I still use Quicken 2003 on an old mac and plan to buy the 2019 version to run on my current laptop.

RobbieSchlosser

How do I import all my data to the 2019 version?

jacobs

@Gary K. Massey This is a Mac thread and Mac user. Unfortunately your answer for Windows users isn't relevant here. And the link you provided doesn't address what to do with an old Quicken Mac file. 


@RobbieSchlosser You've got a bit of a problem. In order to move your data into Quicken 2019, you first need to get it into Quicken 2007. The problem is that Quicken 2007 isn't readily available anywhere. Quicken doesn't provide it anymore for conversions. But you can sometimes find an overpriced copy on eBay.

But it's more complicated than that. The original Quicken 2007 (version 16.0 up to 16.0.4) runs on a Mac operating system up to Snow Leopard. Since you still have an old Mac which can run Quicken 2003, then it will run the original Quicken 2007. The updated Quicken 2007 (version 16.1 or 16.2) -- also known as Quicken 2007 for Lion, Quicken 2007 Lion Compatible, or Quicken 2007 LC --  runs on every Mac operating system up to the current Mojave. And your new Mac will run the updated Quicken 2007. But this is what makes it tricky. The updated Quicken 2007 will not open a Quicken 2003 file; it can only open Quicken 2005 or 2006 data files.

So you have a couple possible paths forward…

If you can find a copy of original Quicken 2007 (16.0 to 16.04), I believe it will open your Quicken 2003 data file. Install that Quicken 2007 on your old Mac, let it convert your Quicken 2003 file, copy the Quicken 2007 data file to your new Mac, install Quicken 2019, and have Quicken 2019 import the Quicken 2007 data file. The challenge here will be finding a copy of the original Quicken 2007.

If you can't find the original Quicken 2007, but you can find a copy of Quicken 2005 or Quicken 2006, you can still get there -- but it'll involve an extra step. Quicken 2005 or Quicken 2006, installed on your old Mac, will open and update your Quicken 2003 data file. Now, you can get the updated Quicken 2007 for Lion, install it on your new Mac, and use it to open the file from Quicken 2005 or 2006. And then Quicken 2019 can import that Quicken 2007 data file.

So the good news there is that, with your old Mac still running, you seem to have a few possible paths forward. The challenge will be finding the one or two copies of old Quicken Mac that you need. I just looked on eBay, and found someone selling a copy of Quicken 2005; and someone else selling copies of the updated Quicken 2007. The latter is often available; I think the seller just makes copies and sells them. The former is hard to find, so if you want to do this, I wouldn't wait too long before buying that copy. Or you could do your own searching online and see if you can pi3ece together a better deal. 

Sorry to tell you it's this complicated, but there it is. Lesson: don't wait 16 years between software upgrades!

smayer97

Also note that QMac can theoretically also convert QM2005 and QM2006 data files as they are the same data structure. Some have tried and were successful but for some reason it has not worked for everyone, so YMMV but it does give you another avenue to try depending on what version(s) you are able to track down.

smayer97

If you have not already, I suggest that you make sure that the subscription for Quicken 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, then continued with QM2015 onward), so there are some features that are still not there e.g. full loan amortization*, 2-line display, QuickMath, or are not as fully developed yet, e.g. Customized Reports, performance reports and stats (therefore some data may not carry over). You can start here:

https://www.quicken.com/mac/upgrader-compare

*NOTE: Support for fixed rate loans has been released as of  QM2017 v4.5.x but there is no announced timing for support for variable rate or simple daily interest loans, nor the built-in ability to track you as a lender.

Currently, the main advantages of subscription to Quicken for Mac 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 online access is supposed to continue as long as the FI/Bank supports it and their security updates don't prevent it.

Please note that Quicken for Mac is now a subscription-based product currently available for 1 year directly from Quicken or 2 yrs from retailers (which are often cheaper than Quicken). (If you are able to find QM2017 which is a pre-subscription product, it is supported until April 2020), whereas currently QM2007 will continue to work as long as your FIs/Banks support it, so keep that in mind. 

