Actions in credit card account REVERSED. CHARGE decreases balance. Payment increases it.

Tomthompson

I have an account named MC5568 (Credit Card). Until just recently, when I entered a CHARGE - it would increase the acct balance. When I entered a PAYMENT - it would
decrease the balance! NOW, it is exactly reversed. ie: a CHARGE entry DECREASES the
balance, while a PAYMENT entry INCREASES the balance. Any help appreciated!
jjusttom@cox.net...

Sherlock

If you haven’t already, you may want to verify the register is sorted appropriately and there aren’t any unexpected filters being applied:  open the register, select the Date column header (you want the small triangle to right of Date to point up) and Reset.

Charges should always subtract from the running balance.  
Payments should always add to the running balance.

When the running balance is in the black (positive), charges will appear to reduce the balance and payments will appear to increase the balance.

When the running balance is in the red (negative), charges will appear to increase the balance and payments appear to reduce the balance.

Tomthompson

Thank you so much! Scared to make changes in register (NOVICE HERE)! Will ask My attending guru to make changes you suggest.
TKS - thought I was going senile!

Sherlock

If you haven’t already, you may want to verify the register is sorted appropriately and there aren’t any unexpected filters being applied:  open the register, select the Date column header (you want the small triangle to right of Date to point up) and Reset.

Charges should always subtract from the running balance.  
Payments should always add to the running balance.

When the running balance is in the black (positive), charges will appear to reduce the balance and payments will appear to increase the balance.

When the running balance is in the red (negative), charges will appear to increase the balance and payments appear to reduce the balance.

Tomthompson

Thank you so much! Scared to make changes in register (NOVICE HERE)! Will ask My attending guru to make changes you suggest.
TKS - thought I was going senile!

volvogirl

Here's my standard answer....

First make sure you are sorted in Date order with the newest date at the bottom. If you are not then click the DATE Column heading to sort.
 
Sounds like you're running a credit balance. Is the balance in red or black? Look back through your transactions and maybe you'll spot one that was entered backward. Or a payment in the charge column or a charge in the payment column. Look around back where this first started happening.  Or maybe you are missing some charges? 

If the balance is in Black, it means you have a credit on the card.  Like if you overpaid the bill or got a refund for something you returned.   When you enter a charge it will reduce (decrease) the credit you have available on it.   And a payment will increase the balance.

Also make sure you have the right starting balance.  If it's zero you might need to add a beginning balance for when you started the account in Quicken.

 The credit card balance you OWE should be in RED. If the balance is Black then it's showing the credit card company owes you and you have a credit balance. And then when you make a payment it's like the cc owes you more. So you need to go back though your entries and find where the balance switched to black to being in your favor.

See this for more info.....

https://www.quicken.com/support/positive-black-balance-credit-card-account

Tomthompson

THANK YOU to all the friendly folks who gave good advice so quickly .....