Error occurred while preparing the Quicken 2007 file to be imported to Quicken 2017 for Mac

sue.estey · October 2016

Just purchased Quicken 2017 for Mac. I have used Quicken 2007 since 2013, and older versions since 1994.
Set up promised to be easy - I think it said Select file to import.
I selected the most recent file, 6$2002.qdfm and after a wait, saw this error message:
'Could not import "6$2002.qdfm"
An error occurred while preparing the file to be imported.'

I am running OS X El Capitan Version 10.11.6, using Quicken 2007 version 16.2.4 build 25.886.100.
Quicken 2017 for Mac, Version 4.2.1 (Build 42.14458.100)

Any suggestions? I would really like to be able to retain access to the data instead of starting from scratch.
I gave up on Quicken 2016 for Mac due to the odd negative numbers in account balances, apparent inability to handle data from Vanguard, etc.

John_in_NC · October 2016

I would try reindexing your file back in 2007 first. Also, you might wish to get rid of that $ in the filename. It isn't a reserved character, but 2007 is a really old program at heart so who knows if that is causing issues.

https://www.quicken.com/support/troubleshooting-data-file-problems-quicken-mac-2007

Unknown · June 2017

Since the reason we updated to Quicken 2017 is because Quicken 2007 will not run under El Capitan, John in NC's suggestion is impossible to follow.

smayer97 · June 2017

Actually you have to perform the re-indexing on the original computer QM2007 was running on.

Also, QM2007 LC (v16.1.x or higher) WILL run on El Capitan. In fact it will run on Sierra too. The fact that it will not run for you is because you have the PPC version (v16.0.x). Since you purchased QM2017, you can actually get QM2007 LC version for free as an intermediary version by contacting Quicken support here: http://www.quicken.com/contact-support. Just select QM2017 support to get yoru free support.

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smayer97 · June 2017

Meanwhile, I suggest that you make sure that Quicken 2017 for Mac will meet your needs, since it is not an upgrade from QM2007 but rather from Quicken Essentials (which was re-written from the ground up, starting in 2010), so there are some features that are still not there e.g. loan amortization*, 2-line display, QuickMath, or are not as fully developed yet, e.g. Customized Reports, investment lot management, performance reports and stats (therefore some data may not carry over). You can start here:
http://www.quicken.com/mac/compare

*NOTE: Support for fixed rate loans has been released in v4.5.x but there is no announced timing for support for variable rate or simple daily interest loans.

Currently, the main advantages of QM2017 over QM2007 include the ability to sync cash, bank, and credit card accounts using Quicken Mobile for mobile devices (iOS and Android) and the ability to save receipts with transactions via computer or mobile device. There are a few other minor features that QM2007 does not have. Note that QM2017 is being supported until April 30, 2020 whereas it has been announced that security fixes have ceased for QM2007 since QM2017 is released...see http://www.quicken.com/support/update-quicken-mac-2007-support-policies-may-2016 yet online access will continue as long as the FI/Bank supports it and their security updates don't prevent it.

You may want to review the List of Obstacles and Hindrances for Migrating from QM2007 or QWin to Quicken for Mac. Add your vote to any features that are missing for you. Your VOTES matter!

Be aware of data that will and will not carry forward:
https://www.quicken.com/support/what-data-gets-carried-over
Then look at the updates since the original release here:
https://www.quicken.com/support/quicken-2017-mac-release-notes
Also read some of the Fixes and Improvements that are being released soon here:
http://www.quicken.com/upcoming-product-fixes-and-improvements
You will also want to look at a more detailed comparison done by a SuperUser which also identifies nuances not mentioned elsewhere (and read on for comments from other users too on that same discussion thread):
https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/can-anyone-who-has-switched-from-2007-to-2015-he...
Take a look at the following videos to give you a better idea:
https://www.youtube.com/user/QuickenMac

If you find that QM2017 does not meet your needs, the alternative is to obtain and run QM2007 Lion Compatible (LC), which will run on Mac OS X 10.6.8 to 10.12 Sierra (so far) by contacting Quicken support here: http://www.quicken.com/contact-support.

