GC 2.6.12 QIF Import Comments

[Liz]

On Wed, 6 Jul 2016 22:58:24 +0100
"redrupj at o2.co.uk" <redrupj at o2.co.uk> wrote:

> I think I got that advice from here:-
> 
> https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/gnucash/1.6.4/arch/i386_linux24/share/gnome/help/gnucash/C/xacc-qif-import.html
> 
> Logically approach sounds correct because as in my case where you are 
> migrating from Quicken or another product if you do not import 
> everything in one go the inter account transactions cause problems.
> In my case the single bulk import kept choking for some reson so I
> had no choice but to do smaller groups and correct afterwards.
> 
> John

There are two basic approaches here.
You can choose to import or you can choose not to import, and just
start afresh.

While it can be handy for some to use one set of tools for inter-year
comparisons, those from the accounting package, an alternative is to
use another set of tools for that purpose, and archive the old files,
and the old program.

If you decide to import a large amount of data from another program, it
is a once-only exercise. You aren't doing it every year for the next
ten years, so it is OK to spend time on it and do it well.
For the same reason, those of us who migrated many years ago from
another program don't recall much of the trouble we had at the time,
and certainly have little incentive to improve the process.

We should discuss a reasonable plan for importing from QIF, and then
put it on the wiki.

I'd suggest starting a set of books which will not be the final books.
I'd import small sections of the data into this file (or set of books)
for the purpose of training the importer, because it has learning
capacity.
When you import random pieces of your old data without too many
matchings, then start imports into another set of books, and continue
this process - and when you are happy with the results do a major final
import and tidy up, and then delete the trial sets.

Liz