Quicken file is 1.5 GB from 2010

mjmoroni

I have been using Quicken since about 2010. I have added receipt images, documents, scanned images, etc to many transactions for ease of recalling receipts should I need them. In doing so, it appears my file is about 1.5 GB. My quicken seems sluggish at times. I am wondering if anyone else has issues with such large files? Is there a way to compress this file? I hate to do a date split copy. I attempted to see just 1-1-2017 till today, and that is still .5GB. I like the ability to recall any and all transactions from the beginning with ease. But fear that this benefit may not be worth it if Quicken cant work well with such a large file. Thoughts?

Snowman

I believe it is all of the added receipt images.  I have found it more expedient and better to scan all receipts and statements as pdf files.  Almost all credit cards and banks etc. provide a way to download these as pdf files.  I then have a file structure st up to save the pdf files.

This accomplishes two things.  One, if you need to fine a receipt you do not have to open Quicken and then find the item.  Two, if a Quicken update "breaks" this feature you will not have to go without until when or if they ever fix it.

My Quicken 2020 R23.18 file is 631Mb and was started in 2005.  You may try going to File > Save as Copy and save you file to another name.  That may compact the file somewhat.  When Quicken seems "sluggish" I would open task manager and see if there is another program running that is slowing things down.

If you computer only has 8Gb of RAM and it is running Windows 10 that can be an issue as well.  Ideally the windows Virtual Memory file should not be on the same drive as Windows.  If you computer has a mechanical hard drive you should look into a Solid State Drive.  I have been using 1 and 2Tb SSD drives on 10+ computers for the past two years and that can speed things up quite a bit.

In the meantime I would stop saving receipts in Quicken and look into alternative solutions for this.

mjmoroni

Yes, most documents are PDF, but receipt images are jpg - captured from my cell, uploaded via quicken mobile - and synced with my file.

PC: 16 Gb ram, i7-8665U processor, 512GB SSD - So my PC specs should be abundant.

I would have assumed since Quicken allows one to upload images/pdf's on each transaction, they would be aware that one could upload something for each and every transaction and would test thoroughly? Perhaps I am wrong though.

Thank you for your feedback.

splasher

The Quicken data file is a variation of a zip file holding several files and the attachments in one container.  Doing Help->About Quicken with the CTRL key down will give you some facts about what is in your data file.

Generally, the two largest pieces are the internal .QDF file (the transactions) and the attachments and it will show you the size of the QDF portion.

Personally, I would not put the attachments in Quicken, but in a separate folder structure outside of Quicken.  That way you have complete control over them, but in Quicken, the only way you can see them is via Quicken and only one at a time.

Theoretically, the number of attachments should not be an issue since they only come into play when you do something to one of them, otherwise, they just sit there just taking up disk space.