Unable to enter "bought" transaction

eekfleming

Hi. I am reconciling some pretty old investment transactions. I have my cost basis to the penny, but Quicken won't let me deduct the cost from my cash balance for one of my mutual funds. As soon as I select the specific fund, which is still in existence, it reverts to a placeholder type of window. I cannot select "use cash balance in account" to buy it.

Jim_Harman

If you are entering old transactions and Quicken won't let you enter transactions that affect the cash balance, that is a sure indication that there are one or more later dated Placeholder(s) for that security. 

First, make sure the Placeholders are visible if they are not already. Go to Edit > Preferences > Investment transactions and make sure "Show hidden transactions" is checked.

Then back up your data file in case something goes wrong.

Then find the placeholders, note the proper share balances on those dates, and delete the placeholders.

Now you can enter the missing transactions and the cash balance will be affected as you would expect.

NotACPA

How about a 2 step  solution?

Use the "Add - Shares Added" transaction, followed by the "Withdraw" transaction.  For the latter, use the actual account name where you're recording the transactions, enclosed in square brackets, e.g. [Account Name].  This will reduce/remove the cash without moving it to another account or expense category.

ALSO, by any chance is this account set up as a "Single Mutual Fund" type account? Do TOOLS. Account List and click EDIT adjacent to the account name to see this.

And SMF account shouldn't be able to hold cash ... but there are a couple of exceptions ... but it can ONLY hold  single mutual fund and not a second.

Jim_Harman

If you are entering old transactions and Quicken won't let you enter transactions that affect the cash balance, that is a sure indication that there are one or more later dated Placeholder(s) for that security. 

First, make sure the Placeholders are visible if they are not already. Go to Edit > Preferences > Investment transactions and make sure "Show hidden transactions" is checked.

Then back up your data file in case something goes wrong.

Then find the placeholders, note the proper share balances on those dates, and delete the placeholders.

Now you can enter the missing transactions and the cash balance will be affected as you would expect.

eekfleming

Thank you! I had deleted placeholders, and suspected one was lurking, but didn't know about the hidden investment transactions. You're a star!