Discover Card downloads extra $0 transactions? (Was: is there a way to set up a 2 line display…?)

ongosslake

Certain transactions download as two transactions because there is only a one line display. The first transaction shows the amount and the second transactions shows the confirmation code with a zero amount.

jacobs

I think you're asking about two separate things.

1) There is no 2-line display as there was in the old Quicken Mac 2007 or Quicken Windows. You can add and hide columns (click on the Columns icon in the bottom menu bar), rearrange them (click on a column heading and drag it to the left or right), and adjust their width (click on the divider between column headings and drag to the left or right), but they're always a single row wide. For instance, Quicken by default doesn't display the Memo/Notes column, but many people use it to either view notes in their downloaded transactions or, more frequently, add notes to their transactions. you add/hide column

2) How transactions download has nothing to do with the display of the data. If you are receiving two separate transactions from your financial institution, it's because that's what they're sending. But that doesn't sound normal. If you can capture a screenshot of one or two of these transactions (without revealing any personally identifiable data) and post them, it might help in understanding what you're experiencing. Also: what financial institution is this?

ongosslake

It is Discover Card. I've added a screen shot for you to look at.
Thanks!

jacobs

Thanks for the screenshot. That does seem unusual, but I think it must have to do with what Discover is sending rather than anything with Quicken. I don't have a Discover account, so hopefully someone else who does will offer some assistance on this issue.

ongosslake

Thank you. I did contact Discover and they said it was a Quicken issue. Oh well, I'll just have to live with it. Thanks for answering.

NotACPA

Take a look in the OFXLog file (probably accessible thru the HELP menu) to see what Discover is actually sending.

I suspect that Discover is trying to pass the buck when they KNOW that it's their issue.

jfclague

I am on the Windows version but this happens to me when I use Apple Pay. Don't know if this is what is happening to you. I just delete the $0 transaction.

JoshD

It's annoying and I was hoping to find a way to stop it but I believe I do know the reason. Discover allows you to get cash back during a transaction. I suspect that these zero dollar transactions are the cash back you didn't take. I wish there was a way to avoid the download but I suspect that's the reason.

jfclague

For me it happens when I pay with ApplePay and continues to happen as of today

Lawrence Henricksen

I have the same problem with Discover and another bank. The bank needs to add an expanded explanation or message, but the memo field in Quicken is not long enough. Therefore, the bank sends an additional transaction which can be deleted. Quicken should allow an expanded memo field on the transaction which can be displayed in reports using a second line.

jacobs

@Lawrence Henricksen. Actually, Quicken Mac's Memo field is of unlimited length. Any limitation would be from the OFX standard which financial institutions use to transmit data; however, the OFX standard says the MEMO field can be up to 255 characters. Are the messages you're describing longer than that? If not, it's the financial institution's flawed programming that's dividing things into two transactions, not a limitation of Quicken.

Lawrence Henricksen

I use Quicken for Windows.

jacobs

Lawrence Henricksen said:

I use Quicken for Windows.

I don't know what the memo length limit might be in Quicken Windows, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't split one transaction downloaded from the bank/credit card company into two due to the length of the memo field. But you posted your question in a Quicken Mac thread; you should post your question in a Quicken Windows section of this forum in order to get answers from people knowledgeable about Quicken Windows.