchased per Transaction
·
Total Cost
·
Average Cost per Transaction
·
Total Trip Distance
·
Average Fuel Prices
·
Total Fuel Purchased
·
Average Fuel Purchased per Transaction
·
Total Cost
·
Average Cost per Transaction
·
Average Fuel Efficiency for Travel Prior to
Fueling
·
Average Fuel Efficiency for Travel After Fueling
·
Average Fuel Prices
·
Total Fuel Purchased
·
Average Fuel Purchased per Transaction
·
Total Cost
·
Average Cost per Transaction
·
Total Cost
·
Average Cost per Transaction
·
Average Fuel Efficiency for Travel After Fueling
·
Average Fuel Prices
·
Total Fuel Purchased
·
Average Fuel Purchased per Transaction
·
Total Cost
·
Average Cost per Transaction
·
Average Fuel Efficiency for Travel After Fueling
·
Average Fuel Prices
·
Total Fuel Purchased
·
Average Fuel Purchased per Transaction
·
Total Cost
In addition to the standard text-based
reports, comparison reports can be displayed in graphic bar and line charts for
easy judging of trends.
Bar Charts show the same calculated
statistics summarized in a text report, but displays them as a simple bar chart
with one bar for each variable item. The
bars are identified with a single letter, corresponding to an off-screen
legend, reachable by tapping on the “Legend” button.
Timeline Graphs show the actual data points
used to calculate averages and totals found in the text reports. For a calculated average such as average fuel
efficiency, for instance, a timeline graphs shows a data point for each
transaction with that entry’s calculated fuel efficiency. For a calculated total such as elapsed travel
distance, however, a data point is shown for the accumulated mileage up to each
data point, so trends can be seen in how fast the miles add up.
Reports can be very useful in analyzing the
data you’ve collected. See Advanced Reports for more
information on using them fully.
The
configuration screen allows for the creation and customization of database
entries used as selections for entries in fuel, trip, and service logs. This customization allows for a near
unlimited number of vehicles, services, accounts, etc.
Vehicle
Entries support a number of general purpose utility text fields such as VIN
number, license plate, tire size, oil type and/or quantity, and a general
purpose note field. Of particular
interest is the “miles” field, which is used to calculate initial fuel
efficiency for the first fueling and the estimated time and mileage before
initial service is due.
Also present are two buttons used to view
currently due services or attach services to the vehicle. Services must
be attached to a vehicle before they can be used.
Fuel
stations support a general-purpose note field, typically used to store the
station’s location, address, or phone number.
In addition, it can also be linked to a gas brand if the station is a
member of a chain.
Fuel Grades are typically used to track the
type of gas used in a fueling, such as “regular”, “premium”, “plus”, or
“supreme”, or the octane rating for fuel.
Fuel Brands support a note field and
typically track the company, chain, or brand name associated with the gasoline.
Service Locations include garages and
service stations which perform automobile maintenance, or parking structures
and lots that charge itemized expenses.
Services are expense items that can be
charged to a vehicle. Entries in this
screen can be designated to appear as a service or expense item or to appear
for both types of service log entries.
If neither is checked, the item will not be selectable. Items can also be set to require regular
scheduled service by mileage and/or elapsed weeks. The schedule settings set on this screen are
only used as initial settings when a service is first applied to a
vehicle. Once added, the service
intervals can be individually adjusted in the vehicle’s separate service
screen.
Account
entries are generally used to track the billing purpose of expenses or trip
mileage, and are thus set to general categories such as “business”, “personal”,
or “commuter”. They can also be used to
assign expenses or travel to specific clients or customers as well.
In addition to a general-purpose note field,
account entries support two rate fields used in summary reports.
The first, an “adjusted trip” rate, assigns
a cost-per-mile value to mileage assigned to this account, while the second, an
“adjusted direct expense” rate assigns a percentage to be applied to fueling
and expense entries assigned to this account.
When generating summary reports, the “adjusted
rate” values for corresponding transactions are calculated and totaled for
transactions where an account has been specified. The precise use of these fields is not
enforced, but they are typically used to expenses reimbursed by employers at
different rates, or estimate tax deductions for expenses with differing
deductibility rates.
Payment types are typically used to track
how an expense was paid for, be it cash, check, credit card, or more specific
selections, such as a particular checking account or card.
