Can't edit transaction categories in the list of categories. (Q Mac)

Jo_6LT

The list of my categories (found in the menubar under "Window") has erroneously changed many categories to subcategories, and does not show certain subcategories at all. As a result, I can't edit or rename many of my frequently used categories and subcategories. All help will be appreciated!

RickO

I don't know how a main category could spontaneously become a subcategory. But you can make the subcategory back into a main category by dragging and dropping it between two existing main categories in the Categories window.

Jo_6LT

Thanks. That suggestion works, but here's what still doesn't. Quicken automatically categorized a lot of transactions as a subcategory under a category I don't want them attached to. When I open the Categories window to edit it, I can't: the category doesn't "open" to show any of its subcategories, so I can't edit/modify that particular subcategory. Also, several categories I've created and to which I've added several subcategories also won't "open" in the list to show the subcategories.
For example, under Category: Utilities I'd have subcategories for phone, electricity, etc. But in the list, all it will show and allow me to edit is Utilities. The thought of having to change each individual transaction make me want to go back to an abacus...

RickO

For the categories that have subcategories but won't "open", is there a little > symbol to the left of its name in the Categories window? If so, you need to click the > symbol to expand and show the underlying subcategories. If you don't see this symbol, can you post a screenshot of a portion of your Categories window that shows the problem along with a screenshot or two of related transactions (including the column headers). 

By the way, you can bulk edit the category in a group of transactions. Select the transactions in the register, perhaps using the search box to filter to a single category. With the desired transactions selected, click menu File > Get Info. Enter the new category and click OK. One big caveat though: this doesn't work on the lines within split transactions; those have to be changed one by one.

Jo_6LT

The weird part is that some, but not all, categories that have subcategories do show the > symbol (arrow) in the Category LIST. In the transactions REGISTER category column, all categories/subs are correct when I click on < or >. It appears as if there's a translation problem between the list the register is accessing and the one that appears under the Window menu bar tabs.

Sorry, but I'm not able to 'attach' or 'drag n drop' my demo screenshot into this response, either in png or pdf format. Would you please send instructions? Thanks!

(Will try very helpful bulk edit suggestion shortly.)

Quicken Jared

Jo_6LT said:

The weird part is that some, but not all, categories that have subcategories do show the > symbol (arrow) in the Category LIST. In the transactions REGISTER category column, all categories/subs are correct when I click on < or >. It appears as if there's a translation problem between the list the register is accessing and the one that appears under the Window menu bar tabs.

Sorry, but I'm not able to 'attach' or 'drag n drop' my demo screenshot into this response, either in png or pdf format. Would you please send instructions? Thanks!

(Will try very helpful bulk edit suggestion shortly.)

Hello @Jo_6LT,     

I am sorry to hear about these odd changes you are noticing in your Category List. Thank you for working with us on this issue via the Quicken Community.

Did you first notice the changes in the Category List recently? Have you already tried restoring from a backup saved prior to when this problem emerged? We recommend saving backups often by navigating to File > Save a Backup File... in the upper menu at the top of the screen while Quicken is open. Provided that this has been done frequently, you could restore from a recent backup by navigating to File > Restore from Backup... in the same menu just mentioned. 

I hope to hear more about your results, if this has been tried. 

Thank you,

Quicken Jared 

Jo_6LT

Thanks, Jared et al. Not sure how long this has been going on; over time I've been eliminating unused categories, but only one or two at a time. Yesterday I decided to review the entire list and first noticed the problem.
I have not yet restored from a back-up. If I go back five or six back-ups ago, will I lose the back-up files I've created since then? I ask only because if this problem goes too far back, I don't want to lose all the interim data, correcting categories, modifying downloaded payees, etc. I welcome your advice.

Jo_6LT

Online search re how to upload screenshots did not venture beyond routine email attachments. How would I do it in this thread?

RickO

When composing a reply on a computer, click the little picture icon which is labeled Attach Image. 

In Quicken, go to Preferences > Register and make sure Display Long Names is selected so you can be sure you are seeing the full category name.

Jo_6LT

Thanks Rick0, I do have "Display Long Names" selected. I regret that I'm NOT able to locate the little picture item you refer to labeled Attach Picture. I'm trying to upload a screenshot here (within my reply), and hope you'll point me towards the icon's location on this site. It's probably hiding in plain sight, but...

