Q Mac: Add option for Projected Balances graph to show multiple accounts, like QWin

mark.granoff

I find the Projected Balanced graph in Quicken Mac version not useful enough. The Windows version shows lines for individual accounts on the same graph, where the Mac version sums a set of accounts and shows just one line. That is not useful to see WHICH account(s) might fall below zero and when!

When will the Quicken Mac version of this graph be made to match the Windows version's functionality? This is a critical feature, which provides insufficient useful info in the Mac version currently.

[Edited to reflect this missing functionality is a requested feature. — jacobs]

jacobs

@mark.granoff Can you clarify where in Quicken Mac you're describing for viewing projected balances? Are you referring to the Projected Balanced tab of the Bills & Income screen?

On that screen, the second filter above the graph is a pull-down menu which allows you to select the account you wish to see graphed. If you pull down that menu again and select a different account it will be added to the graph, and you can repeat this for as many accounts as you want to display. You are correct that this shows a composite value for whatever accounts are selected, not multiple lines showing each account individually. But you can select individual accounts if you're looking to see which account(s) might fall below zero and when.

The data shown is useful to some users, but I realize this is not what you're used to in Quicken Windows. You can at least view the data you want on an individual account-by-account basis, even though it may not suit the way you'd like to be able to view it.

Will the Mac graph be changed to allow showing lines for individual accounts, and when? No one here can answer that. What I can say is I don't recall this being a previously-requested feature, and a quick skim of the Product Idea topics didn't turn up an existing Idea thread for this specific feature. If you'd like, we can ask a moderator to turn this thread into an Idea (feature request) topic… or if you prefer, you can create a New Idea in the Product Ideas > Ideas for Mac Classic > Budget & Planning Tools section. Idea topics allow other Quicken users to vote for them, and after reaching a critical mass, the Idea is send to the development team for consideration. Just to set expectations appropriately: it's usually a pretty long process to garner enough votes, then go through the developers' review, get approval, and then wait for time on their development calendar — unless the developers happen to already have this on their roadmap.

John_in_NC

@jacobs The windows version shows the Cash Flow graph you mention (In Bills & Income:Projected Balances) as individual accounts with no total line. Each to his or her own, but I found the Windows graph more cluttered/less useful to me.

As you noted, the filters are the key to focusing on specific accounts if you wish to do so. Then, a user can see if a sub selection of accounts drops <$0.

mark.granoff

@jacobs Thanks for the detail! I have to say, selecting multiple accounts as you describe — while easy enough once you know about it — is not very intuitive. :-)

Seeing only a total is still not that useful for me though. I use this view to QUICKLY see the projected balances of many accounts. At a glance I can see the yellow triangle of a below zero projection. If I have to spend time selecting and unselecting a bunch of accounts, that is not a good use of my time.

Yes, please, let's turn this into a feature request! I can imagine a simple toggle to go from an composite view (the view today) to a "break out" view (with a line per selected account). What an improvement that woudl be (for me, at least)!

Quicken Anja

Hello @mark.granoff,

Thank you for taking the time to reach out with your request.

I went ahead and changed your post to an Idea so other users who have the same or a similar request can vote on your idea by clicking the up arrow (see below).

Ideas are also reviewed by our Development and Product teams in order to improve Quicken and implement new features requested by customers.

Thank you!

mark.granoff

Thank you!

Quicken Anja

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20494181#Comment_20494181

You're welcome!

jacobs

I support this Idea request as long as it is implemented as an option — e.g. users could switch between seeing a single line for the projected balance of all selected accounts (current Quicken Mac behavior) or being multiple lines reflecting the balance of each individual selected account (current Quicken Windows behavior).

John_in_NC

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20494188#Comment_20494188

I agree wholeheartedly.

mark.granoff

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20494188#Comment_20494188

Yes, absolutely! To my mind, the current Mac version of this graph is a downgrade, but I can see how it can have some utility in certain scenarios. A (sticky, remembered) toggle is exactly what I had in mind.

NorthernExposure

I am so glad this question was raised and answered! I have curated a complete list of the recurring transactions, but I used the the individual account registers to see where the balances would be at a given point in time. The Projected Balance view is very useful. I can't believe that I never clicked on that button! In any case, it reminded me of the work I've been doing to refine a cash flow report that would be both intuitive and accurate. Still working on that - I think I'll hop over to that thread to see what's new!

smayer97

BTW, this is item #10 on the overall IDEA thread here:

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7339957/improve-the-bill-reminders-cash-flow-forecast-projected-balance-in-quicken-mac-95-legacy-votes

You may want to review that too, and include a vote there.

mark.granoff

Thanks @smayer97 !