Add option to validate data file as part of the manual backup process...

Snowman

I have been using Quicken for 20 years now.  Some will recommend NOT to validate the data file on a regular basis (I do so at minimum of once a week) but I hold the opposite opinion and here is why. 

There have been several occasions over the years when I did not validate my file and when I finally did there was a fatal flaw.  I had to go back and find a backup file (I create these on a daily basis) that would validate properly.  I then had to reconstruct and re-enter the data for periods of up to 8 months.

This December was a very busy month and I neglected to validate the file for four weeks.  I had inputted a large amount number of transactions.  I then put the data file on my laptop and headed out on vacation.  The first day out I validated the file after a month of not doing so.  There were error where a number of accounts had been deleted (no accounts had been deleted I could open them up just fine).  It further stated that it would erase all of the transactions that were in the accounts that had been deleted, not a option.  I backed up the corrupt file, then did the validate and repair on the file copy and it deleted all of the transactions it said it would. 

I had to restore a file from 12/6/2019 in order to get a file that validated properly, then I had reenter a months worth of data that involved over 300 transactions/transfers/reconciliations/etc. in 18 accounts.

Quickbooks validates the data file before it does a backup.  Now I realize Quickbooks is a completely different animal (I use it as well) but the reason it is done that way is to prevent you from backing up corrupted data. .

I would be nice to have this as an option when you are doing a manual backup of Quicken.  I am currently validated the data file every other day at this point because of what happened.  I am using Quicken Premier 2020 R24.11.  The issue that recently happened did so on the previous release.

Quicken Anja

Hello All,

The Community Support team regularly reviews long-standing posts and Ideas for relevancy and current interest. This Idea seems to have stalled and we would like to gauge the current interest in this request. 

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Snowman

I would still like this implemented.  There needs to be a way to validate the file BEFORE it is backed up, otherwise you are just backing up corrupted data over and over and over again.

fggates

I agree. I have had a similar QDF unannounced damage situation in the past and take special precautions now. This idea would perhaps save many other users who would otherwise suffer the torment for the first time.

Since my QDF damage happened, every week I now make a CTRL-SHIFT Copy of the file which rebuilds and defrags (my word) the data file to reorder, remove deleted transactions, and generally clean it up. I immediately CTRL-SHIFT super-Validate that copy.

If anything is amiss I restore a backup which is often daily. That happens rarely but it does happen. Without the super-Copy failing or my super-Validate finding a corruption I would be rebuilding transactions perhaps going back a week or more. Horrible.

My most frequently discovered weirdness is zero'ed transactions and sometimes unexpected account opening transactions which assign non-zero values which I did not specify.