UKR

You've only recently joined the Quicken Community. New members are not given the full set of edit functions to make comments. Takes a while to earn enough points until you get the better editor functions.
Meanwhile however, to attach a screenshot to your next comment, simply create a PNG, JPG or GIF file. Drag the file from your computer and drop it into the new comment where it will be attached as a file.

jacobs

I've seen several posts about grayed out categories, and I myself have experienced this in a file I use for beta testing. See this thread. I thought someone posted a possible solution, but I can't find it right now. The issue is apparently with a preference file, not your actual data file, but because there are preference files in a few places, I can't direct you what file to eliminate. (I will try to test with my beta test application which has this issue and report back when I have a chance.)

Jo_6LT

Thanks to both of you. It helps to know there's a software glitch (possibly in Preferences). I followed the suggested links you suggested, Jacobs. They reveal that this problem goes back to LAST DECEMBER, has been sent to Quicken multiple times, yet STILL remains unresolved. Mine manifests a bit differently: I too have categories greyed out, plus they're also missing the Expand arrow in way too many cases. However, I suspect it's a minor variation of the same snafu. Will upload a partial screenshot, applying UKR's helpful guidance.

The end result, though, is that the Window > Categories list is excessively out of sync with the indispensable categories I need to safeguard in the Register. Can't help but wonder if the Register's categories are truly SAFE, or will they one day be loused up by the defective Window > Categories list.

If a QUICKEN EMPLOYEE sees this, please escalate the vital need for the Window > Categories list to match and stay in sync with the Register's categories. Seriously, fixing this needs to be an urgent, high priority project.

jacobs

Jo_6LT said:

The end result, though, is that the Window > Categories list is excessively out of sync with the indispensable categories I need to safeguard in the Register. Can't help but wonder if the Register's categories are truly SAFE, or will they one day be loused up by the defective Window > Categories list.

As best I've been able to determine, this iOS an interface glitch, not a corruption of the database. You can still select any category/sub-category when creating transactions, or when creating reports. The problem only manifests in the Categories list. This does prevent some editing of categories, but until there's a clear-cut resolution, you can still create a new category, even if you can't create a sub-category of a category as you might desire. 

Jo_6LT said:

Seriously, fixing this needs to be an urgent, high priority project.

Well, the Quicken developers don't seem to agree, as this has a been ignored for at least a year. It's only been reported here in this forum a handful of times, so I'm guessing that whatever the issue is, it affects a tiny percentage of Quicken Mac users. It's even possible the person evaluating the "Report a Problem" submissions was unable to replicate the problem, and therefore didn't pass it on to the developers. (The support staff reviewing these Report a Problem reports likely have hundreds or thousands of problem reports, many of which aren't explained clearly, are users venting about a problem, are due to user error, so I imagine their triage process has to be pretty quick to discard the large percentage of submissions which are either incorrect or which cannot be replicated from the user-provided descriptions.) I definitely do suggest you put through a Report a Problem submission, complete with screenshot(s), because any given report could trigger action which similar past reports have failed to trigger. Filing a report is an act of faith, because it goes into a black hole from which there is no response, but the more people who report a problem, the more likely it is to get attention.

jacobs

Let me add that there is an official Alert posted on this site about this issue which I was previously unaware of:

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7916094/ongoing-9-26-22-categories-grayed-out-on-the-categories-list

The Alert provides a bug tracking number, which isn't useful to us end users other than to convey that it's officially in their system. So it may not be be necessary to Report a Problem — although more reports may give them additional data to diagnose the problem, so it may not be a bad idea to report it if you haven't previously. (If you do so, mention that this appears related to or the same as "Ticket #9584579/CTP-3403".)

jacobs

@Jo_6LT I did some additional testing regarding this issue. I found that if I removed the Quicken preferences file, my grayed out categories returned to normal on my next launch of Quicken. Specifically, open the User > Library > Preferences folder and scroll down to find com.quicken.Quicken.plist. With Quicken not running, drag this file to your desktop. Now relaunch Quicken.

You will likely have to point Quicken to your existing data file when it launches — don't let it create a new one — and then open your Categories window to see if everything is back to normal. (In one of my tests, it also ran some database update process because the preference setting to note the database had been updated — "CompletedJulyDatabaseUpdate" — which was in the old preferences file but not initially in the new one it created.)

I'm not sure all the settings and preferences are lost by replacing the prefs file, so you may find you need to reset some other things. (For instance, my Register Text & Row Settings was reset to the default row height instead of the Compact setting I normally use, and some of my Sidebar preferences were reverted to default settings.) I also had to answer a security question for one of my accounts; I'm not sure if that's related, but since this never happens otherwise, I assume it was.

