Category report doesn't add up

Stu Janis

I created a YTD category report, and the amount next to the Expense line, which I interpret as the total expenses is not equal to the sum of the expenses in the individual categories. The total shows about 25% more spending than the sum of the categories.

I've tried this with the Category Summary Year to Date report, and I also tried creating my own report. The results were the same.

Quicken Anja

Thank you for the additional information.

What I'd like you to try first is to export and import the data from your current data file into a new data file to see if the same issue occurs in the new file. Doing this copies your data into a new file without affecting your original file. This way, we can also determine if this is an issue with your current data file or a potential program bug. Should this not work, then you can always switch back to the original file after.

Please, follow the steps below:

1. Got to File
2. Export
3. Quicken Windows Transfer File (QXF)... (even if you are on Mac)
4. Save the exported file somewhere you can easily locate it (e.g.: DeskTop)
5. Go back to File
6. New...
7. Start from Scratch
8. Follow the prompts until it takes you to the new and empty data file
   
9. Close the Add Checking Account pop-up
10. Back to File
11. Import
12. Quicken Windows Transfer File (QDF, QXF)...
13. Select the .QXF file you previously exported
    
14. Click Ok once you receive the message saying that the import was successful

Once that is done, you should see that all your banking accounts (Checking, savings, money markets, credit cards, etc) were added to this new data file. Any investment accounts (if you have them) will remain in your original file and not be imported to the new file as these account types do not export nor import. You can find more detailed information in this support article regarding what .QXF does and/or does not export/import under the section titled "More about QXF files".

If this resolves the issue, you can rename and move forward using the new file you imported your data to. Please, note that if you have your accounts set up for automatic downloads-- you may need to re-establish those connections in the new file.

Follow the steps below to rename the new file from the name Quicken will auto-assign to it:

1. File
2. Rename

Follow the steps below to switch back to your original file:

1. File
2. Open Recent
3. Select the original data file name
4. Click Open

Let us know how it goes!

Quicken Anja

Hello @Stu Janis,

Thank you for reaching out to the Community and telling us about your issue, though I apologize that you are experiencing this.

First, could you please provide which version of Quicken you currently have running?

• Quicken > About Quicken

Also, when did you first notice this issue started happening? Was it working as expected before?

Please, check back and let us know!

Stu Janis

I'm running 5.18.2, and I discovered the problem yesterday when I exported a report to Excel. I had selected all the cells with the individual category $ and saw that the number Excel listed in its bottom margin as the total was different than the number next to Expenses in the report itself. I double-checked that the category $ numbers were the same in the report as in the Excel spreadsheet.

While I've been generating similar reports for a long time, I hadn't done any validation of them, so I don't know if the discrepancy is a new development or has been there for a while.

Quicken Anja

Thank you for the additional information.

What I'd like you to try first is to export and import the data from your current data file into a new data file to see if the same issue occurs in the new file. Doing this copies your data into a new file without affecting your original file. This way, we can also determine if this is an issue with your current data file or a potential program bug. Should this not work, then you can always switch back to the original file after.

Please, follow the steps below:

1. Got to File
2. Export
3. Quicken Windows Transfer File (QXF)... (even if you are on Mac)
4. Save the exported file somewhere you can easily locate it (e.g.: DeskTop)
5. Go back to File
6. New...
7. Start from Scratch
8. Follow the prompts until it takes you to the new and empty data file
   
9. Close the Add Checking Account pop-up
10. Back to File
11. Import
12. Quicken Windows Transfer File (QDF, QXF)...
13. Select the .QXF file you previously exported
    
14. Click Ok once you receive the message saying that the import was successful

Once that is done, you should see that all your banking accounts (Checking, savings, money markets, credit cards, etc) were added to this new data file. Any investment accounts (if you have them) will remain in your original file and not be imported to the new file as these account types do not export nor import. You can find more detailed information in this support article regarding what .QXF does and/or does not export/import under the section titled "More about QXF files".

If this resolves the issue, you can rename and move forward using the new file you imported your data to. Please, note that if you have your accounts set up for automatic downloads-- you may need to re-establish those connections in the new file.

Follow the steps below to rename the new file from the name Quicken will auto-assign to it:

1. File
2. Rename

Follow the steps below to switch back to your original file:

1. File
2. Open Recent
3. Select the original data file name
4. Click Open

Let us know how it goes!