The meter minder provides a handy countdown
timer to warn when your parking meter is about to expire. The alarm can be set to sound 1-10 minutes
before the timer expires, or to retry a specified number of times through
settings in the program settings screen.
The services warning period can be
set here. Whenever TealAuto is run, it
checks to see if the current mileage and date fall within the warning period
for any scheduled service, and will put up a reminder message if either is true.
The meter minder can be set to re-sound the alarm if the initial alarm
is not answered. The duration and retry
count can be set on the preferences screen.
TealAuto supports flexible settings for the units used to measure
currency, fuel, and efficiency, as well as the number of decimal points
displayed for each value.
·
miles
·
kilometers
·
gallons(US)
·
gallons(imperial)
·
litres
·
miles
per gallon (US)
·
miles
per gallon (Imperial)
·
litres/100
km
·
kilometers
per litre
·
gallons
per 100 miles (US)
·
gallons
per 100 miles (Imperial)
Note that for consistency in calculations, TealAuto currently expects
all records to be stored in a single “home” set of standard units. When values in different currency or fuel
units have to be entered (say, when traveling abroad), those values must be
first converted to local units using the Unit
Converter.
It’s also important to note that changing other unit preferences only
changes the text labels used throughout the program and fuel efficiency
calculations. Data already entered in
databases keep the same numbers.
Thus, once
measurement units are chosen, data should consistently be entered in the same
units from that point onwards. If units
are subsequently changed, previously-entered will not be adjusted, but will
retain their originally entered numerical value but display with the new unit
labels.
TealAuto requires that all data records be stored using a single set of
consistent currency, fuel, and distance units.
However, when traveling to other countries, TealAuto unit converter
helps translate foreign measurement values to local units.
Open the unit converter by choosing “Convert
Units” from the edit menu on the text entry screen. If the text cursor is active, the contents of
that field will automatically be loaded into the conversion calculator.
On the left side of the calculator, a list of supported conversions will
appear. A few common conversions are
listed, though you can remove entries or add your own using the
add/delete/rename buttons.
Each conversion is linked to a conversion “factor”. The incoming number is multiplied by this
value to calculate a converted product.
When converting currencies, you may need to periodically adjust this
multiplication factor to match current exchange rates.
When done, tap “OK” to close the calculator, or tap “Paste Result” to
insert the converted product back into a previously active text field.
In order to use TealAuto to track services and issue reminder when they
are due, they must first be created in the global services list and then
attached to each vehicle to which they apply.
Once done, TealAuto will check for services due every time the program
is run, and bring up a reminder if any are required.
When TealAuto is first run, it creates a default list of commonly needed
services set to typical services intervals.
Services and service intervals vary from vehicle to vehicle, however, so
you should adjust these entries according to you vehicle maintenance manual.
Maintenance manuals typically break down service into minimum regular
intervals; corresponding to the most frequently needed service--oil
changes--which are needed every 3000-7500 miles, depending on the vehicle and
severity of use. Other services, such as
tire rotation, wheel alignment, and coolant service, occur at less frequent
regular intervals, such as every 2, 3, 4, or more oil changes.
When adding a service to a vehicle in TealAuto, the date and/or mileage
of the first scheduled service should be set to when the next service is
due. With a new vehicle before its first
oil change, this is typically the same as the service interval. For instance, if tire rotations are required
every 6000 miles, then the first tire rotation is usually done at 6000
miles. Some vehicles require a special
service after the initial break-in period, however, so some adjustment may be
necessary for the first service interval.
Tracking expenses and mileage would be of little use without reporting
tools, and TealAuto’s report generation tools can be used to generate a wide
range of reports and summaries. Here are
some common useful reports you can generate:
Fuel efficiency is the most common statistic compiled from the
logs. Tracking fuel efficiency gives a
good snapshot of the health of a vehicle, as an unexpected drop in efficiency
can warn of low tire pressure, improper tuning, or required service. Fuel efficiency can be tracked either as a
calculated item in a summary report, or as a graph or chart when plotted by
vehicle, fuel, or station. It tracking
fuel efficiency, note that one can easily omit the use of estimated or partial
fill-ups by un-checking them from the list of acceptable transactions prior to
generating the report.
