Searching for a certain tag doesn't show a sum total (edited)

andyqq99

If I am remembering correctly, the monetary amount when you searched for transactions with a certain tag used to have a total amount show up on the report level, but I don't see that anymore. Was that the case or am I making that up? Does is still do that and is it simply an user error?

SRC54

@andyqq99 Hmm, it sums when you select them. Which I think is the same behavior in Transactions View too. Is this what you mean?

UrsulaA

I find the same behavior. My workaround to find the total when using a Tag Filter in reports is to select the transactions after filtering. Then, the sum for the tag displays.

Alternatively, if you filter a report from the top menu or make the breakdown equal to By Tag, the totals will show on the chart.

SRC54

So @UrsulaA and @andyqq99 In Transactions, doing a search gives you an automatic total whereas in Reports, you have to select them to get a total. Wonder why the difference. The UI is inconsistent. My preference would be to select them to get the total. But either way is fine, but I agree with Andy that it is disconcerting when you are expecting something. 😉

andyqq99

Thanks! A few points:

1. The workaround to select the transactions to get the total works. I wasn't aware of that. Thank you for pointing that out.
2. I wasn't aware that you could breakdown a report by tag, so good to know that. Thanks!
3. FWIW, I think what I am asking (where when you searched a tag name on the report level it would sum them automatically) used to exist until recently. Recognize products can change.
4. From what I can tell, is that you can't filter by a certain date range on the transactions tab. Not exactly sure what you can do on the transactions tab that you can't do on the reports tab? Not sure why it exists.

You both seem quite knowledgeable. I would be curious if you have thoughts on whether Simplifi is the best tool out there for getting a POV on your expenses monthly, annually, and over time? I find it sufficient, but there are so many things it doesn't do, like MoM trends, etc.

SRC54

@andyqq99 Thanks. I am fairly knowledgeable (more on accounting) but @UrsulaA has jumped in with both feet after she came over from Mint, and I think she ought to be on the Quicken payroll! I think she has been a Simplifier for less than one year and I'm about to start my 4th year.

I admit that I am the weakest on Reports because I rarely use it. I think too that it is the weakest part of Simplifi. Have you ever tried printing a report in Simplifi? Yuck! I still use Quicken and pay for both because I can do so much more with Reports there. I want to drop Classic but Simplifi still isn't there yet. So I do everything twice. Of course I have 30 years worth of data in Quicken.

For most users, I think Simplifi is better. I like the Spending Plan better than Quicken budgeting. I like that Simplifi is automatically saved. I have to remember to update Quicken to the Web. Quicken still requires a computer where as all you need for Simplifi is a phone or tablet or even a Chromebook.

Recurring transactions have a ways to go; they need to support splits and one should be able to enter a transaction directly from the reminder instead of having to enter a transaction and link it. For manual accounts, it's a pain. If they'd fix that, I could live without the Report module. My iMac is getting long in the tooth and I would love to replace it with an iPad Pro.

SRC54

@andyqq99

Also, speaking of UI, it is what interested me about your questions this morning. Friends and family always come to me as the "guru" concerning computers. Ha ha. I am just logical and I always say to them I don't know how to tell you to do this; I just can do it when I sit down at the keypad. I bet Chris, Danny, Ursula and Ron can relate. When I got my trial for Simplifi, I didn't read anything; I just jumped in and figured it out. I liked that it was pretty easy to use and not complicated.

As I went on, I did find out that the Spending Plan took some time to figure out. At first, I didn't really even use it and I had a hard time with why Planned Spending was different from Bills and Subscriptions. And I avoid Other Spending as if it were the Plague. If I have other spending, I mark it as a One-Time Bill. Having Other Spending is as if I lost.

I admit that I never read the Help stuff and tips unless I get stuck or, more likely, one of the Coaches sends me to it. It's like asking for directions, which is cheating. 😆

So it's great that you found this inconsistency in Reports and maybe we should suggest that it work the same as in transactions. Enjoy your weekend!