Can I import a chart of categories from a csv file into Quicken Mac?

LeeBrock

I have a new chart of categories to use. Is there a way to import the whole chart into my quicken file? What would I need to do to prepare the file for importing? Thanks.

garysmith87

Unfortunately, you can't do that in Quicken Mac. 

jacobs

Also, if you download transactions and rely on Quicken auto-categorizing them, be aware that if you use custom categories instead of Quicken defaults, Quicken will not use your custom categories. You can get transactions categorized correctly if you create QuickFill rules to categorize your most frequently-used payees.

garysmith87

To jacobs...

That issue with not using custom categories and using Quicken Mac defaults is easily remedied.

Delete the custom categories, as long as there are no transactions associated with the category.  It's easy to find them...they will be marked Unused in the Status column in the Window>Categories.  

Downloaded transactions will then look for the closest match.  Most of the time it works, sometimes it doesn't and requires manual intervention to change the category.

Additionally, I have Quicken Mac set to save my register changes (QuickFill).  So when I edit a transaction, the changes in payee name and/or category are then saved and appear in the future.   

jacobs

@garysmith87 Did you mean "delete the custom categories" as you wrote above, or "delete the default categories"? I'm not sure why someone would add a bunch of custom categories and then delete them.

My understanding from the product manager has been that the server-based auto-categorization engine will only map known payees to known categories pre-defined by Quicken. 

In any case, I agree that building a robust library of QuickFill rules, which use the categories you have manually selected in the past, is the best way to insure most transactions will be categorized correctly in the future.