This should read "if you don't need very many or even a few of the features
Microsoft Money provides..."

And then the questions become:

1) If you don't need the features, what is it you hope to gain from
financial software? Just one view aggregation and Microsoft's ads rather
than someone else's?

2) Why is the assumption that someone who hasn't used financial software in
the past needs something that is borderline useless and little more than a
glorified portal site--locally installed to boot--intended to draw your eyes
to one set of advertising controlled/channeled by Microsoft rather than some
other set? That's like saying a moped is intended for somebody who hasn't
used a car in the past. Great for the person selling mopeds. Lousy for the
person in need of transportation.

"About Financial Software" <aboutfinsoft[at]gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1184092428.023910.263220[at]n2g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
- quote -

I don't think that Money Essentials is necessarily a bait and switch
product, but it is unfortunate that you will need to upgrade. Money
Essentials is intended for those who have not used financial software
in the past... "If you don't need all the features Microsoft Money
provides, you can still have the tools to manage personal finance
basics".
http://financialsoft.about.com/od/mi...07Overview.htm

Those considering Microsoft Money or Money Essentials should use the
trial download before buying.
http://www.microsoft.com/money/Produ...ve_tab=Compare

On Jul 8, 8:30 am, w_mccall <w_mcc...[at]discussions.microsoft.comwrote:
- quote -

Tools|Settings?

"w_mccall" <w_mccall[at]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B304AE62-03DA-4544-A62C-9048B7EEA162[at]microsoft.com...
- quote -

Chris,

Ah-Haa! No Tools/Options let alone Tools/Options/OnLine Service Settings in
Essentials. The bait and switch is on. Thanks for your help.
--
WAM


"Chris Cowles" wrote:

- quote -

"w_mccall" <w_mccall[at]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B99A4EAD-C0A2-46CD-A184-E3070A56F1EB[at]microsoft.com...
- quote -

In Deluxe 07, it's Tools> Options> Online Service Settings"Automatically accept all downloaded transactions from banking
statements". Does that option exist? Is it grayed out? Or does it not
exist?
--
Chris Cowles
Gainesville, FL

"w_mccall" <w_mccall[at]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B99A4EAD-C0A2-46CD-A184-E3070A56F1EB[at]microsoft.com...
- quote -

Never having actually seen a copy of Essentials, I can't say for
certain if that's true or not. I'm guessing it is.
--
Chris Cowles
Gainesville, FL

Chris, Thanks for the good info. What you say sounds right but I don't see
where I can uncheck "automatically accept downloaded transactions". It
doesn't seem to be a preference. Actually, I found all of the financial and
budgeting features in Quicken to be annoying and I never used them so I
thought maybe the Essentials might be the best choice for me. But if I need
to upgrade to clear the adjustments, they may have hooked me in.
--
WAM


"w_mccall" wrote:

- quote -

"Chris Cowles" <spam_magnet[at]remove-me-bellsouth.net> wrote in message ...
- quote -

I should add that I don't bother adding them in advance. I just download
transactions and edit what I downloaded. Less labor, just as accurate.
--
Chris Cowles
Gainesville, FL

"w_mccall" <w_mccall[at]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:42998525-B18A-475B-BD91-E41434153086[at]microsoft.com...
- quote -


I'm unclear on exactly what you're doing, but the common practice for what
I think you're doing is to add the transactions (adjustments?) to the
register and categorize them as you prefer. Then, when you download the
matching transaction, don't click accept. Instead, click Change. If you
have Money set to automatically accept downloaded transactions, disable
that.

On the ensuing dialog, click the manually-created transaction that
corresponds to the downloaded transaction. Money will then merge them
together and mark it electronically cleared.

There are options in the online settings that allow Money to remember
associations between downloaded payee descriptions and your payee
descriptions, and also to remember associations between payees and
categories. The payeeayee associations must be 1:1, and the
payee:category association will be the most recently used.

You'll get many suggestions to ditch Money Essentials. IMO, it's very
limited in functionality and serves the bait in a bait-and-switch
marketing tactic. Realistically, it's unfair to compare it to Quicken.
Upgrade to Money Deluxe. You can get it pretty cheap at discount stores.

I suggest you wait until later this summer. Microsoft traditionally
releases the next year's version around August. Many office and discount
stores will carry it as a loss leader. There is no upgrade discount or
protection so, if you buy M07Dlx now, and want M08Dlx next month, you'll
have to pay twice.

I'm new to Money Essentials 2007, having previously used Quicken. I add
adjustments for debit card transactions, for instance, on a weekly basis,
often prior to downloading the cleared transaction from my bank. When the
bank transactions come through, I want to match them up with the previously
added adjustments. There doesn't seem to be any easy way to do this, other
than scrolling through the cleared transactions and the adjustments for each
transaction. Am I missing something? or is there an upgrade that does a
better job with this? Or should I go back to Quicken for this feature?
--
WAM