Buy now!  

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Before you give up, please browse through the technical support topics listed below and check the Online Help accesible directly from the program.  Better than 90% of our user's questions are answered this way.  If you don't find the answer to your question, contact us via e-mail: support1 at easy-budget.com.  Or you can reach us at our support line: (818)671-3729 OR (818)458-0827.

  1. I don't like all those zeros that appear in an account which is blank. How do I get rid of them?
  2. I can't get Easy Budget to load at all! Every time I type in my password the program stops and says, "Incorrect Password!" Help!
  3. I keep getting this error message, "Locked or protected cells cannot be changed."
  4. I don't think my EASY BUDGET for Feature Films is adding right! I put in the current rate for Day Players, but it gives me another total.
  5. The total number of crew members is incorrect. By my count we have 63 crew members, but EASY BUDGET says we have only 60.
  6. How do I change EASY BUDGET to display different currency formats?
  7. Excel 2007, Windows Vista, Open Office.
  8. Excel Security Alerts.
Q. I don't like all those zeros that appear in an account which is blank. How do I get rid of them?
A. The zeros display in empty accounts because of the default settings in EXCEL. Your spreadsheet controls how Easy Budget displays the zero values.  Here's how to change it:

For Excel versions up to and including Excel 2003, (Windows)and up to and including Excel 2005 for Apple(OfficeX):

  1. Click on TOOLS
  2. Select, OPTIONS from the drop-down list
  3. Click on the VIEW tab
  4. Locate the box labeled ZERO VALUES
  5. De-select (remove the check mark) from the Zero Values box
  6. Click OKAY

The zeros will be gone.

For Excel 2007 only:

  1. Click the Windows button at the top left of the screen.
  2. Click on Excel Options at the bottom.
  3. Select Advanced on the left side of the dialog box.
  4. Scroll down toward the bottom to Display Options for This Worksheet.
  5. Delselect, (uncheck) "Show a zero in cells that have zero value."
  6. Click OK.

The zeros will be gone.

However, we recommended that you KEEP the zero values visible until you've completed the budget and are ready to print. For most users, the zeros are a good reminder that you might have to enter something in an account. Using the above instructioins you can always remove the zeros later when you're done with the budget.

Keep in mind that any BLUE color indicates a place where you CAN enter a figure, and BLACK indicates a value that Easy Budget calculates for you (including zero values).

back to top

 
Q. I can't get Easy Budget to load at all! Every time I type in my password the program stops and says, "Incorrect Password!" Help!
A. The password, which is the serial number printed on the label of your original Easy Budget CD-Rom, is "case sensitive." That is, "xx1234" is not the same as "XX1234."

Make sure the <Numlock> key is off.  Many keyboards have a small light which indicates when the numlock key is on.  This causes a problem if the numlock key is on and you're using the number key pad on the right side of your keyboard.

Easy budget passwords are always in lower case.

back to top

 
Q. I keep getting this error message, "Locked or protected cells cannot be changed".  When I click on Tools and then Unprotect, my serial number doesn't work. What's up?
A. This really isn't an error message at all.  Your serial number is used to open the program only, not to unlock "protected cells."  If these cells were changed, your budget would no longer work.  Fact is, almost all areas of EASY BUDGET can be changed.  Remember to look for the text or numbers in BLUE color.  Even the major account headings can be changed.  See the instruction manual for details. (This message does not appear in the most current versions of Easy Budget.)

back to top

 
Q. I don't think my EASY BUDGET for Feature Films is adding right!  I put in the current rate for Day Players, but instead of 4 days times the daily rate, it gives me the weekly rate.
A. Relax, EASY BUDGET isn't adding wrong.  EASY BUDGET knows that it's cheaper to hire a union actor for the weekly rate if you're going to use this actor for more than three days.  It inserts the weekly rate because it's cheaper overall than the daily rate.

Don't forget that when you sign this actor to a contract, make sure it's on a weekly, not a daily contract.  SAG (and other unions), won't let you change an actor (or non-actor), from a daily to a weekly contract after you've signed a daily contract with them.

If this actor will be a "drop and pickup," (i.e.: works a few days at the beginning of your shoot, and then comes back much later to finish), you should put the actor down twice.  If you don't get a waiver from the actor and SAG, you'll have to pay the actor for the whole period.  Hummm, might be time to adjust the shooting schedule?

back to top

 
Q. The total number of crew members is incorrect.  By my count we have 63 crew members, but EASY BUDGET says we have only 60.
A. You need to carefully look at each person in every account.  If you want a person to be considered as a crew member, you need to have at least a number 1 in the "housed" column.  This is important because EASY BUDGET makes it's calculations for crew-related costs (like transportation, accomodations, food, per diem, etc.), based on this information.

If you have two crew members on the same line (like Extra Labor), make sure you put a 2 in that space instead of 1.

back to top

Q. I'm using Excel 2007 and Windows Vista and the toolbar doesn't look the same as in the instruction manual.
A. The EASY BUDGET version on your program disc for Excel2007, (or Excel 2007 running on the Windows Vista OS) makes use of the new Windows Ribbon, rather than the Windows toolbar. Your ribbon will look similar to this:

The newer versions, (Budget_10.xlsm for Features and Budget_9.xlsm for Commercials) contain the same functionality as previous versions of EASY BUDGET. If you're using Excel 2003 for example, there's no need to go out and buy a new version of Excel.

back to top

 

Q. I'm using Excel 2007 and I see this message when I first opened EASY BUDGET. What should I do?

A. Microsoft has added many new features to Excel 2007 including more protection from viruses and malware. When you first open EASY BUDGET, Excel may post a Security Alert. Unfortunately these well-intentioned protections can prevent EASY BUDGET from working properly.

You may see two alerts, one for Macros & ActiveX and another labeled as Data Connection. If you see these warnings, select Enable this Content for both and click OK. Enabling Macros & ActiveX allows the EASY BUDGET programming to run and enabling the Data Connection allows EASY BUDGET to connect via the Internet and update the most recent information to calculate foreign currency conversion and give you access to our extensive online help.

You must enable both for EASY BUDGET to operate properly.

Open Office: Although the spreadsheet included with the Open Office suite of programs appears to be a great program with a good future, Easy Budget does NOT currently work with this program. We may adapt the program to work with Open Office in the future.

back to top

 

Q. How do I change EASY BUDGET to display different currency formats?
A. The Feature Films version of EASY BUDGET will display in the following currency formats: Dollars, UK pounds, Euros and Yen.

Simply go to the "SPECS" page and scroll down to the Currency selection box. Click on any of the currencies listed and EASY BUDGET will change the curency symbols all through the budget. Note that there are no cents with Japanese Yen.

The Commercials and Video version only displays in dollars, but just like the Feature Films version, it will convert from dollars to any of several world currencies.

back to top

Don't forget that tech support is free to registered users of Easy Budget. You can contact via email at (support1 at easy-budget.com), or give us a call at our support number which was included with your EASY BUDGET software package. Have your serial number handy when calling - we can't help you without it. We will also need to know which version of Excel you're using and which operating system. Also, check the information file on your original Easy Budget program disc for helpful hints.

back to top

Copyright © 1994-2009, The Easy Budget Company.
Last Updated in October, 2009
For more information, contact webmaster1 at easy-budget.com