Newly downloaded transactions "overwriting" older transactions

grener34

I recently updated from Q2017 to the subscription version R25.21, and immediately started repeatedly having this issue with my checking account. For example, today when I updated, there was a newly cleared check number 3120 for $200. When I clicked the "accept all" button, the new transaction did not appear in the register, and there was no error message. I noticed that my online balance and ending balance were suddenly off by $200. Closer inspection showed that Quicken had assigned check number 3120 to a recent (10 days ago) $200 electronic credit card payment from my checking account, instead of creating the proper new transaction. Any idea what might be causing this?

Tom Young

I assume that the downloaded information was first parked in the Downloaded Transactions area under the register?  It appears that you're not manually entering information into the register to be confirmed by subsequent downloads, but instead waiting for the downloaded information to show up in the Downloaded Transactions area as "New", and then accepting them?

What you've left out here is the status of the this particular transaction in the Downloaded Transactions area before it was accepted into the register.  If its status was "New" then it should have been accepted as a new transaction, but it sounds like the status might have been "match" and Quicken's matching algorithm made a mistake..  Are you sure the status was "New" and not "Match"?  It doesn't sound like an overwriting situation as much as a bad match situation.

UKR

If I may say so, you're already doing a good job by not automatically accepting downloaded transactions into your account registers, sight unseen, as many other Quicken users do.
But, as you noticed, the match-making process used by Quicken is not infallible. It can and will mis-match a new transaction to a previously matched, completely different transaction.
To avoid this, please take the extra minute to carefully review each downloaded transaction. Make changes as needed to the Payee Name and Category. Review which transaction Quicken is about to match the new one to and correct that, if necessary. Over time, Quicken should remember the changes you make and results should get better next time the same Payee comes around.

Tom Young

I assume that the downloaded information was first parked in the Downloaded Transactions area under the register?  It appears that you're not manually entering information into the register to be confirmed by subsequent downloads, but instead waiting for the downloaded information to show up in the Downloaded Transactions area as "New", and then accepting them?

What you've left out here is the status of the this particular transaction in the Downloaded Transactions area before it was accepted into the register.  If its status was "New" then it should have been accepted as a new transaction, but it sounds like the status might have been "match" and Quicken's matching algorithm made a mistake..  Are you sure the status was "New" and not "Match"?  It doesn't sound like an overwriting situation as much as a bad match situation.

grener34

Tom, my answers to your questions in your first paragraph are all "yes". Since I don't manually enter transactions, I don't pay much attention to the status in the downloaded transactions area, so I don't know the status of the problematic transactions. I will keep an eye out for that in the future, and also look into tweaking any user-configurable settings for the matching algorithm. I think you hit the nail on the head with your diagnosis! Thanks a bunch :)

UKR

If I may say so, you're already doing a good job by not automatically accepting downloaded transactions into your account registers, sight unseen, as many other Quicken users do.
But, as you noticed, the match-making process used by Quicken is not infallible. It can and will mis-match a new transaction to a previously matched, completely different transaction.
To avoid this, please take the extra minute to carefully review each downloaded transaction. Make changes as needed to the Payee Name and Category. Review which transaction Quicken is about to match the new one to and correct that, if necessary. Over time, Quicken should remember the changes you make and results should get better next time the same Payee comes around.

grener34

Thanks UKR! I will be keeping a closer eye on the downloaded transactions before accepting them. Too bad there is not a way for users to specify detailed matching criteria, such as date range. Hopefully, Quicken will "learn" over time, and matching will improve.