category for refunded credit card purchase

Money 2005 Deluxe - Under an account, it is straightforward to find or make a
category for an expense under a credit card say. However, sometimes an item
will be returned so all or part of a charge is refunded. The issue I am
wrestling with is how to categorize the refund so that is correctly
subtracted from that expense category. So far I have been selecting the
appropriate category from Expense, but entering the amount in the credit
column. I always get an error message from Money when I do this, but I force
it on through anyway. This is awkward and may not be the best way to do what
I want, nor accomplish what I am after. I could establish an Income category
that corresponds to the Expense category but that could add many more
categories. I don't favor a generic Income category of rebate/refund because
that would clearly not route the credit back to the appropriate category.
Suggestions?

via_newsgroup
Sat Mar 19 12:44:20 CST 2005

In microsoft.public.money, redlodge wrote:

>Money 2005 Deluxe - Under an account, it is straightforward to find or make a
>category for an expense under a credit card say. However, sometimes an item
>will be returned so all or part of a charge is refunded. The issue I am
>wrestling with is how to categorize the refund so that is correctly
>subtracted from that expense category. So far I have been selecting the
>appropriate category from Expense, but entering the amount in the credit
>column. I always get an error message from Money when I do this, but I force
>it on through anyway.

I suggest you consider it a warning, and not an error.

> This is awkward and may not be the best way to do what
>I want, nor accomplish what I am after.

What does it not accomplish that you are after? Some reports might
have to be customized to accomplish some things.

> I could establish an Income category
>that corresponds to the Expense category but that could add many more
>categories. I don't favor a generic Income category of rebate/refund because
>that would clearly not route the credit back to the appropriate category.
>Suggestions?

redlodge
Sat Mar 19 23:27:01 CST 2005

Thanks for the reply. Okay, I will consider the message a warning. I guess
if it had really been an error, it wouldn't have let me enter a credit for an
expense category.

What it does not do is remove the credit amount from total expense for that
category. Say I have an initial charge of $100 to Menards in category Home
Improvement, then I return a couple buckets of paint for a $50 refund that I
enter as a credit to Menards in category Home Improvement. When I display a
report for Spending by Category, the amount is still $100 for expense in Home
Improvement. I admit I did spend $100 initially, but then I 'unspent' $50.
Is that more clear what I am after? Maybe you have a suggestion for tweaking
the report settings?

"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:

> In microsoft.public.money, redlodge wrote:
>
> >Money 2005 Deluxe - Under an account, it is straightforward to find or make a
> >category for an expense under a credit card say. However, sometimes an item
> >will be returned so all or part of a charge is refunded. The issue I am
> >wrestling with is how to categorize the refund so that is correctly
> >subtracted from that expense category. So far I have been selecting the
> >appropriate category from Expense, but entering the amount in the credit
> >column. I always get an error message from Money when I do this, but I force
> >it on through anyway.
>
> I suggest you consider it a warning, and not an error.
>
> > This is awkward and may not be the best way to do what
> >I want, nor accomplish what I am after.
>
> What does it not accomplish that you are after? Some reports might
> have to be customized to accomplish some things.
>
> > I could establish an Income category
> >that corresponds to the Expense category but that could add many more
> >categories. I don't favor a generic Income category of rebate/refund because
> >that would clearly not route the credit back to the appropriate category.
> >Suggestions?
>
>

via_newsgroup
Sun Mar 20 00:14:00 CST 2005

In microsoft.public.money, redlodge wrote:

>Thanks for the reply. Okay, I will consider the message a warning. I guess
>if it had really been an error, it wouldn't have let me enter a credit for an
>expense category.
>
>What it does not do is remove the credit amount from total expense for that
>category. Say I have an initial charge of $100 to Menards in category Home
>Improvement, then I return a couple buckets of paint for a $50 refund that I
>enter as a credit to Menards in category Home Improvement. When I display a
>report for Spending by Category, the amount is still $100 for expense in Home
>Improvement. I admit I did spend $100 initially, but then I 'unspent' $50.
>Is that more clear what I am after? Maybe you have a suggestion for tweaking
>the report settings?