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/2018-release-quicken-mac-release-notes

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://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/17308705#Comment_17308705

Take a look at the following videos to give you a better idea:

https://www.youtube.com/user/QuickenMac

Note that there are many differences that are rather subtle, that are not necessarily identifiable via documentation, for example, the 12-month budget feature does not allow including transfers, including investment income, selecting specific accounts, etc.

If you find that subscription to Quicken for Mac 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 10.14 Mojave (so far*).

* If you still want to QM2007 built-in automatic backups, BOTH the data file AND the backups must be located on a HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) drive or partition, not the new APFS drive format that is used by macOS 10.13 (High Sierra; SSDs only) and 10.14 (Mojave; all drives).
See Is Quicken for Mac 2007 (QM2007) Compatible with High Sierra (macOS 10.13)? and Is Quicken for Mac 2007 Compatible with Mojave (macOS 10.14)?

for reference.

Also, be aware of this announcement about loss of connected services of QM2007 and that it will not run on macOS Catalina: 

Update on Quicken for Mac 2007 Support Policies (July 2019)

So either you do not upgrade macOS to Catalina or if you need/want to, you can try running QM2007 in a VM (Virtual Machine). This is not for everyone. But if you do venture there, a free one is Oracle VirtualBox, or a few commercial ones include VMWare Fusion and Parallels.

If you go this route, please post your experience here:

Share your experience running QM2007 in a Virtual Machine (VM)

The Keeper

To import (convert) all your data from an older version of Quicken to a newer version of Quicken, all you need to do is restore your data from your most recent backup.

Select "File" from the menu bar, then select "Backup and Restore" then "Restore from Backup File." 
NOTE:
Since Quicken 2003 is a very old version, you are going to experience some problems converting so you will have to perform some additional steps. The following link provides the information you need.

https://www.quicken.com/support/how-and-when-use-intermediate-version-convert-older-versions-quicken

Read the instruction and  scroll down to: 

Converting a data file from Quicken 98 - 2003

When you open that link you will see 

1. Download Quicken 2004 for Windows.

jacobs

@Gary K. Massey This is a Mac thread and Mac user. Unfortunately your answer for Windows users isn't relevant here. And the link you provided doesn't address what to do with an old Quicken Mac file. 


@RobbieSchlosser You've got a bit of a problem. In order to move your data into Quicken 2019, you first need to get it into Quicken 2007. The problem is that Quicken 2007 isn't readily available anywhere. Quicken doesn't provide it anymore for conversions. But you can sometimes find an overpriced copy on eBay.

But it's more complicated than that. The original Quicken 2007 (version 16.0 up to 16.0.4) runs on a Mac operating system up to Snow Leopard. Since you still have an old Mac which can run Quicken 2003, then it will run the original Quicken 2007. The updated Quicken 2007 (version 16.1 or 16.2) -- also known as Quicken 2007 for Lion, Quicken 2007 Lion Compatible, or Quicken 2007 LC --  runs on every Mac operating system up to the current Mojave. And your new Mac will run the updated Quicken 2007. But this is what makes it tricky. The updated Quicken 2007 will not open a Quicken 2003 file; it can only open Quicken 2005 or 2006 data files.

So you have a couple possible paths forward…

If you can find a copy of original Quicken 2007 (16.0 to 16.04), I believe it will open your Quicken 2003 data file. Install that Quicken 2007 on your old Mac, let it convert your Quicken 2003 file, copy the Quicken 2007 data file to your new Mac, install Quicken 2019, and have Quicken 2019 import the Quicken 2007 data file. The challenge here will be finding a copy of the original Quicken 2007.

If you can't find the original Quicken 2007, but you can find a copy of Quicken 2005 or Quicken 2006, you can still get there -- but it'll involve an extra step. Quicken 2005 or Quicken 2006, installed on your old Mac, will open and update your Quicken 2003 data file. Now, you can get the updated Quicken 2007 for Lion, install it on your new Mac, and use it to open the file from Quicken 2005 or 2006. And then Quicken 2019 can import that Quicken 2007 data file.

