I want to duplicate 2020 budget exactly in 2021. The option box does not appear

Cinderal

I have quarterly income in my 2020 budget that I want to copy into my 2021 budget. Quicken insists on averaging the amounts. When I push the year from 2020 to 2021 I don't get the option box that allows me to choose what values to use.
How do I get the option box to appear?

Sherlock

To coerce Quicken into showing the option box, set the system's date to 2020 and restore a Quicken file backup saved prior to viewing the 2021 budget.  When you push the 2020 budget into 2021, you should be prompted to add a budget for 2021:

Cinderal

Very Interesting, but if I restore a previous file I will lose all the subsequent transactions in 2021

Sherlock

Cinderal said:

Very Interesting, but if I restore a previous file I will lose all the subsequent transactions in 2021

Which, of course, you may enter or import from the financial institution again.  If they're substantial, consider exporting the transactions to a QIF file.

Chris_QPW

Another workaround that was suggested by another user in the same situation was to set your system clock back to December 31/2020 create a new budget, and then extend that one into 2021.  And with that you can select to use your Actuals to set that budget.  And then set your system clock back to automatically updating.

Sherlock

Chris_QPW said:

Another workaround that was suggested by another user in the same situation was to set your system clock back to December 31/2020 create a new budget, and then extend that one into 2021.  And with that you can select to use your Actuals to set that budget.  And then set your system clock back to automatically updating.

But, then you're not going to duplicate 2020 budget exactly in 2021.  You'll be duplicating a different 2020 budget in 2021.

Chris_QPW

Sherlock said:

Chris_QPW said:

Another workaround that was suggested by another user in the same situation was to set your system clock back to December 31/2020 create a new budget, and then extend that one into 2021.  And with that you can select to use your Actuals to set that budget.  And then set your system clock back to automatically updating.

But, then you're not going to duplicate 2020 budget exactly in 2021.  You'll be duplicating a different 2020 budget in 2021.

Yeah that is true, my mistake.  I forgot that the other person's "use case" was just to get a budget with the actuals, not to exactly duplicate it.

Cinderal

It sure would be nice if the company put a little more thought into this silly budgeting portion of this program

Cinderal

I tried Sherlocks suggestions. Unfortunately I have to go back several months to find a version that worked.
I have numerous accounts with many transactions That would have to be re-input.
Can you give me another suggestion. Is it possible to export the budget into another program and
Import it back in to Quicken?

Chris_QPW

Unfortunately budgets can't be exported/imported.  Well you might be able to "print it" to a file and get it into a spreadsheet program like Excel, but could never get it back in.  Your best bet seems to just go in and edit the budget.

Ray Cosner

Go to Planning/budget.  In the upper right corner there's a button "Budget Actions" with a drop-down.  On that list, select "Duplicate this budget" - you can then give the new copy whatever name you like.

Cinderal

Exporting the 2020 Budget to Excel is a very good suggestion... Thank you.
Clearly, once you "look" at the 2021 budget you set off some sort of mechanism that does not let you "look" at it again ... the Option box will not appear .
Is there a way to remove or change the mechanism so that I can "look" at 2021 again

Cinderal

Thank you Chris_QPW ..
I did exactly as you suggested. I set the clock back to 12/31/2020, and created a new budget. The new budget was perfect. Quarterly income came quarterly, not averaged monthly .... great!
I then reset the clock, restarted the computer..
I then moved the budget to 2021. All looked great until I looked the "actuals"... The Actuals were filled in as well !!!!

I tried to see where quicken was getting the "actuals" information, but clicking the values only gave me history, not the checks

HELP

Chris_QPW

Cinderal said:

I then moved the budget to 2021. All looked great until I looked the "actuals"... The Actuals were filled in as well !!!!

I tried to see where quicken was getting the "actuals" information, but clicking the values only gave me history, not the checks

HELP

Turn off: Budget Actions -> View options -> Include reminders

Cinderal

Wow..
Thank you very much !! Now all is well :)

jimarcher6837

This looks like a valid use case which could be addressed with a simple dialog box if Quicken was motivated. I had the same problem but lived with what Quicken provided. Changing the system clock is not something to do without knowing the unintended consequences on other apps.