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Categorize a Transaction

Categorize each transaction to get the most out of Quicken.

What about one transaction that includes several types of purchases? Or a home loan payment, where part goes to principal and part to interest? Just select Split 

 and enter the transaction detail.


To assign a category to a transaction
  1. Open the account you want to use.
  2. In the register, select the Category field of the transaction you want to categorize.
  3. Enter a category name or select the drop-down arrow to select the category you want to use from a list.
    •   Tell me more about entering categories
  4. Select Save to record the transaction.
To enter or edit a transaction with multiple categories (a split transaction)
  1. Open the account you want to use.
  2. In the register, select the transaction you want to categorize.
  3. On the transaction toolbar, select the Split icon (
    ).
  4. In the Split Transaction dialog, enter (or edit) the category, tag (optional), and amount for each individual item on a separate line.

    What can I do here?

    As you enter a split transaction, the Transaction Total may no longer match the Split Total. Quicken displays the difference between the two amounts -- the leftover amount -- below the last split line. There are a few ways to handle this difference, depending on your situation:

    • Change the amounts in the split lines so that the Split Total is equal to the Transaction Total.
    • Select Adjust to change the Transaction Total to equal the Split Total.
    • Select Edit and choose Apply remainder to current line to absorb any remainder amount into the selected split line.
    • Select Edit and choose Allocate this line to other split lines to distribute the amount of the selected split line among all other split lines.
    • Select Allocate to distribute any leftover amount among all other split lines.
  5. As necessary, adjust the individual line amounts. (Optional)

    Tell me more

    As you enter a split transaction, the Transaction Total may no longer match the Split Total. Quicken displays the difference between the two amounts -- the leftover amount -- below the last split line. There are a few ways to handle this difference, depending on your situation:

    • Change the amounts in the split lines so that the Split Total is equal to the Transaction Total.
    • Select Adjust to change the Transaction Total to equal the Split Total.
    • Select Edit and choose Apply remainder to current line to absorb any remainder amount into the selected split line.
    • Select Edit and choose Allocate this line to other split lines to distribute the amount of the selected split line among all other split lines.
    • Select Allocate to distribute any leftover amount among all other split lines.
  6. Select OK to close the Split Transaction dialog.
  7. On the transaction toolbar, select Save to enter the transaction into the register (unless you've enabled the register preference Automatically Enter Split Data).

Notes

Can I categorize investment transactions?
Can I automatically assign a category based on the transaction's payee?

Yes. When you download a transaction from your financial institution, Quicken tries to automatically categorize it based on a database of payee merchant codes. If you don't download transactions or if the categories Quicken suggests don't meet your needs, you can memorize the payee and associate it with related transaction information such as a category, amount, method of payment, and so on.

How can I remove split information from a register transaction?

To clear all split lines in a register transaction, Select the X button—to the right of Split—in the Category field. You can then assign a new category to the transaction.

Why is the word "Form" displayed in the category field?

In some cases, Quicken uses a special form to help you enter a complex split transaction. For these transactions, the word Form indicates that the transaction has been split into multiple categories or line items. You can see an example of this with the Quicken paycheck transaction or an invoice in an invoice/receivables register (only in Quicken Home & Business).


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