Include balances in register transaction report?

SVanDee
SVanDee Member ✭✭✭
edited May 2022 in Reports (Mac)
I would like to export a range of banking account transactions including the account balances to a text/csv file. I don't see Balance in the column customization list for any of the Transaction reports. Is there some other type of report that shows basically the same information as a Transaction report but includes the account balances?

Best Answers

  • NotACPA
    NotACPA SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021 Answer ✓
    The Balance column, in both QMac and QWin is a calculated figure ... not a stored figure, which is why you can't export it.
    If you change the sort order in the account, the apparent balance for any given transaction will change.
    In your spreadsheet program you can easily re-create it.

    Q user since February, 1990. DOS Version 4
    Now running Quicken Windows Subscription, Business & Personal
    Retired "Certified Information Systems Auditor" & Bank Audit VP

  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    Answer ✓
    I'm only saying that in Quicken Mac, if you export from a transaction register, the Balance column is exported along with all the other visible columns. It's just a number, not a formula, of course. So in most cases, the Balance column in an export is probably extraneous, because you're likely to manipulate the data and the exported balance values are static numbers.

    The original post asked this:
    SVanDee said:
    I would like to export a range of banking account transactions including the account balances to a text/csv file. I don't see Balance in the column customization list for any of the Transaction reports. Is there some other type of report that shows basically the same information as a Transaction report but includes the account balances?
    The answer is that yes, you can do this. But not via a Transaction Report; reports are generally going to be subtotaled by Category or Tag or Payee, so a running balance doesn't make any sense in such a report. But exporting a register, or portion thereof, will export the balance column, for whatever value that may or may not provide.


    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993

Answers

  • NotACPA
    NotACPA SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021 Answer ✓
    The Balance column, in both QMac and QWin is a calculated figure ... not a stored figure, which is why you can't export it.
    If you change the sort order in the account, the apparent balance for any given transaction will change.
    In your spreadsheet program you can easily re-create it.

    Q user since February, 1990. DOS Version 4
    Now running Quicken Windows Subscription, Business & Personal
    Retired "Certified Information Systems Auditor" & Bank Audit VP

  • SVanDee
    SVanDee Member ✭✭✭
    Oh, of course. I just never noticed what happens to the Balances when I sort a transaction register but I see now it has to work that way. Thanks for the fast response.
  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    NotACPA said:
    The Balance column, in both QMac and QWin is a calculated figure ... not a stored figure, which is why you can't export it. 
    Actually, that's not correct: in Quicken Mac, the Balance column definitely does export. If it's visible on the screen, it will export when you do File > Export > Register Transactions to CSV File.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • NotACPA
    NotACPA SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    jacobs said:
    NotACPA said:
    The Balance column, in both QMac and QWin is a calculated figure ... not a stored figure, which is why you can't export it. 
    Actually, that's not correct: in Quicken Mac, the Balance column definitely does export. If it's visible on the screen, it will export when you do File > Export > Register Transactions to CSV File.

    But is that Balance figure, for any given transaction, "sticky"?  Or, like in QWin, can it change when the sort order for the account is changed?
    If so, that seems like a significantly misleading figure.

    Q user since February, 1990. DOS Version 4
    Now running Quicken Windows Subscription, Business & Personal
    Retired "Certified Information Systems Auditor" & Bank Audit VP

  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    Answer ✓
    I'm only saying that in Quicken Mac, if you export from a transaction register, the Balance column is exported along with all the other visible columns. It's just a number, not a formula, of course. So in most cases, the Balance column in an export is probably extraneous, because you're likely to manipulate the data and the exported balance values are static numbers.

    The original post asked this:
    SVanDee said:
    I would like to export a range of banking account transactions including the account balances to a text/csv file. I don't see Balance in the column customization list for any of the Transaction reports. Is there some other type of report that shows basically the same information as a Transaction report but includes the account balances?
    The answer is that yes, you can do this. But not via a Transaction Report; reports are generally going to be subtotaled by Category or Tag or Payee, so a running balance doesn't make any sense in such a report. But exporting a register, or portion thereof, will export the balance column, for whatever value that may or may not provide.


    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • SVanDee
    SVanDee Member ✭✭✭
    The Balances do change depending on how the transactions are sorted but, when sorted by date, File -> Export Register Transactions to CSV File -> Selected Transactions Only does exactly what I needed. Thank you both.
This discussion has been closed.