Ever wonder if that gas station down
the street really gives you all the gas you’ve paid for? By charting fuel efficiency as a function of
fuel station, you can feed your paranoia and check for sure.
Note that you should track the option fuel efficiency before fueling when
evaluating the pumps, and limit the reports to one particular grade of gas for
consistent values. Also take into
account that some variance can occur between gas stations if you tend to go to
them under different circumstances. For
instance, a gas station located along a long stretch of highway is likely to
report better mileage due to increased highway driving when compared to one
located along a route for short errands within city limits.
Gas brands sometimes generate strong loyalty from their customers. Is this justified from a fuel efficiency
point of view? By tracking the
fuel efficiency after a
transaction, you can check when gas from a particular brand or station really
gives you better gas mileage. When
tracking as a function of gas station, it might also let you know if a station
is really giving you that Premium gas you’ve paid for.
Most manufacturers recommend you use gasoline with an octane recommended
in your owner’s manual and no higher.
Nevertheless, many of us sometimes like to “treat” our cars with a nice
dose of the expensive stuff from time to time.
While we can’t really track whether our vehicle particularly enjoys this
little treat, we can track the mileage as a function of gas grade to see how
many more miles we get per gallon when we use the “good” stuff.
Use expense summaries to total
expenditures for a specified date range.
Reports can be limited by vehicle or account, or only include specified
transaction types. In summary reports,
totals are reported both as raw numbers and as values modified by each
account’s “adjusted” rates.
To summarize the results for all accounts at once, use the “Account”
report button to generate a comparison report of total expenditures as a
function of account.
Of particular interest to many people who lease their vehicles is the
number of miles they put on their cars annually. This is because most leases charge fees for
excessive miles beyond a typical cap of 12000 miles per year.
Both summary and vehicle comparison reports can calculate the projected
annual mileage for a vehicle based on the usage to date. To calculate the projected mileage, set the
report start date to the beginning of the lease year. When creating a timeline of the annual
mileage, the plot will show the estimated mileage as it is calculated using all
the accumulated data so far from the start date. Thus, the “projected” miles for the beginning
of the term will vary more in the beginning, but will settle to a more stable
value as more data points are added to reach a stable value.
Data logs from TealAuto can be exported to desktop programs and
spreadsheets using the summary report generation tool. To do so, generate a summary report, making
sure “Show individual transactions” is checked and by selecting a CSV export
type. You may want to export certain transaction
types, depending on what data you find relevant. The most common format to use in exporting
data is CSV Memo.
CSV (comma separated value) files
are simple text files supported by most desktop database and spreadsheet
applications. In CSV files, data in
cells in output column by column and row by row, with the data for each cell
separated by commas and a line break between rows. Data for each cell is typically enclosed in
quotation marks, which is required if a cell contains a comma character inside. Quotation marks in a cell are denoted by two
quotation marks (“”) next to each other.
TealAuto exports data in 22 columns, in the following order, preceded by
a single line containing the column headers:
1.
Vehicle
2.
Date
3.
Type
4.
Beg
Miles
5.
End
Miles
6.
Fuel
$
7.
Expense
$
8.
Payment
9.
Account1
10. Account2
11. Account3
12. Miles1
13. Miles2
14. Miles3
15. Gallons
16. Grade
17.
Fuel
$
18. M.P.G.
19. Station
20. Expense Loc
21. Services
22. Note
As not all fields apply to all types of log entries; cells are left
blank if they do not apply to a particular transaction type.
Below is a simple
example of a one-transaction CSV entry.
Note that the label line is actually a single
very long line which may appear word-wrapped in a text editor, and multiple
sequential commas indicate blank data fields.
"Vehicle","Date","Type","Beg
miles","End miles”
"Eclipse Spyder","
"Eclipse Spyder","
"Eclipse Spyder","
Step 1. Create the data
Generate a report, chosing “CSV Memo” as your output format.
Shortcut: If you have an PC storage card reader, choose “CSV Text” instead and use the “Copy to Card” button to create a CSV file directly to the root of the card.
You can then skip to Step 4 and load the
file directly into your spreadsheet program using your card reader.
