Problems with Confirming transactions
I've been having a terrible time confirming transactions I
download since I upgraded to 2011r2. (I'm working on a Mac, running
Lion). Here are some of my problems:
-If I command-return after editing a transaction, the transaction
reverts to its original state. The only way to keep it in the
edited state is to either click the "confirm" button in the panel
on the right, or move to a different transaction, and then go back
to the edited on, and command-return. -Moneydance often fails to
merge downloaded check entries with the checks I entered by hand.
This means I have to re-edit the entries, which as detailed above
is often frustrating. -The last time I reconciled, Moneydance
reverted at least 6 checks back to its default from the
download--with the wrong vender entered. So I had to edit those
entries AGAIN.
As an aside, I have never liked that Moneydance enters a description/vendor for downloaded checks. This is very confusing. I'd rather see "Check # xxx" in the description than a default vendor that is almost always wrong.
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1 Posted by -Kevin N. on 25 Oct, 2011 12:41 PM
Hi kabing,
Cmd-Enter selects the 'highlighted' option from the Confirmation sidebar which from my experience is usually 'Similar Payee'.
If you edit a dowloaded txn, you must select the 'Current Transaction' option from the Confirmation sidebar to preserve those changes in the register.
If you prefer the keyboard over the mouse you can TAB twice to move focus to the Confirmation sidebar, then use the UP ARROW key to move focus to the 'Current Transaction' section.
I think that it might serve users better if perhaps the 'Current Transaction' section was the default choice rather than 'Similar Payee'.
HTH -Kevin N.
2 Posted by hoovmoss on 25 Oct, 2011 05:26 PM
Kevin, that does help, although I agree that 'Current Transaction' ought to be the default.
I still hope to hear from support staff about the other two issues I raised.
kabing
3 Posted by Ben Spencer on 25 Oct, 2011 06:04 PM
The problem you are having with the checks is most likely due to the information that your bank is making available. You say "I have never liked that Moneydance enters a description/vendor for downloaded checks". The information that Moneydance puts in this field is the information that is provided for this field by your bank.
The merging process is highly dependent on the information that is in the description/payee field. If what you manually enter in this field is not a good match with that the bank enters in this field the merging algorithm is unlikely to match the transactions.
Ben Spencer
Moneydance Support
4 Posted by hoovmoss on 25 Oct, 2011 06:27 PM
But the Description/Vendor is NOT what my bank uses for that field. My bank uses the check number in the Description field. But Moneydance replaces it with the name of a vendor from a different transaction. On any given download/confirm session, Moneydance chooses one particular vendor (usually from one of my debit card transactions) and uses it for the "description" field of every check it can't find a match for. The next time I download/confirm, Moneydance chooses a different vendor.
In terms of matching existing checks, I've had far more trouble with that issue in Moneydance 2011 than I ever did in earlier versions.
Maybe I'm just not understanding the changes in the confirmation process in Moneydance 2011. I've tried reading the User Guide, but I'm afraid it hasn't clarified things for me.
5 Posted by Ben Spencer on 25 Oct, 2011 06:34 PM
If Moneydance is replacing the field it is because you are getting a repeat payee match. This is most likely because there is just a number in the field provided by the bank. Technically the bank should e providing the check number in the check number field rather than the description field.
Your bank is putting the check number in the wrong field. In your situation I would recommend turning off automatic matching. Select File->Preferences->Network and uncheck the "Auto merge downloaded transactions".
Sincerely
Ben Spencer
Moneydance Support
6 Posted by hoovmoss on 25 Oct, 2011 07:10 PM
As Far as I can tell, my bank puts the check # in both fields (check # and Description) Certainly that's how it shows up online.
I hate to turn off auto merge, because I do far more debit card and online banking transactions than checks, and the auto merge is usually very helpful there.
I reconciled another month today (I'm quite behind), and realized that most of my problem with transactions not staying put is because command-return does not do what I expect. I expect it to confirm the transaction I see in front of me, as I just edited it. But, depending on what is selected in the right hand column, it doesn't necessarily do that. I really would like to see that changed. For now, I'll just have to remember to check the right hand column carefully before accepting any unconfirmed transaction. In that light, it would be helpful for the highlighting on the right to be more obvious; the difference in shade is quite subtle at the moment.
I still think there's a glitch with check merging, as I am quite sure I didn't have this much trouble before, and my bank hasn't changed systems.
Jon Hoover closed this discussion on 12 Dec, 2011 04:27 PM.