Getting Started with Quicken WillMaker Plus

Registering your copy of Quicken WillMaker Plus gives you access to a variety of services and benefits, including technical support. We recommend that you register the first time you use the program.

To register your copy:

1. Do one of the following:
   • From the Registration screen in the program's introduction, click Register Now.
   • From anyplace else in the program, choose Online > Online Registration.
2. Follow the directions on the online registration page.

Updating Your Version of the Program

We regularly update Quicken WillMaker Plus to accommodate changing laws or fix problems our users report. To make sure you're running the latest version, use Web Update, a feature that downloads and installs any revisions we've made to the program.

Run Web Update the first time you use the program and as often as possible thereafter -- either automatically at program startup (the default preference for the program) or manually at intervals you choose.

Enabling and Disabling Automatic Updates Checks: Windows

By default, Quicken WillMaker Plus checks for newer versions every time you start up the program (as long as you have an open Internet connection). If it detects a newer version, you're prompted to download and install the newer files (which may take a few minutes). The program will then restart.

If you'd rather not have these checks done automatically, you can turn off this feature by changing the default preference. If you decide to change this preference -- we recommend that you don't -- be sure to run Web Update manually at regular intervals.

To change the "automatic update" preference:

1. Choose Edit > Preferences.
2. Click the check box next to Automatically check for updates when the program starts to mark it with a ✓check mark-- or to clear the ✓check mark from the box if it's already checked. If the check box is empty, the program will check for updates only when you run Web Update manually.

Running Web Update Manually: Windows

To run Web Update manually choose Online > Web Update. Follow the directions that appear on screen.

Automatic Update Checks: Mac

Quicken WillMaker Plus checks for newer versions every time you start up the program (as long as you have an open Internet connection). If it detects a newer version, you're prompted to download and install the new version (which may take a few minutes). The program will then restart.

Running Web Update Manually: Mac

To check for a new version of Quicken WillMaker Plus manually, choose Help > Check for Updates…

Tip: if you have Internet connection problems. If you're having trouble connecting to the Internet from within Quicken WillMaker Plus, open your Web browser as you normally would from outside the program, then return to the program and try again. If problems persist, see Handling Web Update Problems in Part 7.

Quitting and Restarting Quicken WillMaker Plus

You can quit Quicken WillMaker Plus by doing any of the following:

Windows

• Choose File > Exit.
• Click the close box (marked with an "X") in the upper right-hand corner of the program.
• Press ALT+F4.

Mac

• Choose WillMaker > Quit WillMaker.
• Click the close button (marked with an "X") in the upper left-hand corner of the program.
• Press Command + Q.

Any changes you've made to your documents since the last time you saved your data are automatically saved when you quit. By default, the Automatically save changes feature is turned on. If you've turned Automatically save changes off (in Edit > Preferences) the programs prompt you to save your changes when you quit. For more information on saving your data, see Saving Your WillMaker File in Part 5.

You can restart the program just as you started it the first time. If you completed the program's introduction before you quit, you'll go directly to My Documents. My Documents is your main jumping-off point for creating your essential estate planning documents (or for working with documents you've already created).