RubenOlsen
commented
4 weeks ago I am thinking of a multi-part series of articles (a bit like the tour) because I could easily see a guide like this becoming very long.
To begin with:
1) Installation and setup: I suggest we point them to Pikapods as this is the lowest/simplest way to have a secure (as in preventing data loss) and give people the ability to also have their budget on the phone. But, of course - point to the other installations, including downloading the software for pure offline use. Of course, the absolute simplest way is app.actualbudget.org - but I think this may confuse new users more - and also the risk of data loss, lack of server password, etc.
2) Setting up accounts and entering transactions. This will include learning to use Credit Cards, which are paid back in full every month.
3) Budgeting - starting with a simple set of categories.
4) Reports.
5) How to pay back credit card debt (both on an active card - but also on a passive (off-budget) card).
That will give people a simple starting point - then, in the 2nd iteration, add information about Schedules, Payees, Rules and Goals.
Why
Many users report a steep learning curve, especially when setting up rules, schedules, or advanced features like templates. Documentation is insufficient for onboarding, leading to user frustration, particularly for new users.
Background
One of the lessons from our user survey was that onboarding and user education need to be improved. Clearer tutorials would help new users get started with fewer frustrations, especially when navigating complex features like automation and syncing.
Definition of Done / Delivery
Create a step-by-step opinionated guide (with a lot of screenshots) to extend the Roadmap for new users and augment the Starting Fresh guide as this guide give somewhat theoretical background on use of the program.
We'll keep the starting fresh as-is - but point to the step-by-step guide and vice-versa.
It is essential that we have a lot of screenshots.
Screenshots
Category
Overview