Need help changing to new version

Ravenstar2

I have Quicken 2016 for the Mac and have used it for three years.  I recently got a notice that I had to purchase Quicken 2019 to continue using Quicken and downloading the info from my bank so I purchased the new one and now can't figure out how to transfer my old files into the new version.

The problem is that I have four checking accounts for separate sources/aspects of my income and expenses, so originally created four different Quicken usernames and passwords to access and download the different checking accounts.

I purchased the new Quicken download using one of my four username/passwords but need to be able to use the new Quicken for each of my four accounts and it only allows me to use the one account whose username/password I used for the download.  Is there a solution or work around?

I'm guessing I should have set up my original Quicken differently so that each bank account was a separate part of a single Quicken account but I couldn't figure out how to do that (still don't know how to do that) and don't know if I can correct it now.

RickO

Thanks for the confirmation. Yes, you are using separate files. The "normal" way of doing things would be, in fact, to generally maintain separate files for different taxable entities. So you may be doing the right thing. There's no hard and fast rule. For example, I would keep one file for myself and my wife, and a separate file for each of my minor children (for accounts they own).

A couple of reasons for this: (1) there's only one net worth total for each file, so for example, I see each kid's net worth separately; (2) if/when I hand the finances off to someone else (eg a kid when they get old enough), it's already a separate file. Also, if you are creating tax reports, you would want those separate for separate taxable entities.

You can certainly have all the checking accounts in one file if more convenient. There's no limit on the number of separate accounts that can exist in one file. They each can be maintained/balanced separately. They will download separately if from different banks.

That all said, you can now either maintain things the way you've been doing it, or you can try to combine the files. The latter presents some difficulty, because Quicken's export/import functions are less than ideal.

I'm going to assume for now that you will want to keep the four separate files. It's slightly complicated, but not that hard to do. I'll describe that process now. If you instead want to try to combine them, we can explain that later.

Step 1: Find the location of your four files. To do this, open one in QM16. Command-click on the file name at the top center of the window. This will show you the path to the file.

Step 2: Open the enclosing folder: Move down one line to the immediately enclosing folder and click again. This will open that folder in the finder. 

Step 3: Import this file into QM2019: Drag and drop this file onto the Quicken icon in the dock, or in the Applications folder. Be sure you are dragging to the new program, not QM16. The new program has no year number in the icon. QM16 has a small "16" on its icon.

Step 4: Accept the import: You will see the window below, but with your filename instead of "Quicken JNT.quicken2016". Click OK.

Step 5: Wait. Go get a cup of coffee while Quicken converts the file.

Step 6: Check the results: You should now have the converted file open in QM19. Check it out to make sure all looks good. The new file will be in the same folder as the original, but end it ".quicken" instead of ".quicken2016".

Step 7: Repeat for the other three files. You will notice that QM16 and QM19 are open at the same time. This is fine. You don't have to quit one to work in the other. Just be sure to know which version you're in at any time.

RickO

It sounds like you may have created four separate Quicken FILES for your four accounts. To confirm this is the case, please tell me how you switch between accounts? Do you use menu File > Open Recent? The answer will determine how to proceed next.

Ravenstar2

Thank you so much for your quick reply!  

I think that's the problem (and frankly I didn't even understand the terminology, so thank you for the word "files"--I realized "accounts" would be the wrong word but didn't know what the right one was).  Yes, to work on my personal checking account, for example, I close everything, then pick the personal checking account out of the open recent menu, then type in the username/password I have for personal checking.  When I'm ready to do the checking account for work income, then I close the personal account (file?), go to open recent, and select the work account, then use the username/password I use for that one to open it.  I have two more checking accounts for different projects and again, I close the one I've just worked on and then open the next to work on it.  It's cumbersome, but I wanted to keep each of the checking accounts bookkeeping separate and didn't know how to achieve that.
Thanks again,

Connie

RickO

Thanks for the confirmation. Yes, you are using separate files. The "normal" way of doing things would be, in fact, to generally maintain separate files for different taxable entities. So you may be doing the right thing. There's no hard and fast rule. For example, I would keep one file for myself and my wife, and a separate file for each of my minor children (for accounts they own).

A couple of reasons for this: (1) there's only one net worth total for each file, so for example, I see each kid's net worth separately; (2) if/when I hand the finances off to someone else (eg a kid when they get old enough), it's already a separate file. Also, if you are creating tax reports, you would want those separate for separate taxable entities.

You can certainly have all the checking accounts in one file if more convenient. There's no limit on the number of separate accounts that can exist in one file. They each can be maintained/balanced separately. They will download separately if from different banks.

That all said, you can now either maintain things the way you've been doing it, or you can try to combine the files. The latter presents some difficulty, because Quicken's export/import functions are less than ideal.

I'm going to assume for now that you will want to keep the four separate files. It's slightly complicated, but not that hard to do. I'll describe that process now. If you instead want to try to combine them, we can explain that later.

Step 1: Find the location of your four files. To do this, open one in QM16. Command-click on the file name at the top center of the window. This will show you the path to the file.

Step 2: Open the enclosing folder: Move down one line to the immediately enclosing folder and click again. This will open that folder in the finder. 

Step 3: Import this file into QM2019: Drag and drop this file onto the Quicken icon in the dock, or in the Applications folder. Be sure you are dragging to the new program, not QM16. The new program has no year number in the icon. QM16 has a small "16" on its icon.

Step 4: Accept the import: You will see the window below, but with your filename instead of "Quicken JNT.quicken2016". Click OK.

Step 5: Wait. Go get a cup of coffee while Quicken converts the file.

Step 6: Check the results: You should now have the converted file open in QM19. Check it out to make sure all looks good. The new file will be in the same folder as the original, but end it ".quicken" instead of ".quicken2016".

Step 7: Repeat for the other three files. You will notice that QM16 and QM19 are open at the same time. This is fine. You don't have to quit one to work in the other. Just be sure to know which version you're in at any time.

Ravenstar2

Thanks so much Rick,

I finally got a chance to get back to it tonight and I now have all my files safely in the new 2019 Quicken, which looks very nice and I'm looking forward to working in it:-).  I really appreciate your help!

Connie