So the good news there is that, with your old Mac still running, you seem to have a few possible paths forward. The challenge will be finding the one or two copies of old Quicken Mac that you need. I just looked on eBay, and found someone selling a copy of Quicken 2005; and someone else selling copies of the updated Quicken 2007. The latter is often available; I think the seller just makes copies and sells them. The former is hard to find, so if you want to do this, I wouldn't wait too long before buying that copy. Or you could do your own searching online and see if you can pi3ece together a better deal. 

Sorry to tell you it's this complicated, but there it is. Lesson: don't wait 16 years between software upgrades!

smayer97

Also note that QMac can theoretically also convert QM2005 and QM2006 data files as they are the same data structure. Some have tried and were successful but for some reason it has not worked for everyone, so YMMV but it does give you another avenue to try depending on what version(s) you are able to track down.

smayer97

BTW, the pricing you see for QM2007 is not overpriced per se...it is actually just the original pricing... But that is all moot... what really matters is what value you place on your existing data.

jacobs

smayer97 said:

Also note that QMac can theoretically also convert QM2006 and QM2006 data files as they are the same data structure.

As you note, it has worked for some people but not others. Quicken never supported importing from Quicken 2006 files. I know of people on this site who in the past year have tried to import Quicken 2006 files into Quicken 2019 and failed -- but then succeeded when they subsequently got Quicken 2007.

So when I'm outlining a path to successfully moving from Quicken 2003 to Quicken 2019, I am not going to recommend Quicken 2006 as a direct gateway because it has a mixed track record of working. What I know works are the options I described above. If the user happens to find Quicken 2006 somewhere (I didn't see one currently available on eBay), he could try seeing if Quicken 2019 will import the 2006 data file, but should be prepared to have to purchase Quicken 2007 in addition to be sure of making it to Quicken 2019.

smayer97 said:

BTW, the pricing you see for QM2007 is not overpriced per se...it is actually just the original pricing...

No, Quicken 2007 Lion Compatible -- what's being sold on the eBay site I referenced -- was sold only as a $15 upgrade to existing Quicken users. It was not sold as a new product at full price. Because this same seller has had this listing on eBay for a long time, I believe they display the copy of an packing slip from Intuit -- which has been clearly doctored in Photoshop -- and are simply copying the software repeatedly onto flash drives for sale at a rather high price. It's not super-ethical, but for someone who desperately needs a copy of Quicken 2007 LC, it's a viable lifeline.

smayer97

If you have not already, I suggest that you make sure that the subscription for Quicken 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, then continued with QM2015 onward), so there are some features that are still not there e.g. full loan amortization*, 2-line display, QuickMath, or are not as fully developed yet, e.g. Customized Reports, performance reports and stats (therefore some data may not carry over). You can start here:

https://www.quicken.com/mac/upgrader-compare

*NOTE: Support for fixed rate loans has been released as of  QM2017 v4.5.x but there is no announced timing for support for variable rate or simple daily interest loans, nor the built-in ability to track you as a lender.

Currently, the main advantages of subscription to Quicken for Mac 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 online access is supposed to continue as long as the FI/Bank supports it and their security updates don't prevent it.

Please note that Quicken for Mac is now a subscription-based product currently available for 1 year directly from Quicken or 2 yrs from retailers (which are often cheaper than Quicken). (If you are able to find QM2017 which is a pre-subscription product, it is supported until April 2020), whereas currently QM2007 will continue to work as long as your FIs/Banks support it, so keep that in mind. 

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/2018-release-quicken-mac-release-notes

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://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/17308705#Comment_17308705

Take a look at the following videos to give you a better idea:

https://www.youtube.com/user/QuickenMac

Note that there are many differences that are rather subtle, that are not necessarily identifiable via documentation, for example, the 12-month budget feature does not allow including transfers, including investment income, selecting specific accounts, etc.

