Terms of use

The end-user license agreement for the PrivateBooks application.

Last updated July 31, 2026

Draft — not yet in force. This agreement is published for transparency while it goes through legal review, and one item (governing law) is still to be completed. PrivateBooks is not yet on sale. When you buy through the Microsoft Store, the Microsoft Store's Standard Application License Terms govern the purchase, and this agreement applies where those terms are silent.

Status: DRAFT, prepared for the owner's legal counsel to review before Store submission (M4 exit gate). Bracketed items need owner/counsel input. This is a working draft, not legal advice, and it has not been reviewed by an attorney yet.

Effective date: *on first Store publication*

This End User License Agreement ("Agreement") is between you and Arc & Ledger Accounting ("Licensor", "we"), and governs your use of the PrivateBooks application (the "App") distributed through the Microsoft Store.

By installing or using the App, you agree to this Agreement. If you do not agree, do not install or use the App.

1. License grant

We grant you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to install and use the App on Windows devices that you own or control, for your personal or internal business bookkeeping, subject to this Agreement and the Microsoft Store's Standard Application License Terms, which apply where this Agreement is silent.

This is a one-time purchase: the license does not expire, does not renew, and includes all updates to version 4 of the App that we publish through the Microsoft Store at no additional charge. Future major versions (version 5 and later) may be offered separately.

2. Your data stays on your device

The App is designed to run entirely on your device. Your books, transactions, receipts, and business data are stored locally on your device in the App's data folder. The App does not send your data to us, and we do not operate servers that receive it.

Because of this design:

  • You are responsible for backing up your data. The App provides backup and export features; use them regularly, and before major changes such as device replacement, OS reinstalls, or large imports. If you lose your device or data without a backup, we cannot recover it for you — we never had it.
  • Deleting the App or its data folder permanently deletes your books unless you have a backup.

3. Bookkeeping tool, not tax or legal advice

The App organizes your records and produces bookkeeping summaries, including reports organized around IRS Schedule C categories, to assist you and your tax preparer.

  • The App, its categorization rules, its guided setup content, and its deduction explainers are general information, not tax, legal, or accounting advice. Tax law changes and your situation is specific.
  • You are responsible for the accuracy of your books and your tax returns. Review the App's output with a qualified tax professional before filing.
  • We do not prepare or file tax returns, and the App is not a substitute for a tax preparer.

4. Acceptable use

You agree not to:

  • reverse engineer the App except where the law expressly permits it;
  • redistribute, resell, rent, or sublicense the App;
  • remove or alter notices, disclaimers, or attributions in the App;
  • misrepresent the App's output as professional tax preparation.

5. Purchase, refunds, and updates

  • The App is sold and delivered by Microsoft through the Microsoft Store. Refunds and billing issues are handled by Microsoft under the Microsoft Store's terms and policies; we do not process payments.
  • Updates are delivered through the Microsoft Store. Installing updates is recommended; some updates may be required for the App to keep working as documented.
  • A free, unsupported legacy edition may remain available outside the Store. It is provided as-is and is not covered by this purchase.

6. Privacy

The App itself collects no personal data and transmits none. Purchase, installation, updates, and any optional Store analytics are processed by Microsoft under Microsoft's privacy policy. Our privacy practices are described at our privacy policy.

7. Disclaimer of warranties

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the App is provided "as is" and "as available," with all faults, and we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the App will be error-free or that its output will satisfy any tax authority.

8. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, in no event will we be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, lost data, lost tax deductions, penalties, or interest, arising from or related to the App or this Agreement. Our total liability for any claim arising from the App or this Agreement is limited to the amount you paid for the App. Some jurisdictions do not allow these limits; where they do not, they apply to the fullest extent allowed.

9. Changes and termination

We may update this Agreement with notice through the App or the Store listing; continued use after an update means you accept it. You may stop using the App at any time by uninstalling it. Sections 2, 3, 7, and 8 survive termination.

10. General

  • Governing law: *to be completed before publication*, without regard to conflict-of-law rules.
  • If part of this Agreement is unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.
  • This Agreement is the entire agreement about the App and replaces prior understandings.
  • Contact: support@privatebooks.org.

Questions

Email support@privatebooks.org.