Can I include additional income lines in the budget?

rgorrie

I would like to include additional lines in the budget, so there is one for my wife and one for me. Same with pensions. I have a work pension and both my wife and myself have both CPP and OAS (we're in Canada). I'd like to have separate lines for each.

I guess my question comes down to whether it is possible to customize the budget? I use the cloud version on a Mac.

John_in_NC

Yes, you can customize the budget by clicking on Edit Budget when viewing it.

Note: you are limited to adding/removing actual Categories you have setup in Quicken. I don't know how you have your file setup, but you would need to have separate categories for both you and your wife's pension plans, etc. Then they would show in the budget.

rgorrie

Thank you for this! But how do I set up new categories? I only see the ones that they have provided.

rgorrie

This explains how to set up new categories: https://www.quicken.com/support/how-do-i-create-new-category-or-subcategory.

But I don't see the Tools menu, so I'm thinking you can only do this in the Windows version and not in the Mac version...

John_in_NC

Setting up categories is easy. In QMac, go to Window:Categories, and you can edit them there.

Alternatively, can you simply enter them in the transaction, and if they don't exist, a new one will get created.

rgorrie

Bingo!! Thank you very much.

John_in_NC

A few tips:

First, if you are working with Parent:Sub categories, you might wish to go to preferences and choose to show the Long names in the transactions:



Next, that Category list I mentioned above is the actual backend to the database. In simple terms, any changes you make there affect all the transactions using that category. For example, if you rename one category, all the transactions using them will get updated with your renamed category. This may help renaming/reworking things. 

Also, if you need to "batch change" multiple transactions, you can (assuming the transaction isn't a split.) If you search for/select various transactions you wish to edit, click command+e to edit, and anything you edit (payee, category, memo, etc.) that you enter there will be applied to all transactions. This is great for changing a lot of things at once. You might use this to rename certain transactions after you create new categories for you and your wife's pension.

Tip: any category you enter in that Edit field, (say, Me:OAS) will be created if it doesn't exist, so you don't even have to go create it first.

Tip2: Search All transactions, and know that you can use standard mac selection (shift collect for groupings, command click to select/deselect individuals in groups, etc.) to select which transactions you wish to batch edit.

That should get you pointed in the right direction. If you have further questions, feel free to start a new question.

John_in_NC

Yes, you can customize the budget by clicking on Edit Budget when viewing it.

Note: you are limited to adding/removing actual Categories you have setup in Quicken. I don't know how you have your file setup, but you would need to have separate categories for both you and your wife's pension plans, etc. Then they would show in the budget.

rgorrie

Thank you for this! But how do I set up new categories? I only see the ones that they have provided.

rgorrie

This explains how to set up new categories: https://www.quicken.com/support/how-do-i-create-new-category-or-subcategory.

But I don't see the Tools menu, so I'm thinking you can only do this in the Windows version and not in the Mac version...

John_in_NC

Setting up categories is easy. In QMac, go to Window:Categories, and you can edit them there.

Alternatively, can you simply enter them in the transaction, and if they don't exist, a new one will get created.

rgorrie

Bingo!! Thank you very much.

rgorrie

John, one more categories question if I may. Is there any way of automatically changing the categories from my bank statements to match the categories I've set up in Quicken? Either in Quicken or in my online banking interface?

John_in_NC

A few tips:

First, if you are working with Parent:Sub categories, you might wish to go to preferences and choose to show the Long names in the transactions:



Next, that Category list I mentioned above is the actual backend to the database. In simple terms, any changes you make there affect all the transactions using that category. For example, if you rename one category, all the transactions using them will get updated with your renamed category. This may help renaming/reworking things. 

Also, if you need to "batch change" multiple transactions, you can (assuming the transaction isn't a split.) If you search for/select various transactions you wish to edit, click command+e to edit, and anything you edit (payee, category, memo, etc.) that you enter there will be applied to all transactions. This is great for changing a lot of things at once. You might use this to rename certain transactions after you create new categories for you and your wife's pension.

Tip: any category you enter in that Edit field, (say, Me:OAS) will be created if it doesn't exist, so you don't even have to go create it first.

Tip2: Search All transactions, and know that you can use standard mac selection (shift collect for groupings, command click to select/deselect individuals in groups, etc.) to select which transactions you wish to batch edit.

That should get you pointed in the right direction. If you have further questions, feel free to start a new question.

rgorrie

Once again thank you!!