Why is it when I go to write checks, the default is to use online bill pay

jeanderson

Whenever I click the "Write Checks" button, I get a dialog where the default is to use online bill pay:

There are two things that really aggravate me:
1) When I uncheck the box, enter my information for the check and click "Record Check", this checkbox is re-checked!
2) This is the Write Checks dialog box.  When I want to use online bill pay, I click the Online Center.

This is a very annoying and seems like it would be simple to fix.  Either leave the checkbox in whatever state it was in last time, or at the very least, don't re-check it after "Record Check" is pressed.

Using a checking account to pay bills online and write checks is routine usage.  Please, fix this.

mshiggins

The Use Online Billpay checkbox will be checked if the account is enabled for online billpay. 

I believe it's  considered a feature. 

UKR

A Community Moderator changed this discussion to an Idea.
Ideas are brought to the attention of the programmers for consideration.

If you would like to see this enhancement made in a future version of Quicken please vote on it. Locate the big blue box near the top of this webpage (or page 1 for long discussions) and click the "Up" triangle under the voting count. Wait a moment for the vote count to be registered and updated before you continue.

Every vote counts!

Rocket J Squirrel

It’s an annoyance that the box re-checks itself after a paper check is recorded. It should stay the way the user left it. This idea has my vote.

jeanderson

UKR said:

A Community Moderator changed this discussion to an Idea.
Ideas are brought to the attention of the programmers for consideration.

If you would like to see this enhancement made in a future version of Quicken please vote on it. Locate the big blue box near the top of this webpage (or page 1 for long discussions) and click the "Up" triangle under the voting count. Wait a moment for the vote count to be registered and updated before you continue.

Every vote counts!

Thanks, I voted on it. 
I sure hope they change this.  Not to rant, but again, it's called the "Write Checks" dialog.  The "Online Center" dialog has a nice interface to pay online bills, which I routinely use.

Nursegrazi

You can deactivate this if you do not do online bill payments by deactivating the ability to pay bills online under tools, account list, your account--online services, online bill payments.  This will turn off the option altogether.  

UKR

I have to ask ... If you have enabled Online Bill Pay for your Checking account, why do you have to "write a paper check"? Shouldn't you be sending that payment online to the bank? Shouldn't the paper check be a rare exception instead of a regular occurrence?

And, yes, if you don't use Online Bill Pay for this account, deactivate the bill pay feature (not the downloading part).

Gary

Sometimes you want to hand deliver your check to your vendor! Quicken should definitely enable the ability to NOT "Use online Bill Pay" for any vendor.  Incidentally, why else is the check box there in the first place?

jeanderson

> @UKR said:
> I have to ask ... If you have enabled Online Bill Pay for your Checking account, why do you have to "write a paper check"? Shouldn't you be sending that payment online to the bank? Shouldn't the paper check be a rare exception instead of a regular occurrence?
>
>
>
>
> And, yes, if you don't use Online Bill Pay for this account, deactivate the bill pay feature (not the downloading part).

The exception isn't all that rare. OK, so I have a kid come and spread mulch. Do I set them up as an online bill payee and use the bank to send a check to him? What about paying the furnace repairman, water softener treatment, pest control - all present an invoice on completion of services and expect payment.

Hey, I'm an online guy. But paper checks haven't quite gone the way of the Dodo, not just yet.

colinahanna

For crying out loud, it's not a "feature" if you have no control over it. Why is it so hard to make it a "preference" -- either default to checking the online bill pay box or default to unchecking it. Just make it selectable. Sheesh, this shouldn't be hard!

Quicken Anja

Hello All,

The Community Support team regularly reviews long-standing posts and Ideas for relevancy and current interest. This Idea seems to have stalled and we would like to gauge the current interest in this request. 

If you would like to see this idea implemented, please add your vote and a comment explaining how this idea would be beneficial for you. More information, including steps to vote and how to submit your own Ideas for future product features/improvements, is also available here.

