Unique Categories for different accounts

MJMackowski

I have two checking accounts in Quicken. I would like to set up two unique category sets, one for each account. Can I do that? If so how?

John_in_NC

No, Categories are global to all accounts. Unless you create specific ones for each account (not suggested), you can't create categories specific to an account.

You might looking into Tags to differentiate the transactions by account. 

MJMackowski

One checking account is for family expenses, the other is for a small home-based hobby business. The categories are completely separate and it's a pain scrolling thru the longer list of household categories to get to different business categories that are all mixed in. I could probably name all the biz categories with a prefix. Way back when I just had two unique Quicken files.

volvogirl

Here's how I do mine.  You should set up business categories. Make sure to assign them to a schedule C line item number so they show up as business categories. I don't know what categories you would need but my husband is a Land Surveyor.  Here's how I set mine up (I also put the Schedule C line number in as part of the name)...

Survey Income
Survey Expenses
 ……..11 Labor
 ……..18 Office Expense
 ……..20 Equip Rent
 ……..22 Supplies
 ……..24a Travel
 ……..27 Other - Printing
 ……..27 Other - Small Tools

I made the expenses sub-categories of the main Survey Expense category.

Also I use Tags  for each job.  Then when I run a report I can sort it by job.  So an expense entry might look like this…
Survey Expenses:22 Supplies/Maple Street

MJMackowski

It's more of a hobby/business so I only add categories a couple times a year. Each checking account is separate, but when I open Quicken I see all my accounts. I think all the accounts are in one file. (Maybe I don't understand how you could have multiple files...?) They all seem to share the same list of categories.

volvogirl

You would set up a brand new Quicken Data File like if you wanted to track your Parent's finances and accounts.  Or someone else's accounts.  Or a Trust, etc.  Or for a club or church.  

Found my notes,

FILES - Your data is kept in a separate data FILE (and not in the program).   In the data File you have all your accounts.  You can have more than one File like a  separate file for your parents or children or a club. Recent Files opened should be listed at the bottom of the FILE menu item. Your data file ends in .qdf and should be in your Documents (or Library) then in a Quicken sub Folder.  Or you can search your computer for all files ending in .qdf to find them.  Go to FILE - NEW QUICKEN FILE  to setup another data file. When you do a backup it only backs up the file currently open.  You get the whole data file and all the accounts in that one file.

ACCOUNTS - You can have many accounts in a File like a checking account, savings, credit card, asset, investment. Accounts are listed down the side in the Account Bar. You can do Ctrl+A or go to TOOLS - ACCOUNT LIST to bring up the Account listing.  You do not backup Accounts separately.  

CATEGORIES - There is 1 Category list for all the accounts in your file.  It starts out with a list of common Categories but you can add your own categories and delete ones you don't need.  You can also have Sub Categories.  If you have a business you need to assign a category to a Schedule C tax line for it to show up on business reports.