Is there a way to prevent the memo field from being populated when I download transactions from Amex

Question

When I download transactions from Amex the memo field automatically gets populated with what appears to be some kind of merchant data. If I already have data in the memo field it will nit be overwritten but all empty memo fields get populated with this merchant data.  Anyway to prevent this?

Chris_QPW · Answer

When downloading transactions, the memo field filled in three different ways.* If the transaction is pre-entered (maybe with a reminder) and has something in them memo field and is matched to a downloaded transaction, then it retains that value.
* If the downloaded transaction has a memo in it (and the option to ignore it isn't on) then this memo will be transferred into the memo field of the transaction entered into the register (which includes matching a transaction that didn't have anything in the memo field).
* If the downloaded transaction doesn't have a memo in it, but the memorized payee that it matches to does, that memo will be used in the transaction.

cjim · Answer

Thank you @Rocket J Squirrel.  I thought that option you suggested only applied to the "Downloaded Memo" field and not to the "Memo" field.

I am getting the same merchant data downloaded into both, the "Downloaded Memo" field and into the "Memo" field, but I will try your suggestion on my next download of Amex transactions and see if it applies to both of these fields and not just the "Downloaded Memo" field.

Rocket J Squirrel · Answer

In the Account Details, on the Online Service tab, check "Don't update memo when downloading".