Express web connect for Mac 2017 - when?
Reed Welch
Member
I recently converted from the 2014Win version, and discovered that some of my institutions supported Express Web Connect, which are not supported with the Mac version.
Any idea when this feature might be changed - reason I ask is that it affects 2 primary institutions and 5 accounts that I use routinely.
This is a significant problem - should I revert back to the Win product? Or await an update.
Any idea when this feature might be changed - reason I ask is that it affects 2 primary institutions and 5 accounts that I use routinely.
This is a significant problem - should I revert back to the Win product? Or await an update.
0
Comments
You need to complain to the FI.
The only guaranteed cure is to return to Quicken for Windows and hope the FI does not decide to stop supporting it.
-Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list
What FI is it?
Express Web Connect is known as Quicken Connect in the Mac version.
-Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list
There are three download methods, see this article:Connection Types
The user manually downloading from the FI's website is called Web Connect regardless if it is Win or Mac.
Quicken Connect is what the Mac'ers call Express Web Connect even though the Mac FIDIR.txt uses EWC in their entry.
Direct Connect and Web Connect are the most reliable download methods with EWC (QC) being a distant third due to the scripts that have to be written and maintained as the FIs modify their websites, a source of constant problems.
-Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list
My experience differs dramatically from what you have mentioned.
First, let me clarify that I am using QM2017 - I say this since your referenced link appears applies to QWin versions, so NOT relevant.
EWC allows transaction downloads from within the QWin application.
QM2017 and QuickenConnect does not! Which Q Cust Support confirmed over the phone to me.
Additionally my FI confirmed that they support EWC, but not have implemented QC, since they are different from their point of view. And reviewing issues from others it appears to be a new protocol for FI's to support.
If you are aware of an efficient work around that allows users to download FI xactions using QC, do enlighten the user community.
I guess the bigger question is, should FI's be forced to adapt or should the Quicken Mac team maintain the connection protocols that have been historically successful for both the Windows user's and the FI's?
The Express Web Connect (Windows) method is called Quicken Connect by the Mac process and is the exact same process.
I'm sorry you were in contact with a Q Cust Support that does not know that, but I can assure you that I am correct, though you will believe what you will.
If you were to read any of hundreds of other posts on this forum, you will find that I am correct and your QCS was wrong.
-Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list
Your bank, Washington Financial, only supports Web Connect for Quicken Mac (see below). The other options are grayed out.
As others mentioned above, it is up to the bank which method(s) to support for which platforms. And the bank may support a method for Windows and not support that method for Mac, as is the case here.
Given that they are already supporting EWC for Windows Quicken, it probably isn't too difficult for them to add support for Quicken Connect for Quicken Mac. This would allow you to download transactions from within Quicken. If it were me, I would put some serious pressure on them to do so. Being a local bank, I would think they'd be willing to listen.
Just to be clear, Quicken Connect for Mac is the exact same protocol as EWC for Quicken Windows, just with a different name slapped on it. Once your bank understands this, it will hopefully be much easier to convince them to support it.
As for Discover Card, it supports both Direct Connect and Quicken Connect on Mac (see below). Direct Connect will be your better option to use.
If you want to post which FIs you're interested in, we can check how they are supported in the Mac version for you.
Thanks
Wymar Federal Credit Union: Web Connect
Regions Bank: Direct Connect
Regions Bank - Web Connect: Web Connect
Regions Bank formerly Union Pla: Quicken Connect
Regions Bank formerly AmSouth Ba: Quicken Connect
To review:
... Direct Connect: Quicken makes a direct 2-way connection to your bank. Bill Pay may be available. Most reliable.
... Quicken Connect: Quicken retrieves transactions from your bank overnight (1-way). You receive them from within Quicken when you update. Can be "quirky". This is the same thing as what's called Express Web Connect in Quicken Windows.
... Web Connect: You have to go to your bank's website, download a file and then import that file into Quicken.
I did get the Discover Card to work with Quicken Connect. It appears that I selected the wrong institution name when initially setting it up. I chose the "Discover Card Account Center" which does not have Quicken Connect.
After choosing "Discover Card" it linked up and is now working.
At some point, maybe the QM s/w team can clean up the financial institution list, or maybe annotate the list with connections types available.
Take mistertheplaque's advice in the response below this one.
You REALLY want to establish Direct Connect with Discover Card. It is the best of the connection method types and is FREE with Discover Card. Quicken Connect is prone to problems any time a change is made to the website, whereas that does not happen with Direct Connect.
-Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list
To change the connection type, click menu Accounts > Settings, then the Change Connection Type button:
On the next screen, click the Options button:
Then choose Direct Connect and Continue:
And, BTW, the Options button and connection type screen are available when you are setting up the account. That's how you know which connection types are available.
I will also pass this along to the moderators via our SU channel in the hopes that they can look into it.
I tried it and it wouldn't allow linking to the existing account, so giving it a pass for now.
I did allow it to set up a new account. Same account balance as the existing account, but the renaming convention was way out of whack, and I would have had to edit, categorize and tag way too many transactions.
If I run into problems I'll remember this, but for now using what works.
Not sure it helped, but I did provide them with links to this community which indicated that it should be relatively easy.
A shout out to those users that posted / assisted!!