BDF1
Level 1

Item Name on invoices autocompletes: How to switch off?

In our invoice template, we enter the item name, and it autocompletes the description. Since updating to QB 2019 (desktop Mac), the item name autocompletes. Continuing to type will not overwrite the autocompleted item name. Example: I start typing lrglav-w (large lavender soap whsl). QB autocompletes to lrglv-T (large lemon verbena soap tester) and automatically goes to the end of the item name. We have to delete, delete, delete to be able to continue typing the item name we want. Is it possible to switch off the autocomplete for item names? We already unchecked Quickfill in Preferences - Data Entry, which didn't change this autocomplete.

I'd be very grateful for a solution! Dorothee at Bonny Doon Farm

SophiaAnnL
Moderator

Other questions

Unchecking the Quickfill option in Preferences is one way to stop the autofill function, BDF1.

 

Let's update QuickBooks first to refresh the program so it'll recognize the changes you've made in the Preferences.

 

Here's how:

  1. Click the QuickBooks Desktop menu.
  2. Click Check for QuickBooks Updates.
  3. Select Install Update if a new version is available.
  4. Click Install and Relaunch when prompted and wait until the update is complete.

Then, create a dummy invoice again to see if it still does the same thing. If it does, you can run the Verify and Rebuild Tool to check why the program keeps on autocompleting the item names in QuickBooks. This way, it'll be easier to know if the behavior is caused by the data file.

 

Here's how:

  1. Click Windows at the top, and select Close All.
  2. To Verify the data file, click File Utilities Verify Data.
  3. To Rebuild the data file, click File Utilities Rebuild Data.
  4. Click OK when you get the message Rebuild has completed.
  5. Run Verify Data again to check for remaining data damage (follow step 2).
  6. If there are additional damages, you'll have to manually fix. Locate the error within the qbwin.log and search for a resolution at the QuickBooks Desktop Support site (or enter the error by replying to this thread so I can give you the troubleshooting steps).
  7. If your error cannot be found, you can try restoring a recent backup. Choose File Restore. Make sure that you do not overwrite your existing company file. Any information entered in the company file since the backup was created must be manually reentered after you restore.

For more troubleshooting steps for the QuickBooks for Mac version, you can refer to this article: Additional data damage troubleshooting for Mac.

 

Please leave a reply if you need more help. I'll be right here to assist you further. 

IntuitBrooks
Level 9

Other questions

The autocomplete is supposed to quick fill the rest of the item name _but_ leave the "guessed" part selected.  So if you type an additional character it should further refine the guess. 

 

So as you type lrglav-w when you get to the "a" character it should refine the estimate since Irglv-T no longer matches "Irgla".   

 

Is it not doing that? The key is to not tab to the next field until after you type the "a". 

BDF1
Level 1

Other questions

Thank you for answering!

That is exactly what it does not do, overwrite. It jumps to the end of the item name and does not  overwrite when we continue typing. This only happens with certain items like the one I quoted; at other times, it overwrites when continuing to type. Very weird.

:D

BDF1
Level 1

Other questions

Thank you for the extensive reply, SophiaAnn! I followed all the steps (updating, verifying, rebuilding, verifying again), and at the end, no problems were found, but the jumping persists. It does overwrite in some instances when continuing to type, but in other cases, it jumps to the end of the item and we have to delete.

Here are examples where it jumps to the end of the item when part of the item is entered. (It always jumps to an item ending in -t, which is the ending for our testers; -w is the wholesale ending and -r the retail ending, so the jump is not anything alphabetical.):

I'll write what we enter, then > and what it jumps to.

lrgl > lrglv-t

ldg > ldg-t

sml > smldg-t  (we also have smlav and smlv with all three endings)

but not:  hrt > hrt-t, or rex > rex-t . It allows to overwrite those until we get to the end of the item.

(I tried changing the account from Advertising to Sales on the -t items, no success.)

Any ideas? Or do we have to rewrite our item codes (which are also the SKUs on or website) and make all letters unique? That would be a pretty big hassle.

 

Thank you for your help!!!

Dorothee

BDF1
Level 1

Other questions

BTW, the first thing we did was uncheck the Quickfill, then close QB, then open again, check Quickfill, and then repeat step 1 so that it would accept the change. This did not fix the problem.

:D

Anonymous
Not applicable

Other questions

Welcome back to our forums, @BDF1,

 

I appreciate you sharing additional information about your concern. Allow me to step in for a moment and get you to the right support.

 

Our contributors shared great insights on how to get past the issue you're getting with the auto-fill behavior on your item names. Since the steps did not work for you, I'd suggest contacting our QuickBooks for Mac Support for further assistance.

 

There they can do screen sharing session to take a closer look at this issue and provide additional workarounds to complete your work. Here's how to contact us:

  1. Go to this link: https://help.quickbooks.intuit.com/en_US/contact
  2. Choose QuickBooks Mac Desktop.
  3. Pick Company File then click the Get Phone Number button.

That should get you connected to our live support agents. Please leave me a comment with an update about how things go. I want to make sure that you're taken care of. Have a good one!

shawn_SHP
Level 1

Other questions

Hi,  I read this thread and we are having the exact same problem.  We also have an issue with searching for items. If we search 1/2" only 4 things come up.... but, we have 1/2" hundreds of times in the item list.  We talked to someone and they said "only the administrator can use that function" and we know that isn't correct.  It used to work for the other user.

We are going to get a callback from a second tier tech support person.... Were they able to resolve your issue?

 

 

JenoP
Moderator

Other questions

Thanks for joining us in this thread, shawn_SHP.

 

The Search function is available to all users in QuickBooks for Mac. Some of the areas as long as they're given access to the Inventory section of QuickBooks. Here's an article for more details: User and Password Preferences in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac.

 

I would also recommend reaching out to our Technical Support Team if you're still getting the same issue after following the steps given in the original response. They can take a closer look at this to determine what's causing the issue. Here's how to reach out to them:

 

  1. Go to this link: Contact Us.
  2. Select QuickBooks For Mac.
  3. Click Using QuickBooks for Mac.
  4. Scroll down a little bit and click Start a Message.

 

We're just around the corner here to help you again if you need anything else. Just reply below or post new questions and we'll be glad to answer them for you.

zenkengee927
Level 1

Other questions

Apparently this problem has not been resolved in QB22, in fact it is now WORSE. Item names, customer names, accounts, just about everything does this.  It has really become a problem for our business to have to re-enter EVERY name several times to get past the autofill problem.  QB support went through all the problem solving steps, then reviewed my account file for over a week and nothing fixed it.  It was bad in QB19(mac) and now it is much worse.  Someone there must be smart enough to see and resolve this issue before you start losing long time customers like me.

I have video screen shots of the problem happening in real time and it sure would be great if a senior programmer or someone with some knowledge on this could be in touch...

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