Not everyone is comfortable with using the automatic transaction downloads that most online personal finance apps offer, but, entering all transactions manually is time consuming.  A good option that falls between auto-updates and entering data yourself is to import transactions from your bank and other financial institutions to the online software. This is a two part process: first you download selected transactions to your hard drive, and then import to the software.

3 Easy Steps to Download Transactions is a short tutorial with sample images that you can use as a guide to export transactions online from financial accounts before you import the transactions into your software.

• Best Online Personal Finance Apps
• Are Online Apps Safe?

When I first learned about Adaptu, I blogged about its investment support features.  I still think the Investor Center is a great addition to this free online personal finance software, and the Community, which is separate from financial tools, offers great advice from expert personal finance coaches, complete with videos and discussions. Of course, the money management tools are on par with what other online personal finance apps offer.

I like to view my my bills on a calendar rather than a dated list, and Adaptu's bills calendar works well.

Check out my Adaptu review to learn more, and visit the Adaptu website.

Image: Adaptu bills calendar.

• More Online Money Management Apps
• How to Use a Financial Calendar in Personal Finance Software
• Online vs. Desktop Personal Finance Software

Has keeping track of receipts become a real hassle? Look no further, there are solutions for getting all that paper organized, whether you need to do so for expense reporting, backing up potential insurance claims, to keep better tax deduction records, or for any other reason.

I've rounded up the best choices for online and mobile solutions, and Windows and Mac software that will keep receipts organized.

Other receipt organizing options are to use home inventory software, use the attachments feature in Quicken personal finance software, or link images in Microsoft Money.

• Scanning Software, Tips and Help

It's really pretty easy to set up personal finance software. Just start with setting up accounts that mirror your real financial accounts, then let the software guide you through the rest. So why do people so often try to take short cuts when the set up is already anything but time consuming? Maybe plowing through stuff like setting up software is just human nature, or maybe people are just lazy. Or both.

Here's a look at some short cuts that are guaranteed to cause problems with personal finance software, sooner or later.