Allow users to turn off syncing between Quicken Cloud and Financial Institutions (11 Legacy Votes)

splasher

I can't prove it, but it seems like the data corruption that is caused in the desktop data file after syncing with the Quicken Cloud Account (QCA) is due to the process of the QCA syncing with the FIs independently of the desktop and then trying to merge that data back into the desktop data file which also might have that same information already in it due to OSU.

My proposed idea is to allow the user to turn off the sync between the QCA and the FIs.

That way, the only new data coming from the QCA to the desktop is those transactions that the user manually enters via QMobile or QWeb.

Snowman

Unknown

That makes sense since I experienced corrupted data files only when syncing with the FI through Quicken connect while using the synced account option in Quicken preferences.  When that was turned back to Web connect, I did not experience the data file corruption.

splasher

ericw

Unknown

@Snowman & @Gasport ; 

Don't forget to vote for the idea if you agree.

Done, and thanks for the reminder.

Jerry_

splasher

What you are talking about, does that explain why I get an error saying "The desktop transaction in "Account name" on Date for dollar amount was not synced.  Illegal operation".

I have no idea if that is what is causing the issue, it may or may not.

I just think it would be a good idea that the user have to the choice to not have the QCA do downloads from the FI.

Unknown

splasher, I LOVE your Idea!!. This situation has been discussed even over ten months ago!!

I hope that Chris (QPW) does not mind me relating back to a discussion that we had over 10 months ago starting here:.
https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/transactions-are-shown-as-cleared-after-syncing-...

Due to the linking to the FIs with the Cloud Account, I have always initiated an OSU within the Desktop Quicken before doing a Sync within the Program'

Jerry is always alright to reference another thread on here.  :-)

Unknown

Jerry_

splasher, I LOVE your Idea!!. This situation has been discussed even over ten months ago!!

I hope that Chris (QPW) does not mind me relating back to a discussion that we had over 10 months ago starting here:.
https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/transactions-are-shown-as-cleared-after-syncing-...

Due to the linking to the FIs with the Cloud Account, I have always initiated an OSU within the Desktop Quicken before doing a Sync within the Program'

Oh GOOD. (grin)

Jerry_

This suggestion does bring up an interesting point, and that is exactly how are they determining "unique transactions".

For years it has been known that Quicken Desktop is quite bad at matching transactions.  And these days it mostly depends on the unique Id that is generated by the financial institution or the Intuit server for Express Web Connect (which has two glaring problems of its own).

I think we have to assume that "the cloud server" is doing the same, using the unique Id.
Well I should say it is NOW doing it.  Look at Katheryn's post here:
https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/quicken-cloud-messes-up-local-copy

If she is right about this then the "problem" should now be greatly reduced.  (I can't believe they actually didn't have this in place on the server before!)

Note I do still see "loopholes" that might cause problems, one of which is one of the glaring problems from Intuit generating unique Ids.  And basically it is because they don't generate unique Ids.

A truly unique Id would always stay the same.

The unique Ids Intuit is generating change if you reset the account connection or if you deactivated and reactivated the account.

If the "cloud server" doesn't catch these changes and purge its data (and rebuild it by syncing from the Desktop), these events are going to cause problems.

BTW the other glaring problem with the Intuit generated unique Ids is that it assigns the same one for different transactions if all the fields are the same.  For instance you have a toll highway, and you pay the same fee going and coming from work (this is an actual reported use case).  Now the date, payee, and amount are all the same, but it is a different transaction.  Intuit's system isn't smart enough to see that there are two such transactions and bump a counter/unique Id.

Here is hoping as Quicken.Inc grows that it might take over Intuit's handling of  Unique IDs on their own "Cloud Server" and gain knowledge from Intuits  experiences.

splasher

This suggestion does bring up an interesting point, and that is exactly how are they determining "unique transactions".

For years it has been known that Quicken Desktop is quite bad at matching transactions.  And these days it mostly depends on the unique Id that is generated by the financial institution or the Intuit server for Express Web Connect (which has two glaring problems of its own).

I think we have to assume that "the cloud server" is doing the same, using the unique Id.
Well I should say it is NOW doing it.  Look at Katheryn's post here:
https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/quicken-cloud-messes-up-local-copy

If she is right about this then the "problem" should now be greatly reduced.  (I can't believe they actually didn't have this in place on the server before!)

Note I do still see "loopholes" that might cause problems, one of which is one of the glaring problems from Intuit generating unique Ids.  And basically it is because they don't generate unique Ids.

A truly unique Id would always stay the same.

The unique Ids Intuit is generating change if you reset the account connection or if you deactivated and reactivated the account.

If the "cloud server" doesn't catch these changes and purge its data (and rebuild it by syncing from the Desktop), these events are going to cause problems.

BTW the other glaring problem with the Intuit generated unique Ids is that it assigns the same one for different transactions if all the fields are the same.  For instance you have a toll highway, and you pay the same fee going and coming from work (this is an actual reported use case).  Now the date, payee, and amount are all the same, but it is a different transaction.  Intuit's system isn't smart enough to see that there are two such transactions and bump a counter/unique Id.

Intuit has a vested interest in fixing this besides their third party customers since they are undoubtedly using the same data aggregation procedure for the feeds for Quick Books.  They just need to listen to the customer base for instances where it is not working correctly.  QPW referred to toll fees, but the one that sticks out in my memory is users getting the same coffee or drink multiple times a day.

If Leroy Jethro Gibbs (NCIS) used a credit card rather than cash, he would certainly test the system with as much coffee as he drinks in a given day.  ;-)

Pilotbum

I would like to propose that Quicken give the users of Quicken Mobile/Web the option of whether or not their banking credentials are stored in the cloud.

Background: I have attempted to use Quicken Mobile/Web multiple times and repeatedly get errors that the cloud service cannot log into my bank to download transactions. I cannot get this problem to go away. If it does go away, it returns and/or I get locked out of my banking website due to many failed login attempts. This then requires me to reset my password or depending on the institution, call the bank to have them reset it for me. It has become too tedious and time consuming to make using Quicken Mobile/Web worthwhile.

Security: While I am certain Quicken's "banking level encryption" is as tight as they can possibly make it, so was Amazon's, Experian's, Google's among the MANY OTHER publicized data breaches that have made the media. I would like the option to use the Web/Mobile applications as remote data entry that would later be synced to my desktop only. All my banking credentials would then be stored on my desktop only and thereby removing that liability from Quicken.

Randy 415

Just fix it so it all works magically in the background. I don't want to have to know how it all works and have switches to turn things on and off depending on what I want to do. Like an Automatic Transmission in a car, I do not want to go back to clutch and shift every time I want to go faster. Bottom line is: It doesn't work properly now, and it needs to be fixed properly, so that it just works right all the time, every time.

Chris_QPW

@Randy 415 even automatic transmissions break from time to time.  

In this case the "sync" breaks "most of the time" judging by all the problems reported in this forum and as only got worse since this suggestion was posted.  So I personally don't think Quicken Inc is capable of fixing the problems so that is reliable, not to mention addressing the security concerns others in this thread have.

But no worries on the other part of your suggestion, Quicken Inc totally ignored this suggestion and went exactly the opposite by syncing more and more information (and messing it up).

Quicken Kristina

Hello All,

The status of this Idea has been changed to Under Consideration as it has reached enough votes and has been submitted to our Product and Development team for further review.

Thank you!