Tony Pawlicki,

1) Welcome to the forum!

2) If I understand you correctly, you are using the Simple Entry Tool (not the Speedy Entry Tool) - right?

And you are trying to enter a grace note by clicking - right?

3) One thing is not clear to me:

Are you trying to replace one of the quarters by a grace note?

Or are you trying to enter a grace note between the quarters (leaving all the quarters unharmed)?

4) Take a good look at the Simple palette.

How many tool icons are selected? - 1 icon or 2 icons?

Peter. 

Yes, I am using the simple entry tool. 

I am trying to enter a grace note between the quarters (leaving all quarters unharmed).

I have tried it with the quarter note and grace note selected (this method gives me two tiny notes)

I have also tried it by placing in the quarter notes, then selecting only the grace note and clicking on the quarter notes. 

I'm not sure what is wrong. I have previously used grace notes with no issues. 

Tony, try this:

Enter (for example) two, quarter notes. Enter the third note (that will become a grace note.) While it is still selected, tap Option-G to turn that into a grace note. (That's on a Mac; windows may use ALT-G.) Enter the following notes.

Hi Mike,

When I tried that it simply turned the 3rd quarter note into a small note.

Enter that third note as an eighth (or whatever you want as the grace note.) Once you've converted it to a grace note, it will no longer "count."

… I am trying to enter a grace note between the quarters (leaving all quarters unharmed) …

… when I click on a note with the simple entry grace note …

1) To “click in” a grace note between other notes you must have two icons selected on the Simple palette:

- the note dutation’s tool (e. g. an 8th),

and

- the Grace Note tool.

2) Do not click on an already existing note.

Instead, click between two notes.

To make it work you may have to zoom in, to a higher zoom percentage.

So this worked, partially. I am getting the grace note now; however, I am not getting the connecting curve between the grace note and the main note. Any ideas? 

Add the slur SmartShape manually?

Finale, when it worked correctly adding a grace note, automatically put it in there.  I'd rather not have to go in and add all of those manually if I can avoid it. 

I don't remember that happening.

"I'd rather not have to go in and add all of those manually if I can avoid it."

Tony,

I don't ever remember Finale adding that slur marking to grace notes without  further action. But I will suggest you start using Speedy Entry because it is a lot faster. Right hand on the number pad and left hand hit the semicolon key to make a grace note. You will still need to add the slur marking with the Smart Shape tool. (Windows 10)