Budget should include an (optional) "Everything Else" area for categories used that are not budgeted

ronholl1

Somebody posted this as a question. I think it is important as I could accidentally use an incorrect and unbudgeted category and there is nothing to tell me.

In Quicken Windows, everything that isn't budgeted for the month goes into the "Everything Else" area.

In Quicken Mac, this is not an option. Either I budget for every single category/subcategory, or those discretionary expenditures don't get counted in the budget.

Could this be changed so that transactions to categories not budgeted are displayed and the budget added at that time or the category can be "ignored".

[2 Merged Votes]

Chris Mead

Hi,
I like budgets but what happens when an expenditure is against a category not on the budget?  Where does it show up?  Is there a setting to force un-budgeted dollars to show in the report?  In essence, the summary of all expenditures made should tie out the to the 'actual' on the budget report.

Chris

Quicken_Tyka

Hey Chris,

There isn't a way to get categories to show in the budget screen that have not been added to the budget.

I was able to click on the actual amount for June and view the transactions for that month.

 

That took me to a report that showed spending for transactions that I didn't budget for, which is shown below.



There isn't a way to get categories to show in the budget window without them being added to the budget.

Hope this helps!

-Quicken Tyka

Chris Mead

Thanks Tyka but then if a cost record is posted that isn't aligned to a visible budget category, it won't count against the budget lending to a false understanding over/under budget.  Right?

Quicken_Tyka

Hey Chris,

That is correct, if the category isn't listed in the budget the amount spent in that category won't be included in the budget summary screen.

Below, I have created a transaction with the category 'Example Utility' 

In the edit budget screen this category hasn't been added.


 

When I click on the total for June in the budget screen, that $500 expense doesn't show because the budget hasn't been set to track the spending of that category.



Hope this helps!

-Quicken Tyka

Chris Mead

Tyka

While I appreciate the response I see this is a big hole in budgeting.  In essence, from a total budget perspective, one cannot trust whether one is over or under budget.  If the transactions don't show as you have explained, then why is there a total at all?

The software needs to be changed to pull in any category (including unassigned) that has a cost in the current period...period.  

Chris

Quicken_Tyka

Tyka

While I appreciate the response I see this is a big hole in budgeting.  In essence, from a total budget perspective, one cannot trust whether one is over or under budget.  If the transactions don't show as you have explained, then why is there a total at all?

The software needs to be changed to pull in any category (including unassigned) that has a cost in the current period...period.  

Chris

Hey Chris,

I do believe the budget is working as designed so there most likely won't be a change to how it currently functions, some people have a business and a  personal budget and it wouldn't be useful to everyone if the budget wasn't able to be filtered.

I would suggest  running a category summary report on all of the categories and accounts if you would like to see your total spending.

I would review https://www.quicken.com/support/learn-about-reports-quicken-mac and https://www.quicken.com/support/customizing-reports-quicken-mac

Let me know how it goes or you need further steps!

-Quicken Tyka

Chris Mead

Tyka

While I appreciate the response I see this is a big hole in budgeting.  In essence, from a total budget perspective, one cannot trust whether one is over or under budget.  If the transactions don't show as you have explained, then why is there a total at all?

The software needs to be changed to pull in any category (including unassigned) that has a cost in the current period...period.  

Chris

Thank you.  I did and it shows the cost by category but not against a budget.  I there a report available to compare the cost and income to a budget (or series of budgets)?

Joe12

Tyka

While I appreciate the response I see this is a big hole in budgeting.  In essence, from a total budget perspective, one cannot trust whether one is over or under budget.  If the transactions don't show as you have explained, then why is there a total at all?

The software needs to be changed to pull in any category (including unassigned) that has a cost in the current period...period.  

Chris

I have the same issue.
Monthly i run a report to see how my budget went.
If i miscategorize items to a non budgeted category, then it does not capture it as a spend.
In the advanced tab, i select Non-Zero Actual/Budgeted as an option, but then the totals are all wrong, and i cannot drill down on spending details   Please fix this issue.
Quicken for Windows 2017 R16.2

Scooterlam

Tyka

While I appreciate the response I see this is a big hole in budgeting.  In essence, from a total budget perspective, one cannot trust whether one is over or under budget.  If the transactions don't show as you have explained, then why is there a total at all?