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Unknown · June 2017

The link to List of Obstacles and Hindrances for Migrating from QM2007 or QWin to Quicken for Mac is broken.

smayer97 · June 2017

thanks for catching that...bad copy and paste...here is the correction:

List of Obstacles and Hindrances for Migrating from QM2007 or QWin to Quicken for Mac

Unknown · June 2017

Follow up:
I entered a chat session with Quicken Support that eventually lasted 3 hours, 27 minutes.

The suggestion to try QM2007 LC couldn't be tried because Quicken no longer "supports" that version and Support would not make it available to me.

I had an older Mac running 10.6.8 and I copied QM2007 to it along with my data file. We tried many many variations of Backing up, Exporting, Importing, New from..., Re-indexing, etc. and none of it was working.

Finally the Support agent let me download QM2015. It immediately opened my QM2007 .qdfm file, I made a back-up of that, and it opened in QM2017, no problem.

I am missing the UI of QM2007 but I guess it just sucks to be me. Meh... so long as my accounts balance, I'll be fine.

smayer97 · June 2017

Thanks for the feedback. Odd that support would say they do not make QM2007 available because it is unsupported. That makes no sense. Quicken often uses older versions as intermediaries to bridge from other versions, even though the intermediary versions are not supported themselves. I suspect you spoke with an inexperienced agent. Would be good to know if this experience is becoming the new norm.

Also interesting that QM2015 could read your data but QM2017 could not. That is unusual too. But glad it worked out for you.

What issues did you run into? What types of error messages, etc?

Unknown · June 2017

Let me tell you how many times I saw this message!

Wait! I can't! I don't have that many fingers and toes!

smayer97 · June 2017

Boy that is descriptive... hmmm...

Unknown · June 2017

Not odd at all. I too, had an older Quicken Mac 2007 version that won't run under Sierra.

When I contacted Quicken support TWICE I was told that it was an unsupported version and that I had to buy QM2017.

All I wanted was the last release of QM2007, which for the time being does run under Sierra.

But they wouldn't give it to me, wouldn't give me a link for the update...nothing. Just "upgrade your version to Quicken Mac 2017".

Unknown · June 2017

During my 3.5 hour chat session, I had to verify about a dozen times (actually, probably double that) that I had paid for QM2007 and QM2017.
Support: "Where did you buy it?"
Me: "From you! Don't you keep records?"

smayer97 · June 2017

If this is true that Quicken is now choosing to no longer supply QM2007 as an intermediary version to assist users to upgrade to QM2017, this seems utterly foolish.

What harm is there in doing so? There is no cost to them but instead gains retaining a loyal customer, maintaining their Mac customer base.

QM2007 is effectively equivalent to QW2013 in terms of the number of versions back. And Quicken is still willing to provide intermediary versions QW2004 and QW2013 to assist in migration from as far back as QW98, even though those older versions are no longer supported. And QM2007 LC still runs on modern versions of Mac OS, whereas QW2004 does not.

This seems like utter nonsense and makes no rational business sense.

Unknown · June 2017

Don't believe me? Call support or chat with support yourself and see what happens.

I tried this TWICE. Both times Quicken support staff told me that QM 2007 was an unsupported version...I'd have to to upgrade to QM 2017. Great job of reading from their script.

I stated, BOTH TIMES, that all I wanted was a link to download the LAST revision of QM 2007 so I could get it to work on my Mac with Sierra...and the same answer was repeated...no support for QM 2007 and upgrade to QM 2017.

I did a Google search as well...last revision download is no where to be found.

So, I did it, I bought QM 2017...and I'm sorry to say this, but I downloaded it, converted my Quicken Windows 2017 data (well, sort of...didn't do a very good job of getting it right as all my investment balances are way off) and after all that I really don't like Quicken Mac 2017.

Takes a very long time to open (I have transactions since 1985). Takes a millenium to download transactions (I can literally do a few things around the house and then come back). Can't manually update security prices without jumping through a million hoops to get there.

