@Anonymous wrote:
@NRB525 wrote:There are a couple of tools on the US Bank website to assist with this.
In each posted transaction on the Transactions list, there is a "More Details" link. That has the description of the Merchant Category. It usually gets you close to see if the Category is close to the category you wants the 5% or 2%. I see one that I know is Utilities but has something describing how the charge was processed. In any event, this gets you started in grouping your charges to recalculate how the 5% was determined.
The next method is the Download Transactions link, to the right of the "Transactions" tab. This gets you an Excel file where the data includes the 4 digit merchant code. It takes a little parsing to understand, and you need to g-search the MCC listing, but that gets you to the coding USB is going to use. I have found this to be very accurate.
The frustrating moment was a few quarters ago I maxed my 5%, and could not figure out how the 5% was working in the last month of that quarter. I figured it out
See that is just it. Downloading, Excel files, parsing, and coding. Of course all of the cardholders nationwide are familiar with these. How many consumers should have to do this to figure out their rewards?
I didn't pretend it was easy. My words were it can assist. The OP comments make it sound like not available at all. 
My only concern is that the 5% and 2% are calculated predictably. ~90% of my transactions in a month are with merchants I frequent. Once I understand how they code, I adapt which card I will use. For new merchants, it's a roulette wheel until it posts, so I get stuff like Savor buying tickets to Legoland, at the Legoland gate, that get 1%. Next time I go to Legoland, I'll probably use my Diners Club card to build up those other miles.
I download the US Bank transactions a couple times a year, and have built up a spreadsheet over the years not only to see how US Bank sees it, but to try to forecast where another card might land and see if a merchant changed. The 4-digit code is much more useful than vague text descriptions.
It may not be easiest for the average cardholder, but the fewer people who understand how Cash+ works, the better for me. Now look at this pen...
@Anonymous wrote:
How about when the Visa supplier site gives one MCC and the FI says it came coded differently?
Golden Rule: who has the money makes the rules, so the bank wins that matchup.
Till now, I was using 5% categories on either Uber, Cell Phone, Internet/Netfix. In Feb 2020, Barclay Uber will give 5% cashback on both Uber and Ubercash. I am switching to YouTube TV (USB does not categorize it among 5%). For Cell Phone, I switch to Barclay Uber (phone insurance/theft coverage). My utilities need ACH (don't accept CC).
In the next quarter, I don't know the best way to use 5% cashback categories. Suggestions?
Fico8: EX~EQ~TU~810 (12 month goal~840).
Great thread! Learned a lot!
@xenon3030 wrote:Till now, I was using 5% categories on either Uber, Cell Phone, Internet/Netfix. In Feb 2020, Barclay Uber will give 5% cashback on both Uber and Ubercash. I am switching to YouTube TV (USB does not categorize it among 5%). For Cell Phone, I switch to Barclay Uber (phone insurance/theft coverage). My utilities need ACH (don't accept CC).
In the next quarter, I don't know the best way to use 5% cashback categories. Suggestions?
I always wait to see what Freedom has for a quarter before finalizing my Cash+ categories. Removed Department Stores this quarter to fast food because of Freedom. Put the 2% on restaurants.