Budget category doesn't show, amount still appears

Question

I've been using Quicken Windows for a long time, know my way around, and use budgets. Just noticed a problem. When I run a budget report it shows a transfer into an investment account with the correct actual value but wrong budgeted amount. In fact, I don't recall budgeting anything for it in 2024. I looked at the budgeted categories in annual view, it's not there. I clicked on manage budget categories, and it's selected.

To test, I created an entirely new budget, no categories at all selected. Budget annual view is empty. I clicked on manage budget categories, and under the investment group checked the transfer to and from my investment account. I ran a annual budget report and it shows the amount transferred into and out of the account along with a $35550 budget. Notice I still haven't entered a budgeted amount. The annual view of my budget is still empty, so there's no way I can even enter an amount for the transfer.

Where did it get this figure? And since this is a totally clean budget, how do I go about removing it, short of deleting the account?

Quicken Kristina · Answer

Thank you for your reply,

Typically, when you first add the categories to your budget, Quicken will give you a screen with a suggested budget amount.  That may be where those budget numbers came from.

Based on your screenshot, the reason you're not seeing the transfer in your Budget is because it's currently set to show Budget only.  To see actuals, click the dropdown to the right of the budget year and select either Details or Actuals only (Details will show both the Budget and Actuals).

I also noticed your screenshot isn't showing the To or the From categories, just the green bar and $0.  Did you obscure them for privacy?  If not, I suggest you go to Manage Budget Categories and select the appropriate category from Transfers In and from Transfers Out.  That should make those categories visible and give you the option to edit the budgeted amounts.

I hope this helps!

BikerL · Answer

I think I noticed this in January, when I was running reports for 2023. I couldn't figure it out, so I just removed the category group Investment from the report altogether; it was greatly distorting the over/under budget amounts. Just this month I decided to look into it more systematically, and tried creating the empty budget as a test. In the test I did, I selected to/from only a single investment account in the Investment category; I did not select any transfers. I attach screenshots of the budget category selection, the annual budget display (empty), and the report (I blurred the actual amounts, which are correct, and left the budgeted amounts, which is the problem, as I never entered them). Apologies for their size; I didn't realize they'd be this large which I snipped them. Interestingly, the budgeted amount is different from the last time I ran the test for my initial post; no idea why.

Quicken Kristina · Answer

Hello @BikerL,

To help troubleshoot this issue, please provide more information.  When did you first notice this issue?  Is this happening exclusively with transfers to that one specific account?  You mentioned you selected this in the investment group; did you create an investment category group that includes transfers?  If you're willing, please post screenshots of the selected category in the clean test budget you created and the report that is showing the $35550 budget.  If needed, please refer to this Community FAQ for instructions on how to attach a screenshot. Alternatively, you can also drag and drop screenshots to your response if you are not given the option to add attachments.

I look forward to your reply!