import quicken data

Bob Plantz rgplantz at gmail.com
Sat May 14 11:08:13 EDT 2011



> -----Original Message-----
> From: gnucash-user-bounces+rgplantz=gmail.com at gnucash.org
> [mailto:gnucash-user-bounces+rgplantz=gmail.com at gnucash.org] On Behalf
> Of David Carlson
> Sent: Friday, May 13, 2011 5:39 PM
> To: gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> Subject: Re: import quicken data
> 
> On 5/13/2011 1:10 PM, Ann Alexander wrote:
> >
> >
> > Hi! I just set up gnucash and am trying to import my Quicken file. I
click on
> Import (under File), then QIF and then click import--nothing happens. ??
> > In Quicken, I can't download transactions from my bank any more (has
> expired)--is that maybe why I can't download quicken to GNU? Help! Ann
> 
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> It's not quite that easy. You need to export the quicken data first.
> Read the manual and plan to spend a lot of time on that project.
> 
> Good luck.

I did this conversion several years ago and did have some problems. I don't
recall all the details, but I'll share my recollections here in case they
might help.

The import process stalled part way through with some errors. The file that
is exported from Quicken is in plain text, so you can open and read it with
your favorite text editor. After a few minutes I was able to figure it the
general format. I created copies of Quicken's exported file so I could do a
binary search for the problem. That is, I removed approximately the second
half of all the transactions from one of the copies and tried to import. And
I did the same with another copy, removing the first half. When I found the
half that failed, I did the same copy/division process with it. I quickly
(pun intended) found the error. It turned out that Quicken had allowed me to
make some accounting errors, which Gnucashes double entry accounting would
not allow. I simply removed those transactions from the original Quicken
export file and all went well.

It was a little tedious but convinced me (not an accountant) that Gnucash
better enforces accounting accuracy than Quicken. Haven't looked back since.

--Bob




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