HELP FOR LOST TRANSACTIONS??

GCS18

Quicken has wiped out all my checking account transactions and all the transactions in two separate cash accounts from BEFORE 2019 September. This represents YEARS worth of financial records. I was on this chat page for close to 90 minutes this morning and there was no solution. I tried using backed-up files, I tried the validate files function, but nothing worked. I was on the chat help line again this afternoon for 90 minutes or so. No help. In fact, when the chat was done, the customer service rep could not do anything to help me. I was just left hanging. Can anyone help me? I'm about to jump over to Mvelope, but the learning curve there is steep.

Sherlock

The fact that none of your backups would appear to have the missing transactions is suspicious.   Do you sync to the Quicken Cloud?

Sherlock

The fact that none of your backups would appear to have the missing transactions is suspicious.   Do you sync to the Quicken Cloud?

GCS18

When I was on the chat, we kept going back further and further--all the way to 24 September. I know that those transactions haven't been missing for all that time. This is new.

GCS18

I do use the Q cloud and back up on a third party server.

Sherlock

GCS18 said:

I do use the Q cloud and back up on a third party server.

I suggest you delete the Cloud data set associated with the data file and then restore a recent backup saved before the issue appeared.  You will need to use a different data file to delete appropriate data set.  If you haven't already, you may want to review: https://www.quicken.com/support/how-edit-or-delete-your-cloud-datasets-quicken-windows 

GCS18

I have two Cloud data sets: one that was updated yesterday and one from March, 2017 (the default). Just to be clear: should I delete the one that I use (updated yesterday) and then use an ordinary backup file stored in Drop Box?

Sherlock

GCS18 said:

I have two Cloud data sets: one that was updated yesterday and one from March, 2017 (the default). Just to be clear: should I delete the one that I use (updated yesterday) and then use an ordinary backup file stored in Drop Box?

I suggest you delete all of the data sets associated with the data file. 

It shouldn't matter where you saved the backup file.  It simply needs to predate the issue.

Regarding Dropbox, I suggest you always access the data file in a folder on a local disk where it is not accessed by another program.  In other words, its fine to save a backup to a Dropbox folder but don't open your data file in a Dropbox folder unless you have paused the Dropbox sync.

GCS18

My problem: My backup files only go back five months. The data that disappeared goes back five and a half months, so I can't get back far enough. 1. What do you think about deleting, then reinstalling Quicken? It's a drastic solution, but it's early enough in 2020 that I could still re-enter all of 2020's transactions. And why was it only two cash and the one checking account? 2. What if I deleted only those and started fresh?

NotACPA

Uninstalling and re-installing Q won't solve anything ... as your data is in the QDF files ... NOT in the program files or the program folder

See if this helps: https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7160091/faq-download-old-transactions

Sherlock

GCS18 said:

My problem: My backup files only go back five months. The data that disappeared goes back five and a half months, so I can't get back far enough. 1. What do you think about deleting, then reinstalling Quicken? It's a drastic solution, but it's early enough in 2020 that I could still re-enter all of 2020's transactions. And why was it only two cash and the one checking account? 2. What if I deleted only those and started fresh?

It is not a question of how old the backups are.  It's a question of when were the transactions removed.  If the transactions were removed today, yesterdays backup would suffice.
1.  Deleting and reinstalling Quicken should have no impact on the data file.  It is not drastic to reinstall Quicken.  I just is not appropriate for resolving a corrupt data file.  The working theory is that the data set sync corrupted these two cash and one checking account.
2.  Sounds fine me assuming you've deleted the bad data set but restoring a recent backup should be significantly less work.

GCS18

I sincerely appreciate your willingness to help me with my Quicken problem, but you assume too much about my tech abilities! I keep missing something.

Let me try and lay out the problem clearly:

1. I have 22 accounts on Quicken, nearly all of which are electronically linked to their respective FI's.

2. Of these 22, only three are not functioning properly. Two of them are simple cash accounts (manual entry) and the third is the checking account (electronic).

3. The three accounts share the same basic problem: in September, 2019, all the entries are in that faded gray color that goes along with reconciliation. Further, many of the pre-September accounts are simply missing. Gone.

4. I don't know when this problem began. Near the end of 2019, months after September, I created a report that contained all the transactions. It was only a few days ago, when I went to create a final report for my accountant, that I noticed that my wife and I barely made any money last year.

That's when I noticed the problem.

5. My oldest backup account is dated 24 September, 2109, so I do not have any backups before September, 2019. So this solution is off the table for me.

6. My 2020 accounts are working just fine! I could keep going with 2020, but I don't know if/when the underlying cause of the problem will reoccur and do the same damage.

After spending three hours on the chat line on Monday and getting nowhere, I don't know what to do next. The fix--if there is one--is going to be difficult to complete. I will probably need someone to walk me through it, step by step.

I really do appreciate your efforts to help me up until now. I've begun setting up Mvelope (during the free trial period), but I'd prefer not to switch. Quicken, for all the trouble it has given me over the years, is familiar and comfortable. That's hard to give up.

Thanks!

Sherlock

GCS18 said:

4. I don't know when this problem began. Near the end of 2019, months after September, I created a report that contained all the transactions. It was only a few days ago, when I went to create a final report for my accountant, that I noticed that my wife and I barely made any money last year.

That's when I noticed the problem.

So, as far as you actually know, the issue may only be a few days old.  I can understand missing the issue in the cash accounts, but I think you would have noticed the issue in the checking account assuming you reconcile the account.  If so, you should only need to restore relatively recent backup.

6. My 2020 accounts are working just fine! I could keep going with 2020, but I don't know if/when the underlying cause of the problem will reoccur and do the same damage.

If a Cloud data set was the source of the problem and has been deleted, you should be good.  If you want to avoid the possibility in the future, I suggest you consider not syncing any data to the Quicken Cloud: https://www.quicken.com/support/what-quicken-cloud

After spending three hours on the chat line on Monday and getting nowhere, I don't know what to do next. The fix--if there is one--is going to be difficult to complete. I will probably need someone to walk me through it, step by step.

I don't think the fix I've suggested is difficult to complete.  The issue for me is we really have know way of knowing what caused the issue.  If you need help with any of the steps I've suggested, post back:

1. Delete the Cloud data set:  https://www.quicken.com/support/how-edit-or-delete-your-cloud-datasets-quicken-windows 
2. Restore a data file: https://www.quicken.com/support/how-backup-or-restore-your-quicken-data
3. Stop syncing with the Quicken Cloud: https://www.quicken.com/support/what-quicken-cloud