Money: How to recategorize transactions (159885)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Money Deluxe 2006
  • Microsoft Money Premium 2006
  • Microsoft Money Small Business 2006
  • Microsoft Money Standard 2006
  • Microsoft Money 2005 Deluxe
  • Microsoft Money 2005 Premium
  • Microsoft Money 2005 Small Business
  • Microsoft Money 2005 Standard
  • Microsoft Money 2004 Deluxe
  • Microsoft Money 2004 Premium
  • Microsoft Money 2004 Small Business
  • Microsoft Money 2004 Standard
  • Microsoft Money 2003 Deluxe
  • Microsoft Money 2003 Deluxe and Business
  • Microsoft Money 2003 Standard
  • Microsoft Money 2002
  • Microsoft Money 2002 Deluxe Edition
  • Microsoft Money 2001
  • Microsoft Money 2001 Deluxe Edition
  • Microsoft Money 2000 Deluxe
  • Microsoft Money 2000
  • Microsoft Money 99
  • Microsoft Money 99 Deluxe Edition
  • Microsoft Money 2000 Business and Personal
This article was previously published under Q159885

SUMMARY

If you decide to change the way you categorize transactions in Microsoft Money, you may have to recategorize existing transactions.

For example, you may decide to split existing transactions in one category into two new subcategories. The Find dialog box provides a Change Category function to perform such operations. This article discusses how you can use this function to recategorize your transactions.

MORE INFORMATION

Use the appropriate method for your version of Microsoft Money.

Use the Find and Replace tool

To recategorize transactions, follow these steps:
  1. On the Tools menu, click Find and Replace.
  2. Click Simple Search.
  3. In the in this field box, click Category.
  4. In the Find this text box, click to select the category or subcategory that you want to recategorize, and then click Next.
  5. Under Search Results, click Replace.
  6. Click Replace all the transactions found or click Replace only the transactions I checked below.

    If you click Replace all the transactions found, click Next, and then click OK when you receive the warning message.

    If you click Replace only the transactions I checked below, click to select the check box for each transaction that you want to replace, click Next, and then click OK when you receive the warning message.

    Note In the Replace box, click Category. In the With box, click the cagtegory or the subcategory that you want to replace the results with.
  7. Confirm the changes when asked "Are you sure?"
  8. Click Finish.

Recategorize in category details

You can also recategorize transactions from the Details page for the specific category or sub-category. You can access the details for a specific category or sub-category in a variety of ways. For example, right click-click a transaction, and then select Go To for the category or the sub-category that you want.

To recategorize from the Details page, follow these steps.

Note The bottom left of the details page includes a list of transactions that use this category or sub-category.
  1. Hold down the CTRL key when you click additional transactions to select one or more transactions. Or, hold down the SHIFT key to select a range of transactions.
  2. In the bottom-left corner, click Change Category.
  3. Select the category or the sub-category that you want, and then click OK.
Note Microsoft Money 2005 will only change the last transaction when you use this method. Use the Find and Replace tool instead.

The "Transactions will not be recategorized" error message

If you receive the following error message, manually edit these transactions to change the Category field for Split, Loan Payment, Paycheck, and Transfer transactions:
One or more of the transactions you've selected is a Transfer, Loan Payment, Buy Investment or Split transaction. These transactions will not be recategorized.
For Buy Investment Transactions, you must create a new transaction.

Note The message does not occur in Microsoft Money 2002 or later versions when we replace the Split transactions.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/28/2005
Keywords:kbhowto KB159885
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