Once you have Money installed on your computer, youÆre ready to start it up and create your Money file. The Money Setup Assistant walks you through the process of entering your fundamental information in Money so you can start using Money effectively right away.

1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start.
2. Point to Programs, and then click Microsoft Money 2002.
3. Watch the introductory video, which begins automatically.

When the video finishes, the Money Setup Assistant appears (see Figure 1-3).


Figure 1-3. Welcome to the Money Setup Assistant.

1. Read the first page of the Money Setup Assistant, and then click Next.
2. Complete each page, and then click Next or Finish. Enter as much or as little of your financial information as youÆre prepared for. While using the Setup Assistant is the simplest method, you can always update this information later.
3. When youÆre finished, the Money Home page appears. Your Money file is now set up and customized for you.

Use your Money file on the local hard disk. By default, Money creates your Money file in the My Documents folder on your local hard disk, typically the C: drive. You can move the file to another location on your hard disk, and you can copy backup versions wherever you want. However, donÆt try to use your Money file from a CD, removable disk drive, or networked file share, as this can possibly corrupt your file. For more information, click Managing Your Money File in the left pane.

Experiment with the sample file. To safely experiment with procedures and financial information, open the Sample.mny file that comes with Money. This file is located in the root folder where Microsoft Money is installed. By default, this is in \Program Files\Microsoft Money. Use this file to practice working with Money.