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Quicken Research: Tell us about your check writing habits!

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  • Unknown Member
    edited March 2018

    Nice question, one question was a single answer allowed, but I use a combination of 2 methods -- I hand write checks and deliver or possibly mail and also use my bank's web site which sends eChecks or paper checks -- this does not cost anything from my bank!

    For the last few years I have used the bank checking which is free however I just order wallet check that comes three on a 8.5 x 11 sheet that I can type out and print with my Quickens program.  At one time I would only use this method. I am coming back to using it for the local times I need to write a check as when paying for work done around the house. There are times when I need to send a statement stub with a check and typing the with Quickens makes it look more professional.
  • Snoopy FCSnoopy FC Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018
    I only use checks if I have to.  Most payments are setup as automatic transfers either from the bank or to the bank.  
    QMac Subscription - iMac - Quicken Mac user since 1995
  • BBGBBG Member ✭✭
    edited March 2018
    I not only do not want to write checks, I do not want to be bothered by Quicken flagging I have checks to write.  My downloaded transactions include online payments that my financial institution had to mail rather than do electronically.  Quicken picks this up and complains I need to write checks. I do not need to and do not want to be bothered.  Fix that.  How hard can it be?
  • Ron SRon S Member ✭✭
    edited March 2018
    Most of my "check writing" I do online from by banks web sites.  However there are some checks I actually write.  When I do I use the Quicken "Write and Print Checks" feature.
  • Ron SRon S Member ✭✭
    edited March 2018
    I mostly use my financial institution's online function when I "write checks".  However there are a few manual checks I make out.  When I do need to write an actual check I use the Quicken "Write and Print Check" feature using computer
  • Ron SRon S Member ✭✭
    edited January 2019
    I mostly use my financial institution's online function when I "write checks".  However there are a few manual checks I write out.  When I do need to write an actual check I use the Quicken "Write and Print Check" feature using computer checks.
  • M C CrockettM C Crockett Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2018
    jacobs said:

    Feedback to the Quicken team on the way this survey was posted and constructed...

    the post on this site says: "Our development team is doing research on how Quicken members write checks." Okay, I decided I was happy to participate -- except that when you start the survey, the first question is "What version of Quicken Windows are you currently using?" Huh? I'm sure it was an unintentional slight, but nonetheless, it's just another place where Quicken refers to its Windows users as "Quicken users" and separately refers to "Quicken Mac users". As a lifelong Quicken Mac user, it's annoying. The post should have said: "Our development team is doing research on how Quicken Windows users write checks." It would have been a simple fix to avoid ticking off your Mac users.

    (And that said, why wouldn't you want to gather info on how Quicken Mac users write checks at the same time? Especially if feature parity in the future is the company mantra?)

    Although I didn't complete the survey, I saw question 3 at the bottom of the first screen about "how often do you write checks" and immediately felt the survey was flawed. Market research surveys must be clear and unambiguous, and this was an ambiguous question. By "write check," does this mean hand-write checks, enter and print checks through Quicken, generate checks via bill pay? The subsequent questions on the second page dive into these differences, but the first question should have been clearer to get accurate data: "How often do you write checks (via any means, including hand-written checks, checks you print with Quicken, or checks you generate with an online bill-payment service)?"

    Adding to the problem, if you get to screen 2 and see the follow-up questions that parse the different ways you might write checks, and realize you misinterpreted question 3, there is no way to navigate back to the first screen to change your answer.

    And then question 4 asks "How often do you write checks using Quicken?" Does this mean "enter a payment AND print the check in Quicken" or "enter a payment by check in Quicken"? It's again not clear. My inclination would be to say "I never write checks in Quicken" because I write checks by hand and then enter the data in Quicken -- but it's not clear if this qualifies as "writing a check in Quicken"?

    For the future, please try to have someone who is skilled in writing solid, unambiguous, valid questions write future surveys, and make sure they're tested on enough people to detect and fix any lack of clarity before you field the surveys. Otherwise, you're working with flawed and potentially misleading data.

    I agree.  The survey is flawed.  I am a user that is stuck using QWIN and QMAC because the latter doesn't yet support all of the investment transactions that I need that are available in QWIN.

    Quicken maintains separate databases for QWIN and QMAC.  If an electronic check is written in one variant of Quicken there would be no way to provide that information to the other variant of Quicken.  It doesn't make sense to provide an electronic check capability until QWIN and QMAC share a common database and actions taken in the QWIN or QMAC destktop version are automatically copied to the other desktop version.

    My goal is to migrate from QWIN to QMAC.  I want to stop using VMware Fusion to provide a Windows environment to run one application:  QWIN.

    I would prefer to see Quicken devote their efforts to bringing the QMAC investment logic to be on par with the QWIN investment logic.  As soon as Quicken implements support for corporate acquisitions (mergers), corporate divestitures (spin offs/split offs), and tax free dividend, interest, and reinvest transactions; I will stop using QWIN and only use QMAC.

