New and duplicate categories

modelguru

While adding a transaction to my checking account, I assigned a category from my drop-down menu that has been there for 20 years. I am asked if I want to create a new category. Huh? When I finally hit YES, I get the message that 'this category already exists and is a duplicate.' But, the program will not allow me to enter it. SO FRUSTRATING. :#

Boatnmaniac

I think the first thing I would do is:  Pull up the Category List.  At the bottom left of the list make sure the box is checked for Show hidden categories.  Then look for the category in question and if the box for it in the Hide column is checked, uncheck it.

UKR

While working with the Category List, make sure the list is sorted correctly by Category, not filtered or otherwise limited.

Check or select the above red circled items. Also make sure that the Search box is empty (shows the magnifying glass instead of an X)

modelguru

Thank you for the suggestion. This did not help. I contacted customer service who asked me to run a validation to remove any bugs and then restart the program. That too, did not work. They suggested that I create a new category and revise transactions with the old one to the new one. After I created a new category in the category tab and entered it for my transaction, it does not recognize the category and asks if I want to create a new one. I miss the old Quicken.

Boatnmaniac

It sounds like there might be some sort of corruption in your data file and/or in your installation.  A few ideas (in the order shown) you might want to consider:

VALIDATE & REPAIR: 

• This process can fix some file and installed program issues.
  
• File > Validate & Repair File > check the box for Validate File > OK.
• Check the report to see if any errors were identified and repaired/corrected.
• Check to see if the category issue is resolved.
  

RESET YOUR CLOUD ACCOUNT: 

• Categories are one of the things that are saved/sync'd with our Cloud Account (every Quicken user running Quicken 2016 or later has a Cloud Account...the amount of personal data saved there is minimal unless you use Quicken Mobile and/or Quicken on the Web) and that can cause problems in our data file if/when the Cloud Account is out of sync with the data file or if the Cloud Account has gotten corrupted.
• To do this:  Edit > Preferences > Mobile & Web > Sync = ON > OK > Edit > Preferences > Mobile & Web > Reset your cloud data > YES > Reset.
• When the process is done, if you do not use Mobile & Web:  Edit > Preferences > Mobile & Web > Sync = OFF > OK.
• Check to see if the category issue is resolved.
  

DELETE YOUR CLOUD ACCOUNT:

• This can be helpful when Resetting the Cloud Account does not resolve the problem.
• If you have another totally separate data file available: Open that other data file.
• If you do not have another totally separate data file available:  File > New Quicken File.  Give it a unique name (TEST is a good one).  You do not need to set up any accounts.
  
• Edit > Preferences > Mobile & Web > Sync = ON > OK > Edit > Preferences > Cloud ID & Cloud Accounts > Cloud accounts associated with this Cloud ID > click on the file in the File Name column that is the name of the Quicken file that is having this category issue > Delete > YES > Delete > Close > Mobile & Web > Sync = OFF (if you are not using Mobile & Web) > OK.
• Open your file with the category issue.  When you try opening it Quicken might prompt you to sign in with your Quicken ID and PW.  Then it will recreate the Cloud Account for it.
• Check to see if the category issue is resolved.

UNINSTALL/REINSTALL QUICKEN: 

• After uninstalling Quicken, download and install a fresh program file from your online Quicken.com account.
• During the installation process, do not set up a new file and instead open your existing data file.
• Check to see if the category issue is resolved.

Hopefully, one of these steps will resolve the category issue for you.