Note: This is my last post asking for questions. By noon tomorrow (December 15) Eastern Time, I'll stop taking questions and work on assembling all the questions I've received all week. I'll then send them to the Quicken expert and give him a couple weeks to answer them. I'll start posting them early on in the new year -- and at the same time announce my Quicken-related giveaway.
In my post titled Mvelopes a Winner for a Quicken User, I made the comment that "the budgeting feature in Quicken is its weak point." That comment was read by the Quicken product manager (the guy responsible for managing the entire Quicken business.) He dropped me an email, asked what I didn't like specifically and we discussed it back and forth via email.
First of all, let me say how impressed I was that a big-time product manager was reading blogs and staying in touch with the thoughts of people who are using his product. I can't help but think it will benefit Quicken's business in the long run. Then, to take the initiative to contact me and determine the exact issue -- that's the kind of stuff that sets companies (and executives) apart from the rest.
Then, it gets even better. I asked him and he agreed to answer your questions about Quicken. So, ask away in the comments below. Wondering what's new with Quicken 2007? Interested in a certain feature Quicken has? Have a problem you'd like to be addressed? Been wanting to share a product idea for the financial software? Ask away.
This is the last reminder I'm posting, so get your questions in. I will collect all the questions, add my own, and send them off to Quicken. A week or so later, we'll have the answers. Stay tuned, because at that time I'll also be announcing an exciting Quicken-related giveaway you won't want to miss.
I have a Quicken Question. Why is it so difficult to track a CD in Quicken? I've set one up in the Investment section, but it would be nice if it was a type of an account instead of (or as well as) a type of security within an account. Most bank CD's are accounts in their own right and it only makes sense for Quicken to reflect this. It would be nice if you could just put in the price and the rate and have Quicken calculate the value automatically.
Posted by: Easy E | December 14, 2006 at 10:00 PM
OK, I have a question.
I've never used quicken. One of the big reasons is that it seems like a huge pain in the ass to have to go to the website for all my account and download those files. I have 3 (soon to be 4) credit cards, 2 checking, 3 savings, 2 student loans and a 401k. Thats a hell of a lot of downloading.
The alternative seems to be to have Quicken automatically download everything for me. This sounds great! However, most banks charge a monthly fee for this. This is absurd!!!!! I know its the banks charging the fees, but surely they have at least an implied go ahead from Intuit for this, and frankly I think thats B.S.!!! If you can make it easy and free to get my account info into Quicken I will try it out. Otherwise, I'll probably just stick with Yodlee since it is free and can access all my accounts except for 1 student loan.
Posted by: Tom | December 15, 2006 at 12:46 AM
Even the latest version of Quicken (Q2007 Home & Business), does not have a specific feature for tracking Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA's). There is some skuttle-butt on the Quicken.com forums on how some posters have set up their HSA in Quicken, but the fact is that there is no GOOD way. When is Quicken going to begin keeping up with what is really happening with its users?
Posted by: Brian | December 15, 2006 at 04:02 PM