Step 2. Get the data to the Desktop
HotSync to copy the memo to the Palm
Desktop. You desktop memo pad conduit
should be set to “Handheld overrides desktop” or “Synchronize the files”
Step 3. Paste together the CSV file
In the Palm Desktop, the memo should
now appear with the exported CSV data.
If the report is large, it might appear split across several memos.
To create the final CSV file, start with a new blank document in a text
editor such as NotePad or WordPad.
Copy the text from each of the memos into the file.
DO NOT INCLUDE the initial title
line of each memo, as it is not part of the CSV data.
Then save the document with a .TXT or .CSV file extension (such as
CARDATA.CSV) and you should then have a file that can be imported into most any
spreadsheet application.
Step 4. Import into spreadsheet program
If you’ve done this correctly, you should be able to load the CSV file into a spreadsheet program, with each
value appearing in its own cell. When
importing, set your “text delimiter” to a quotation mark, and the “record
delimiter” to a comma, if requested.
To help transfer records entered externally in a spreadsheet or
importing data when upgrading from another program, TealAuto supports a
powerful, flexible data import system.
TealAuto accepts data imported from the MemoPad in the same or similar
CSV format generated by exporting a summary as a CSV Memo. The import system is flexible, however,
allowing for different column orders, missing columns, optional headers, and
tab-separated files in addition to comma-separated ones.
Start by making sure the data begins in the top-leftmost cell in the
spreadsheet, ideally reserving the first row as labels for each column of
data. It is helpful, but not necessary,
to set up the columns in the same order as the import headers described in the
previous section. If labels are
included, name them using the standard TealAuto label names, as this will help
TealAuto auto-detect the contents of each column when converting the data.
While most columns are optional, you must define both a
“date” and a “type” column for best results, so TealAuto will know which type
of log file to create for each entry.
Contents of the “type” column should be set to one of the 9 standard log
type names:
1. Full Fill-up
2. Partial Fill
3. Estimated
4. Trip
5. Accident
6. Memo
7. Service
8. Expense
9. Misc
For ease of importing from third party programs, the keywords “Fuel”
(Full Fill-up), “Oil” (Service), and “Tire” (Service), are also accepted.
When done, save the file in CSV file format (preferably comma separated)
to continue.
To import the data into the Palm Desktop, you must first open the CSV
file into a text editor so it can be seen as text. To do this, open a text editor like
NotePad. Choose the Open menu and
load in the CSV file. You may need to
change the file types control to show “All files” to see your CSV
file. Then select all text and choose Copy
from the Edit menu.
Now enter the Palm Desktop and go to the Memo screen. Choose Paste from the Edit menu
to create a new memo with the contents of the CSV file. If the CSV is large it will be split across
multiple memos.
To begin the import process, start TealAuto and select Import Records
from the Program menu. You’ll be presented with a list of available
memos.
Select the memo to import, or the
first memo of a sequence if the data is split across multiple memos. If there are multiple memos and they appear
out of order, go into the MemoPad program and place them in the correct order
before continuing.
Once a memo is selected, TealAuto
analyzes the file to guess the correct import options. However, you should verify them carefully to
insure proper importing:
Default
Vehicle
Defines which vehicle to assign to new entries when a vehicle column is
not defined.
Number of Memos
The number of sequential memos to
import.
Data Columns
The number of data columns in each
row.
Skip 1st,2nd line before each memo
Check these items if each memo contains one or two title lines that are
not part of the CSV. The Palm Desktop
automatically adds a title line when pasted data needs to be split across
multiple memos. Other programs may add
one or more title lines to specify, say the title of the report or the name of
the vehicle.
First line holds column labels
Check this item if the first row of data contains labels and does not
hold actual record data.
Column Separator
Set to “comma” or “tab” depending on
the CSV file format.
Date Format
Set to the month-day-year order of
dates contained in the imported data.
The last step when importing records is to select the contents of each
column. Sample data from the first line
of the CSV is presented, along with potential choices for each column. If the first line contains text labels, they
will be shown as the sample data. If the
labels match standard label names, TealAuto will detect them and preset those
entries with the correct definition.
Some programs export data mixing fueling and service costs or service
and fueling stations in the same column.
When this is the case, set that column’s type to either “fuel” or
“service”. TealAuto will automatically
convert imported entries based on that line’s log entry type.
