Can't Re-categorize Transaction in Simple Tracking Method Account. (mac)

rkowolik

A change occurred in either Quicken or Edward Jones that makes it seem impossible to change transactions that are defaulted to "Uncategorized". Is this true? Using Quicken for Mac Premier 6.6.2 (Build 606.43218.100) macOS 12.2.1.

How can I default future transactions to another category. All help messages I have seen so far seem to be for the windows version. Thanks

jacobs

The issue appears to be that Quicken is saving the transactions behind the scenes. You should not be able to categorize transactions because simple tracking means there are not transactions. That is, they shouldn't show up on reports, because they shouldn't exist in your data the first place. With simple investment tracking, you should get your account and holding balances, but no transaction detail which needs to be categorized.

I'm not sure why the transactions are still coming into your data file. I don't know if it's because you have existing transactions, or if it varies by financial institution, or how it's supposed to work.

In any case, for your reports, I would simply exclude your investment accounts from the reports, and that way you won't see the uncategorized transactions. Of course, that means you won't see things like dividends or capital gains — but that's what you've signed on for by selecting simple investment tracking. If you do, indeed, want to see your investment income, rather than just your current holdings, then you want detail investment tracking turned on. That's the choice you have. Does that make sense?

jacobs

I'm confused between your headline and the text. If you're using Simple Tracking, you shouldn't be seeing any transactions, and without transactions, there's nothing to categorize. Have you tried switching to Detailed tracking, so you can see the transactions and edit the categories as you wish?

rkowolik

Yes, you are absolutly correct in that I can no longer see the account transactions in the account. However, Reports based on categories show that the transactions are there and that they are uncategorized. I used to be able to click through from the report to change the category. Now I can't. I probably could switch to Detailed tracking and re-categorize but then I would need to relink up the account to continue the automatic downloads. This could occur every week. I would also rather not perform manual transaction entries. Performing a default categorize by payee is also problematic because I would never be able to predict which of the (seeming) hundreds of payees in the Funds will be making a transaction. I would be happy to regain the ability to click through the report to the specific transaction to re-assign it again. Or some other way of defaulting an account (not payee) transactions to another category other than uncategorized.

jacobs

The issue appears to be that Quicken is saving the transactions behind the scenes. You should not be able to categorize transactions because simple tracking means there are not transactions. That is, they shouldn't show up on reports, because they shouldn't exist in your data the first place. With simple investment tracking, you should get your account and holding balances, but no transaction detail which needs to be categorized.

I'm not sure why the transactions are still coming into your data file. I don't know if it's because you have existing transactions, or if it varies by financial institution, or how it's supposed to work.

In any case, for your reports, I would simply exclude your investment accounts from the reports, and that way you won't see the uncategorized transactions. Of course, that means you won't see things like dividends or capital gains — but that's what you've signed on for by selecting simple investment tracking. If you do, indeed, want to see your investment income, rather than just your current holdings, then you want detail investment tracking turned on. That's the choice you have. Does that make sense?

rkowolik

Jacobs, thank you for your replies. All that you say makes sense to me and is kinda what I thought also. It is unsetteling that I will continue to have these uncategorized transactions but the band-aid of removing the account from the report will keep them from view. I really just check the uncategorized mostly for errant expenses.

I do agree that it if the account is set up with simple tracking there should be no entries in registers for any category, just the balances. However, with out the details of how the software works my thoughts are only conjecture. My guess is that in order to show the balances the transactions have to be there. Maybe the addition of a new category like "Simple Tracking Suspense" that doesn't roll up in anything but totals. Who knows. Thanks again