On the Spending by Category report, select
Customize:Details->Type:All Types

redlodge
Sun Mar 20 12:57:04 CST 2005

Thanks. Again. What you suggest works perfectly in a simple situation: now
it appears that I my Home Improvement expenses are only $50. However the
side effect of customizing to display All Types of transactions has the
result of also adding to the report pie chart things like deposits of
paychecks so now the pie chart report is no longer Expense by category, but
expenses and income. So this still is not the effect I am looking for:
reduction of an expense category amount by the amount a same category refund
without other unwanted additions.

"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:

> In microsoft.public.money, redlodge wrote:
>
> >Thanks for the reply. Okay, I will consider the message a warning. I guess
> >if it had really been an error, it wouldn't have let me enter a credit for an
> >expense category.
> >
> >What it does not do is remove the credit amount from total expense for that
> >category. Say I have an initial charge of $100 to Menards in category Home
> >Improvement, then I return a couple buckets of paint for a $50 refund that I
> >enter as a credit to Menards in category Home Improvement. When I display a
> >report for Spending by Category, the amount is still $100 for expense in Home
> >Improvement. I admit I did spend $100 initially, but then I 'unspent' $50.
> >Is that more clear what I am after? Maybe you have a suggestion for tweaking
> >the report settings?
>
>
> On the Spending by Category report, select
> Customize:Details->Type:All Types
>
>
>

via_newsgroup
Sun Mar 20 13:45:56 CST 2005

In microsoft.public.money, redlodge wrote:

>Thanks. Again. What you suggest works perfectly in a simple situation: now
>it appears that I my Home Improvement expenses are only $50. However the
>side effect of customizing to display All Types of transactions has the
>result of also adding to the report pie chart things like deposits of
>paychecks so now the pie chart report is no longer Expense by category, but
>expenses and income. So this still is not the effect I am looking for:
>reduction of an expense category amount by the amount a same category refund
>without other unwanted additions.

Under the Categories tab, click Expense Categories. Un-check
IncludeTransfers. That will make income and transfer items not be
included. You can change the inclusion of categories individually
too.





>
>"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:
>
>> In microsoft.public.money, redlodge wrote:
>>
>> >Thanks for the reply. Okay, I will consider the message a warning. I guess
>> >if it had really been an error, it wouldn't have let me enter a credit for an
>> >expense category.
>> >
>> >What it does not do is remove the credit amount from total expense for that
>> >category. Say I have an initial charge of $100 to Menards in category Home
>> >Improvement, then I return a couple buckets of paint for a $50 refund that I
>> >enter as a credit to Menards in category Home Improvement. When I display a
>> >report for Spending by Category, the amount is still $100 for expense in Home
>> >Improvement. I admit I did spend $100 initially, but then I 'unspent' $50.
>> >Is that more clear what I am after? Maybe you have a suggestion for tweaking
>> >the report settings?
>>
>>
>> On the Spending by Category report, select
>> Customize:Details->Type:All Types
>>
>>
>>

redlodge
Sun Mar 20 21:31:02 CST 2005

Cal -
Thanks for your patience with me on this topic. Unchecking 'Include
Transfers' did not exclude wage income from the Spending by Category
piechart, but individually unchecking categories such as Wages:Net Pay did
the trick. Whew! I never would have gotten there with the instructions in
the Money User Guide.

"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:

> In microsoft.public.money, redlodge wrote:
>
> >Thanks. Again. What you suggest works perfectly in a simple situation: now
> >it appears that I my Home Improvement expenses are only $50. However the
> >side effect of customizing to display All Types of transactions has the
> >result of also adding to the report pie chart things like deposits of
> >paychecks so now the pie chart report is no longer Expense by category, but
> >expenses and income. So this still is not the effect I am looking for:
> >reduction of an expense category amount by the amount a same category refund
> >without other unwanted additions.
>
> Under the Categories tab, click Expense Categories. Un-check
> IncludeTransfers. That will make income and transfer items not be
> included. You can change the inclusion of categories individually
> too.
>
> >
>

DavidKernAbraham
Thu Dec 29 00:11:02 CST 2005

I use MS Money 2006 Deluxe and this response does not exist for me. And I am
thinking that the ability to reverse a transaction SHOULD not require much
tweaking. Does it?