    We're fast approaching 4 years since QMAC 2015 was released and support for the above investment transactions were promised.
  • Unknown Member
    edited April 2018
    jacobs said:

    Feedback to the Quicken team on the way this survey was posted and constructed...

    the post on this site says: "Our development team is doing research on how Quicken members write checks." Okay, I decided I was happy to participate -- except that when you start the survey, the first question is "What version of Quicken Windows are you currently using?" Huh? I'm sure it was an unintentional slight, but nonetheless, it's just another place where Quicken refers to its Windows users as "Quicken users" and separately refers to "Quicken Mac users". As a lifelong Quicken Mac user, it's annoying. The post should have said: "Our development team is doing research on how Quicken Windows users write checks." It would have been a simple fix to avoid ticking off your Mac users.

    (And that said, why wouldn't you want to gather info on how Quicken Mac users write checks at the same time? Especially if feature parity in the future is the company mantra?)

    Although I didn't complete the survey, I saw question 3 at the bottom of the first screen about "how often do you write checks" and immediately felt the survey was flawed. Market research surveys must be clear and unambiguous, and this was an ambiguous question. By "write check," does this mean hand-write checks, enter and print checks through Quicken, generate checks via bill pay? The subsequent questions on the second page dive into these differences, but the first question should have been clearer to get accurate data: "How often do you write checks (via any means, including hand-written checks, checks you print with Quicken, or checks you generate with an online bill-payment service)?"

    Adding to the problem, if you get to screen 2 and see the follow-up questions that parse the different ways you might write checks, and realize you misinterpreted question 3, there is no way to navigate back to the first screen to change your answer.

    And then question 4 asks "How often do you write checks using Quicken?" Does this mean "enter a payment AND print the check in Quicken" or "enter a payment by check in Quicken"? It's again not clear. My inclination would be to say "I never write checks in Quicken" because I write checks by hand and then enter the data in Quicken -- but it's not clear if this qualifies as "writing a check in Quicken"?

    For the future, please try to have someone who is skilled in writing solid, unambiguous, valid questions write future surveys, and make sure they're tested on enough people to detect and fix any lack of clarity before you field the surveys. Otherwise, you're working with flawed and potentially misleading data.

    Add to that a reporting engine that can account for transfers in an income/expense category report. 
  • Unknown Member
    edited April 2018

    Nice question, one question was a single answer allowed, but I use a combination of 2 methods -- I hand write checks and deliver or possibly mail and also use my bank's web site which sends eChecks or paper checks -- this does not cost anything from my bank!

    I also make most of my payments from my bank's electronic payment function and download the checks to Quicken. When I do need to write a paper check, I am frustrated by flaws introduced all too often by the periodic updates to Quicken. 
  • Rich_MRich_M SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    I never write checks and cannot even remember the last time I did. I've been doing electronic banking for over 20 years.
    Quicken 2017 Premier - Windows 10
  • Kathleen WilberKathleen Wilber Member ✭✭
    edited April 2018

    Nice question, one question was a single answer allowed, but I use a combination of 2 methods -- I hand write checks and deliver or possibly mail and also use my bank's web site which sends eChecks or paper checks -- this does not cost anything from my bank!

    I didn't fill out the survey because it was badly designed.  It did not allow for using more than one method that creates checks.   I use Bill Pay for accounts that can be set up that way, which either EFT's or sends paper checks, depending on the payee. But for local individuals (my plow guy, my horse's farrier, etc.) I print checks from Quicken and mail or hand deliver them.  I only need to print one or two checks each month.  Most payments are through BillPay.

  • Unknown Member
    edited April 2018

    Bob they want you to reply by responding to the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N5TNKLW if you have not done so already. Regards

    It has been 10 months since I purchased the new 2017 version for Windows, and can't get help or sign on. Started using Quicken in 1983. Thinking of taking the old DOS disk and having a grandson convert it to Linux and use that. At least I would have working software.
  • Unknown Member
    edited April 2018
    Les said:

    I took the survey but surprised they would consider a new feature like this when there are so many issues yet to be resolved in my current version of Quicken, 2017 Premier for Windows. Repeated requirements to "Sign in", inability to "Print Checks", inaccurate downloads of investments, why are downloads "at least 20 minutes late", drop down menu issues, errors with sales and purchases of stocks, mutual funds, requirement to "enable accessibility" each to you open Quicken, etc

    This is why I have not signed-up for Q2018 with it's outlandish cost and to have my data held hostage if I don't keep paying the annual fees. 

    The repeated "Special Offerings" to sign-up now tells me I am not to only person reluctant to upgrade.

    Can anyone tell me how to convert my date to another program since Quicken isn't doing anything to correct their problems?
  • jacobsjacobs SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2018
    Les said:

    I took the survey but surprised they would consider a new feature like this when there are so many issues yet to be resolved in my current version of Quicken, 2017 Premier for Windows. Repeated requirements to "Sign in", inability to "Print Checks", inaccurate downloads of investments, why are downloads "at least 20 minutes late", drop down menu issues, errors with sales and purchases of stocks, mutual funds, requirement to "enable accessibility" each to you open Quicken, etc

    This is why I have not signed-up for Q2018 with it's outlandish cost and to have my data held hostage if I don't keep paying the annual fees. 

