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Auto-complete not working properly when entering securities transactions

Robert Brown

When entering investment transactions, the Security Name field should function as an "auto-complete" field. Instead, it functions as a "search" field.

Example 1:
When I am entering the Security Name of "DIAGIO PLC", I begin typing D-I-A and multiple possible security names appear below the dialog box, including "LIBERTY MEDIA". The letters "DIA" appear at the END of LIBERTY MEDIA so that security name should not even be considered as a choice ... it does not begin with the letters DIA. The only securities that should appear as choices are those that BEGIN with the letters DIA. And the nearest match should auto-complete in the dialog box.

Example 2:
I begin typing the Security Name of GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE. I type the letters G-R-O-U-P and the following choices appear in order: 1. CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP INC. 2. GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC. 3. GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE. and 4. ONE GROUP EQUITY INDEX FUND. Only one of those choices begins with the letters G-R-O-U-P, so only one of them should appear and it should auto complete in the dialog box.

There is a difference between a search field and an autocomplete field. The Security Name field when entering transactions should be an autocomplete field, not a search field.

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Comments

splasher

Hate to tell you this, but that is by design. Evidently enough users asked for the auto-complete feature to look for the character sequence anywhere and just not at the beginning.

K.O. (Win-Premier)

I'm pretty sure one of the major drivers was the ability to lookup by name or symbol as many people enter transactions by symbol and with the prior functionality it only looked at the name field. So the current functionality looks up on both the name and symbol and thus even if there are multiple entries in the lookup (as you are seeing) its a couple down arrows or a few more characters to isolate the exact security the user is looking for.

Robert Brown

Well, that's very discouraging! If "users asked for the auto-complete feature to look for the character sequence anywhere" then that really is not an auto-complete feature ... it is a search function. When I am entering transactions, I already KNOW the name of the stock for which I am entering, for example, a dividend so I don't need to search for it. I just want Quicken to minimize the number of keystrokes I need to enter. I recognize that I can simply use the mouse or down arrows or type more characters to isolate the exact security, but when entering a large number of transactions, that can amount to hundreds of additional, and UNNECESSARY, keystrokes. If I am setting up a new security, I can understand why I would want a search function, but not when I am entering transactions for securities that already have been set up. Auto-complete does not work as a search function in any other transaction-entry areas of Quicken that I am aware of, so I don't understand why it works as a search function when entering investment transactions. And this is a fairly recent change ... until a couple of years ago, auto-complete worked as expected when entering investment transactions. They should have left well enough alone! Color me frustrated, irritated and disappointed!

K.O. (Win-Premier)

Well, that's very discouraging! If "users asked for the auto-complete feature to look for the character sequence anywhere" then that really is not an auto-complete feature ... it is a search function. When I am entering transactions, I already KNOW the name of the stock for which I am entering, for example, a dividend so I don't need to search for it. I just want Quicken to minimize the number of keystrokes I need to enter. I recognize that I can simply use the mouse or down arrows or type more characters to isolate the exact security, but when entering a large number of transactions, that can amount to hundreds of additional, and UNNECESSARY, keystrokes. If I am setting up a new security, I can understand why I would want a search function, but not when I am entering transactions for securities that already have been set up. Auto-complete does not work as a search function in any other transaction-entry areas of Quicken that I am aware of, so I don't understand why it works as a search function when entering investment transactions. And this is a fairly recent change ... until a couple of years ago, auto-complete worked as expected when entering investment transactions. They should have left well enough alone! Color me frustrated, irritated and disappointed!

But you'd really like the currently functionality if you had General Motors (GM), General Dynamics (GD), General Mills (GIS), and General Electric (GE) cuz you'd hit all with 2 keys strokes (except in the case of GE) by entering the ticker (GM, GD, GIS) whereas before you'd have to hit 9 or 10 keys (to get past "General " and get to a differentiating keys.

With respect to your example if you enter DEO (instead of the name) it should hit Diagio PLC immediately (unless you have the stocks GAMR or WOW) which are the only two other publicly traded companies that hit on DEO being in their names. And if you trade a large number of transactions goods chance you know all the ticker symbols anyway cuz no one trades on trading platforms using the companies names anyway.

