General Usability Improvements; Screen Scaling, Printing Suggestions (11 Legacy Votes)
Timothy Frank
Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭
The general usability of Quicken needs improvement. The interface is awkward to use in several areas ... let me expand on this idea.
Microsoft provides general scaling for its windowing. This includes useful and handy features within programs like Excel that allow automatic sizing of columns and print preview. Quicken uses a fixed, manually adjustable column method. Also, Microsoft allows automatic font scaling (the "control + wheel" method) in many of its interfaces. This is incredibly handy, and works very well with the automatic column sizing.
For this purpose, automatic column sizing simply means that the program will automatically scale the column width so that the widest text in the column is fully displayed on the screen ... and the column is only as wide as the widest text.
This same issue applies to printing. A person will spend hours picking and hunting and playing with the Quicken print interface to cause data to appear normally and fully (without being truncated by ellipsis), including playing with font sizes, column widths, etc. Extremely annoying and very time consuming. A feature whereby the page could be made to automatically scale to the page (1 page wide), or to two pages, and to insert page breaks, would be really helpful.
Microsoft supplies windowing control software for its OS, and so do many other vendors, so I'm surprised at how dated the interfaces into Quicken have become.
Note; after mountains of research, Quicken continues to supply a surprisingly useful set of accounting features. Nothing else out there - whether web based, or local software app - comes close to the utility provided by Quicken.
What really does need work, though, is the general usability ... the interface. The basic, every day utility interfaces to reporting windows, printing windows, etc.
Microsoft provides general scaling for its windowing. This includes useful and handy features within programs like Excel that allow automatic sizing of columns and print preview. Quicken uses a fixed, manually adjustable column method. Also, Microsoft allows automatic font scaling (the "control + wheel" method) in many of its interfaces. This is incredibly handy, and works very well with the automatic column sizing.
For this purpose, automatic column sizing simply means that the program will automatically scale the column width so that the widest text in the column is fully displayed on the screen ... and the column is only as wide as the widest text.
This same issue applies to printing. A person will spend hours picking and hunting and playing with the Quicken print interface to cause data to appear normally and fully (without being truncated by ellipsis), including playing with font sizes, column widths, etc. Extremely annoying and very time consuming. A feature whereby the page could be made to automatically scale to the page (1 page wide), or to two pages, and to insert page breaks, would be really helpful.
Microsoft supplies windowing control software for its OS, and so do many other vendors, so I'm surprised at how dated the interfaces into Quicken have become.
Note; after mountains of research, Quicken continues to supply a surprisingly useful set of accounting features. Nothing else out there - whether web based, or local software app - comes close to the utility provided by Quicken.
What really does need work, though, is the general usability ... the interface. The basic, every day utility interfaces to reporting windows, printing windows, etc.
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Comments
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What year version of QWin are you currently using?
Quicken user since Q1999. Currently using QW2017.
Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list0 -
I agree wholeheartedly. I am using QW Deluxe 2016, and have many issues re: column sizing and printing. The Budget entry screen is completely unusable on my iMac Retina display, I have to go to my laptop to use that feature. My register column sizes change when I go back and forth between the mac and the laptop, and sometimes even when I don't. Printing a simple report is a nightmare. One of my biggest complaints however is the prompt to buy an upgrade. When that pops up on the Mac, it takes over the whole screen and I can't get to the buttons or checkmarks so I can't get into the program at all. I have the box to remind me later unchecked, but it still pops up now and again. Aren't the constant emails reminders enough, do you have to disrupt my work flow too? Aggravation. I also agree that there does not seem to be anything comparable out there. But I'm looking. The interface used to be user-friendly. Not so much any more.0
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Easy to say, hard to implement.
The interface used to be user-friendly. Not so much any more.
In fact it is very fact that the interface hasn't changed that causes the problems. As Windows and displays have changed how they do scaling and such, Quicken's interface hasn't been updated. Most likely because it would take more effort and expertise than Quicken Inc can provide.
BTW for a lot of people Quicken 2017 does "better" on high DPI screens than Quicken 2014 through Quicken 2016. It is far from ideal though.0 -
Quicken Rental Property Manager, 2017.mshiggins said:What year version of QWin are you currently using?
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This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled Quicken Deluxe 2017 - Zoom / Scaling of Quicken Windows and Displays.
I just installed Quicken Deluxe 2017. I am disappointed. Quicken 2017 is advertised as having a "new look that is easier to use and navigate". It has the same limited controls for setting font size.
