Quicken Deluxe is not intuitive (smart)

Mucets

When entering transactions from previous billers, Quicken Deluxe is not intuitive in recognizing the last transaction from that biller. The earlier versions of Quicken 2011 for example, were able to do this. Why is this so?

mshiggins

Make sure the preference to Automatically Memorize New Payees is enabled. 

Then when you next enter a repeat transaction, say for McDonalds, either a new Memorized Payee will be created or the amount, category, and memo of the existing Memorized Payee will be updated. Then each time you enter a new transaction for that payee, you should get the amount, category, and memo from the most recently entered transaction for that payee. 

Jim_Harman

Perhaps what you are looking for is the combination of Renaming Rules and Memorized Payee List.

Renaming Rules standardize the Payess in downloaded transactions so that for example McDonalds, McDonald's, and MCDONALDS #12345 can all be recognized as the same Payee.

The Memorized Payee List stores the Category, Tags, and optionally the payment amount and other information about Payees that you use regularly.

Quicken can also automatically rename and supply Categories for downloaded Payees if you enable those features. 

You can access these lists via the Tools menu and you can control how the operate via the settings at Edit > Preferences > Data entry and Quickfill and Edit > Preferences > Downloaded Transactions

Chris_QPW

I read this differently, as in what happens when you're manually entering a transaction opposed to what happens when you download.  When manually entering the transaction and you type in the payee and that payee has multiple memorized categories and amounts, it is not clearly defined which memorized payee entry it should use. And I believe over the years which one it'll pick has changed.  Some might prefer the last one used, others might have a different opinion.  Personally, I don't do much manual entry and I never have multiple payee entries for the same payee, therefore I don't have this problem. 

mshiggins

Make sure the preference to Automatically Memorize New Payees is enabled. 

Then when you next enter a repeat transaction, say for McDonalds, either a new Memorized Payee will be created or the amount, category, and memo of the existing Memorized Payee will be updated. Then each time you enter a new transaction for that payee, you should get the amount, category, and memo from the most recently entered transaction for that payee. 

Jim_Harman

Another setting to try is the Locked checkbox on each memorized payee. I think if that is not checked, the amount and Category for the payee are updated each time you use it or something like that.

It would sure be nice if all these settings and how they interact was accurately documented somewhere.

mshiggins

Jim_Harman said:

Another setting to try is the Locked checkbox on each memorized payee. I think if that is not checked, the amount and Category for the payee are updated each time you use it or something like that.

It would sure be nice if all these settings and how they interact was accurately documented somewhere.

Have you checked the in-product Help? They may also be covered in the Official Guide (last updated in early 2018). 

Mucets

Thank you all for your assistance. It does pay to read all of the settings etc.

iAmBart

Leaving this here for my future self: To update historical transactions go to Edit>Find/Replace>New Find and use the expressions to dial into what you need replaced.

i.e. Transfers with "Sav" in the Payee and that amount is equal to less than 0 automatically update to "Wells Savings"