So while we could argue semantics over search vs. autocomplete I think for the majority of people this functionality is more robust and easier (even with having to use the down arrow when more than 1 is found).

q_lurker

Well, that's very discouraging! If "users asked for the auto-complete feature to look for the character sequence anywhere" then that really is not an auto-complete feature ... it is a search function. When I am entering transactions, I already KNOW the name of the stock for which I am entering, for example, a dividend so I don't need to search for it. I just want Quicken to minimize the number of keystrokes I need to enter. I recognize that I can simply use the mouse or down arrows or type more characters to isolate the exact security, but when entering a large number of transactions, that can amount to hundreds of additional, and UNNECESSARY, keystrokes. If I am setting up a new security, I can understand why I would want a search function, but not when I am entering transactions for securities that already have been set up. Auto-complete does not work as a search function in any other transaction-entry areas of Quicken that I am aware of, so I don't understand why it works as a search function when entering investment transactions. And this is a fairly recent change ... until a couple of years ago, auto-complete worked as expected when entering investment transactions. They should have left well enough alone! Color me frustrated, irritated and disappointed!

@Robert Brown: I appreciate your frustration over this. I too have been in the habit of typing security names and am finding I need to modify my techniques. I believe this change was initiated in the 2017 version.

This was initiated through user requests. KO and others asked for a pure Ticker-symbol approach. I argued that not all users were heavily reliant on tickers and numerous users preferred the name process. Personally, I think this current approach is a valid, effective compromise, even if that means adapting some of my muscle memory.

Which side of the aisle (ticker or name users) constitutes the majority is something I cannot say, but I think each side represents a significant portion of the Quicken investment user base.

unknown

Well, that's very discouraging! If "users asked for the auto-complete feature to look for the character sequence anywhere" then that really is not an auto-complete feature ... it is a search function. When I am entering transactions, I already KNOW the name of the stock for which I am entering, for example, a dividend so I don't need to search for it. I just want Quicken to minimize the number of keystrokes I need to enter. I recognize that I can simply use the mouse or down arrows or type more characters to isolate the exact security, but when entering a large number of transactions, that can amount to hundreds of additional, and UNNECESSARY, keystrokes. If I am setting up a new security, I can understand why I would want a search function, but not when I am entering transactions for securities that already have been set up. Auto-complete does not work as a search function in any other transaction-entry areas of Quicken that I am aware of, so I don't understand why it works as a search function when entering investment transactions. And this is a fairly recent change ... until a couple of years ago, auto-complete worked as expected when entering investment transactions. They should have left well enough alone! Color me frustrated, irritated and disappointed!

BTW I will remind people that some securities don't have tickers. So you certainly could go with ticker only lookups.

Robert Brown

Well, that's very discouraging! If "users asked for the auto-complete feature to look for the character sequence anywhere" then that really is not an auto-complete feature ... it is a search function. When I am entering transactions, I already KNOW the name of the stock for which I am entering, for example, a dividend so I don't need to search for it. I just want Quicken to minimize the number of keystrokes I need to enter. I recognize that I can simply use the mouse or down arrows or type more characters to isolate the exact security, but when entering a large number of transactions, that can amount to hundreds of additional, and UNNECESSARY, keystrokes. If I am setting up a new security, I can understand why I would want a search function, but not when I am entering transactions for securities that already have been set up. Auto-complete does not work as a search function in any other transaction-entry areas of Quicken that I am aware of, so I don't understand why it works as a search function when entering investment transactions. And this is a fairly recent change ... until a couple of years ago, auto-complete worked as expected when entering investment transactions. They should have left well enough alone! Color me frustrated, irritated and disappointed!

Sadly, it looks like I'm clearly in the minority and I'm fighting a losing battle here. But every brokerage statement I have ever used shows individual transactions by company name, not ticker symbol. So it always has been easier for me to use the company name when entering transactions from the statement. But I guess I just will have to suck it up and do it the hard way.

One point on K.O.'s comment however. The distinction between "auto-complete" and "search" certainly is more than mere semantics. Auto-complete is a completely different function and serves a completely different user need than search does. And I happen to believe that auto-complete is the superior solution for transaction entry.

Nuff said. I concede defeat! Thanks for all your input, guys. I appreciate your time.