Home Quicken for Mac Download, Add/Update Accounts (Mac)

Synching creates dummy category and fails

I'm using Quicken 2017 for Mac version 4.6.6. Every time I sync, I get a Category Sync Error saying that Quicken "had a problem syncing this category: DUMMY_<32-character hex code>" (where the hex code is an actual hex code, of course). This category does not appear in my Categories list, although it did in the past. No transactions are assigned to it, as best I can tell. In addition to this, one of my credit card accounts has not successfully synched for the past week. Transactions that appear as posted on the card website do not appear in Quicken 2017. 

How can I get Quicken working with this account again, and avoid the dummy account error in the future?

Comments

  • UKRUKR SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2018
    How about making sure that the category list on your Mac is "clean" and then resetting Sync to your Mobile so that a fresh sync file is created and sent to your smartphone.
  • Unknown Member
    edited September 2018
    I don't use Quicken on my smartphone. This problem occurs on my desktop computer.
  • UKRUKR SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2017

    I don't use Quicken on my smartphone. This problem occurs on my desktop computer.

    Then why are you syncing?
    I have my Sync to cloud turned off in my Quicken for Windows because I don't use the Quicken Mobile app either..
    The Sync file cannot be used as a means of backing up and restoring your Quicken data file, so it's worthless overhead and a waste of time.
  • Unknown Member
    edited October 2017

    I don't use Quicken on my smartphone. This problem occurs on my desktop computer.

    By "synching" I mean updating my registers to match the transactions in my online accounts. Updating transactions, synchronizing my local file with the online information. Because Quicken doesn't come with documenation, I didn't realize that sync has a specialized meaning in Quicken. 

    Now that you've alerted me to the other use of the term, I've gone to the Mobile & Alerts pane in Preferences and turned off Sync. That seems to have eliminated the error message at least.
  • UKRUKR SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2017

    I don't use Quicken on my smartphone. This problem occurs on my desktop computer.

    Quicken may not come with a printed manual, as software used to have way back in the '90s, but it does have a built-in help function.
    For the Mac, I believe that is available by selecting the Quicken Menu, then Help.

    If you haven't done
    so already, please review these videos for more information about Quicken Mac


    https://www.youtube.com/user/QuickenMac/videos

    Getting Started with
    Quicken for Mac

    https://www.quicken.com/getting-started-quicken-mac-2017

    https://www.quicken.com/quicken-tips
    with links to more information and videos

  • Unknown Member
    edited October 2017

    I don't use Quicken on my smartphone. This problem occurs on my desktop computer.

    I acknowledge that these resources may be adequate for many. However, the YouTube videos (several of which I've viewed) are all years old. And as for the Help, from my perspective, it's countless links and no path that leads through them, so I get lost in the weeds. Search is slow and usually returns irrelevant results (for example, when I enter "account doesn't update," the top result is about updating Quicken software). Just stating my perspective and not trying to start an argument.
  • Unknown Member
    edited October 2018
    I have the exact same issue, and it is preventing me from using mobile.   If I disable mobile, the error goes away, and my accounts sync fine with my bank.   I reviewed my categories, and this "dummy" category is not showing.   
  • UKRUKR SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2018

    I have the exact same issue, and it is preventing me from using mobile.   If I disable mobile, the error goes away, and my accounts sync fine with my bank.   I reviewed my categories, and this "dummy" category is not showing.   

    David,
    what Quicken Mac version are you using?

    If the latest Q Mac 2019 5.8.1 - update released today doesn't resolve the issue please use the Report a Problem function in Quicken to send a problem report to Quicken Inc. and/or phone Quicken Support:
    https://www.quicken.com/support#contact-support


  • Unknown Member
    edited October 2018

    I have the exact same issue, and it is preventing me from using mobile.   If I disable mobile, the error goes away, and my accounts sync fine with my bank.   I reviewed my categories, and this "dummy" category is not showing.   

    I am on Quicken for Mac 5.8.1.   It still fails after the update.   I have sent multiple problem reports, but no fixes.   I will call tomorrow.  Just wondered if this was something common I could fix on my own.  Thanks!
  • Robert GalleyRobert Galley Member ✭✭
    edited January 2019
    I also have this same issue. I turned off the even though I am a mobile user. Doing so got me past the point of all the sync error messages. However, the sync process now does not invoke two-factor authorization for some reason, so still unable to upload. Heading off now to try to resolve that issue. I see that this is the "In Progress" status, hopeful that this will be resolved ASAP.
This discussion has been closed.