Bills and Income variable amounts (Q Mac)

Rod70

I have various scheduled transactions in Bills and Income - some fixed amounts and some variable (such as utilities). For the variable amounts, I have $0.00 as the amount. In the Windows version (which I previously used for 20 years), under this same $0.00 scenario, when clicking to enter the transaction, a window would pop up asking for the amount of the transaction. However in the Mac version, there is no such pop up window, and the transaction posts in the register as a $0.00 amount necessitating the subsequent editing of the register item to input the correct dollar amount. Does anyone know a better way to operate variable events in Bills and Income?

John_in_NC

Yes:

Double click on the reminder in the register (or "Projected Balances" view of Bills and income, and choose the "Mark as Paid" option. This will pull up an editable transaction where you can change any detail such as the amount. Edit, and hit return to record.

Rod70

John: Thanks for the swift reply. Perhaps we're on different versions (I'm on Quicken for Mac v. 6.11.3 ... no newer updates available), but clicking on Mark as Paid is what I do to get the transaction to post to the register. I do not get any pop up editable transaction window as you described. It just puts a zero dollar transaction into the register. Its the pop up window you described that I'm looking for. You're using the Mac version?

John_in_NC

We are on the same version. Note I wrote to "double click on the reminder in the register (or "Projected Balances" view of Bills and Income"

This will indeed bring you to the editable transaction that will be posted when you save (hit return).

For example, that is precisely how I change the amount of interest later in the month for a checking account: 




You can edit any detail this way before posting. Try it, but again, do this in the actual register or "Projected Balances" view which is a register view of all schedtransx lumped together. 

Rod70

John: Got it. I overlooked the detail as to where to execute the scheduled transaction (in the register vs in the Bills and Income screen). I did not previously have future transactions showing in the register but I have changed that to show the next 14 days and can now execute your instructions as described. Thanks!

John_in_NC

Thanks for the update, Rod70.

I like seeing all the schedtransx (including some future) in the actual register as it helps with cash flow. It also makes it easier to mark them as paid/edit as needed as many do "vary."

Tip: When you have a have a bill reminder that you wish to post immediately as is, you can select it, and clicking on the Paid or Deposited icon in the lower toolbar will post it immediately as is. (You can also set these up to auto-enter if desired. You do this where you edit the schedule. )

Also, don't forget that you can go into Bills & Income and click on Projected Balances. That will show you a grouping of all scheduled transactions (in a more traditional register view) for all accounts. It also has a cash flow graph at the top that can be useful.