Quicken keeps vaporizing my budget "This Quicken file contains no budgetable amounts or categories"

Mark Pedroia

Quicken Home, Business & Rental on Win 10, v. 27.1.23.4. Is there a fix or is there a pending fix for the dreaded "This Quicken file contains no budgetable amounts or categories" problem that keeps vaporizing my budget?

I'm receiving this error more frequently now, I'm a daily users and have to restore and rebuild my data several times a week. It's a bit much, even with daily back-ups. There is no pattern as to why the budget data disappears but sometimes I have to restore 1, 2, 3 versions of back-up files to finally get to one that has a functional budget and then re-enter everything. Before backing up, I always check the "Planning" tab to confirm the budget data is there but when I go to restore, it's not there so I think it's something in the program vs. something in my data file. This morning, it went bad within 2 hours, for some unknown reason.

Yes, I've validated, super-validated, created a new budget, killed the old budget, copied the budget, copied the entire file, logged out of the cloud, signed out of Quicken, signed back in, out, reset the cloud data, my gawd is there any trick I haven't tried to get over this??

Not everything is a download so way too much key-punch is having to occur to overcome this ongoing hurdle. I have to stop repeating this cycle and wait out a fix from Quicken and then re-enter.

Has anyone found a fix for this?

Thanks, Mark Pedroia

Mark Pedroia

Thanks but I decided to perform the qcleanui because this machine has had about 4 versions of Quicken, the latest being the subscription. I'm reloaded. So far, it's working with my existing data file (the one with vaporized budget) so I'm starting over fresh with a new budget rebuilding it line by line item. So far, so good

David Christopher

Mark, sorry you are having this problem and I would like to help you fix it.  What does "v. 27.1.23.4" refer to, your version of Windows or Quicken.  I do not recognize it for either program.

Open Quicken and go to Help>About Quicken and take a screenshot of the pop up and attach it to a reply.

Take a screenshot of your budget, when you have it. Also if you do not have a budget when you open Quicken, take a screenshot of the Planning>Budgets screen and attach that too.

Mark Pedroia

Thanks, that's the build of Quicken with the latest HotFix (which resolved the mobile sync error invalid id issue). There is no longer budget screen on the Planning Tab, just the pop up error window (attached).

Eventually, the pop up will stop displaying and I'll be presented with the "Create a Budget" screen.

If it helps, I believe there is a connection between mobile and budget because I was having mobile issues but now that I've involuntarily stopped using the budget feature, mobile is working great except now and then, all my "memorized transactions" will duplicate (all 254 of them) with payee names but no categories....so you just sort by category lumping all the non-category memorized transactions at the top of the list, mass tag the ones without categories, delete same and viola, back to normal - until next time.

Thanks for any help

David Christopher

Mark, were I in your shoes, I would uninstall and then reinstall Quicken.
The only thing that concerns me is you data file (.QDF) Does it have the budget numbers in it? If it does the budget should come up normally after the re-install. If not then the Make a budget screen should come up, but not that "no budget" screen.

Follow all instructions here: https://www.quicken.com/support/using-qcleanui-uninstall-quicken

It says for 2017 but it should be the same procedure for 2019, I used it a few times in the past on older versions of Quicken.  Also programs are now called Apps and to uninstall Quicken you need to go to notification icon on bottom right and when it opens click on All Settings then choose Apps, scroll down to Quicken, click it and choose Uninstall.  then follow rest of instructions in the link. 

If all goes well you might not need to reinstall the patch you mentioned, because I have not had to use it. But I am running Deluxe version. 

After re-install you will need to set up your Cloud from scratch. 

Mark Pedroia

Thank you David! I'll give that a try. I will say that now that I have no budget, my mobile has been completely stable - zero hiccups. Previously, it was fraught with sync errors, rule errors, pop up alerts. Not that I'm tickled to be without a budget (I have a business, I have rental property, it's a bit complex) but the prospect of a more stable mobile feature was a nice unintended side effect.

David Christopher

I used to be a superuser on here and have helped many people with Home and Business problems. My specialty was Budgets and Debt Reduction Planner. But about 5 years ago, I got bit by the Genealogy/DNA bug and stopped contributing here. Haha! Now, my tree is done and all I can do is wait for new people to be tested; so, I decided to re-learn Quicken. 

Let me know if the re-install fixes your budget. I want to know if my ‘gut’ still works.

David Christopher

I have been thinking. How did you get to Q2019? I can not remember what version I had, but I subscribed to 2018. When that subscription expired automatically Quicken charged me for 2019. Nothing changed the next day except my ‘about Quicken’ changed from 2018 to ‘2019’. I O W, if you do not upgrade your subscription, you no longer get the upgrades.

So, if you went,say, from 2015 to 2019, downloaded 2019 and installed it w/o uninstalling the old ‘App’ your 2019 app was corrupted, or some part of old App’ was not uninstalled. (You did not use Qclean) that is only way you could have this problem. 

To me, I never used Mobile in the old days. Now it is OK, but to me useless because I will never enter a transaction using it or the Web App. Just me.

it would be better for me if mobile had Home or Spending tabs and let me look at those tabs.  I have three budgets, one for my wife’s income, one for mine, and one that combines both the others. They are 0’ed out. I 0 them out so I can know how much to ‘sweep’ into savings at end of month. I adjust over budget items with under budget during month. At end of month, I know what to transfer to savings. Some people say I am Waco for doing it this way, but it works for me.

Quicken Sarah

Hello @Mark Pedroia

Thank you for taking the time to share the details of this issue with the Community, although I apologize for any frustration or inconvenience experienced.

I have seen a few reports of the "This Quicken file contains no budgetable amounts or categories" error previously and in those instances the error was linked to the categories selected for the budget.

I apologize if I missed this above, but does your budget include categories for personal expenses/income or does it also include business/rental categories?

Have you attempted to create a new Quicken data file (for testing purposes only) and recreate the budget?  If so, does the same error persist in the new data file?

If not, please create a new file (File > New Quicken File) and add an account to recreate the budget data and let us know if the error message occurs.

Thank you,

Sarah

Mark Pedroia

...does your budget include categories for personal expenses/income or does it also include business/rental categories? YES ALL, as in Business, Rental and Personal.

Yes, I've deleted budgets and ran Q without them, it's when I add a budget that the problems begin (resurface).

Yes, I will create a new file. First though I want to perform the qcleanui suggestion from David C above.

I've had zero mobile sync issues since I've had no budget -that has been great!!

Thanks, will keep you posted

David Christopher

Mark, I recommend you follow Quicken Sarah’s direction rather than my advice. With her you have the highest level of expertise about Quicken. You can always use my methods, if she does not solve the problem. 

Mark Pedroia

Thanks but I decided to perform the qcleanui because this machine has had about 4 versions of Quicken, the latest being the subscription. I'm reloaded. So far, it's working with my existing data file (the one with vaporized budget) so I'm starting over fresh with a new budget rebuilding it line by line item. So far, so good