Quicken Home Page

Your Quicken Home Page shows your projected cash flow with 'In + Out = What's Left'. The Quicken Home Page pulls together your expected income, representing it as simply 'In'. 'Out' adds up your bills and expenses and What's Left does the math to reveal discretionary income.

Use the arrows on either side of the month and date at the top of the calendar to review actual cash flow for past months and to see projected cash flow for months ahead. Projected cash flow totals are based on scheduled transactions you have set up for recurring income and expenses, such as utility bills and pay checks.

Projected Cash Flow Tip
To make your projected cash flow accurate, enter future one-time, big transactions as soon as you become aware of them. You can enter this transaction either as a scheduled transaction or post date the transaction to the date you expect to pay the expense or receive the income.

For example, you buy an A/V setup for your living room and have it installed, but the equipment will not be delivered for another month, or say you are awarded an unexpected bonus but will not get the check immediately. Enter this expense or income into the register, but post date the transaction to the date you expect to incur the expense or receive the income. Alternatively, you can create a scheduled transaction to be entered into your register on the appropriate date. You will learn how to add transactions directly from the Quicken Home Page later in this series.