TealAuto backs up the configuration and log entries before starting an
import operation. To restore the
previous settings after an unsuccessful import, select the Undo Import/Purge
menu item from the Program menu.
When
old records are no longer needed, they can be deleted using the “Purge Records”
item under the Program menu.
Records are backed up before deleting, so
you can restore purged records from the backup if you make a mistake by
immediately selecting the “Undo Import/Purge” menu item.
Registering
allows you to use the program past the 30 day expiration period and turns off
registration reminders.
Currently,
you may register by snail mail or online with a credit card and a secured
server from the store where you downloaded the software. For the first option, send the following
information on a sheet of paper separate from your payment.
·
Product
Name
·
E-Mail
Address
·
HotSync
User ID (Pilot Name Required for Passkey generation. It can be found on the
main screen of the HotSync application on the Pilot as "Welcome
________" or in the corner on a PalmIII or higher)
·
Check
(drawn off a US Bank) or Money Order for ($19.95 US). No international checks or money orders
please.
Visit
us online at http://www.tealpoint.com
for our complete product line, including:
TEALAGENT (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softagnt.htm )
A Desktop Doc file converter and Palm-format web clipper for news,
movies, and more, TealAgent automatically fetches web-based content and
installs it to your Palm when you HotSync.
TEALALIAS (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softalia.htm )
Making the most of expansion memory, TealAlias creates placeholder alias
files that automatically find, load, and launch apps and data from external SD
cards, freeing precious main memory.
TEALAUTO (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softauto.htm )
The complete automobile mileage, service, and expense tracking program,
TealAuto supports unmatched features and customization options. Log book for your car or any vehicle.
TEALDOC (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softdoc.htm )
Powerful reader for Palm documents, e-books, and newspapers, supporting
advanced features such as pictures, links, and flash cards.
TEALECHO (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softecho.htm )
Digital "ink" lets you see what your graffiti text as you
write, vastly increasing graffiti writing speed and accuracy. No more writing blind!
TEALGLANCE ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softglnc.htm
)
Pop-up utility shows time, date, appointments and to-dos, and other
useful information at power-up. See your
day at a glance.
TEALINFO (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softinfo.htm )
A system for creating and displaying interactive databases, reference
works, and mini-application folios; a handheld reference library. Includes tip/sales/postage calculators.
TEALLAUNCH (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softlnch.htm )
A pop-up application launcher and mapping utility for launching apps and
special functions from pen taps, graffiti strokes, or button presses.
TEALLOCK (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softlock.htm )
Secure automatic locking program with optional data encryption for
memory and SD cards, as well as numerous activation and customization options.
TEALMAGNIFY (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softlens.htm )
An ever-ready magnifying glass that works with most any program,
TealMagnify's zoom/enlarge feature saves your eyes when looking at tiny text.
TEALMASTER (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softmstr.htm )
A supercharged Hackmaster replacement with 100%-compatibility with hacks
and enhanced stability, configuration, diagnostic and activation features and
PalmOS 5.0 support.
TEALMEAL (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softmeal.htm )
A personal restaurant database and selection wizard. Keep a database of your favorites and easily
find them by type or category.
TEALMEMBRAIN (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softmemb.htm )
Memory monitor and stack manager which helps identify conflicts and
greatly improves stability running multiple hacks and drivers.
TEALMOVER (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softmovr.htm )
File management utility to beam, delete, rename, and copy files in RAM
or SD/CF/MMC flash cards.
TEALMOVIE (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softmovi.htm )
High-quality multimedia system with video and synchronized sound. Includes audio/movie player and Windows
AVI/Quicktime converter program.
TEALNOTES (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softnote.htm )
Insert freehand graphic "Sticky Notes" into memos, to-do
lists, address book entries--almost anywhere you currently have editable text.
TEALPAINT (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softpnt.htm )
The most powerful paint and sketch app on Palm OS, featuring 20 tools,
16 patterns, 24 brushes, zoom, hires, layers, multi-undo, and desktop
converter.
TEALPHONE (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softphon.htm )
A powerful address book replacement with superior interface, display,
search, phone dialing support, and indexing options for all your contacts.
TEALPRINT (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softprnt.htm )
The all-in-one text and graphic printing solution for Palm OS,
supporting IR (IrDA) infrared, serial, and HotSync printing to any Windows
printer.