If you find that subscription to Quicken for Mac 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 10.14 Mojave (so far*).

* If you still want to QM2007 built-in automatic backups, BOTH the data file AND the backups must be located on a HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) drive or partition, not the new APFS drive format that is used by macOS 10.13 (High Sierra; SSDs only) and 10.14 (Mojave; all drives).
See Is Quicken for Mac 2007 (QM2007) Compatible with High Sierra (macOS 10.13)? and Is Quicken for Mac 2007 Compatible with Mojave (macOS 10.14)?

for reference.

Also, be aware of this announcement about loss of connected services of QM2007 and that it will not run on macOS Catalina: 

Update on Quicken for Mac 2007 Support Policies (July 2019)

So either you do not upgrade macOS to Catalina or if you need/want to, you can try running QM2007 in a VM (Virtual Machine). This is not for everyone. But if you do venture there, a free one is Oracle VirtualBox, or a few commercial ones include VMWare Fusion and Parallels.

If you go this route, please post your experience here:

Share your experience running QM2007 in a Virtual Machine (VM)

smayer97

jacobs said:

smayer97 said:

Also note that QMac can theoretically also convert QM2006 and QM2006 data files as they are the same data structure.

As you note, it has worked for some people but not others. 

As you have acknowledged, the caveat has been provided, so I am not sure what the contention is. I'm providing the OP alternatives to navigate this challenging position because who knows to what the OP has access (e.g they may have a friend with an old version). They might be a lucky one.

jacobs said:

smayer97 said:

BTW, the pricing you see for QM2007 is not overpriced per se...it is actually just the original pricing...

No, Quicken 2007 Lion Compatible -- what's being sold on the eBay site I referenced -- was sold only as a $15 upgrade to existing Quicken users. It was not sold as a new product at full price. Because this same seller has had this listing on eBay for a long time, I believe they display the copy of an packing slip from Intuit -- which has been clearly doctored in Photoshop -- and are simply copying the software repeatedly onto flash drives for sale at a rather high price. It's not super-ethical, but for someone who desperately needs a copy of Quicken 2007 LC, it's a viable lifeline.

You are actually only partially correct as you are leaving out an important piece. QM2007 LC was officially only targeted and supposed to be sold to users who already owned QM2007 PPC, though in practice that was not always the case (it was even given for free by Quicken as an intermediary version with the purchase of "modern" QMac). So technically, to obtain QM2007 the user would have paid $55 for the PPC version (at least that is what I paid many many years ago) then $15 for the LC version for a total of $70.

And of course, buying software on eBay is always caveat emptor. 

So, all this is just academic discussion... in the end the OP has to decide what it is all worth to them. Again, just presenting options.

jacobs

@RobbieSchlosser Notwithstanding the migration issues, differences and limitations with Quicken 2019 documented in @smayer97's post above, I strongly recommend you follow through with moving off Quicken 2003 as soon as possible. Quicken 2019 is certainly not perfect, and it still lacks some features which were in earlier versions of Quicken -- but staying with your current Quicken 2003 is, in my opinion, not a good option. Your old Mac may not continue to run indefinitely, and there is a limited time window* where purchasing Quicken 2007 will continue to be a viable bridge forward to the modern Quicken Mac. You've been living on borrowed time for a long time; my advice is not to wait much longer, even if Quicken 2019 is currently missing some functionality you might want.

(*The version of Quicken 2007 Lion Compatible that is being sold on eBay requires installation of a free version 16.2.4 upgrade to run on any macOS beyond El Capitan (10.11), and the availability of that upgrade is likely to disappear sometime this fall.)

jacobs

@RobbieSchlosser Not that I'm trying to be a sales agent for some unknown person on eBay, but I got an email from eBay telling me that the copy of Quicken 2015 that I had looked at while writing the post to you above has been reduced to $10.99 with free shipping. If you're still looking for a path forward, I'd suggest jumping on this because it's not always easy to find and it's a minimal cost. (Then you can see if you can find Quicken 2007 for less than the one I wrote about.)