This is one reason why it is important to always assign categories to your transactions. If you have never used a category, Quicken will not add it to your budget. Quicken selects your budget categories based on the categories you have previously assigned to transactions. If you are trying to reduce your spending, then you’ll want to look for categories where you can lower the amount allocated. When Quicken generates a budget, it is based on your actual spending. You can increase or decrease amounts, and you can add or remove categories. Once Quicken for the Mac has generated the initial budget, your can make adjustments. The application will choose your categories and your spending amounts. Quicken for the Mac analyzes your current spending and income, then generates a budget. Other dates are possible, and if you are new to Quicken, you should check to see how back your transactions go so you don’t start your budget before you have any transactions. Even if you are several months into the year, this allows Quicken to set a baseline budget by looking at your past spending, and allows you to compare your current spending with your previous spending that year. In most cases you will want to start at the beginning of the year. When you create a budget in Quicken for the Mac, you can decide what date you want to start your budget at.