If you don't get too messed you up losing your preferences, and your categories are now okay, then carry on. If you find something is seriously amiss, quit Quicken, and drag the preferences file from your desktop back to the Preferences folder; relaunching Quicken should now be back to where you were previously. 

(I think the culprit may be an entry in the preferences file for "categoryOutlineViewShowsOnlyUnusedCategories" or "CategoryDisplayFullyQualifiedNames"; I don't know what those means, but the new preferences file doesn't have either one, and my Quicken file was set to show All categories, so I suspect one of these flags in the preferences file might be the problem.)

For ultimate safety, you might want to make a backup of your Quicken data file as well as the preferences file before proceeding. 

Please post back to see if this resolves the issue for you.

Jo_6LT

What terrific info, Jacobs; extremely helpful. If they ARE actually working on this, we can cross our fingers that the discrepancies will have been an annoyance but not even close to a deal breaker. However, as someone with minimal understanding of what the 'fix' involves, if the problem lingers I will become increasingly uncertain about whether I can trust that the Register categories won't get corrupted.
The bigger obstacle right now, I suspect, is timing. There seem to be so many problems with the switch to the new bank download process (EWC+ or something). The banks initiated it and Quicken had to react to it. I suspect they're on major overload. I'll wait to submit this (including your suggestions!) until that settles down a bit. In the interim I'll make a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Holy Quicken Register Categories...

jacobs

For whatever reason, the developers haven't made fixing this problem a priority, as it's been reported and acknowledged going back to last year. I always figured there was some minor corruption in my data file database, but it was only after I created a new testing file and the problem followed along that I suspected it was something outside the data file — namely, the preferences. 

There's no way to know if this is slated to be fixed soon, or is off their radar. Some bugs take months or years to be acted on, depending how high a priority they perceive it to be.

If you want to try the "fix" I suggested, it should take you just a minute or two to test out. Just make sure you have a backup in case clearing out your existing preferences file causes you other problems. To test: quit Quicken, move the preferences file to your desktop, re-launch Quicken, and check your Category window. If the problem is gone, then you can poke around to see what settings and preferences you need to re-set to get back to normal; if this creates any problems, simply quit Quicken, drag the original preferences file back to its original location (replacing the preferences file Quicken created in the interim), and re-launch Quicken; things should be exactly as they were before you did anything (Category problem and all). 

Jo_6LT

What incredible efforts you've gone to! I'm sure many others will be (almost) as grateful as I am.

Will try removing the Preferences as per your instructions and post the results. Before I do -- and not knowing what I'll see on the screen -- you said "You will likely have to point Quicken to your existing data file when it launches — don't let it create a new one — " My question is: how will I know how to point Quicken to my existing data file? Is it painfully obvious? Of course I'll make backups of the backup before I try it, and will need to have a couple of free hours before I take it on. Please don't conclude a delay (of up to a day) in posting my response means I'm giving up -- or worse, ungrateful for all the work you've been doing.

Out of curiosity, now that you've cleared your Preferences and the Category List looks "normal," have you tried editing a minor category to see if it shows in the Register list? Or added or deleted a category and also verified it in the Register list?

If so, Quicken owes you BIG TIME!!!!

Jo_6LT

Before I make a big mess of my data trying to follow your excellent guidance re deleting the Quicken Preferences files, I'm attaching a copy of an excerpt from my User > Library > Preferences folder. I was surprised to find there were FOUR plists. The 4th one is clearly the one that's currently being used, but I need your advice if I should remove all four at once? One at a time? The second plist shows zero KB, so that's probably a no brainer, and the third is only 4 KB. But the first one, from 2018, although probably obsolete still shows 13 KB.

So, how do you suggest I proceed?

P.S. I do have a back-up of the file in Time Machine and also CCCloner, so I probably don't need to be as hesitant as I am. But cyber gremlins do terrify me...

com.quicken.Quicken.2017.plist Jan 27, 2018 13 KB. property list
com.quicken.Quicken.2017.plist.iEQKMT6 July 5, 2017 0 bytes Document
com.quicken.Quicken.2017.plist.U4WIrOT July 5, 2017 4 KB Document
com.quicken.Quicken.plist Today 17 KB property list

Thanks in advance!

jacobs

The plist files for Quicken 2017 are irrelevant if you're using Quicken subscription. If you no longer have Quicken 2017 installed on your Mac, then yes, you might as well delete those three files; if you do keep Quicken 2017 around to access any old data files, then you can leave them, as they aren't affecting anything with your current Quicken.