The software needs to be changed to pull in any category (including unassigned) that has a cost in the current period...period.  

Chris

Quicken Tyka,

Perhaps Quicken would/could recognize Chris' need as an
idea for future MAC version implementation.  Consider, as Jerry
referenced below (for windows), an "everything else" category that can
be budgeted (or not) and capture these small, off-budget expenditures.

Joe,

If you are using Windows version of Quicken, you might try Jerry's suggestion.   Also, here are a couple of threads describing how I use  "everything else" (for QW).

https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/everything-else-in-budgets?topic-reply-list[sett...

https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/why-does-budget-add-a-planned-amout-to-everythin...

Scott
2018 QW HBR R10.11

Joe12

Why wouldn't quicken just make the report work?  I understand the work arounds.. the issue is the function does not work.  If I have a budget, and run a report against that budget, it is great.  If there are funds spent against categories i did not budget then i need to know.  therefore i select "non zero actual/budgeted" on the options... and the report no longer works.   It is a bug that needs fixed.

Concordman

The way I understand it , while it may not be the most satisfactory answer the only way to show un anticipated items ( that were not budgeted ) is to add them to the budget & reports when you discover there were expenses in a category which was not accounted for when the budget was implemented. Have run into this a few times I add the category under the budget but show it as a n item which was not planned. that is I have the actual expense but 0 for the budgeted amount.

Chris Mead

You can obviously see how this is not a good answer.  The right answer is NOT "everything else".  the right answer is to place the expenditures into the categories they were pegged and display them with whatever budget, most likely zero, that was assigned.  This is not a difficult problem to solve.

Joe12

You can obviously see how this is not a good answer.  The right answer is NOT "everything else".  the right answer is to place the expenditures into the categories they were pegged and display them with whatever budget, most likely zero, that was assigned.  This is not a difficult problem to solve.

I understand that i need/want to put things into the "right" category to track them, but at the end of the month, i may not remember to include that category into my monthly report.  If i run the monthly budget report, there are items unaccounted for in other categories to sum up the total monthly expenses for the month.   How do you remember what categories to include each month?

jacobs

You can obviously see how this is not a good answer.  The right answer is NOT "everything else".  the right answer is to place the expenditures into the categories they were pegged and display them with whatever budget, most likely zero, that was assigned.  This is not a difficult problem to solve.

As Scott suggested back nearer the beginning of the thread, it would be a good idea to create a new IDEA post to request the Everything Else feature in the Mac version, which would save time versus the work-around of doing a separate spending report and comparing it line-by-line with the budget.

Jerry_

Chris Mead said:

You can obviously see how this is not a good answer.  The right answer is NOT "everything else".  the right answer is to place the expenditures into the categories they were pegged and display them with whatever budget, most likely zero, that was assigned.  This is not a difficult problem to solve.

jacobs, on the same page now. (grin)

I concur with Scott that it would a Great Idea to create an Idea post requesting the Everything Else category. BUT, he might not have to do that for I imagine the Development Team is proceeding with the Plan to (enhance -grin) the MAC Versions with the existing features of those found in the Window Versions.

jacobs

You can obviously see how this is not a good answer.  The right answer is NOT "everything else".  the right answer is to place the expenditures into the categories they were pegged and display them with whatever budget, most likely zero, that was assigned.  This is not a difficult problem to solve.

The developers are definitely not just trying to match the features of Quicken Windows. They don't want to make the mistake of re-creating functions and features which people don't use or find easy to use. Instead, they're generally listening to users about what features are missing that people want to have. That's why users voting for idea posts here are useful for the developers, and ultimately to us. (They're also listening to reports from their support teams about where people are having problems, as well as their own list of ideas for enhancements.)

Scooterlam

You can obviously see how this is not a good answer.  The right answer is NOT "everything else".  the right answer is to place the expenditures into the categories they were pegged and display them with whatever budget, most likely zero, that was assigned.  This is not a difficult problem to solve.

