Direct Connect Bill Pay Issue

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: US Bank - Issue with sending payment using Direct Connect.

MrGadget

I just started experiencing this exact same problem today. I've been using Direct Connect Bill Pay for years. Something is definitely wrong. Possibly related: Quicken downloaded an update when I launched it today. Possibly related: I recently reinstated Direct Connect with my checking account (long story … after an email from Quicken to update my connections to Web Express+ … but they failed to clarify that that was only for Credit Card accounts, NOT for Checking Accounts … so I reinstated Direct Connect for my checking account … and I'm sure I had successfully sent a payment since restoring it … until today). Something is definitely wrong …

MrGadget

P.S. I'm NOT using "US Bank". My checking account is with a different bank.

NotACPA

What bank, as it's known in Q?

Kelly Flesche

Thank you. I also had to reinstate my Direct Connect with Quicken after my connections were updated to Web Express+ and received an update yesterday. Must be related to one or the other.

Ps56k2

can’t really help you folks without some info -

What bank ?

what version …. Help —> About Quicken

Kelly Flesche

It's US Bank for me. I am running Quicken Premier Version: R50.14, Build: 27.1.50.14 for Windows 10 Home.

MrGadget

My bank is PNC. Quicken Premier Version: R50.14, Build: 27.1.50.14 running on Windows 10 Enterprise. I'm still experiencing the problem today. I have not tried disconnecting and reconnecting Online Services. I figured it's probably a problem either in the new version of Quicken, or with PNC Bank … and might cure itself after a few days … so I figured I'd try again after the weekend.

Sorry for the delay … my post was originally a response to a different post about US Bank, but was moved to it's own post, and I didn't realize it, so I didn't know you were requesting more info till now. My bad.

jman

8 days after updating the quicken program to 50.14 with US Bank every thing is the way it should be now. But will not transmit my payment request says it does, but it does not…

Joe Meier

Quicken Kristina

Hello @MrGadget,

Thank you for your reply, though I'm sorry to hear you're still encountering this issue. PNC Bank is phasing out Direct Connect and changing to Express Web Connect+. The new connection type does not support Direct Connect bill pay. That may be the reason that it is giving you trouble. I would recommend checking to make sure the payment account is connected by Direct Connect. To do this, go to Tools>Account List. Click the Edit button next to the account. Click the Online Services tab. It should show you the Connection Method there.

Hello @jman,

Thank you for joining the discussion. If you are trying to do Direct Connect Bill Pay and its not working, the first thing I recommend is making sure your payment account is connected by Direct Connect. To check this, go to Tools>Account list. Click the Edit button next to the account. Click the Online Services tab. It should show you the connection type.

If it is not connected by Direct Connect, then first backup your Quicken file, then deactivate your account. To reconnect the account, go to Tools>Add Account and search U.S. Bank. Make certain to select U.S. Bank - PFM Direct Connect.

Click the Advanced Options link, then select Direct Connect.

Click Next and it will ask you for your SSN and US Bank PIN.

Follow the prompts and make sure to link to the appropriate account in Quicken.

Note: If you get a screen that looks like the sample below, that means its trying to connect via Express Web Connect +, which does not support Direct Connect Bill Pay.

Thank you.

MrGadget

Thanks for the reply, but I received an Email from Quicken on 6/13/23 stating that the transition from Direct Connect to Express Web Connect+ was NOT REQUIRED for checking accounts using Bill Pay at PNC Bank. They apologized for the confusion, and explained how to restore Direct Connect, which I did. And I THOUGHT that I had successfully used Bill Pay shortly after that restoration, but I'm not certain about that. About 10 days later, I tried to pay another bill, but when I run "Update Now", the payment transaction remains in my check register flagged as "Send" (to be sent). I have not yet tried disconnecting / reconnecting Online Services for that account yet again, but I'm considering that.

Quicken Kristina

Thank you for your reply @MrGadget,

Did you verify how your account is connected in Quicken? Does it show Direct Connect or Express Web Connect +? When you say "They apologized for the confusion, and explained how to restore Direct Connect…", which they are you referring to? Did you talk to PNC, our support, or was this instructions in the email?

Thank you.

jman

I have the exact same problem, except I use Bill Pay at US Bank Bank. I tried to pay a bill, but when I run "Update Now", the payment transaction remains in my check register, flagged as
"Send" (to be sent).

Quicken Kristina

Thank you for your reply @jman,

Did you go to the Account List and verify whether or not the account is connected via Direct Connect (directions are in my earlier post)?