The last of the four files is the one you want to try removing, at least temporarily. I moved mine to my desktop and let Quicken generate a new one. See if generating a new plist file clear up your categories issue; it did for me. But with a new preferences file, you will have to reset some things, and depending how much you find needs to be re-configured, you can decide if you want to do so and stay with the new plist or replace the new one with the old one from your desktop. 

(Another tick you can use if you're not sure if it's safe/wise to delete something: do File > Compress in the Finder to create a .zip file of whatever you want to temporarily remove, then delete the original. No application will penetrate inside the .zip file. Should you decide you want to restore the original file, just double-click on the .zip file to decompress it. I do this sometime if I want to try a new version of an application while preserving my option to move back to the old version.)

Jo_6LT

OMG, creating a .zip file is the MOST brilliant way to lower the risk of data loss when troubleshooting or experimenting with an update, and so much more! My FOMO is nothing compared to FOFE: fear of fubaring everything! And who knew older versions of Quicken were irrelevant if you have a Quicken subscription.

Tomorrow is my day to take the plunge and remove the existing Preferences file. Knowing I can easily revert to the that file, even with all its messed up categories, is a game changer. I'll report back, of course, while you come up with a way to make sure Quicken support knows how to rescue the many others whose categories are greyed out, or won't reveal subcategories, or are otherwise messed up. Think of the budgeting and planning efforts you'll rescue from becoming cyber-devoured!

Jo_6LT

JACOB S, YOU FIXED QUICKEN'S CRIPPLED CATEGORY LIST QUAGMIRE! Your solution works like magic.
I should add I've not yet had a moment to actually work with the restored file, but I'm 99% confident -- not simply because the register seems perfect, the balance is correct and the Category List is accurate, accessible and editable -- but also because you provided an excellent SAFETY NET to safeguard all user data if the solution hadn't fixed all the problems. No risk, HUGE reward.

ATTENTION QUICKEN MODERATORS! Jacobs deserves at least a lifetime free subscription, plus a medal of honor for saving the sanity and YEARS of effort that were in jeopardy for all those users whose categories have become chaotic and unusable.

Jacob S, your hard work, your research and the clarity of your guidance have been way above and beyond, and I simply can't thank you enough!

jacobs

@Jo_6LT Thanks for your kind words, and more importantly, for confirming that your category list issue was fixed by trashing the Quicken preferences file. Yay!

What annoys me about this is that we have now shown that there's a setting in the prefs file which creates this odd condition for a small number of people. The developers should easily be able to identify which setting it is, why it causes this impact on the category list, and fix — but they haven't. At least we now know how to fix it.

Jo_6LT

YOU know how to fix it!!! And inspire confidence and back-up solutions in case there's an additional problem that isn't fixed by this method.

Is there were any way to direct others who inquire about this issue to go right to your solution? There may be many more people affected than we know about. I hope Quicken will eventually fix this issue, but it's not apt to happen quickly while all the problems with the new download protocols are being straightened out. As for past efforts, it makes sense that the Quicken staff might have been unable to replicate the problem unless their Preferences had been similarly corrupted.

Issues like this one have such serious adverse consequences for people who are using Quicken as a primary tool to being financially responsible. And most of us don't have anywhere near your level of knowledge, or are willing to jump through the hoops you did to figure this out. How do you send smoke signals to the poor souls tearing their hair out over this?????

I am one of those poor souls who is and will remain immensely grateful to you, and will somehow pay it forward as best I possibly can. May your generosity of spirit come back to you continuously.

jacobs

Jo_6LT said:

Is there were any way to direct others who inquire about this issue to go right to your solution? There may be many more people affected than we know about.

Find the post from me above, and click Yes to the right of "Did this answer the question" under the post. Doing that will make a copy of the reply appear at the top of this thread under your original question. 

Jo_6LT said:

And most of us don't have anywhere near your level of knowledge, or are willing to jump through the hoops you did to figure this out. How do you send smoke signals to the poor souls tearing their hair out over this?????

This is where this forum works best: someone having a problem searches here and finds an answer, or posts a question and gets an answer from a fellow user. I (and others) enjoy hanging out here trying to help users who are having problems or have questions, and it's gratifying to hear when we've been able to help someone resolve an issue.