What banks still have Quicken Direct Connect for paying bills (edit)

actionashley

Hello.

I would like to ask if users who have a financial institution that is allowing direct connect and payment of bills through quicken to post the name of that institution. And also if they know that a bank does not offer it to post that.

I had Union bank and had no issues with quicken and have been transitioned to US bank and even though they say they offer direct connect with bill pay I cannot get that to work. i am connected via direct connect but bills will not upload. Quicken says it's a USbank issue and USbank says its a quicken issue.

PNC is also saying that they offer this and am in the process of opening an account to verify.

Thanks

Rich 20+ years using quicken

Ps56k2

Even if a specific banks has Direct Connect today - they may migrate away from it in the near future…
Both PNC and USBank are showing the Payment attribute - but only for the correctly chosen "Direct" entry -

04501 04501 04501 PNC Bank - Direct Connect
https://www.pnc.com/ 800-762-2035
https://www.onlinebanking.pnc.com/alservlet/SignonInitServlet?HttpLevel=128 ACTIVE
BANKING,ACCOUNTINFO,PAYMENT&DIRECT
BANKING,ACCOUNTINFO&EXP-WEB-CONNECT

01401 01401 01401 U.S. Bank - PFM Direct Connect
https://www.usbank.com/index.html 800-872-2657
https://www.usbank.com/index.html ACTIVE
BANKING,CREDIT,ACCOUNTINFO,PAYMENT&DIRECT
BANKING,ACCOUNTINFO&EXP-WEB-CONNECT

actionashley

Thank you for the response.

I realize they might move away from direct connect in the future but then again…..maybe they won't. Still need to try.

I have been trying with USbank for a couple of weeks and can't get it to work. I am connected on the direct connect portal and downloads work but not the uploading of payments.

After multiple calls to quicken, and spending a couple hours on share screen trying things their last answer to me was that they have been having trouble with the usbank connection and it is not on their end.

Usbank says they support it and its not on their end.

I am in the process of setting up PNC currently and am waiting for the log in and password for the direct connection to arrive in the mail.

Hoping there are other banks that someone can verify will work so I have a backup plan.

actionashley

US bank is working now with a direct connection. My file was corrupted so I had to re-save it.

there is a $9.95 fee per month from us bank for access.

NotACPA

It's only $3.95/mo if you don't need BillPay

Mark1104

@actionashley - banks are driving towards EWC+ (and away from direct connect) due to security concerns.

Curious, why do you use the billing features within Quicken and not use the billing features that are available at most banks?

Ps56k2

I have Chase accounts … and they migrated from Direct Connect to EWC+

Years ago I manually paid bills via the Chase online bill payment feature. Then I started using the direct link with Quicken. Now I am back using my 2-step approach… step one for entry into Quicken using Reminders, and step two… back to manually entering actual payments using the Chase online website.

actionashley

NotACPA - yes but the entire purpose for me to use quicken is for the bill pay feature. It is worth the $10 if I must pay it.

Mark - I find it easier to use than the banks online payment platform. I can plan and it will show future payments that I have entered. The bank only shows that after the check has cleared.

I keep hearing that it is going away but I am going to use it until it does.

I am still working with PNC to set up a direct connection with them. They claim it is free and includes bill pay from quicken.

NotACPA

@actionashley Almost all of my bills are Direct Debit and scheduled txn in Q. When the bill comes in, 2-3 weeks before due date, it's already recorded in Q and I only need to review the bill and adjust the amount in Q.

Even easier than your method, and I also show future payments.

And I save $6/mo.

actionashley

Notacpa Is that through the bills $ income tab? You link your bill to quicken by entering your username and password from that bills site?

I haven't tried that.

actionashley

So my system is

I enter expected bills in my register out for 4 months for things like, expected electricity, expected water, expected mortgage etc.

When the actual bill comes in I enter the payment and roll out the expected bill to the next month. I always have a rolling 4 month budget. I also have an expected salary and income in also.

Do you think your system is easier?

actionashley

PNC is working with direct connect to pay bills also now.

fyi

NotACPA

NO, I'm not linking to the vendor(s).

It's on the TOOLS, "Manage Bill & Income Reminders" dialog.

And my reminders extend out over a year

Mark1104

@actionashley - here is my approach - I think it is simpler

1. set up bill reminders in Q. (CNTL-J). One of the options is for Q to estimate an average or use the same amount from last year. That "same amount from last year" is great for electricity and gas bills if you live in a part of the country where that can vary greatly with the seasons.
2. Set up the utilties (and frankly anything else you are comfortable with) via 'auto debit' at the vendor. That way the bills get paid automatically.
3. When the bill comes in the mail, I simply enter the reminder in my bank register in Q and adjust the amount as necessary.

as an aside, I rarely use Billpay anymore. I never used it in Q and once in a blue moon, I'll use it at the BofA website. I use autopay / auto debit, automate my credit card payments or pay the 'one offs' at the vendor website. A lot of tradesmen prefer to be paid by Zelle these days, so I use that. Billpay is very 'old school' (as are 'checks').

actionashley

Thank you for the comments. I will look into the bill reminder system.

The one thing I dont like is doing auto debit from the vendor. I guess Im old school 👴

Mark1104

i have used autodebit for years for all my utilities, mortgage and credit card payments - never a problem.

do you still ride a horse and buggy or do you drive a car? 😉

do you ask the operator to place your calls or do you speed dial from your smartphone? 😉