The 9th beta version of Squirrel 0.8.2 is now out. It mainly fixes visual glitches for users still using Leopard. This update also prepares the transition to report templates. We’ve received many requests to improve the exported reports: include a table containing the sum spent by category, not to include the transactions list…

The solution we’ve come up with is a template based report engine. A future update will introduce an intermediary view asking to choose for a template when exporting a report.

If you have ideas for templates you would like to be included, you can send mockups to axel@squirrelapp.com. We accept any kind of file (PDF, HTML, pages, numbers or image files).

The latest beta update features the same report layout as before, but it is now generated from an HTML file contained in the application’s ressources. For the most advanced users, it’s even possible to modify this file directly to customize the exported report design. We’ll be posting some documentation about the template syntax. If you have any requests for new template tags, don’t hesitate to send them.

It’s been a few months since that the beta version of the next update of Squirrel started and I know many of you are wondering about how the development is going. As you might already know, the 0.8.2 version introduces support for multiple currencies. This meant that the algorithm managing the exhange rate for each transaction had to be tested intensively by end users, hence the public beta version. This also meant that the database structure had to be modified which made the iPhone version incompatible. This is why the iPhone sync feature is currently deactivated in the current beta.

What about the iPhone app? Well, I’m currently rewriting it from the ground up for several reasons. It’ll be taking advantage of Core Data, introduced in iPhone OS 3, should get much better performance and will possibly get rid of a recurring bug related to transactions would be moved to the wrong account after a sync. I’m also working on a new interface. The old one was quite standard and some competitors really have a great UI.

There is still quite a lot of work. The dev version currently handles 0.8.2 databases, and features a better layout of budgets (with a total line to see the big picture about their progress). I still have to implement the incredible multiple currencies algorithm and make it run efficiently on the iPhone, and complete a better sync implementation. I’ll also have to make all this compatible with previous versions of Squirrel.

This is quite a long transition period but it’ll be worth the wait. I’ll be anouncing a private beta test for the iPhone app. In the meantime, you can still check out our Twitter account for fresh updates.

Squirrel 0.8.2 introduces multiple currencies support, and the beta test begins today. Many of you have been eager to see this, and it’s been a real challenge to implement.

Basically, when you spend some money in a foreign currency, Squirrel 0.8.2 knows how much it represents in your base currency, based on the exchange rates of transfers between your accounts. Moreover, when you edit one of the amounts of the transactions of a transfer, Squirrel updates the exchange rate just as you would expect.

Still, before releasing the Squirrel into the wild, we need to validate this system. If you want to be a beta tester, you can download the first version there:

http://www.squirrelapp.com/download/Squirrel_0.8.2b19.zip

Don’t hesitate to send your feedback, tell us how it works for you.

Be advised you should make a backup of your data before using this beta version. The iPhone sync has also been deactivated as Squirrel for iPhone is not compatible yet with this new system. We’re currently working on it, and it should be submitted to Apple as soon as the multiple currencies system is validated.

The zip file contains detailled information about the multiple currencies support in Squirrel. If you have any questions, please send an email to axel@squirrelapp.com so we can update the documentation.

It’s been a few months since the last update of Squirrel, and we’re now opening a public beta test for Squirrel 0.8.

Back in May when Squirrel 0.7.5 came out, our next plans were to greatly improve the reports. They had been designed very early in Squirrel’s development and they had almost never changed. Since then, we introduced tags and many users requested a better way to analyze their spendings according to their tags, and even see a list of the transactions for that particular category.

Squirrel 0.8 features a new reporting engine with 3 modes: categories, tags and transactions list. As your spendings are displayed on the screen, you can now click on a particular category or tag, and transactions will be filtered according to that. This allow you to dive into your spendings to analyze them in detail. You can now also change the timeframe on the fly.

This new version also introduces forecasting based on scheduled transactions. Go to the preferences to enable that, and choose a forecasting timeframe. Squirrel will generate the next occurrences of your scheduled transactions. Their amount is dynamically changed as other transactions change. Those occurrences are in read-only mode though, which means you won’t be able to edit them until they have been “payed” in the Schedules section.

Then we’ve also implemented support for multiple iPhone and/or iPod Touch syncing. This has been requested by many of you who manage their budgets with their husband or wife.

Those were the new features for Squirrel 0.8. During its development, Snow Leopard compatibility issues showed up and I had to fix them. Many parts of the code have been rewritten, but that allowed me to bring some performance improvements.

Because of all these new features, and because Snow Leopard comes out today, we’re opening an open beta test for Squirrel 0.8. Don’t forget to make a backup of your database if you wish to test it. Feel free to send your feedback to axel@squirrelapp.com.

Here is the link to the latest beta version:

http://www.squirrelapp.com/download/Squirrel_0.8b6.zip

Squirrel 0.7.4 has just been released. It fixes some bugs, including those that prevented the undo feature from working properly.

We have some new features as well: a new reconciliation module designed for those who reconcile their accounts with their paper bank statement, some UI improvements (better budgets review, no more blurs in the history graph), and a great new icon made by Iiro Jappinen.

Furthermore, you can now follow us on Twitter to get updates on the development.