removing unused categories from dropdown on Mac

kleeberg

How do I remove historical categories choices from the dropdown when entering a new transaction?

Paul

jacobs

a) You cannot delete categories which you have used, because that would remove the category from these older transactions, which could get very confusing. 

b) You can delete categories which you haven't ever used. For instance, if some of Quicken's default categories are ones you don't use, you can delete them (except the special Investment categories, which it protects from being deleted.) In Window > Categories, you can sort the categories by the Status column to group all the Unused categories together, if that helps in your pruning efforts.

c) You can merge two or more existing categories into one to clean up duplication, typos, or otherwise clean up your records. Go to Window > Categories, Command-click on two or more categories, and click on the Merge categories button; in the window which pops up, be sure to specify which of the existing categories you want the others merged into. This will update all transactions in your database which used the old categories to the new one. 

There is an Idea thread on this site requesting the developers provide a way to Hide categories you no longer use from lists, similar to the way you can currently Hide Payees. This is what I think you're really asking for — and you're not alone! I encourage you to take 10 seconds to click the link and add your vote for this functionality (by clicking the little dark gray arrow un the yellow box under the first post in that thread). You can also add your reasons for wanting this functionality by posting in that thread.

RickO

One workaround you can use for categories that you don't use anymore but can't remove because are used in older transactions: edit the name to start with a "z". This sorts them to the end of the list, out of the way. It also prevents them from showing up in autocomplete after you start typing.