At the bottom of your account register is the Personalized Feedback pane, where you can see various aspects of your financial status. Money analyzes the information in your file, compares it with priorities, plans, or limits you have established for yourself, and lets you know how youÆre doing. For example, suppose youÆve set a $100 monthly limit for leisure pursuits. As you enter transactions, Money will tell you how much youÆve spent so far that month on leisure-related categories.

Specifically, Personalized Feedback offers the following types of information:

• Monthly spending thermometers. When you enter or select a transaction that affects a budgeted category, the monthly spending thermometer tells you how much youÆve spent in the category so far that month, as compared to the spending limits or budgeted amounts youÆve set.
• Upcoming bills and deposits. You can view and record your upcoming account transactions without leaving the account register.
• Cash flow chart. Review your projected account balances and point to dates on the chart to view projected daily account balances.

To review your current Personalized Feedback, go to the account register page for any account. As you enter transactions, your Personalized Feedback is updated to reflect relevant spending thermometers, updated bill reminders, and new cash flow projections (see Figure 4-3).


Figure 4-2. Review your Personalized Feedback.

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize Advisor FYI.
2. Click the Monthly Spending tab.
3. Select the category for which you want to set a thermometer.
4. To set a new spending limit, select the Tell me when my monthly spending in this category is check box.
5. To set a dollar amount as your spending limit, select the over option, and then enter the amount. To limit your spending according to your budget, select the over monthly budget or within 15% of budget option you want.
6. Click OK.

Money also provides information on sound financial practices to help you upgrade your personal financial management skills. YouÆll see Advisor FYI links relevant to your financial situation as reflected in your Money file. These links appear in the toolbar and on the Home page. For example, you might see a recommendation to create a lifetime financial plan, or to invest some extra cash sitting in your checking account. The Advisor FYI link indicates the title of the suggestion. To see more information and take specific action on the suggestion, click the link (see Figure 4-4).

Advisor FYI and your Monthly Report. In the Monthly Report, you can see a summary of the Advisor FYI alerts you received during the month. To run your most recent Monthly Report, click Monthly Reports on the Reports menu, and then click the report date.

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize Advisor FYI.
2. Work through each tab to specify the types of suggestions, alerts, and reminders you want to receive as part of Advisor FYI. For example, you can specify that you only want to receive alerts having to do with taxes and reducing debt. You can also have Advisor FYI alert you when account balances fall below a certain amount, or remind you of important dates such as quarterly tax payments.
3. When finished setting your Advisor FYI options, click OK.

Money Express. You can also get account feedback with Money Express. This is a miniature version of Money that starts when you start your computer, to provide current account balances and remind you of upcoming bills and deposits. For more information, in the Ask Money box at the bottom of the Help pane, type ôMoney Expressö and then click Search.