[hdhuntr]

I know there's no app yet but I wonder about other solutions. I still have a paper checkbook but I don't use paper checks anymore. I'd like to go digital with my debit card tracking. Who can suggest a good solution? Meanwhile, I also heard MS Money was going away. I am pasting in a funny exchange with the Intuit/Quicken people yesterday... It is not really needed here but someone might get a laugh...From this point on this is just entertainment...


This is the transcript of the online chat I just had with some guy (well maybe a guy, not sure about that) in some other country who got As in English but was probably given those As by someone who never left Whateverthe*****istan. It starts with my original question and goes into the chat…


I have not bought Quicken yet. I may switch from MS Money but have 2 very basic questions I do not see addressed on website.
1) Can I use/sync Home/Business or any other version with multiple PCs?
2) Can I access my checking data online? I do not care about investments etc. I am interested in accessing my check register.
3) Bonus question...Any plans for a Palm Pre app?

Dipti: Welcome to Quicken chat support. My name is Dipti. Please give me a moment while I review the info you provided.
Dave Staats: k ty
Dipti: Hi Dave, you can install Quicken program on your all the computers, but I would like to inform you that we don't recommend to use Quicken on network or keeping your data file on the server.
Dipti: In this case, you can install Quicken 2009 on all the systems and can backup your data file in any external drive and use on your other computer.
Dave Staats: So the closest thing to syncing is carrying around a usb key with the latest data file? Not saying that's bad... but clarifying...I have one PC at home and one at office I’d like to use it on
Dipti: Okay.
Dipti: In this case, you can use Quicken Online backup program to backup your data file.
Dipti: However, I would like to inform you that you can backup the data file only from one system at which you have subscribed this service.
Dave Staats: Ok...so back to previous... I can just carry it around. That takes care of question number 1
Dave Staats: How about number 2? guessing no based on answer for number 1
Dipti: Dave, let me answer your Questions again one by one.
Dave Staats: Why?
Dave Staats: I only need to confirm that I can't SEE the data with online access. I understand the rest
Dipti: You can only use the Quicken Online backup program and take the backup of your data file from one computer and restore it anywhere and see.
Dipti: In order to see your data online, you can also use Quicken Online Program.

Link : nolinksforme yetquicken.intuit.com/online-banking-finances.jspQuicken® Online 100% FREE Personal Finance Software - Easy Personal Banking
Dave Staats: So if I want online access to a check register I have to separately use the free online version?
Dipti: Yes, in this you can only download the transactions from the bank's website and you would be able to enter the data in it.
Dave Staats: So,are you saying even the free online thing is not suitable for replacing the paper check register I carry in my wallet?
Dave Staats: It seems that I'd have to use two versions of Quicken and still not be able to do what I wanted to do...
Dipti: Dave, if i am correct, you want to use Quicken same data file on both the places Home and office, right?
Dave Staats: Yes
Dave Staats: And I'd like to post stuff in my checkbook from the web...
Dipti: In this case, you can use Quicken Desktop program and use Quicken Online backup program, and backup your data file from one place and restore it to the other place and use it. If you want to backup on both the places, you need to have two Accounts for Quicken Online backup.
Dipti: Do you want to download the transactions from the bank's website?
Dave Staats: No...not at all....
Dipti: Okay.
Dave Staats: Is online backup free and can I swap the files between the two accounts?
Dipti: No, you would be charged for it $9.99 annually for each account.
Dave Staats: So... I already said I could just do the usb key thing for free.... Let's just focus on whether or not I can access my CHECKBOOK data from the web...I think you are saying the paid versions cannot do that... Can I even do that with the Free online version?
Dipti: Do you want to download the transactions in Quicken from your checking account from the bank?
Dave Staats: Geez...try reading all the stuff again... I do not care about interacting with ANY financial institution. I just want a damned check register in my damned phone I can type into... How hard is that?
Dipti: Do you want track Quicken into Phone?
Dave Staats: I give up...
Dipti: Dave, you can track the transactions in your phone using pocked Quicken.
Dave Staats: On a Palm Pre?
Dave Staats: I don't think so...
Dipti: Link : LandWare, Inc. - Innovation for the Mobile Age
Dipti: Yes.
Dipti: You can contact them using the above link, as we have separate department for it.
Dave Staats: Does not support Palm's WebOS
Dipti: I would like to inform you that, this is Quicken Desktop Technical Support and we have a separate well equipped department for Pocket Quicken
Dipti: So, in order to clarify the doubts and information’s, you need to contact them.
Dave Staats: There IS no doubt that it won't work for me and YOU suggested it to begin with...

[ryleyinstl]

Start the web browser and go to your bank and log in.

As far a PC applications go I have used Quicken/Intuit products for years +15 years and find it to be better than anything else (could be a bit of Canadian bias here).

[ryleyinstl]

--

[hdhuntr]

Ryley, neither my bank ,nor Quicken has anything like a check register. Once we can do simple spreadsheets on the Pre I guess I'll just do that...

[heberman]

Check out mint.com. It has lots of great features. And it's free.

[bbr]

Check out mint.com. It has lots of great features. And it's free.

I'm really hoping for a Mint app like I had on my iPhone as well as something resembling the balance app that I had. Those are the only two apps I'm really missing.

[Xsecrets]

wow has quicken changed that much? I haven't used it since the dark ages, but back then it was basically an electronic check register itself.

[ryleyinstl]

Ryley, neither my bank ,nor Quicken has anything like a check register. Once we can do simple spreadsheets on the Pre I guess I'll just do that...

If by Check Register you mean debits/credits against a bank account then yes Quicken does this (and way way more). Unless your bank is operating out of a Shell Station it to should have that kind of information available via it's web portal. The nice thing about the bank web site is that that info is usually updated in near real time and you can view it on the Pre.

[hdhuntr]

Ryley and Dipti... I hope you never have babies... Read my chatscript above. It is possible the free online Quicken might do what I want but that doesn't do have the stuff that MS Money does (which I have to replace because MS Money is dying) AND Free Online Quicken does not have readily available I/O to paid versions of Quicken which do not have online access. It is a bunch of the simplest stuff...and they not only do not have it...they can't even understand the questions. I will check out mint. Thanks forthe tip to that heberman

[hdhuntr]

Ok...Ending my own thread here. My solution turned out to be as simple as Google Docs I think. I made what I need with a simple template there. I can't figure out how to save one locally on the Pre but I can probably work around that until we get doc editing etc...

[BMIC50]

SplashMoney has worked for me on the PalmOS in the past. I'm waiting for their webOS version.

[eddieroger]

I've used Quicken Mac 2007 for a while now, and it's sorely in need of an update. Supposedly they have a new version coming out soon (Summer, 2009), but after the beta went from public to private - as in, no you can't test it, sorry - no one's heard from it again. Only applies to Mac users, and I just really wanted to vent that frustration.

I've also heard a lot of good things about Mint, but what makes me nervous is telling some website I don't own my private financial information. I've read their security stuff time and time again, but ultimately they have a database with my username and password somewhere. I would assume, though, that they will probably come after webOS at some point since mobile was their initial differentiation.

[nuketroop]

You can lolad classic and run Splashmoney... Worked for me (Awiating tech support to let me know if possible to port my existing data to Palm version as I have Win mobile version data).

Should be interesting.

Come on Splashdata!!!

[hdhuntr]

It is already pretty dead but in case anyone is following the solution is homebrew app checkbook by ryaltar. Get it...it is free but I paid $30 donation and it felt like a bargain.