Category Summary report - how to add tags in rows

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Fran
Fran Member ✭✭
in Reports (Mac)
I am using Quick for macs, 6.0.3. I want to create a category summary report with breakdowns by tags that show up in the rows below each category. I used to be able to do that by a feature called "show me" -- and then I could expand what I wanted the report to show. I can no longer find the "show me" function. I can get tags as columns but I don't want that -- very awkward to view. Please help.

Best Answer

  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    Answer ✓
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    @Fran  As I noted, other users have reported data missing from the old Category Summary Report in some instances. I don't know whether anyone has ever pinned down the exact cause or where it will show up, and because the developers plan to remove the old reports from the program, they haven't devoted time to hunting down and fixing problems.

    So you need to proceed with caution with that report. Here's my suggestion for you. Along with that report, also create a new Category Summary by Year or Transactions by Category report for the same time period. These will not give you the breakdown by tag that you need, but you can compare the grand totals, and if necessary, category totals, between the old Category Summary report and one of those modern reports to see if they agree. If you find a discrepancy, then be sure to drill down to find out where the Category Summary report is missing transactions. You may find that the totals all match, in which case you have no further digging to do. But taking these extra steps will allow you to have confidence in the reports you generate.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993

Answers

  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
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    If I understand you correctly, you want a report by categories, and sub-totaled by tags within each category? The current report engine cannot do that; there is no way to specify subtotals. You can report by category or tags in rows, but not both.

    There is an old report in Quicken Mac which does provide categories subtotaled by tag: Reports > Other > Category Summary -- the old Category summary report. There are some known problems with this report which can cause data to be omitted, so use this report with extra care and checking if you must. This report is going to be removed from the program at some point in the future, as the developers complete the revamp of reports to the new reports engine. Also, the old report does not allow you to expand/collapse rows as you seek; that is a feature the new reports engine.

    Alternatively, you may find it best to select the data you want and export it to open in Excel or Numbers, where you can sort exactly as you want.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • Fran
    Fran Member ✭✭
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    Jacob -- many thanks for getting back to me on my question. After I posted my question, I found the report I wanted under Reports>Other>Category Summary --as you note. I am happily using that. It's true that it's not perfect, but it's basically what I want. I will be very sorry if they don't find a way to make it work by the beginning of 2022, when I will be compiling by 2021 data.
  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    Answer ✓
    Options
    @Fran  As I noted, other users have reported data missing from the old Category Summary Report in some instances. I don't know whether anyone has ever pinned down the exact cause or where it will show up, and because the developers plan to remove the old reports from the program, they haven't devoted time to hunting down and fixing problems.

    So you need to proceed with caution with that report. Here's my suggestion for you. Along with that report, also create a new Category Summary by Year or Transactions by Category report for the same time period. These will not give you the breakdown by tag that you need, but you can compare the grand totals, and if necessary, category totals, between the old Category Summary report and one of those modern reports to see if they agree. If you find a discrepancy, then be sure to drill down to find out where the Category Summary report is missing transactions. You may find that the totals all match, in which case you have no further digging to do. But taking these extra steps will allow you to have confidence in the reports you generate.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • Fran
    Fran Member ✭✭
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    @jacobs This is excellent advice. I will do exactly that. I still hope they will figure out a way to do categories and tags in rows by January 2022.
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