"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:

> In microsoft.public.money, redlodge wrote:
>
> >Thanks for the reply. Okay, I will consider the message a warning. I guess
> >if it had really been an error, it wouldn't have let me enter a credit for an
> >expense category.
> >
> >What it does not do is remove the credit amount from total expense for that
> >category. Say I have an initial charge of $100 to Menards in category Home
> >Improvement, then I return a couple buckets of paint for a $50 refund that I
> >enter as a credit to Menards in category Home Improvement. When I display a
> >report for Spending by Category, the amount is still $100 for expense in Home
> >Improvement. I admit I did spend $100 initially, but then I 'unspent' $50.
> >Is that more clear what I am after? Maybe you have a suggestion for tweaking
> >the report settings?
>
>
> On the Spending by Category report, select
> Customize:Details->Type:All Types
>
>
>

via_newsgroup
Thu Dec 29 15:44:11 CST 2005

In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:

>I use MS Money 2006 Deluxe and this response does not exist for me. And I am
>thinking that the ability to reverse a transaction SHOULD not require much
>tweaking. Does it?
>


If you want to enter a return, use the same EXPENSE category that
you used for the original transaction. Accept the warning.

DavidKernAbraham
Thu Dec 29 18:47:02 CST 2005

Thanks Cal,

But I have been unclear (not unusual!). Of course, I have done that. What
I REALLY meant was that the pie chart of expense categories ignores these
reversals. What must I do to have Money reflect the fact that $75 - $75 =
$0, not $75?

David


"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:

> In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:
>
> >I use MS Money 2006 Deluxe and this response does not exist for me. And I am
> >thinking that the ability to reverse a transaction SHOULD not require much
> >tweaking. Does it?
> >
>
>
> If you want to enter a return, use the same EXPENSE category that
> you used for the original transaction. Accept the warning.
>

via_newsgroup
Thu Dec 29 19:04:19 CST 2005

In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:

>Thanks Cal,
>
>But I have been unclear (not unusual!). Of course, I have done that. What
>I REALLY meant was that the pie chart of expense categories ignores these
>reversals. What must I do to have Money reflect the fact that $75 - $75 =
>$0, not $75?

I see. I guess that means my earlier answer should have been "yes"
with respect to the report.


>
>David
>
>
>"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:
>
>> In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:
>>
>> >I use MS Money 2006 Deluxe and this response does not exist for me. And I am
>> >thinking that the ability to reverse a transaction SHOULD not require much
>> >tweaking. Does it?
>> >
>>
>>
>> If you want to enter a return, use the same EXPENSE category that
>> you used for the original transaction. Accept the warning.
>>

DavidKernAbraham
Thu Dec 29 22:45:02 CST 2005

And you, an MVP, are going to leave me in the lurch on this undocumented
feature? <g> <sob> Your answer to Red worked for Money 2004, not 2006.



"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:

> In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:
>
> >Thanks Cal,
> >
> >But I have been unclear (not unusual!). Of course, I have done that. What
> >I REALLY meant was that the pie chart of expense categories ignores these
> >reversals. What must I do to have Money reflect the fact that $75 - $75 =
> >$0, not $75?
>
> I see. I guess that means my earlier answer should have been "yes"
> with respect to the report.
>
>
> >
> >David
> >
> >
> >"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:
> >
> >> In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:
> >>
> >> >I use MS Money 2006 Deluxe and this response does not exist for me. And I am
> >> >thinking that the ability to reverse a transaction SHOULD not require much
> >> >tweaking. Does it?
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >> If you want to enter a return, use the same EXPENSE category that
> >> you used for the original transaction. Accept the warning.
> >>
>

via_newsgroup
Fri Dec 30 00:04:52 CST 2005

In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:

>And you, an MVP, are going to leave me in the lurch on this undocumented
>feature? <g> <sob> Your answer to Red worked for Money 2004, not 2006.
>

I just tested it in Money 2006, and the same method worked fine.

I thought you were just objecting that you should not even have to
"tweak". I don't know what you consider "much". You said "And I am
thinking that the ability to reverse a transaction SHOULD not
require much tweaking. Does it?", and the answer is yes, if you
consider the described customization to be "much tweaking." If you
don't consider that to be "much tweaking", then the answer would no.


You are using Advanced reports?

You are looking at the Transactions by Category report?


You entered an expense as an Expense category, and you entered a
deposit as the SAME Expense category and got the warning? I assume
that is what we are talking about-- an expense that is later reduced
or negated a credit/deposit.

