Migrating Quicken to the Mac

[Barry Garsson]

I am sure this must have been asked before, but I can't find it in the list.

I am finally, and once and for all, making the switch to the Mac (Mac Mini), from XP to Linux and Linux was an improvement, but not as seamless as the Mac. I am a convert.

Now, the only real issue for me is Quicken. It is the one piece of software I cannot switch out of. I already contacted Quicken Support Forum and got a few links to conversion instructions (it appears that I will have to export QIF files, and import them in the Mac).

In the Quicken Forum, I received two replies, one of which is as follows:

"Not only are the data files different, the entire programs are different. My understanding (and I am neither experienced or an expert) is that the Mac version is less capable than the PC version of Quicken. If I recall correctly, several Mac users run the Windows version of Quicken for that reason."

This is confusing to me. I didn't reply to the sender (because he claims not to be experienced in this matter) but I fail to understand how a Windows program can be used in a Mac. Is there special software for that? My MacMini manual says nothing about it.

Also, "less capable?" Not sure what that means. I am kind of a basic Quicken user, I don't get into investments but do track what Schwab does with my accounts as I download my Schwab accounts once a month. Apparently I will have to set that up again after the transfer.

Looks like I've a bit of work with the Mac version of Quicken. Would like to hear some input on Quicken for the Mac from "experienced" and/or "expert" users.

Thanks in advance.

Barry

[minckster]

Intuit used to have instructions on their website, which they appear to have pulled. Their instructions for Quicken 2005 follow. Basically, you export a QIF file for each account in Windows and import that file in Mac. (I'd recommend doing one account at a time. And don't change account names in Mac until you're done. They'll match up in Mac after you've imported each account.) It's a slow, laborious process.

By "using the Windows program on Mac", I assume that the poster means using Parallels or Boot Camp to run Windows on their Intel-based Mac and running the Quicken for Windows program in its natural environment.

I haven't had any problems with the "less capable" Mac version, other than the mid-term capital gains mentioned in the instructions below.

Quicken 2005 for Windows

Title Converting data from Quicken for Windows to Quicken for Mac
KB ID#: 2159
Categories: File Management/Conversion
Question: How do I convert my Quicken for Windows data to Quicken for Mac?

Answer:

The following components of your Quicken for Windows data file will convert to Quicken for Mac:

* Accounts (except those specified below)
* Transactions
* Categories, Classes, and Securities that are contained within the exported transactions

The following components of your Quicken for Windows data file will not convert to Quicken for Mac:

* Scheduled Transactions
* QuickFill Transactions
* Loan Setups
* Online Account Setups
* Online Payee Lists
* Memorized Reports
* Security Price Histories
* Account types that do not exist in Quicken for Mac follow:
o 401(k)
o ESPP
o ESOP
o Accounts Receivable
o Accounts Payable
* Home & Business specific features
* Tax status of Investment accounts

Your Mac® must be able to recognize PC-formatted disks. Some utilities that allow this are PC Exchange, File Exchange, and the Apple® File Exchange Control Panel. For further assistance, refer to the documentation for your Mac, these software products, or visit Apple’s Web site.

Preparing your Quicken for Windows data for conversion:

1. Edit account names:
1. From the Quicken List menu, choose Account List.
2. Click Options, and then select the View Hidden Accounts checkbox.
3. All account names must be 15 characters or less.
2. From the List menu, choose Security. Verify that each security has an uppercase ticker symbol.
3. Edit the transactions in your investment accounts as follows:

Note: You can bypass the transactions during the import, but doing so will affect the market values of your accounts.

1. Single Mutual Fund accounts:
* Accounts containing RtrnCapX transactions must be converted to regular Investment accounts, and then each RtrnCapX transaction must be changed to a RtrnCap transaction and an XOut transaction.
2. Regular Investment accounts:
* Change each MiscIncX transaction to a MiscInc transaction and an XOut transaction.
* Change each MiscExpX transaction to a MiscExp transaction and an XOut transaction.
* Change each MargInt transaction to a MiscExp transaction.
* Change each MargIntX transaction to a MiscExp transaction and an XIn transaction.
* CGMid, CGMidX, and ReinvMd transactions should be changed to the corresponding Long transaction (CGMid to CGLong, CGMidX to a CGLong and an Xout, and ReinvMd to ReinvLG).
4. Accept all online transactions into the register, complete any outstanding transactions in the Online Center or Compare to Register window, and then delete any pending payments.

