How to Recategorize a Transaction

Quick Review

• What: Change the category assigned to downloaded transactions

• Why: Correct auto-categorization errors or assign categories to uncategorized items

• How: Click into Category field for single transactions; use bulk edit for multiple

• Note: Consider creating Category Rules to automate future categorization

Overview

Quicken Simplifi automatically categorizes most downloaded transactions using crowdsourcing, nearby payees, and simple logic. While this works well most of the time, you'll sometimes need to recategorize transactions when the automatic assignment is incorrect or when transactions download uncategorized.

Ashley encounters this frequently with their local supermarket. Simplifi correctly categorizes their weekly grocery trips, but when they buy office supplies at the same store, it still assigns "Groceries." A quick recategorization fixes this and keeps their business expense tracking accurate.

Common Recategorization Scenarios

Multi-purpose stores: Target, Walmart, or supermarkets where you buy various item types

Restaurants miscategorized: Business meals labeled as personal dining

Generic payee names: "PURCHASE 12345" that could be anything

New vendors: First-time purchases Simplifi hasn't seen before

Changed spending patterns: A store you now use differently

Recategorizing a Single Transaction

For individual corrections:

1. Navigate to Transactions (hover over left panel)

2. Find the transaction to recategorize

3. Click directly into the Category field

4. Either:

   • Click the dropdown and select from the list

   • Type the category name

   • Create a new category if needed

5. Press Enter or click away to save

This method is fastest for fixing occasional miscategorizations.

Recategorizing Multiple Transactions

When several transactions need the same category:

1. Go to Transactions

2. Check the box left of each transaction to recategorize

3. Click the pencil icon (top right of Transaction Activity)

4. Select Category

5. Choose the new category from dropdown or type it

6. Click Apply

Ashley uses bulk recategorization monthly to fix all ATM withdrawals miscategorized as "Bank Fees" to "Cash & ATM."

Tips for Efficient Recategorization

Review regularly: Don't let uncategorized transactions pile up

Use search: Find all transactions from a payee before bulk editing

Create rules: After recategorizing, consider making a Category Rule

Be consistent: Always use the same category for similar purchases

When to Recategorize vs. Create Rules

Recategorize when:

• One-time corrections

• Unusual purchases

• Split transactions needing different categories

Create Category Rules when:

• Same payee always needs same category

• Regular miscategorization pattern

• New recurring expense

Ashley's approach: Recategorize first, then create a rule if the same error happens twice.

Quick Category Assignment

For faster categorization:

• Start typing the category name for autocomplete

• Use recently used categories at top of dropdown

• Create keyboard shortcuts by learning common category names

The Bottom Line

Recategorizing transactions in Quicken Simplifi is a simple but essential task for accurate financial tracking. Whether fixing single transactions or updating multiple entries at once, the process takes just seconds. Regular review and recategorization ensures your reports and budgets reflect your actual spending patterns.

Hint: Set aside 5 minutes weekly to review and recategorize transactions while purchases are fresh in memory. Ashley does this Sunday mornings, searching for "Uncategorized" first, then reviewing the past week's transactions. This prevents month-end categorization marathons and ensures accurate spending data for budgeting decisions throughout the month.