Whichever method you choose, at some point you will need to sit down at your computer and enter your list into MyListMate.  Before you can create a list, you  must have at least 1 Store, 1 Category and 1 Product defined in your database.  

It will be quicker to create a list once you have created all of your products.  However, it is quite possible to create a list and create products as you need to and then add them to the list.

The process for creating a list in MyListMate is quite straight forward.  First, you will need to decide whether you are creating a blank list, or using a Template (See Templates).

If you are creating a blank list you should choose New ... from the List menu (Ctrl + N), or click on the New button on the Main Toolbar.

Adding Products to the List

Having created a list, you can then add products to it.  

First, you will want to choose the Store that you are going to be shopping at.  Use the Store selector combo box above the Product List to select the desired Store.

Next, choose the category that you want to select products from.  Note that it does not matter in which order you choose your categories as the Print Order for categories can be defined by the user.  (See Preferences : Print Order)

Use the Product Search window if you can't remember the exact name of the Product that you want to add, you can't remember the Category that it belongs to, or you want to find the best price for a Product across multiple stores.

1) Create an Initial List with MyListMate

• Create a list that contains all products in the database and print it.  
• Make as many copies as you like.  
• Use this list to create your initial list and mark the products and quantities for the upcoming shopping.
• When finished, create your list in MyListMate and enter the products and quantities that you marked on your initial list.

2) Use a Hand written Initial List

• Write your initial list by hand.
• When finished, create your list in MyListMate and enter the products and quantities that you marked on your initial list.

3) Create directly with MyListMate

• Create your list in MyListMate without the aid of an initial list.

 
2) Change the Unit if desired

3) Change the Quantity if desired

The list total displayed at the bottom right of the Make List page is calculated in the following way.

1) A line total is calculated by multiplying the Quantity for the line by the Price for the line.  If a line is an Estimate then the estimated Price and Quantity are used in the calculation.  If the line is marked as Actual then the Actual Price and Quantity are used in the calculation.

2) All of the line totals are accumulated, giving the list total.
  

4) Use one of the following options to add the product to the list

• Right-click on the product and choose Add to List
• Click on the Add to List button to the right of the Product List 
• Choose Add to List (Ctrl + A) from the Product menu
• Left-click and drag the product from the Product List to the List Window and release the mouse button to drop the Product into the List.

The selected product, unit and quantity will be added to the currently open list and the Total box at the bottom right of the MyListMate window will be updated to include the added product.

Note that when you add products to a list, they are preceded in the list by a red square .  This indicates that the values in the list for that product are estimated values.  When a product has been marked as Actual then it will be preceded by a green dot .

You can change the order that the categories and products are displayed within the list on screen by clicking on the column headings within the list window.

This does not affect the Print Order.