I can tell the former Mint influence on the software...although I like Mint better for that and they do a better job.

So...I'm already no longer using QM 2017 (way too many issues to use it, which I can't mention on here because I'll get my account suspended). Wasted about four hours of my time, but that's on me.

Went back to using my Quicken Windows in a virtual machine. There is NO comparison between the two products.

Maybe, one day, I'll just start a new data file and go from there and see if the performance issues remain in Quicken Mac. I don't know.

I'm sure others who use QM 2017 love it. This is just my impression as a 32 year QW user.

smayer97 · June 2017

Not saying I don't believe you...just that it makes no business sense whatsoever that I can see and is inconsistent support.

Unknown · June 2017

Agreed there.

And I can't blame the support team. They just read from scripts they are provided.

I kept telling them both times I didn't want to upgrade...I just wanted the last release so I could get QM 2007 to work with Sierra.

Didn't work out. Oh well. QM 2017 is sitting on my Mac. Maybe one day I'll revisit it. Maybe not.

smayer97 · June 2017

Maybe that is the mistake...I wonder if you simply ask them for QM2007 as an intermediary version to update your data file before having QM2017 read it, they might provide it. But since you were asking for it as a "stand-alone" version, they said no, according to their scripts.
I mean a user was even very recently provide QM2006 as a bridge even though it is not even typically optional. So there is either inconsistency, a lack of knowledge, they are being very strict to only supply bridge versions if they know they are only going to be used that way, or they recently changed their policy.

Unknown · June 2017

In Quicken Supports words (to me TWICE): Quicken Mac 2007 won't work with Sierra.

When I told them that's not true, that the last two maintenance revisions DO work with Sierra, but I can't download them because the initial release doesn't work with Sierra, I was plainly told (both times) that Quicken 2007 won't work with Sierra.

Oh well. I'm not going to belabor this any further. Not really worth the time.

smayer97 · June 2017

Well it's clearly wrlng info which any pager relatés info suspect.

Unknown · June 2017

Care to decipher that last post?

smayer97 · June 2017

Eek...not sure what happened there...was replying from my cellphone..something got scrambled...

What I think I typed was that this is clearly wrong info because QM2007 LC does run on Sierra. So it makes suspect any QM2007 related info they supplied suspect.

Unknown · January 2019

Hi John in NC, would you know if there is a way to import QM2007 file in QM2019? I'm getting the same error 'Could not import file. An error occurred while preparing the file to be imported.' Thanks!

smayer97 · January 2019

What have you tried?

Unknown · January 2019

Simple importing of the qm2007 file into qm2019. Originally, the qm2007 file was created in my mac with OS Lion which crashed. So I had to install OS Sierra version 10.12.16. When I tried opening my QM2007, I get the error 'Unable to Load File'. I decided to buy the QM2019, thinking it can import QM2007 easily but apparently I get the error 'Could not import file. An error occurred while preparing the file to be imported.'

smayer97 · January 2019

That error suggests a problem with the original data file. The version of QM2007 you have will still run on Sierra so I would suggest installing it and trying to open the data file with it then first try re-indexing the file.

Read this FAQ to assist: Error Message When Opening file - Unable to open file - QM2007
Be sure to have backups before you play around with your file.

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Unknown · January 2019

Unfortunately, when I open the QM2007 file created in Lion in Sierra, I get the error 'unable to load file.' so I won't be able to re-index the file unless there's another way to do it without opening the file. Thanks!

smayer97 · January 2019

Then read up on the other troubleshooting tips in those links to see if other efforts help. Let us know if you need assistance.

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Unknown · January 2019

I did the following: (a) show package contents tip - doesn't work (b) re-index - can't open so can't re-index. If there are other tips that you can throw my way, please let me know. Thanks!

smayer97 · January 2019

Just to be sure, you are opening the data file you dragged out of the package with QM2007 and not QM2019, right?

Unknown · January 2019

yes, file created with QM2007 in Mac with OS Lion

Error occurred while preparing the Quicken 2007 file to be imported to Quicken 2017 for Mac

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