Split Transaction total

DonnyD

I have used Quicken for many years and it used to handle split transactions differently than it does now. If the total of the split items was different than the amount that was entered in the register, it would give the option of adjusting that total to the sum of the split transactions. Currently, if the sum of the splits does not match the overall total input in the register, it changes one of the splits so it matches. Or it adds another split item with an amount that balances it. Having the option to adjust the total is helpful if entering a transaction that has an incorrect amount for a split or when there are many splits in a transaction. It would be helpful. Overall, a fantastic product. Much, much, much improved over the last several years.

jacobs

@DonnyD  This functionality already exists -- but there's not the explicit "Adjust Total to Splits" button you're looking for. Here's how it works…

• Let's say you create a transaction and enter an amount of $25.
• You create split lines and enter the first split for $12.
• Quicken puts the remaining $13 on the second split line.
• You want that second split to be $11, so you change the split amount.
• Quicken then creates a third split line with the $2 remainder. Normally this is what you'd want, because you knew the total transaction amount when you started.
• But if you decide you don't want that third split line, and you want to adjust the amount of the transaction to match the two splits you entered ($23 in this case), you need to click the minus sign icon in front of the third split line. This will pop up a message asking if you really want to delete the split row AND adjust the total to the sum of the other splits, as shown here:

After you click the Delete and Adjust Total button, the payment amount will be adjusted to be the same of the splits you've entered ($23 in this case).

  

Blastphemy

DonnyD said:

I have used Quicken for many years and it used to handle split transactions differently than it does now. If the total of the split items was different than the amount that was entered in the register, it would give the option of adjusting that total to the sum of the split transactions. Currently, if the sum of the splits does not match the overall total input in the register, it changes one of the splits so it matches. Or it adds another split item with an amount that balances it. Having the option to adjust the total is helpful if entering a transaction that has an incorrect amount for a split or when there are many splits in a transaction.

I completely agree. QMac2007 handled split transactions much more logically and easily. I can't stand how bad split transactions are handled in QMac2020. Let's hope your suggestion is implemented!

No disrespect to @DonnyD, but what takes all those steps he outlined was handled with a simple, elegant dialog in QMac2007. And if one doesn't enter the numbers in just the right order, his solution doesn't work.

I would really prefer to go back to what worked perfectly in the past instead of the convoluted, frustrating methodology I must use now to get a split transaction to add up correctly in QMac2020.

jacobs

@Blastphemy  Yes, it's different than Quicken 2007. That alone makes it neither better nor worse. According to the developers, they had lots of support calls about splits in the past, and they changed it for the modern Quicken Mac -- and have subsequently tweaked how it works multiple times to try to make it better do what people are trying to do.

The "one simple dialog" you're looking for actually does exist -- but it only becomes visible when appropriate. If you create a transaction with a $100 total, and you enter a $40 split and a $30 split and decide that's all there is, you want to be able to adjust the total to be $70 and be done, right? You can! Just click the minus sign to the left of the third, blank split row Quicken created, and it will ask if you want to delete the split row and adjust the total to the sum of the splits. Just like in Quicken 2007.

Or let's take another scenario: modifying an exiting transaction with splits. Let's say you have the above example saved: a $70 transaction with a $40 and a $30 split. Now you realize there was an additional component to that transaction, so you want to add another split and update the total. Double-click the transaction to open it for editing, click the + icon to add a new split for $10. After you add that line, Quicken adds a fourth line for -$10, assuming you might have an offsetting split to keep the transaction amount constant. But if you want to update the transaction amount to the sum of the $40 + $30 + 10 splits, just click the minus sign to the left of the blank fourth split, and the extra split line will go away and the balance will be updated to $80. (The same applies if you just edit a split amount rather than adding a new one; Quicken will create a new split line for the difference, and if you click the minus icon, it will adjust the transaction total to the sum of the splits.)

Once you see it in action and do it a couple times to get accustomed to it working this way, it feels pretty logical, and it's no more clicks or work than it was in Quicken 2007.