how to search for a placeholder transaction?

unknown

Quicken 2017 Deluxe running on Windows 10.



I need to know how to search for a placeholder transaction. I'm trying to close an account (the real world account is closed), and Quicken tells me I have unresolved placeholder transactions.



I go to the account list > Display options > Close Account... >


Err msg: "This account has securities balances, please clear the securities before you close the account. [OK]" > [OK]



How does one "clear the securities"?



I go to the account list > [account in question] > Edit



Number of shares = -137.071 (this is bogus, the real account has zero shares in it.)


Market Value = -24990.78.


Cash Balance = 0



I go to the transaction register and enter a new transaction. Action=AdjShBal. I set number of shares to zero. It warns me I already have a placeholder transaction for the same date. do I want to overwrite? I answer "Yes".



I go back to the account list and try to close the account again. Err msg: (same as before) "...please clear the securities..."



How to find a placeholder transaction? When I visually inspect the list of transactions, I find no placeholders. At the bottom of the register, it says "Placeholder Entries (0)". When I use [Ctrl-F] to find "N/A", quicken finds none. When I try to enter a "Bought" transaction, quicken tells me "You are attempting to record a transaction on the same date as a placeholder Transaction. Your share balance will not be affected. Are you sure?"



I give up. This makes me feel like the Quicken securities accounting process is full of holes and gotchas. What's the answer to this riddle?

markus1957

Click show hidden transactions in Preferences>Investment Transactions and/or run a banking transactions report and customize it for the account of interest. They can usually be deleted after using one of these methods to get them to show up.