I need to take over a colleague's Quicken Deluxe (PC) Product Version 27.1.18.16, but I have a Mac.

Sandy Cashman

Which version should I buy so the info will download and be compatable?

Dennis@1

I believe that version is Quicken Home and Business. There is no comparable Mac version. You could create a Windows virtual machine on your Mac with Parallels or other VM software and run Q H&B in a Windows environment on your Mac.

splasher

27.1.18.16 is the latest Quicken for Windows subscription version.  With the subscription, you get access to BOTH the Windows and Mac versions and can use both of them per the license.  If you were a household, I would say no problem, but it sounds like you are in a business, so, if the subscription was purchased by the company and you will be the only one using it, I don't see a problem with you taking over the subscription, otherwise, it might require a second purchase.

Your real problem is that the data files for the Win and Mac versions are not compatible and a conversion is required.  Depending on the features being used in QW, they may not be available in the Mac version.  As is, you could download the Mac version from the current subscription, install it on your Mac and convert the file to see if it suits your needs.  If it doesn't, you would need to run a VM (virtual machine) on your Mac to create a Windows environment to run the Quicken for Windows in.

NotACPA

Also note that the QWin to QMac conversion is, for most intents, a one-way street.

While a QMac to QWin conversion is technically possible, it's MOST convoluted and error-prone.

jacobs

@NotACPA @Greg_the_Geek There actually *is* such a thing as Quicken Home & Business for Mac... sort of! What you purchase today is a subscription or membership, which entitles you to download and use the Quicken software at the level of your subscription. If you purchase Quicken Home & Business, and you download the Quicken Mac software and launch it, your "About Quicken" screen will indeed show "Quicken Home & Business" -- reflecting your membership level.

Now, it's true, of course, that there is no difference in the Quicken Mac software between Premier and Home & Business, as there is on the Windows side; there are none of the Windows Home & Business added features available in the Mac product. If not using Quicken Windows as well, there is absolutely no reason to pay extra for Home & Business, since it brings with it absolutely nothing additional; that's why Quicken doesn't show or sell it on the Mac-specific page.  Nonetheless, Sandy isn't necessarily wrong for describing Mac Home & Business if that is indeed the level of subscription purchased. 

Now, back to the questions Sandy asked:

1) If you want to start over, there's no need to mess with deleting things; just go to File > New and create a new, blank data file.

2) Quicken Categories are the equivalent of a business chart of accounts. Go to Window > Categories and you'll see the list of accounts Quicken builds in by default. You can delete categories which you don't want (as long as there are no transactions using the category), and you can create categories and sub-categories as you wish.

3) Unfortunately, there is no user manual or comprehensive guide to using Quicken Mac. But there are a number of useful resources which can help get you up to speed. 

Quicken's Getting Started Guide is here:
https://www.quicken.com/complete-guide-getting-started-quicken-2018-mac

But that won't tell you how to use the program, just how to install it and import data. Instead, turn to this handy list of various resources compiled by a fellow Quicken user:

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7308565/quicken-mac-faq-where-to-find-a-help-guide-for-2016-onward

(Note that the Getting Started Guide on the Help menu in Quicken is not currently working, at least for me. However, there is a lot of useful information in the built-in Help, so don't overlook that as a source of useful information.)

Dennis@1

I believe that version is Quicken Home and Business. There is no comparable Mac version. You could create a Windows virtual machine on your Mac with Parallels or other VM software and run Q H&B in a Windows environment on your Mac.

splasher

27.1.18.16 is the latest Quicken for Windows subscription version.  With the subscription, you get access to BOTH the Windows and Mac versions and can use both of them per the license.  If you were a household, I would say no problem, but it sounds like you are in a business, so, if the subscription was purchased by the company and you will be the only one using it, I don't see a problem with you taking over the subscription, otherwise, it might require a second purchase.

Your real problem is that the data files for the Win and Mac versions are not compatible and a conversion is required.  Depending on the features being used in QW, they may not be available in the Mac version.  As is, you could download the Mac version from the current subscription, install it on your Mac and convert the file to see if it suits your needs.  If it doesn't, you would need to run a VM (virtual machine) on your Mac to create a Windows environment to run the Quicken for Windows in.

NotACPA

Also note that the QWin to QMac conversion is, for most intents, a one-way street.

While a QMac to QWin conversion is technically possible, it's MOST convoluted and error-prone.

Sandy Cashman

Hi, I have agreed to take over bookkeeping for a non-profit art league, which was previously handled manually.  Someone entered a years worth of transactions onto their Quicken for Windows, which I transferred onto my brand new Quicken for Home & Business for Mac.  But now that I look at the data, I want to delete it and start from scratch.  So I need to know two things:  1) how do I delete all the data, and 2) how can I get started building a new chart of accounts, so I can hand-enter all the transactions for the past year?  Is there a step by step tutorial somewhere?  Thank you!

Ps56k2

WHY - since you have all the data for the year, wouldn't it be easier to just modify the data to reflect the way you want it to look....

Also - just asking - did you review & get everything correctly transferred from Qwin to QMac - there are sometimes probs going from one world to the other -

Greg_the_Geek

Also, there is no such thing as Quicken for Home & Business for Mac.

NotACPA

There's no such product as "Quicken Home & Business for Mac". See graphic and notice that large white space to the right of Premier.

SO, what are you actually running?

jacobs

@NotACPA @Greg_the_Geek There actually *is* such a thing as Quicken Home & Business for Mac... sort of! What you purchase today is a subscription or membership, which entitles you to download and use the Quicken software at the level of your subscription. If you purchase Quicken Home & Business, and you download the Quicken Mac software and launch it, your "About Quicken" screen will indeed show "Quicken Home & Business" -- reflecting your membership level.

Now, it's true, of course, that there is no difference in the Quicken Mac software between Premier and Home & Business, as there is on the Windows side; there are none of the Windows Home & Business added features available in the Mac product. If not using Quicken Windows as well, there is absolutely no reason to pay extra for Home & Business, since it brings with it absolutely nothing additional; that's why Quicken doesn't show or sell it on the Mac-specific page.  Nonetheless, Sandy isn't necessarily wrong for describing Mac Home & Business if that is indeed the level of subscription purchased. 

Now, back to the questions Sandy asked:

1) If you want to start over, there's no need to mess with deleting things; just go to File > New and create a new, blank data file.

2) Quicken Categories are the equivalent of a business chart of accounts. Go to Window > Categories and you'll see the list of accounts Quicken builds in by default. You can delete categories which you don't want (as long as there are no transactions using the category), and you can create categories and sub-categories as you wish.

3) Unfortunately, there is no user manual or comprehensive guide to using Quicken Mac. But there are a number of useful resources which can help get you up to speed. 

Quicken's Getting Started Guide is here:
https://www.quicken.com/complete-guide-getting-started-quicken-2018-mac

But that won't tell you how to use the program, just how to install it and import data. Instead, turn to this handy list of various resources compiled by a fellow Quicken user:

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7308565/quicken-mac-faq-where-to-find-a-help-guide-for-2016-onward

(Note that the Getting Started Guide on the Help menu in Quicken is not currently working, at least for me. However, there is a lot of useful information in the built-in Help, so don't overlook that as a source of useful information.)

Sandy Cashman

Thanks YOU Jacobs!  I never would have thought to look in "Categories" for a chart of accounts.  I was able to build my own custom accounts, per your advice, and am looking forward to digging into your "handy list of various resources" to learn more about how to use this program.