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You can rename a category at any time; Quicken updates the name on the associated transactions for you.
If you decide you no longer need a category, you can delete it. What about the transactions associated with the category you want to delete? Transfer their category assignment by either:
- Merging the category you don't want with another category that you do want.
- Recategorizing them (Quicken automatically presents this option when you delete a category with assigned transactions).
- Choose Tools menu > Category List.
- Right-click the category or subcategory you want to change.
- To change the name, properties, or tax line item association of a category
- Choose Edit.
- As necessary make changes to the name or description, or to the category's designation as income, expense, subcategory, or discretionary spending.
- If you want to change a category so that it tracks tax-related transactions, select the Tax-related check box. In the Tax line item list, select the tax schedule line item that you want to associate with your category.
- Click OK to save the change.
- To demote a category to a subcategory
- Choose Edit.
- Click Subcategory of.
- In the Subcategory of list, select the name of the main category that you want to assign your new subcategory to.
- Click OK to save the change.
- How will I know if this worked?
All transactions that use this category now show the original category as a subcategory of the category you selected. In the register, Quicken inserts a colon (:) between the two category names to indicate that the second category (the one you demoted) is now a subcategory of the first.
For example, if you demote a category called Internet Service to a subcategory of Computer, the register displays the category for any associated transactions as Computer:Internet Service.
- To promote a subcategory to a category
- Choose Edit.
- Select Income or Expense instead of Subcategory of.
- Click OK to save the change.
- What happens now?
When you promote a category in this way, Quicken changes the category in all transactions that were associated with the old subcategory. For example, transactions using the subcategory Computer:Internet Service would now use the category Internet Service, once you promote the subcategory.
- To move a subcategory to a different category
- Choose Edit.
- In the Subcategory of list, select the name of the category to which you want to assign the selected subcategory.
- Click OK to save the change.
- To delete a category or subcategory
- Choose Delete.
- Depending on whether the selected category has transactions associated with it, you may be given the option to recategorize the affected transactions. If so, follow the on-screen instructions to select a replacement category.
- What if I've selected multiple categories?
If multiple categories are selected, Quicken prompts you to recategorize each one individually.
When you use CTRL+click or SHIFT+click to select a group of categories that you want to delete, you're prompted to recategorize any categories that have associated transactions.
- Click OK to confirm the deletion.
Note
Certain categories (for example, investment categories that begin with the underscore character) are permanently used by Quicken and so can't be deleted.
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What determines category types
| Type | What it's based on |
|---|
| Personal (Income or Expense) | A tax line item assignment other than the ones specified in the Business and Rental sections, or no tax line item assignment |
| Investment | Predefined categories used by Quicken; you can't add new categories or move existing ones to this group |
| Business (Income or Expense) | Tax line assignments: Schedule C or Form 8829 (all assignments associated with these forms), Form 1099-MISC, and _MileageBus (this is a predefined category used by the Vehicle Mileage Tracker). |
| Rental Properties | Tax line assignments: Schedule E, and _MileagePer (this is a predefined category used by the Vehicle Mileage Tracker). |
| Transfers | Only accounts show up here (see About the Category List) |