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Separate column for check number

bowgy4

Right now there is no place to store check number other than manually in the Notes field. Most of the time the check number is in the transaction name (e.g. Check 345 091300229835). This is a three-part request:
1) A separate field for check number so I can easily filter to just see checks in order - easy comparison to bank statements
2) The check number field could potentially be limited to Checking account types.
3) Automatically parse the transaction name for Check-space-number-space and fill in the check number.

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Feature Request

Accounts

Status: Completed

Comments

Coach Tappan

@bowgy4 Another user recently raised this issue in this discussion. I still use what younger folks call "paper checks" for some of my bills, even though I started electronic banking a long time ago. Apparently I'm in the minority. The "check number" field is actually captured by Simplifi, since it shows up in downloads, but we made a decision early on that most of our users wouldn't need it. We've happy to change that if enough of our users (like me) express their support for the option. Thanks for the suggestion!

txp

I understand not displaying the Check Number field by default, but give users the ability to configure the lists to display the fields desirable to them. The Check Number is just one example; another is the Notes fields that often display, but doesn't always (Split Transactions, for example).

SlackerDad

When Mint started out, I was impressed with it but not having check numbers was a absolute no go for me. It’s a crutch I can’t efficiently do my finances without. I have used either Quicken or Microsoft Money since the 90’s, and am a current Quicken for the Mac user. I am trying out Simplifi to see if I recommend to friends and young people.

Is it very difficult to include a column we can turn on that shows the check number? Mint has thrived without me, so it is evidently not a necessity for a lot of people…. Thanks!

Mike0514

Check Numbers ✔️

Flopbot

Agree! While I only use checks occasionally, when I do use them, I really, really miss not having a dedicated column.

Maybe those who didn’t want it could hide it?

Maybe it could even be a dual purpose column: “Check #” and/or “Reference #” (the occasional Amazon order #, random confirmation #’s, USPS tracking #’s, etc.). Icing on the cake would be the ability to flag each use with the appropriate number type somehow. Ideally, all this would take up as little horizontal real-estate as possible. Or, maybe it would only show up when editing each transaction…not in the register.

DannyB

I write two checks a month and occasionally a third check so having a column for check #s is not a necessity but I can see where it would be helpful.

jmb1228950

I guess for now I'll enter the check number as a Note. There really should be a separate field for check number -- it could configurable whether or not it is displayed. It would also help with being able to automatically match up manually entered transactions with bank entries.

Flopbot

One bit of warning for anyone who happens to be looking for a workaround here. From the beginning, I’ve been doing this with check’s. Unfortunately, I suspect that this messes up Simplifi’s Memorized Payee functionality. I don’t fully understand this functionality yet; but I suspect it does. I just haven’t taken the time to undo what I did yet.

Hopefully someone can learn from my mistake.

why no check list?

Regardless if I pay my bills online, or through the bank there is still an invoice or check number involved at least 95% of the time, so I am surprised that this program completely skipped over an important reference point. I cannot fathom where the reasoning came from for lack of completing a working program.

MCMD

I agree. Check number field is a basic function missing.

BayShore

I definitely want to see Check Number as a separate field. I do sometimes use paper checks, and miss being able to write and print them through my money program, as I was able to do in the past using the now-defunct Microsoft Money. Having the Check Number appear as "Payee" makes it impossible to create a transaction category rule, unless I rename each one manually by replacing the check number with the name of the payee. I find that annoying enough that I frequently do online searches to see if there might be a better money program for me than Simplifi. (Not Mint: I didn't like Mint's ads, and there were some other things about Mint that I didn't like, but I can't recall what they were.)

I understand that Simplifi pulls the info from my bank account, and my bank doesn't list the payee of each check--I have to look at the photo of the check to see that. But I'd prefer to see Check Number as a separate field. Simplifi can leave the payee empty in those instances, and I can fill them manually.

Flopbot

Following up on my comment from June 29th, I did confirm that what I was doing was wrong and switched to this.

In the payee field, I enter this…

And in the note field, I enter this…

Which generally keeps Simplifi happy. I’d like something more - and voted accordingly above - but in the meantime, this works.

TommyMac

Not meant to be a snarky comment, but, I recently needed to write a check to a contractor for some services, and I realized I haven't seen my checkbook in two years, I had to go get a certified check for him. lol..

DannyB

@TommyMac :

I keep my check book in the top center drawer of my desk... and occasionally pull it out when I get nostalgic for the "good ol' days"... NOT!

As noted above I only occasionally write checks... HOWEVER, in the spirit of community, I voted this up to support my fellow Simplifiers for whom the feature would be useful as a selection in the in the Columns and Settings menu.

TommyMac

@DannyB - I upvoted as well for the same reason. Gotta love nostalgia.

PeteTheGolfer

If I write a check, it may not clear the bank for several weeks. When it does, it just adds the transaction to the account. Now I have two entries for the same transaction and have to search for the original to delete it.

In a chat I had today, I was told that, if the payee field matches between the manual transaction and the downloaded one, then there won't be a duplicate (although I don't know how it's resolved). This brings up a question and a suggestion.

The question is, what if a manual transaction and a downloaded have the same payee but they're different transactions?

