Q08 -- classes replaced by tags -- any user comments?

I too have used classes extensively & so far have found tags easier to use; my classes were converted to tags w/o problems. The only issue I have had w/tags is that they take up more room so truncate the memo.

PJS,

Thanks very much. Glad to hear you had no problems, and I agree about the screen real estate issue.

One question: Are you able to assign a tag to a transfer? I use: [CHK]/PER -- meaning a transfer to my checking account with the class called personal. Will I be able to do this in '08?

John

Yes. Two things I'll point out. As you probably inferred, the 'tag' assignment is actually now made in a separate field in the register next to the 'category'; it is not appended to the end of the category name as it was earlier. I like this better. In fact, you can pull down the menu of tags and select multiple ones now.

Secondly, a funny thing is (and I just played with this when testing for this post) is if you use TWO tags (say, "PER", and "FOOTBALL" in your example),the 'Cash Flow By Tag report labels a column "PER, FOOTBALL" for the single total, and I don't think the expense shows up in the other columns marked "PER" and "FOOTBALL". It seems that Q is assuming that the tag is the union of the two individual tags, not as a means of assigning the same expense to multiple, individual tags. That's not the way I would have expected this to work. I would have thought if one assigns more than one tag to a transaction, then the monetary value is shared equally across the two tags. (ie: The same expense to show up in both the single "PER" column and "FOOTBALL" column).

OTOH, if Q did do that, then the totals at the bottom of the report would be all wacky as Q would be 'double counting'. So not sure how this would play out.

You can elect not to see tags in their own separate field in account registers:

Edit > Preferences > Quicken Program > Register

and uncheck the box :Show Tag Field.

One other potential benefit of tags as a separate field: the ability to use Find/Replace to modify tags for multiple transactions without regard to the Category assigned to those transactions. This isn't possible yet, but unless I am missing something, I can't believe it's not in the works.

I meant to add that when you do this, the Tags appear in the Category field as Classes used to do.

Andrew and John,

Thanks very much for the info. '08 will clearly handle my old classes just fine, with some added benefits perhaps.

I usually wait a few months after the initial release before upgrading -- giving Intuit time to fix any critical bugs -- but maybe I'll jump in sooner this year.

Regards,

John

John B - I too was on the edge for a couple of weeks, because I didn't think they'd be much functional point in upgrading (actually, I still do think that!) but one poster did make a point about supporting the product and picking up (perhaps) bug fixes that might not have been in the service stream. So, I bit the bullet. Not that I am all that altruistic about supporting Intuit (as if my single purchase is going to make a big deal to their bottom line), but what the hell?

And I do think that the navigation is easier with the newer tabs and some other things I've noticed. So I'm not sorry I did buy it - and hey, I don't even miss the $ I spent on it a few weeks ago now.

(Just still wish they'd fix the equity news feeds that still aren't appearing....)

Thanks, Andrew.

I've always found good reasons to like each yearly upgrade. Some years have given us more than others, but each year has provided good improvements. I'm watching several eBay auctions for H&B and will likely buy soon.

John B.