On the Quicken Home tabs (Home, Bills, Spending, etc.) I had to scroll left/right to see all of text. I found the Large Font check box under the View menu item. I clicked off Large Font and got a very small font. Hard to read but it was all there.
I have a 23" monitor set at the recommended resolution of 1920X1200. In Windows 10 Display Settngs / Customize Display I have set "Change the size of text, apps, and other items:" to 125%. So I have made a global change to increase the size of all fonts.
I could go to Windows 10 control panel and change the font sizes for all Title bars, Menus, Message boxes, etc. These are global settings. But I only need to change Quicken's display size.
With many programs and apps there is a capability to zoom/scale to a comfortable viewing size. For example, with the browsers (IE, Edge, Firefox, Chrome) and in Microsoft Office I can use ctl-mouse wheel to quickly vary the zoom / scaling level to any level in any individual. No need to fool with Microsoft Control Panel or the Settings or to settle for a choice of only large or small fonts or make changes to fixed font sizes through a preference. I just roll the mouse wheel to a zoom level that I find comfortable for the task.
My feature request is the capability to zoom / scale any Quicken display with the ctl-mouse wheel combination. If this feature already exists, please let me know how to turn this on.
steve1 -
This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled Register Preferences.
https://www.quicken.com/support/register-preferences
see "Fonts"
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this will enlarge register fonts only, not the "accounts" sidebar ...
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after tinkering a bit more, I found the working (for me) solution ...
first set "Use Large Fonts" from under "View", then adjust register fonts in "preferences"
"Edit" >> "Preferences" >> "Register" >> "Fonts"
Note: This conversation was created from a reply on: Quicken Deluxe 2017 - Zoom / Scaling of Quicken Windows and Displays.0 -
Mr. Frank and all of these respondents make a compelling argument. Just because I'm willing to "live with some things" doesn't mean I necessarily like them or that they can't be improved. Report customization using the scaling and "fit to one page wide" feature leap to mind first0
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This issue has been ongoing for many years. What would it take to get quicken to fix the issue to allow us to adjust the column widths to allow us to print the info we may want or need in a report for whatever reason, even in Legal size paper in landscape mode to print all columns? Why do I have to have a print copy with way more payee space width than I need, yet the Category column is way to short to be able to display the category/tag ( which is the only way to see tags) / and or Memo, let alone Notes. This has been an issue for years! I'd sure would like quicken to explain this conundrum. I think it unbelievable this can't be done, with the smallest font on legal size paper there should be a lot more room to show a lot more information. I think many large financial institutions are required the show "COMPLETE" reports to customers and clients, not to mention a backup hard copy. This Quicken program is based on the Excel spreadsheet type of code, and the column lengths CAN be adjusted in Excel!0
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Hello TJ,
Thank you for bringing this to the attention of the Community!
I went ahead and merged your post with an ongoing Idea for this same feature request. Our developer's review Idea threads to get an idea of what people would like Quicken to offer.
Be sure to add your vote by clicking on the gray triangle right above the current vote count, located in the blue box at the beginning of this thread:
Thank you,
Quicken Natalie
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I have the Quicken Deluxe for Windows, subscription version, so I'm always using the latest release of the software.0
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I also find it aggravating to have to resize the register columns each time I resize my window of Quicken. I usually scan all my daily receipts into a folder and then open each scanned receipt and size it to fit beside Quicken on the one and only screen I have. Then I have the information to enter the information into Quicken. I then move onto the next one. After completing entry, I maximize Quicken so that I can analyze and report the information. Again, I must resize the columns. Windows has the capabilities built into several of the Microsoft products. I would very much appreciate that function be included in Quicken.
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Concur wholeheartedly, especially on high resolution displays. Text is either too small with standard font, or way too big with large font option. To accommodate Quicken, I am forced to reduce the resolution of my display and then use choose the Quicken large font option. That works for Quicken at the expense of having the advantage of Hi-Res on all of my other apps. Please offer more and/or scalable font sizes.
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I'm still waiting for some response (positive) about this issue. 😒
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This conversation started in 2017—7 years ago. Still no response from Quicken, much less a fix. Sad. It would be nice if the developers would at least respond, "We are aware of this and working on it day and night. One work-around I use on my laptop it that I have many (3) external screens attached and when I move a register to the larger screens I can see all the columns.
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