The suggestion is, of course, to have a check number field for the transaction and match the check number with the downloaded transaction. This requires a bit more intelligence in the routine that compares the transactions but it would be very helpful.

Coach Natalie

Hello @PeteTheGolfer,

Thanks for sharing your feedback with the Community!

To answer your question, although I don't know the exact formula, Simplifi uses a logic to match a downloaded transaction to a manual entry using the Payee, Amount, and it must fall within a certain date range variance. If a transaction inaccurately gets linked, you would have the option to unlink it.

I hope this helps!

-Coach Natalie

KimH CPA

Need the ability to record check numbers. For instance, I might write 10 checks for $25 each as Christmas Gifts. The recipients might cash these checks anywhere from the next day to 90 days later. When they download from the bank, it doens't have the person's name on it, therefore, I have no idea which checks have been cashed and which haven't been cashed. This is an Accounting 101 feature that should be incorporated into Simplifi.

MMC

Please add the check # column!

tedforthewin

Bump!

Check number very much needed.

RobWilk

Voting down…. I have a checkbook somewhere but haven't seen it in years, i'm not sure i could find it if i needed it.

When you pay with checks, you're handing out your account and routing numbers, which just seems insecure. Plus no purchase protection, and what happens if a check is cashed much (months+) later than you anticipated (can you "reclaim" that money, or do you have to hold it aside 'just in case').

-Rob

pegacker

This seems like such a simple feature that could be added yet here we are years after this conversation was first brought up and it still hasn't been offered as an option. I planned to use this for a more organized way to record my accounting throughout the year and do my taxes each year. The desktop version of Quicken has it so I just can't wrap my head around why a customer would be forced to put check numbers in the notes if they want to reference it.

GreenSpring

I don't understand how to balance my checkbook if there are no check numbers to add up. If I have 7 transactions to the same person with the same amount.. How do I tell them apart? How would I know what check to cancel?

Rvr312

I agree that separate field to display check numbers is needed. Sometimes I need to see all transactions with a check number. It seems that many other users would like to see this feature! IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE FIX!!!

dj13

Agree with all. We need a Check Number column. Make it optional, but please provide the option for users.

kraigSF

I upvoted. I hate checks, but there are still a lot of small/local vendors who don't accept credit cards and want payment on the spot. We have a housecleaner who we pay the same amount to 26 times per year and she often deposits a bunch of checks together, the check number column would make it easier to reconcile.

As an aside, does anyone know anything about the logic that Simplifi uses to match downloaded transactions to checks previously written? I'm wondering if @Flopbot 's suggestion (putting the payee's name in the payee field) works. If I write check 689 with a payee field of "John Smith", that check gets downloaded from my bank as "Bank Check xx0689" so I don't see how Simplifi could match "Bank Check xx0689" to "John Smith."

EL1234

I also find that simplifi has a hard time matching checks that I enter as pending with the cleared check transaction that comes from the bank. The "Merge" feature is helpful but it means I need to keep reviewing the list of pending checks to see which ones came through so they aren't double counted in my cash flow. Having a dedicated Check # field would help a lot with this I think.

JBGtheboss

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE add a check number column that is populated by the data from the bank. I know the information transfers over because every single check is listed under the payee name. It is the only thing so far that's missing from this software. I need to be able to enter checks when they occur and then have them matched, by check number, to the transaction. (I dont want to try to match payee or amounts as I have several that are reoccurring weekly checks)

quicken user since the 1980s

simplifi trial 2024

Michaeljbagley

Needs a column to cross reference check number to transaction. I write Checks for most transactions.

bstark

New Simplifi user here, moved over from Mint. I agree with this request, but surprised I didn't read any other responses with the scenario I encountered. We don't write many personal checks, however, we use the Billpay service through our bank to pay all bills and many places simply don't have an electronic method to receive payment, so the bank sends a paper check. In my case, Simplifi included the check # in the payee description which looked like "Inclearing Check #1234" - this was good enough for me, except for one big problem.. I want to categorize all these properly for reporting and budgeting purposes. As we know, category rules can only be applied to a specific payee or along with a rename rule - backing up a step to illustrate my problem better… for some reason Simplifi determined that Inclearing Checks should be categorized as Mortgage.. I guess anything other than "Uncategorized" is a bad choice though since we have no idea what the check was for. So, I created the rename rule to change all payee's with "Inclearing Check" to simply "Paper Check" ONLY so I could have the default category be "Uncategorized" which is what I filter on weekly so I can properly categorize them. My problem now is the inconvenience of no longer having the check # in Simplifi to ease the lookup process in my bank transactions online so that I can see who the payee actually was. Using payment amounts and dates I can tell, so this is what I consider a minor inconvenience but still it would be nice to retain that check # - btw, viewing the detail of the transaction in Simplifi does not reveal the check # either because it is not part of the payee description coming from my bank.. my bank has a separate check # field on the transaction that apparently Simplifi grabs and includes in the payee description, I was hoping I could find it in the detail but no such luck.

I also realize I could just remove the rules I created against the Inclearing Check **** items and let it come in as Mortgage each time and just filter for the check transactions and then recategorize them, which is likely what I'll do in order to prevent overwriting the payee name and losing the check #… at least until this feature request gets added, if it does.