The Chart of Accounts that Financial Navigator comes with has its format types built in. This means that if you add an account to the "Checking Accounts" category, the correct format type will automatically be selected. This is good, because it saves you the trouble of picking a format type.

However, say you decide to take advantage of the flexibility and "outsmart" the Chart of Accounts and change the name of the "Checking Accounts" category to "Common Stock." The accounts in that category will still have the format type "Bank Accounts." Say you then change the format type of each of those accounts to "Common Stock." So far so good. However, if you make any change to that account - such as simply moving it up or down within the same category - the system will reapply it's proper (i.e. default) format type for the account.

So to prevent this from happening, use the proper category for your accounts. In your situation, it would be best to use more than one category - one for the Morgan Stanley stocks, and another one for the Morgan Stanley Bonds.

1. Select Accounts | Chart of Accounts.
2. Select Options | Show Columns | Format Type. Format Type should be checked. This will display the Format Type on the right side of COA screen.
3. Select Options | View Properties by | Folders (Folders should be checked.) This displays the Folder name and on the right side of screen instead of the account names.
4. Select the appropriate Group (like CURRENT ASSETS) on the left.
5. Change the Format Type as needed.

[This message has been edited by David (edited 08-04-2008).]