    The repeated "Special Offerings" to sign-up now tells me I am not to only person reluctant to upgrade.

    Wilson, you posted your question in a thread about check writing. You should start a new question by clicking the New Post button at the top of this page. And please explain exactly what problem you are having, and which version you are using. (Unless you are asking about advice for an alternative to Quicken, which is not typically allowed by the moderators here.) If you are looking for help with a problem you are having with Quicken, though, I'd encourage you to start a New Post to see if people here can help you.
    QMac 2007 & QMac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • Unknown Member
    edited April 2018
    jcgrube said:

    I haven't printed a check from quicken (or before that Microsoft Money) in over 10 years. I pay everything electronically. Fix what's wrong with Quicken instead of worrying about writing checks. 

    I wish Microsoft would bring Money back. At least it didn't crash every time I use it. 

    Agreed.  I write checks 5 times a year and use BECU's online payments instead.  syncing my scheduled payments as soon as they're scheduled would be a better use of resources.  the entire premise of this survey suggests Quicken lacks telemetry about what features people are using day in and day out.  Comprehensive telemetry would also be a great use of resources so Eric Dunn CEO of Quicken would know what features people are using.
  • Roger MRoger M Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2018
    I pay all of my regular bills electronically through my bank bill pay. However, I do write checks to pay service people who come to my house, such as my gardener, housekeeper, tree trimmers and home repair/maintenance contractors.
    Quicken Windows Premier - Subscription **** Windows 10 Home *** Quicken user since 1996
  • Unknown Member
    edited September 2018
    I write one check a month to my barber.  Everything else is paid by CC or through my bank's bill pay.
  • Arctic Hare (H&B 2019 Canadian)Arctic Hare (H&B 2019 Canadian) SuperUser ✭✭✭
    edited May 2018

    Like many others, I write very few checks, maybe less than 10 a year.  My CU also has free electronic payment service, even if they have to print and mail a check.  Quicken development certainly needs to focus on fixing existing issues, and really needed capability instead of all the gimmicks.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could easily export and import investment account history from one file to another?  As a 42-year veteran of software design and development, I can tell you there is ZERO reason why this can't be done.  The excuse that there is 'no register' for investment accounts doesn't fly.  In fact, I will divulge here that you CAN, in fact do this with a hidden work-around I discovered.  I've done it a couple times so far and it APPEARS to be right.  But I'm not 100% sure yet.  The destination file and account look OK.

    @skeleton: The ability to export and re-import investment account history between files was a feature that Q purposely disabled for a number of years in the US version. For reasons that are a bit muddy, the feature was never disabled (i.e. continued to work fine) in the Canadian version. I understand that feature has been restored in the current (2018) US version. I use the CAD version, so I never had to live without the feature.

    FWIW, you can, if you search hard enough, find instructions online to get around the constraint... but, that is no longer necessary with the current version.
  • Unknown Member
    edited May 2018
    Fix the out of date browser message we are all getting first
  • Robert HansenRobert Hansen Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018

    We have 2 checking accounts with the same bank.  One is a joint account, that I call "House", the other is my individual account that I call "Bob".  I manually enter in the register the payee, date of payment, how to pay (check number for a hand written check or send).  I then connect to my bank to upload the instruction to pay.

    When I receive a bill from a vendor I record the payment amount and date to pay on the day received or within the next several days.  I make most payments to be made the day before the due date which will be sometime in the future.  I note on the invoice the day paid or sent, the account from which payment will be made, the date payment is to be made and the amount to be paid.  The invoices sent to the bank for future payment  is kept under a clip pending confirmation of payment and is then filed.  Invoices to be manually paid are kept in a clip until the day I wish to send the check. 

  • Rich_MRich_M SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    I responded to this before, but seriously who writes checks anymore?  In fact, my 20 year old nephew cannot even sign his signature!  Kids today, do everything on their smartphone or computer keyboard, they do not write with a pen.

    I feel like you are asking us how to shoe a horse!
    Quicken 2017 Premier - Windows 10
  • smayer97smayer97 SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Rich M said:

    I responded to this before, but seriously who writes checks anymore?  In fact, my 20 year old nephew cannot even sign his signature!  Kids today, do everything on their smartphone or computer keyboard, they do not write with a pen.

    I feel like you are asking us how to shoe a horse!

    Your right about this generation but you simply have to read up above to see plenty of good examples of who writes them and needs them, e.g. we still need to write about 100/yr.
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  • Unknown Member
    edited June 2018
    Rich M said:

    I responded to this before, but seriously who writes checks anymore?  In fact, my 20 year old nephew cannot even sign his signature!  Kids today, do everything on their smartphone or computer keyboard, they do not write with a pen.

    I feel like you are asking us how to shoe a horse!

    Your giving my money to some one else
  • Unknown Member
    edited June 2018
    Rich M said:

    I responded to this before, but seriously who writes checks anymore?  In fact, my 20 year old nephew cannot even sign his signature!  Kids today, do everything on their smartphone or computer keyboard, they do not write with a pen.

    I feel like you are asking us how to shoe a horse!

    image
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