Create a QIF (Quicken Interchange Format) file for import into Quicken for Mac:

1. From the Quicken File menu, choose Export, and then choose QIF File.
2. In the QIF File To Export To field, enter a directory path and name for the QIF file. For example, C:\quickenw\Export.
3. In the Quicken Account to Export from field, select the Quicken account you want to export. To export all accounts, select All Accounts.
4. Enter the dates of the transactions to export in the Include Transactions In Dates field.
5. Choose what to export in the Include In Export field:
1. Transactions: Includes all data in your account registers.
2. Account List: Includes only your listing of accounts (without transactions).
3. Category List: Includes all of your categories and classes.
4. Security Lists: Includes all your securities, security prices, security types, and Investment Goals
6. Click OK to export the data.
7. After the QIF file has been exported, right-click the file, and then select Properties to verify the size of the file.

Note: If the size of the QIF file is zero KB, it will not import into another file. If this is the case, see the steps for Trouble Exporting QIF located below.
8. Copy the export.qif file from the hard drive to a PC-formatted floppy disk.

Create a new Quicken for Mac file and import the Windows QIF file:

1. From the Quicken for Mac File menu, choose New.
2. Enter a name for your new Quicken data file, and then click Save.
3. Click Cancel on the Set Up Accounts window.
4. From the File menu, choose Import QIF.
5. Insert the floppy disk, locate the export file, and then click Open.
6. If the export file is not recognized, you may need to modify your PC extensions:
1. From the Apple menu, choose Control Panel, and then choose File Exchange.
2. Select the QIF PC extension, and then click Change. Verify that the following information is correctly entered. If QIF is not listed, click Add, and then create it with the following information.
1. Extension: QIF
2. Map to: Simple Text
3. File Type: Text
3. Click Show Advanced, and then enter the following:
1. Name: QIF
2. MIME Type: (leave blank)
3. Map Incoming: Check
4. Map Outgoing: Check
5. Data Format: Plain Text
6. Handle by: Saving to file
4. Click Change or Add to close the window.

Trouble Exporting QIF:

1. Use the calendar to select the dates that you want to export rather then manually entering them.
2. Do not export memorized transactions.
3. Make sure the file name does not contain any special characters.
4. Try exporting and importing each account separately.

After your file imports, verify that the account balances in your new Quicken for Mac data file are the same as the account balances in your Quicken for Windows data file. If they do not match, look for duplicate or missing transactions in your register. Recreate any data that did not import such as scheduled transactions, loans, budgets, and so on.

Note: The steps contained in this article will also work on Mac OS® X.
Last Modified: 07/28/2003 Created: 11/04/1997

[Barry Garsson]

Thanks for the info and the encouragement. You've confirmed what I instinctively feel, that there probably isn't any significant difference between the Windows and the Mac version. Glad to have my opinion backed by a competent authority.

You (and anyone else reading this) might be interested in my journey to the Mac. I left XP (mostly, not entirely) about 2 years ago for Linux (Xandros) since it meant keeping the same computer. Linux is a thousand times better than Windows, and I still cannot believe the intense interest in Vista. But Quicken is one of the very few programs that does not convert - I tried switching (when I was still using XP) from Quicken to Microsoft Money that was supposed to import the Quicken data files - it did not import the categories and so was useless. So to run Quicken inside Linux I have had to use the Linux equivalent of Boot Camp or Parallels (have no knowledge of either) - there are two such programs in Linux: Win4Lin and Crossroads by Code Weavers - each is a cranky, ill fitting, buggy piece of software that, well, works, but not without problems (for example, the Win4Lin software will not run the printer (!) and the Crossover will not connect to the internet to get the online updates, nor will it "see" my external drive for backing up). So I'm not anxious to use some sort of crossover equivalent in the Mac, thank you anyway Apple. I bought a G5 last year to be used exclusively for Photoshop and FCP5, and am so please with it that my next and current step is to get rid of Linux and use the Mac for my everyday stuff. I do have a third computer that is used only for those functions that absolutely require Windows, like connecting with my TiVo DVR's (don't think they work with the Mac, could be wrong). Thanks again.
Barry

[minckster]

Another hint: It will be useful to have a way to flip back-and-forth between the Windows and Mac versions when you're importing. You'll almost surely have some errors to correct and have to hunt them down. Quicken had my net worth as negative several million dollars when I was done importing but that was due primarily to an error in the first transaction in each account and a few transactions with a large shift in decimal places. In other words, don't freak out if it looks horribly wrong at first.

Two unexpected pluses: 1) Quicken for Mac will import the full history of your securities' prices and 2) It will eventually stop asking you to register your Quicken or sign up for quicken.com. Just keep on saying "no" for about a week, and it will stop asking.

[nealt]

The biggest problem for the Mac version is that the list of Financial Institutions that Quicken Mac supports is much shorter that the Quicken PC program. Schwabb I do not believe is supported. T.Rowe Price is not supported. So I am forced to use the PC version of Quicken which I run on a seperate computer.

I have not had much success in moving Quicken files from a PC to a Mac, even by following Intuit's instructions.

While the Mac version has less functionality I prefer the user interface over the PC version.