This help is only for the Canadian version of Quicken for Windows. For the US version, see Quicken Windows Help.
To make sure you get the most out of Quicken and to speed up entering transactions, Quicken helps fill in the Category field automatically. How? Quicken follows certain rules.
How Quicken suggests categories for transactions you enter manually
When you enter a transaction, Quicken searches the Memorized Payee List and then the register for a transaction with a matching payee that was entered within the last year.
| If the search finds | Then Quicken |
|---|---|
| A memorized or QuickFill payee | Prefills the Category field with the category associated with the memorized payee |
| A split transaction with a matching payee | Asks you to edit the transaction if the amounts are different from the amounts for the memorized payee |
| A recognized payee name (Quicken checks a list of payees; see How Quicken suggests categories for transactions you update from your financial institution below.) | Automatically categorizes the transaction |
| No matching payee | Leaves the Category field blank |
If you'd like to use the category Quicken suggests, just record the transaction as you normally would. If you change the category, Quicken remembers your change. You can customize Quicken's register preferences to turn off this feature.
How Quicken suggests categories for transactions you update from your financial institution
When you download credit or charge card transactions from your financial institution, the data may include a merchant code for each transaction, which is mapped to a standard Quicken category. Quicken may or may not use that category, depending on the payee.
- First, matched payees and split transactions are categorized as described in the above section on manual transaction entry.
- If no matched payee is found, Quicken assigns a category to the new transaction based on the merchant code.
- Quicken doesn't suggest categories for downloaded bank transactions with a payee such as VISA or MasterCard.
Tip
ATM transactions and transaction download service charges may be labelled EFT for electronic funds transfer.
You can edit transactions to change the category either before or after updating the register.
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