You understood the customization that worked for Redlodge?
What I meant by Customize:Details->Type:All Types was to click
Customize, choose the Details tab, set the drop-down list for Type
to be "all types" and then click OK?




>
>
>"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:
>
>> In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:
>>
>> >Thanks Cal,
>> >
>> >But I have been unclear (not unusual!). Of course, I have done that. What
>> >I REALLY meant was that the pie chart of expense categories ignores these
>> >reversals. What must I do to have Money reflect the fact that $75 - $75 =
>> >$0, not $75?
>>
>> I see. I guess that means my earlier answer should have been "yes"
>> with respect to the report.
>>
>>
>> >
>> >David
>> >
>> >
>> >"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:
>> >
>> >> In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >I use MS Money 2006 Deluxe and this response does not exist for me. And I am
>> >> >thinking that the ability to reverse a transaction SHOULD not require much
>> >> >tweaking. Does it?
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> If you want to enter a return, use the same EXPENSE category that
>> >> you used for the original transaction. Accept the warning.
>> >>
>>

DavidKernAbraham
Sat Dec 31 03:51:01 CST 2005

Thanks once again Cal,

What I'm left with is a) how to display Transactions by Category as a pie
chart and b) how to display it (rather than Expenses by Category) as the
chart on my HOME page.



"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:

> In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:
>
> >And you, an MVP, are going to leave me in the lurch on this undocumented
> >feature? <g> <sob> Your answer to Red worked for Money 2004, not 2006.
> >
>
> I just tested it in Money 2006, and the same method worked fine.
>
> I thought you were just objecting that you should not even have to
> "tweak". I don't know what you consider "much". You said "And I am
> thinking that the ability to reverse a transaction SHOULD not
> require much tweaking. Does it?", and the answer is yes, if you
> consider the described customization to be "much tweaking." If you
> don't consider that to be "much tweaking", then the answer would no.
>
>
> You are using Advanced reports?
>
> You are looking at the Transactions by Category report?
>
>
> You entered an expense as an Expense category, and you entered a
> deposit as the SAME Expense category and got the warning? I assume
> that is what we are talking about-- an expense that is later reduced
> or negated a credit/deposit.
>
> You understood the customization that worked for Redlodge?
> What I meant by Customize:Details->Type:All Types was to click
> Customize, choose the Details tab, set the drop-down list for Type
> to be "all types" and then click OK?
>
>
>
>
> >
> >
> >"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:
> >
> >> In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:
> >>
> >> >Thanks Cal,
> >> >
> >> >But I have been unclear (not unusual!). Of course, I have done that. What
> >> >I REALLY meant was that the pie chart of expense categories ignores these
> >> >reversals. What must I do to have Money reflect the fact that $75 - $75 =
> >> >$0, not $75?
> >>
> >> I see. I guess that means my earlier answer should have been "yes"
> >> with respect to the report.
> >>
> >>
> >> >
> >> >David
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >"Cal Learner-- MVP" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> In microsoft.public.money, DavidKernAbraham wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> >I use MS Money 2006 Deluxe and this response does not exist for me. And I am
> >> >> >thinking that the ability to reverse a transaction SHOULD not require much
> >> >> >tweaking. Does it?
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> If you want to enter a return, use the same EXPENSE category that
> >> >> you used for the original transaction. Accept the warning.
> >> >>
> >>
>

Chris
Sat Dec 31 11:08:06 CST 2005

"DavidKernAbraham" <DavidKernAbraham@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:45D8E897-ACB6-4790-AF73-ABB3C327413B@microsoft.com...
>
> What I'm left with is a) how to display Transactions by Category as a pie
> chart and b) how to display it (rather than Expenses by Category) as the
> chart on my HOME page.

Pie is not an option for Transactions by Category.
--
Chris Cowles
Gainesville, FL

Chris
Sat Dec 31 11:09:19 CST 2005

"DavidKernAbraham" <DavidKernAbraham@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:45D8E897-ACB6-4790-AF73-ABB3C327413B@microsoft.com...
> Thanks once again Cal,
>
> What I'm left with is a) how to display Transactions by Category as a pie
> chart and b) how to display it (rather than Expenses by Category) as the
> chart on my HOME page.

I think what you want is Spending by Category. Pie charts are summaries.
Transactions are detailed.