HappilyBottled
01-29-2008, 09:06 PM
I just started using Mint, and I wanted to give you some feedback on the potentially most useful but currently awkward transactions tab.
First, it seems that some of the other tabs would be immediately more useful if you would automatically try to identify what category some things fall under. My credit cards do this, so its something I have come to expect.
Next, as I'm trying to manually categorize my transactions, the process seems very awkward. Maybe I'm not doing this right, and even if I am it would be nice to verify this, so some sort of help or tutorial link would be useful.
When manually categorizing my transactions, the first thing I do is click the magnifying glass icon next to a transaction name. For common transactions this then narrows the list to just items with some things in common, and I then click the top checkbox to select all and then I push the categorize button to select a category. The items appear to have the new category, but when I click "<< Cancel Search" (the only way I've found to go back to the full list) the items no longer have the category I just previously selected.
Other times it seems that when my search results show a small set and I click what I thought was the select all checkbox (the top checkbox), when I click the "<< Cancel Search" link and see the longer unfiltered list everything in that list is checked as well.
Another weird behavior, and the steps to see this: I'm looking at my checking account and click on the magnifying glass next to a transaction that is my paycheck. I'm now looking at a shorter list, but the list includes several items that don't seem to have very similar descriptions (a couple paychecks, a couple utility payments, and some processed checks are displayed). I select one of the paychecks (highlight, not checked), click the categorize button, click the "Create a Rule" checkbox, and click on the "paycheck" item. Now "Paycheck" is displayed next to the item I had selected, but not next to the other paycheck (why not? I wanted to create a rule to make all paycheck transactions marked as such.) Next, I click the magnifying glass next to the paycheck description I just categorized and the description suddenly and expectantly changed.
Plus, it would be nice to create custom categories. For instance, I have several bar tabs that I would like to track separately from "restaurant".
First, it seems that some of the other tabs would be immediately more useful if you would automatically try to identify what category some things fall under. My credit cards do this, so its something I have come to expect.
Next, as I'm trying to manually categorize my transactions, the process seems very awkward. Maybe I'm not doing this right, and even if I am it would be nice to verify this, so some sort of help or tutorial link would be useful.
When manually categorizing my transactions, the first thing I do is click the magnifying glass icon next to a transaction name. For common transactions this then narrows the list to just items with some things in common, and I then click the top checkbox to select all and then I push the categorize button to select a category. The items appear to have the new category, but when I click "<< Cancel Search" (the only way I've found to go back to the full list) the items no longer have the category I just previously selected.
Other times it seems that when my search results show a small set and I click what I thought was the select all checkbox (the top checkbox), when I click the "<< Cancel Search" link and see the longer unfiltered list everything in that list is checked as well.
Another weird behavior, and the steps to see this: I'm looking at my checking account and click on the magnifying glass next to a transaction that is my paycheck. I'm now looking at a shorter list, but the list includes several items that don't seem to have very similar descriptions (a couple paychecks, a couple utility payments, and some processed checks are displayed). I select one of the paychecks (highlight, not checked), click the categorize button, click the "Create a Rule" checkbox, and click on the "paycheck" item. Now "Paycheck" is displayed next to the item I had selected, but not next to the other paycheck (why not? I wanted to create a rule to make all paycheck transactions marked as such.) Next, I click the magnifying glass next to the paycheck description I just categorized and the description suddenly and expectantly changed.
Plus, it would be nice to create custom categories. For instance, I have several bar tabs that I would like to track separately from "restaurant".