How To Hide Uncategorized Transactions in Reports & Overviews?

Casablanca

I've been using QFM for almost six months. I am generally pleased with the simplicity and functionality of the software. However, there is one issue that causes concern. The way "Uncategorized Transactions" are handled in reports and overviews. My budget is set up to track my income, bills and expenses. However, from time-to-time I have to use my credit card to cover a car repair or a large purchase outside of the month-to-month budget. The credit card payment is always tracked in the budget, but I do not need to "categorize" the car repair or large purchase as neither are part of the budget on their own. My only option is to mark those transactions as "Uncategorized Transactions" in the credit card account register. Unfortunately, QFM totals these transactions and includes them as part of the "Overview" in the "Spending Over Time" and "Net Income" graphs/tables on the Home tab. These transactions will never be categorized. For example: last month I had an $800 car repair. When the download of that transaction posted, I marked it as "Uncategorized Transactions". That transaction was added to my spending and net income graphs. Neither of these graphs and totals are correct. Is there a way to hide "Uncategorized Transactions" from these reports and graphs?

jacobs

Casablanca said:

Because, how does one categorize the unexpected?

You categorize the unexpected by categorizing what the expense was -- such as an auto repair. That makes reports of your spending accurate. But that doesn't mean you need to budget for the unexpected or infrequent expenses. You don't need to include every category in your budget -- only the ones you want to budget for and track actual versus budget spending.

jacobs

I have a couple questions. Do you have a separate account in Quicken for recording your credit card expenses, or do you enter the payment of the credit card as one lump sum without recording the individual charges? (The way most people use Quicken, there is a credit card account with each transaction entered in the registers; the payment of the credit card is entered in the checking account as a Transfer to the credit card account.)

Second question: why do you insist on not categorizing some transactions? You seem to be unhappy that these uncategorized expenses are included in your spending graphs, but of course they must be -- because they are spending. You say the report and graph are incorrect because it included uncategorized spending, but I'd say that the reports and graphs are correct -- you did spend the money, you just chose to not categorize what you spent it on. Why don't you categorize the car repair to an appropriate category? You don't need to include that category in your budget, if you don't want to, but for any analysis of your total spending, I'd think you'd want to categorize everything. 

Casablanca

@jacobs...Thank you for your response. I do have a separate account where QFM automatically downloads the credit card transactions. However, I do not treat those transactions as I would my monthly income, bills and expenses. The $800 car repair I mentioned I paid for with the credit card was in my mind an advance/loan for which I will have to make a payment. It is not an ordinary budgeted expense. Secondly, I do not categorize all transactions because the budget will get overwhelming with so many categories. Because, how does one categorize the unexpected? I expect to pay the credit card bill every month, but I don't expect to have a car repair expense every month. I do however understand your logic and can appreciate the suggestion as a solution. However, it just doesn't work for me. I'll learn to live with this limitation in the software unless the developers see hiding "Uncategorized Transactions" as an option.

jacobs

Casablanca said:

Because, how does one categorize the unexpected?

You categorize the unexpected by categorizing what the expense was -- such as an auto repair. That makes reports of your spending accurate. But that doesn't mean you need to budget for the unexpected or infrequent expenses. You don't need to include every category in your budget -- only the ones you want to budget for and track actual versus budget spending.