Mutual Fund--Security Name

I use the same name in both IRA, Roth IRA and non-IRA accounts for some of my funds that span all 3. I can't recall Q ever objecting to using the same fund name in different types of investment accounts. Can you remember the scenario where Q bitched, and what release are you using of Q?

I just updated from 2006 to 2009. I had been using "JR IRA Fund Name" or "JR Reg Fund Name" and decided just to use Fund Name in both cases. In one case I got a message like "Security name already in use" ; in the other case there was no objection. It may be that in the latter case there was a slight difference that satisfied Quicken. Perhaps Quicken wants different names to avoid confusion when entering transactions?

Are you using the dialogs to add your transactions? In other words, when you're in your IRA account, are you using the drop down panels to add or sell or whatever? Are BOTH securities listed in the drop down selection? You sure you're really (inadvertently) trying to 'add' a new security to Q's knowledge (as opposed to buying a security that Q already knows exists)?

I've decided to revert to my old style of security naming. I do generally use "Enter Transactions" (although I've recently started to download). What is really strange is that not only are both the REG and IRA versions of the mutual funds in the drop down security list (I didn't check this before I reverted), but there are many others there, as well. In fact, all 36 of the securities in my security list are there, including quite a few that I have chosen to hide. (Counting the IRA and REG duplications, in currently have 21 active mutual funds/securities.) I don't understand why hidden securities are in the drop down list.

And are you saying when you use the drop downs, Q is forcing you only to use ONE of the two names for what is, in actuality, the SAME security?

Andrew-- Q objected when I attempted a name change by clicking on the security in Portfolio view and going to "Edit Security"; I never got to the enter transactions stage. I thought I had found the way to exclude hidden securities. In Portfolio/Customize view there is an option to show hidden securities, but even when that is not checked, hidden securities show in the security drop down list when entering transactions. Strange; why isn't there an option there to show or hide hidden securities?

I appreciate the time you devoted to this. I think I'll just stick with my original JR IRA/JR REG fund name approach. And maybe at some point I'll just delete the damn hidden securities that I haven't owned in years.

Hiding securities is a two-part process.

You need to mark the security as hidden, and you need to tell Quicken not to "View hidden securties".

If you can see the security in the Security List with the icon of a hand at the end of its name, you've only done the first part. You need to click on "Options" (in the Security List) and uncheck "View hidden securities).

If you want to change an existing security name to the same name as another existing security, Quicken won't let you do it.

But I think you can have the security with the name you prefer "acquire" the security with the name you don't want any more. I think a Quicken Corporate Acquisition, on a one-share-for-one-share basis will make the two securities become one.

If you choose to try this, you should backup first so you can revert, if you don't like the results.

Thanks, John. I came back here to report that I just found that solution!