FWIW,  here are two more QW budget related threads that may serve to address the QW issues above and carry on the QW conversation.   These are in addition to the two I offered above.  Have your pick and make your constructive contribution as you see fit.  Note, some of the issues in the second link were fixed at some point.  Adios.

https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/idea-print-budget-feature-using-current-budge-st...

https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/print-budget-fixes-in-qw2018r6-11-a-step-backwar...

Scott
2018 QW HBR R10.11

Atlas4

I would also like to see an All Other spending and Income budget item that doesn't fall into a currently budgeted category.  Right now, I have to run a complete transaction report by category to see what's missing.  Having the option to include an expense or income line item that is a catch-all would allow for a quick drill down as to what's missing and allow for budget modification if necessary.  

[email protected]

Hi Jerry,

But it could be a solution for the OP, should Quicken wish to copy and implement the Windows concept. In Windows, I use it as a category so I have only one "everything else" per "category group" that I budget for and collect all those "off-budget" expenses.  Very useful.

Scott
2018 QW HBR R10.11

this is KEY. For the love of all that is Holy can we PLEASE get parity with the windows version in the budgeting tools? Its so crucial.

Unknown

Tyka

While I appreciate the response I see this is a big hole in budgeting.  In essence, from a total budget perspective, one cannot trust whether one is over or under budget.  If the transactions don't show as you have explained, then why is there a total at all?

The software needs to be changed to pull in any category (including unassigned) that has a cost in the current period...period.  

Chris

I just switched from Windows to Mac and now I do not have the "Everything Else" feature. I think this is a significant difference as I purchased quicken to use for a personal budget. Will this be added? If not, I think I will find new software. To pay a yearly subscription, it should have the same features...  :-(

jacobs

Tyka

While I appreciate the response I see this is a big hole in budgeting.  In essence, from a total budget perspective, one cannot trust whether one is over or under budget.  If the transactions don't show as you have explained, then why is there a total at all?

The software needs to be changed to pull in any category (including unassigned) that has a cost in the current period...period.  

Chris

Ron, Quicken has been working on a complete re-write of Quicken Mac for the past 5 years (and longer, but I won't bore you with the gory details here). Today's Quicken Mac product still lacks functionality compared to the legacy Quicken Mac product which ceased development in 2007 and Quicken Windows. (Even in the old days, Quicken Mac didn't have all the features of Quicken Windows.) If they had waited until the two platforms were equal, hundreds of thousands of Mac users today would not have a working program. Quicken CEO Eric Dunn has stated on multiple occasions that getting Quicken Mac to relative feature parity with Quicken Windows is their goal. The developers have been getting there, slowly, but there's still a lot of work to be done to achieve that goal. The Mac product manager has said they hope to deliver a lot of new functionality in 2019.

Whether this particular feature will be added to the budget section of Quicken Mac is unknown. We do know they are working on some significant changes to the budget part of the program, particularly to allow users to selectively include transfers (like loan payments or savings) in their budgets, and clues point to this coming in months, not years. Beyond that, we won't know what other budget feature changes there will be until they release something; Quicken rarely discusses future features. 

Chris_QPW

I think the keyword here is "Optional".  On Quicken Windows "Graph View" "Everything Else" is there whether you like it or not.  And a lot of people don't like it to be there.

And note that "Everything Else" is only on the "Graph View" and not on the "Annual View" or in reports, so it is also very inconsistently used.

Hopefully if it is implemented on the Mac will be implemented better.

ronholl1

I was just thinking about it in the budgets. In Windows of I assign an category that is not budgeted, it shows up when I look at the budget and then I can add it, on Mac I don't see it until I budget that category. I agree that I hope it is a thoughtful implementation, thanks.

Christopher R. Melton-Bauman

How do we gain some traction for this idea or spread the word? I fully changed to Mac and I'm kind of dying on the inside without the "everything else" option!

Quicken_Tyka

Hello @Christopher R. Melton-Bauman

Thank you for taking the time to visit the Community to ask your question, although I apologize for the late reply.

To add your vote, please navigate to the top of this post and click the up arrow.

Ideas are reviewed by our development team to see what people would like to be available in the future.

Thank you,

-Quicken Tyka