I understand the desire for a simpler SLR dialog. The one in 2.0.x required navigating multiple pages of a druid in order to create transactions. But I've grown accustomed to its quirkiness, and find it far more usable than the new, simplified version currently in head.
First, I'll describe and comment on the SLR as it stands in 2.0.x:
The first page of the SLR druid in 2.0.x would be of "Transaction Reminders".
It has a nice bold heading indicating that these are just reminders, with a
good textual clarification, "The listed Scheduled Transaction are to-be
created soon. Select any which you would like to create now, and
click "Forward" to create them."
Listed would be the SX name, date, frequency, and days away.
The next page showed all the transation that would be Automatically created.
It is boldly labeled "Auto-Created Transaction Notification" and displays as
a register containing automatically created SX transactions. Marginally
useful, but clear to the user.
The next page shows "To-Create Transaction Preparation." .
Granted there's a bit too much techno speak going on there, it might be better
titled "Pending Transactions." It contains a list of transactions that will
be created, but may require additional user interaction. It is also the point
at which the user can change the "State" (perhaps "Status" would be a better
term to use in that dialog, but I digress). I can change the State (or
status) of the SX from "Ready to create" to "Ignore" or "Postpone." I've used
this page frequently when I want to just process those transactions I do via
on line bill pay and to postpone those transactions that require me to write
an actual check. Change the status on a couple of SXs and click Forward to
process the remaining.
The next page depends on whether there are any SXs with variables or not. If
there are variables that require input, then the user is presented with a
variable entry dialog.
After all the variables are entered, and all the SXs are ready to create, the
next page provides the user with a final review of the transactions to be
created. That dialog is clearly labeled "Created Transaction Review."
And finally the user is presented with a "Press Apply to create these
transactions" page, where the user could cancel out of everything, or press
Apply to commit the entrries.
Now you might say that's a lot of dialogs to force a user through just to
create some SXs, but the dialogs are clear, well labeled, and logical.
----------------
Now I'll describe the new diaog, and why I don't particularly care for it (and
maybe some ways to improve it):
When starting the SLR, the user is presented with a single window
titled "Since Last Run". There's no bold name of the window, there's no
description of what the window is for. It's just a window containing what
appears to be every transaction reminder and every transaction ready to be
created.
Well, I don't want to see the reminders interspersed in with the SXs that are
ready to be created. I liked how the 2.0.x SLR separates the two. Maybe a
compromise would be to provide a button to hide or show the reminders. By
default, hide the reminders. If the user clicks the "Show Reminders" button,
then display the transaction reminders and change the button to "Hide
Reminders"
I also don't like how I have to click and hold the Instance State in order to
select another Instance State for an SX. Let me click, let go and then select
a new state.
Additionally, I don't like it displaying SXs that are neither reminders nor
ready to be created. It clutters the dialog and causes confusion.
The headings of the dialog are too techno-speak. Instead of "SX, Instance,
Variable" something like "Transaction" would be better. Instead of "Instance
State" I'd prefer "Status." Instead of "Variable Value" use "Value"
or "Amount." And if it is a variable, show it as (need value), if not,
display an amount. Perhaps the amount on the first line of the SX. Maybe even
add an account name to the dialog. Perhaps the account displayed could be
specified in the SX itself, in the template transaction dialog by adding a
display tag. Each line item on the template transaction could have a checkbox
for displaying in the SLR. But I'd prefer to see something like
Transaction Status Amount Account
Payday
6/20/07 To be created $1000 Income:Salary
Instead of the arrow thingy that lets the user expand the SX instances, why
not just show the SX names in Bold and list the instances below, in a
semi-outline kind of fashion? The usefulness of being able to expand or
contract the instances of an SX escapes me, but I think there would be an
appearance and readability benefit from making the SX names bold.
Regardless, the display of the SXs in the SLR could be made so much more user
friendly, IMO.
I'll admit that as I looked at the new SLR in a bit more detail tonight, I see
where it could be an improvement over the old SLR. But as it stands now, I
certainly prefer the old SLR to the new.
Regards,
Tim
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