TEALSAFE (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softsafe.htm )
A personal encrypted data vault and wallet for computer passwords,
credit card numbers, calling cards, software registration codes, PIN numbers,
bank accounts, business contacts, journal entries, or any other sensitive
information. A must for features and
security.
TEALSCRIPT (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softscrp.htm )
An improved, tunable, Graffiti replacement that supports custom strokes,
macros, better accuracy, and full screen writing under OS5
TEALTOOLS (
http://www.tealpoint.com/softtool.htm )
Six pop-up desk accessories, including a popup calculator,
clock/stopwatch, preferences panel, editing panel, memopad, and a file/backup
manager. Compatible with DALauncher,
TealLaunch or other launcher hacks.
Manual
by Vince Lee, Sara Houseman, and
TealAuto
by TealPoint Software
©2002-2004 All Rights Reserved.
TealPoint
Software
We look
forward to hearing from you.
Please
visit us at www.tealpoint.com, or email us at support@tealpoint.com.
Version 1.52
–
·
Added option to
export text reports directly to text/csv file on SD/CF/MS card.
·
Fixed printing of graphs to TealPrint on OS5+ handhelds
Version 1.50
–
·
Added support for
independently setting any combination of US, imperial, and metric units for
distance, efficiency, and fuel.
·
Added
user-expandable currency/value unit converter calculator to edit menus
·
Fixed display of
small dividing line on log screens
·
Rearranged
Service/Expense entry screen to more intuitive entry order
Version
1.40 –
·
Added support for imperial Gallons in mixed unit
calculations
·
Fixed mileage calculation overflows when using mixed
units
·
Fixed minor calculation roundoff differences between
fueling screen and report mileage
Version
1.31 –
·
Fixed summary calculation errors with large currency
numbers
·
Fixed fueling calculation error with large currency
numbers
Version
1.30 –
·
Fixed on-the-fly efficiency display on fuel entry
screen to work with distance-per-quantity settings
·
Added option to have "MPG" mileage
calculation mixed with metric units
·
Fixed bar graph calculation and scaling
·
Fixed estimated monthly cost summary when calculated
with large numbers
·
Fixed display of correct vehicle's services when
shown from within vehicle configuration entry
Version 1.00 -
·
Initial Release
We at
TealPoint Software are committed to providing quality, easy-to-use software.
However, this product is provided without warranty and the user accepts full
responsibility for any damages, consequential or otherwise, resulting from its
use.
This
archive is freely redistributable, provided it is made available only in its
complete, unmodified form with no additional files and for noncommercial
purposes only. Any other use must have prior written authorization from
TealPoint Software.
Unauthorized
commercial use includes, but is not limited to:
A
product for sale.
Accompanying
a product for sale.
Accompanying
a magazine, book or other publication for sale.
Distribution
with Media, Copying or other incidental costs.
Available
for download with access or download fees.
This
program may be used on a trial basis for 30 days. The program will continue to
function afterwards. However, if after this time you wish to continue using it,
please register with us for the nominal fee listed in the program.
YOU ARE
ABOUT TO DOWNLOAD, INSTALL, OPEN OR USE PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE OWNED BY TEALPOINT
SOFTWARE, INC. CAREFULLY READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS END USER LICENSE
BEFORE DOING SO, AND CLICK BELOW THAT YOU ACCEPT THESE TERMS.
1.
License. You are authorized to use the Software Product owned and developed by
TealPoint Software, Inc. on a single hand-held computing device on a trial
basis for thirty (30) days. If after 30 days you wish to continue using it, you
are required to register with TealPoint and pay the specified fee. This license
is not exclusive and may not be transferred. You may make one copy of the
Software for back-up and archival purposes only.
2.
Ownership. You acknowledge that the Software Product is the exclusive property
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3.
Restrictions. You may NOT: (a) decompile or reverse engineer the Software
Product; (b) copy (except as provided in 1 above) sell, distribute or
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5.
Termination. You may terminate this Agreement at any time by destroying your copy(ies)
of the Software Product. The Agreement will also terminate if you do not comply
with any of its terms and conditions, at which time you are required to destroy
your copy(ies) of the Software Product and cease all use.
6.
Applicable Law. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of