How can I re-categorize multiple transactions at same time in downloaded transactions

chrispward

When downloading transactions and they are in my downloaded transactions waiting to be cleared, often I have 1-x transactions that i want to re-categorize the same way.
The software allows me to multi select the transactions, but I cant find a way to set the category for all of them at same time. This would save me alot of of time.
(i tend to download and categorize monthly so having to change each transaction can take along time.. and then I just put it off longer....)

Sherlock

I suggest you re-categorize the imported transaction after you have accepted them into the register.

Chris_QPW

That is the tradeoff between using the Downloaded Transactions tab list that has limited functionality and using the automatic transaction entry mode where the transactions go directly into the register, and you can use the power of the register to do things like multiple select/change them at the same time.

UKR

Isn't that a function of having and (re-)using correctly defined Memorized Payee List entries, together with Renaming Rules as needed?

Are all optional settings in Quicken pertaining to recall, memorization, automatic categorization and renaming of payee names enabled? You find those settings in Edit / Preferences / Data Entry & Quickfill and Downloaded Transactions. Additional settings can be found for the detection and processing of transfer transactions in Edit / Preferences / Transfer detection.

Assuming you have downloaded 6 Starbucks transactions that need fixing up ...
AFAIK, giving the first downloaded Starbucks transaction a proper Payee name ("Starbucks", instead of keeping "POS TRANS mm/dd/yy STARBU" or something like that) and a correct category, then accepting it, should make it possible for Quicken to then apply the Memorized Payee List entry to transactions 2 thru 6 and all future Starbucks transactions, too.

chrispward

Thanks. I'm using a mixture of suggestions..
I've been cleaning up the memorized Payee List entries. Doesn't always work. sometimes struggles to identify a transfer vs an amount. Amazon transactions really just come through as 'amazon'... not helpful really.
I'm trying accepting the transactions then multi selecting and 'assigning the category' in the register. That is quicker than my original approach but it does rely on me going back through all the transactions and finding what needs to be changed.
Fundamentally, it would be better if you could do it in the downloaded transaction section as its a smaller contained subset.

chrispward

by the way, zelle and other transfers like that are becoming a lot more common.. still pondering on how to categorize them. dont really want to rename them as they contain the name of the sending/receiver etc.

q_lurker

Fundamentally, it would be better if you could do it in the downloaded transaction section as its a smaller contained subset.

I recall a suggestion from long ago - after accepting the downloaded transactions into the register, sort the register by ‘Order Entered’ via the gear icon. Then all the just accepted entries are grouped together. 

Chris_QPW

chrispward said:

by the way, zelle and other transfers like that are becoming a lot more common.. still pondering on how to categorize them. dont really want to rename them as they contain the name of the sending/receiver etc.

I have seen some people mention that their Zelle transactions are coming down without the person's name, so having that is certainly a plus.  On the other hand, if this is a "customer's name" then it doesn't help much for categorizing.  The same goes for generic payees like Amazon and such.

There isn't really much Quicken can do about such things, it isn't magic.

You might want to at least look at what the automatic transaction mode looks like.  You might also want to turn off this option and make sure you have proper memorized payees for the payees you can categorize properly.


For Amazon purchases I have a memorized payee that categorizes it as Household and then change it as needed when it downloads because that is what I mostly buy at Amazon, but if your spending is much more generic then you would want the above setting and not to have a memorize payee, which would result in it being left blank.  After I just wrote this, I realized that you could leave this option on and memorize the payee with a blank category.  But I like this one to be off because for anything that I haven't categorized I want for it to jump out when I'm reviewing the transactions.

Automatic transaction entry mode is a "Review" process, as opposed to an "Accept" process.

Below I deleted all of my memorized payees for Amazon payees (in a backup file) and reimported so you can see what it would look like:


Updating a transaction clears the New (or New Match) status, or you can click on the New/New Match to mark it reviewed/clear the status (blue dot) field.  What I usually do is review/fix my transactions as needed and then run a reconcile, which will also clear the field because the transactions Clr field is set to R.  Note you should never use automatic reconcile with automatic transaction entry mode.  Automatic reconcile gets kicked off right after the import and is only concerned about the amounts and not the payees/categories being correct.  And once automatic reconcile runs successfully the status (New/New Match) will be cleared and it will be hard to find new transactions and you will have to resort to the "Order Entered" method.

One warning about this mode.  If you have checks that take a long time to come in then the New Match might be on a transaction that is not on your screen with the other New transactions, and as such you might miss it.