The Personal Banking System

Originally developed for the Sinclair range of computers (ZX80, ZX81 and ZX Spectrum), The Personal Banking System was one of the first programs to be sold with after sale maintenance.

The program was twice featured in the top ten selling programs in the UK (Buffer Micro Shop) and was sold by distributors Syntax Software, Software Masters, Hilderbay and Micromega as well as direct.

In 2020, The Personal Banking System was released as freeware, including the Reconciliation module and uses disk drives in addition to Microdrives. It is the new version produced with a completely redesigned screen display and named The PBS II. This uses the design which continued through all later versions of the PBS including that used by Visual PBS for Windows 10.

The PBS consists of a suite of programs which are designed to be run on the Sinclair QL computer. The main object of the system is to maintain permanent records of your accounting transactions as viewed from a Bank account. The data is stored within the program in the form of arrays and can be manipulated easily in order to perform useful tasks, including:

1. Display scrolling pages of entries posted to the main account via Screen or List to printer).
2. Automatically post standing orders on due dates at regular intervals (from daily, monthly to annual).
3. Make corrections or deletions at any time to entries previously input.
4. Back dated entry - insert a previously omitted entry in correct date sequence within the account record.
5. Search and locate particular items by date (or any part of the date), amount, cheque number or description. Provide totals by category + printout.
6. The PBS II includes the new facility to add password control to your PBS files maintained by a separate Password Maintenance utility program.
7. An Initial Program Load program (IPL) is included (just like the biggest computer company in the world), so you can change the PBS system parameters.

In order to protect the data stored in the program, comprehensive validation checks are performed. This is necessary so that once the program is entered, the computer is continually under program control until it is completed. The Personal Banking System can also be used in conjunction with a printer and produce statement pages with full details.

After completion of any cycle or operation the system offers you a choice of action or next step to be taken.

Two versions are available:

• SuperBasic v 2.04 is the one you want if you wish to delve inside the code and make your own changes.
• Version 3.5 is also written in SuperBasic but has been compiled into executable code using QLiberator. The source code is also included at great sacrifice!

A later version 5 was also released (what happened to v4?) which provides an export file for Psion's Easel. This version was provided by a customer who compiled the PBS using the Turbo compiler. It is not yet available as freeware.

Title: The Personal Banking System
Language: SuperBASIC compiled with QLiberator
Author: Jack Gibbons
Publisher: Hilton Computer Services
Year of Publication: Unknown
Platforms Suitable for: Any QL
Commercial Status: Freeware
Price as at October 1985: Unknown
Reviews: Unknown
Sources Available from: Included
Latest Version available from: Sinclair QL Homepage