Allow users to specify the order in which Transaction Rules are applied (edited)
I think Rules are applied in a particular order — maybe the order in which they appear in the Rules list — and that the first Rule that matches a transaction runs.
If so, it would help if users could move Rules up and down in the Rules list to control the order in which they are applied. Here's why…
Sometimes I want a more specific rule to apply to some transactions and a more general rule to apply to the others. Here's a simplified example:
Rule#1: COSTCO ⇒ Category = Groceries
Rule#2: COSTCO and GAS ⇒ Category = Fuel
If Rule#1 is applied first, all COSTCO transactions will be categorized as Groceries. But if Rule#2 is applied first, then the COSTCO GAS transactions will be categorized as Fuel and only the non-GAS transactions will be categorized as Groceries.
DryHeat
-Quicken Classic (1990-2020), CountAbout (2021-2024), Simplifi (2025-…)
Comments
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This is a critical item for rules. There can be conflicting outcomes and without the ability for the user to both understand and convey the order of the rule to be performed, the rule set can be (or at least be perceived) as unpredictably executed which reduces the value of rules in the first place. Prior to other feature sets around rules, control over the order of rule execution should be prioritized.
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I wasn't sure when I started this thread, but more recently I've seen it (more or less) confirmed that (1) the rules are applied in the order they are listed, and (2) once a rule is applied all others are ignored.
Right now, the only way to control the order is to edit a rule, which moves it to the top of the list. That doesn't really help a whole lot.
DryHeat
-Quicken Classic (1990-2020), CountAbout (2021-2024), Simplifi (2025-…)1 -
I think this is a great idea!
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