Bulk Change Category

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Darran_AUS
Darran_AUS Member ✭✭
Is there an easy way to bulk change (amend) a category in Mac version? I have 560 transactions were the Tax:Income Tax category has changed to Uncategorised. Rather than individually opening each transaction and updating I'm trying to see if there is a bulk way to do this. Previously had had used a Windows versions, and recall you could use "Find & Replace", or even use a merge function on categories (redefining all category "A" to category "B"). But I cannot see how I can do this on the Mac (Canadian) version.

Best Answer

  • RickO
    RickO SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    Answer ✓
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    Yes and no. You can change the category on a set of transactions by selecting them all and then clicking menu File > Get Info. Enter the new category in the category field and click OK. But the big caveat is that this does NOT work on split lines of split transitions. So as long as your 560 transactions are simple, non-split transactions, this will work for you. If not, then unfortunately, you are out of luck.

    You can merge categories in QMac using the Categories window. However, unfortunately, the special Uncategorized category cannot be merged to another category, so this won't help in your situation.

    560 are a lot of transactions to change manually if they are all split transactions. My only other suggestion is to use a macro utility such as Keyboard Maestro (purchase required). This will let you record the sequence of keystrokes needed to update a transaction and then invoke them using a single command-key. That can be a big time saver and may be worth the relatively low cost of the utility.
    Quicken Mac Subscription; Quicken Mac user since the early 90s

Answers

  • RickO
    RickO SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    Answer ✓
    Options
    Yes and no. You can change the category on a set of transactions by selecting them all and then clicking menu File > Get Info. Enter the new category in the category field and click OK. But the big caveat is that this does NOT work on split lines of split transitions. So as long as your 560 transactions are simple, non-split transactions, this will work for you. If not, then unfortunately, you are out of luck.

    You can merge categories in QMac using the Categories window. However, unfortunately, the special Uncategorized category cannot be merged to another category, so this won't help in your situation.

    560 are a lot of transactions to change manually if they are all split transactions. My only other suggestion is to use a macro utility such as Keyboard Maestro (purchase required). This will let you record the sequence of keystrokes needed to update a transaction and then invoke them using a single command-key. That can be a big time saver and may be worth the relatively low cost of the utility.
    Quicken Mac Subscription; Quicken Mac user since the early 90s
  • Darran_AUS
    Darran_AUS Member ✭✭
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    Thanks @RickO - unfortunately as you probably guessed mine all split transactions - salary and tax. Doh. Thanks for the tip though - will come in handy for future changes.
  • pfkroger
    pfkroger Member
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    Thanks@RickO. Changing my one category transactions worked like a charm!
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