Thank you,

Quicken Community Support Team

UKR

Do we still need this or was this implemented while we weren't looking?
Using Q 2021 R 32.12, I just brought up the Write Checks dialog above on my primary checking account which is enabled for Quicken Bill Manager. The "Use Online Bill Pay" checkmark dialog did not come up for me.
Can someone who actually uses the checking account for Quick Pay / Check Pay or Bank Bill Pay please double-check?

Rocket J Squirrel

Not fixed for me using B of A Direct Connect bill payment in R32.12.

After un-checking the box and generating one check to print, the box re-checked itself for the next "check".

UKR

Thanks, @Rocket J Squirrel ,

that means there's still an item to be added to the programmers' Honey-Do-List.

LWH

It's almost like they don't even use their own product in real life isn't it??? If there was any viable alternative to Quicken, I'd be dumping them and using something else.

Petew

Like others in this thread I use online bill pay but also need to write checks and ALWAYS write at least 3 at a time since I have sheets of 3 checks. So it's a PITA to have to uncheck online bill pay after each check. Checking it also disables the print button, why not leave it if there are checks waiting to be printed.

UKR

Petew said:

Like others in this thread I use online bill pay but also need to write checks and ALWAYS write at least 3 at a time since I have sheets of 3 checks. So it's a PITA to have to uncheck online bill pay after each check. Checking it also disables the print button, why not leave it if there are checks waiting to be printed.

Did you know that you can create paper checks directly from the checking account register's New Transaction line, especially if the Payee is one you have used before, with a proper mailing address?

When entering a new check transaction and you tab into the Check # field, type "pr" which changes to show "Print" when you tab to the Payee Name field.

Scheduled Reminders can also be used to prepare paper checks.

After recording your checks to print, go into the Write Checks dialog and send the checks to the printer.

About printing paper checks:
I use Voucher Checks (1 business size check + 2 stubs on an 8.5x11 sheet). My printers do not have a manual feed tray or 2nd paper tray that can easily be reconfigured to feed partial pages (1 or 2 checks left from a 3-checks-per-page sheet), so for my occasional check printing needs Voucher Checks are easiest to use.
When making a purchase decision for a new supply of check forms and considering your own check stock to use, consider how easy or difficult it is to feed special forms or odd-size partial pages into your printer.

KG2021

I vote for having the option to set the default to write a check or online bill pay. I do not use the Quicken online bill pay feature and it is very annoying to have to remember to uncheck the box every time I want to write a check.

ssg978

I agree wholeheartedly with those requesting the "option" of Online Bill Pay. I pay most bills electronically, using the vendor's website. I have found that more accurate. But I also have vendors that prefer paper checks.
And not only does the default to "Online Bill Pay" mess up a check one wants to print, but it also prevents the user from entering the full address into the appropriate box. Thus, a check comes out with a Date, Payee and Amount, but no address on the check and I have special window envelopes for my voucher checks!

steveh

When I want to create a new check, I first must unselect the option in the display that indicates the payee is an on line payee. This limits the payee drop-down to online only. I think this should be left unchecked when opening up the new check dialog. Each time I creat a check to print I must unselect that option. Just please leave it unselected.

UKR

For this checking account, do you ever use any of the Quicken Bill Manager Quick Pay and Check Pay functions?
If you never use Check Pay, I suggest you disable this account's Check Pay function in the Bills, Income & Transfer dialog's Settings (gear icon) Payment Accounts function. That should return your account to the normal settings for creating paper checks.

Quicken Jasmine

Hello @steveh,

Thank you for reaching out to the Community with your request.

Your idea has been merged into this already active Idea thread regarding the same request. Please make sure to go add your own vote!

Thank you!

steveh

This is a helpful idea. I did disable the bill pay function and the optional checkmark in the check dialog is removed. Although I don't use the bill pay very often I have used it. I would have preferred an option to have the the online bill pay check mark pre-checked or NOT pre-checked in the check dialog, but this is better for now.