Thank you.

MrGadget

My "connection method" is definitely Direct Connect.

As background, the connection method was temporarily changed to Web Connect+ (around late May) based on emails from Quicken telling me to "upgrade" my connection with PNC to Web Connect+. Apparently, they didn't clarify that the upgrade only applied to Express Web Connect connections, not to Direct Connect connections. Then, they sent another email on June 13th acknowledging that they didn't mean for people to change their Direct Connect connections to Express Web Connect+, because that killed their ability to send Bill Payments. The email apologized for the confusion, and included a link to instructions for restoring Direct Connect, which I did. But now my Bill Payments get stuck in a "to be sent" state. Here's the link to Quicken's correction: https://click.mail.quicken.com/?qs=4493a65ae47550213116766ba78ba622d9421644048956d88b26db89381ee842faee1ac6f4e5607a7bc5b7e72738c2c55a8956d93838b855

Quicken Kristina

Thank you for your reply,

You said that payments are stuck in "send" status; could you provide more detail what is happening when you try to send (for example, does One Step Update reflect that its trying to send the instructions)? Are you getting any error messages or codes? Do you recall when this issue started happening? Was there anything that happened just before the problem started (such as an update, unexpected computer or program shutdown, etc)?

Thank you.

MrGadget

Thanks for the reply. Here's the detail:

I created a Bank Bill Pay transaction (as I've been doing for years). Before doing an "Update" the checking account register showed "Send" in the check number field (as it always has). I clicked "Update Now". A popup appeared confirming that it would send the payment instruction to my bank (PNC Bank - Direct Connect). I clicked OK, and it did the update. The "One Step Update Summary" screen confirmed that the account was 'updated', but the payment transaction apparently wasn't sent because it still showed "Send" in the check number field in the register (historically, the check number would be populated with a 4 digit number alongside a lightning bolt, if it was successfully transmitted to the bank).

For confirmation, I logged onto my bank website. The payment transaction was NOT reflected in my checking account, even after a few days (at least it's consistent with Quicken).

I tried disconnecting and reconnecting Online Services for that checking account. At first it blocked me saying "you have a pending 'Send' transaction". I deleted the pending payment transaction from the checking account register, and tried disconnecting online service again. It seemed to work this time. The Online Service was now disconnected.

I tried reconnecting Online Services. It automatically selected "PNC Bank - Direct Connect", and it did the normal process of listing ALL my PNC accounts. I selected "Do Not Connect" for all of them except my Checking Account (which I reconnected as you would expect). It confirmed the new connection. My checking account was once-again connected to PNC Bank - Direct Connect.

I recreated the Bank Bill Pay transaction and clicked Update Now. It displayed the standard popup confirming that it was connecting to PNC Bank - Direct Connect, and that it would send my payment.

When the "One Step Update Summary" window appeared, it confirmed that the account balance had been updated. But, (as before), the payment transaction was STILL in my check register with "Send" in the Check Number field (instead of the generated check number and lightning bolt).

This all started happening around June 18th. It was after I restored Direct Connect (per Quicken's email apologizing about the miscommunication when they instructed people to "upgrade their connection method" ... neglecting to explain not to disturb the Direct Connect connection if using it for Bank Bill Pay). It was also after Quicken automatically updated itself to Version: R50.14, Build: 27.1.50.14 (running on Windows 10 Enterprise).

Hope this helps.

Quicken Kristina

Thank you for your reply,

Based on your description of the issue, you have already done the troubleshooting I would have recommended. I recommend reaching out to your financial institution to check if there's anything on their server causing the issue. If they're not able to assist (or can't find an issue), then I would recommend that you reach out to Quicken Support directly for further assistance since they have access to tools that I do not and are able to escalate if necessary. The Quicken Support phone number can be found through this link here. Phone support is available from 5:00 am PT to 5:00 pm PT, Monday through Friday.

I apologize that I could not be of more assistance!

MrGadget

Thank you. I will proceed as you suggest. In case anyone else is experiencing this problem, I just realized that Quicken isn't DOWNLOADING TRANSACTIONS either. After a seemingly successful "online update", the Summary window shows my "online balance" as of two days ago (instead of TODAY), and it doesn't reflect 7 new transactions (visible on my bank's website) that have processed over the past 10 days. I guess I'll contact my bank's Tech Support on Monday. Historically, they'll tell me to contact Quicken, and Quicken tells me to contact the Bank! Sigh! Wish me luck!

tew53080

I am having the exact same issue. Did you get this resolved and how?