Home Network Use

MartyW

I'm thinking of upgrading to the latest version. Quicken says that the program can be loaded onto multiple computers but recommends that it not be used on a network. Why be able to load the program on multiple computers if it cannot be used on a network? I would think that if I load the program on more than one of my computers, I should need to keep the data file on only one of the computers. Since my home computers are networked, I could then enter transactions from any computer. I chatted online with a Quicken representative who told me that if I wanted to enter transactions from multiple computers, I would need to load the data file onto each computer and enter the transactions on each computer. That makes no sense. Can someone give definitive guidance?

smayer97

You need to understand that Quicken is not designed for multi-user usage, so, the options to "share" a data file are work-arounds. Here are a number of options:

• the first option is to move the data back and forth between users. In your case, you could move a copy of the data to a shared location, e.g. Drop Box, and each take turns updating the data. You would have to develop a sign-out process to make sure you do not both update a copy and overwrite each other's work. However, do not store and use the data file stored online directly. This often leads to a corrupted data file. Best practice is to compress the data file before moving it to a cloud based storage to prevent problems with file permissions.
• if users are have access to the same computer, you can create a new user on your computer and use and store the data file in that user (no not store the data file in a shared folder)
• If you have mobile devices (iOS or Android) and if all you want to sync is cash, bank, and credit card accounts (i.e. non-investment transactions), consider using Quicken Mobile on a mobile device. You can sync more than one mobile to the same data file located on one of your computers, as long as you use the same Intuit ID associated to the data file. Note that this is limited to sync 24 months plus new transactions.
• Quicken Web can be used for mult-user access but it is a companion to Quicken desktop (not independent) similar to QMobile. It provides limited functionality for data entry, budgets, etc. but has slightly more functionality than QMobile, e.g. reconciliation
• use remote access software (several free options, e.g. NoMachine and Teamviewer) to access Quicken on one computer from the other, or even mobile devices (see this great article for complete review of many options (most are free): http://machow2.com/rdp-for-mac/ ). Though this article was written primarily with Macs in mind, there are many solutions offered that work for Windows too. The advantage of these solutions is that you retain access to all the features of Quicken, unlike Quicken Mobile. The trade-off is that the host computer cannot really be used for anything else while using Quicken with these remote solutions.

Note that these options would require you to settle on only ONE of the two platforms (Mac vs Win) and sync your device(s) to or access that one platform.

JustMeHere

Quicken was never designed to work with the data file on a network drive. It assumes that there will not ever be a "write error". And as such has no system for checking if the data actually got written correctly or to recover from such a problem if it didn't write properly.

Nothing in the "latest version" has changed this fact, either plus or minus.

Besides this there isn't anyway for Quicken Inc to judge the reliability of "network drive". Which can be on any given operating system using any given protocol and any given hardware, and be setup by an expert or a person that has no clue about networks. So you might have anything from a network that never fails to one that has errors all the time.

The general workaround for people that want to use the same data file from different computers is to copy the data file around using various methods.

splasher

MartyW said:

… Why be able to load the program on multiple computers if it cannot be used on a network?…

I normally use Quicken on my desktop computer, but I want it on my laptop when I travel, so that is one reason.

GeoffG

MartyW said:

Why be able to load the program on multiple computers if it cannot be used on a network? I would think that if I load the program on more than one of my computers, I should need to keep the data file on only one of the computers. Since my home computers are networked, I could then enter transactions from any computer.

Because Quicken's core data structure was developed for home use during the 80's long, long before networks would become common place. While it can be a bit inconvenient to work around, a work around is available none the less. And because it is home based software probably will never be upgraded to a network version.

If this is important to you, I believe QuickBooks supports network installations.

smayer97

You need to understand that Quicken is not designed for multi-user usage, so, the options to "share" a data file are work-arounds. Here are a number of options:

• the first option is to move the data back and forth between users. In your case, you could move a copy of the data to a shared location, e.g. Drop Box, and each take turns updating the data. You would have to develop a sign-out process to make sure you do not both update a copy and overwrite each other's work. However, do not store and use the data file stored online directly. This often leads to a corrupted data file. Best practice is to compress the data file before moving it to a cloud based storage to prevent problems with file permissions.
• if users are have access to the same computer, you can create a new user on your computer and use and store the data file in that user (no not store the data file in a shared folder)
• If you have mobile devices (iOS or Android) and if all you want to sync is cash, bank, and credit card accounts (i.e. non-investment transactions), consider using Quicken Mobile on a mobile device. You can sync more than one mobile to the same data file located on one of your computers, as long as you use the same Intuit ID associated to the data file. Note that this is limited to sync 24 months plus new transactions.
• Quicken Web can be used for mult-user access but it is a companion to Quicken desktop (not independent) similar to QMobile. It provides limited functionality for data entry, budgets, etc. but has slightly more functionality than QMobile, e.g. reconciliation
• use remote access software (several free options, e.g. NoMachine and Teamviewer) to access Quicken on one computer from the other, or even mobile devices (see this great article for complete review of many options (most are free): http://machow2.com/rdp-for-mac/ ). Though this article was written primarily with Macs in mind, there are many solutions offered that work for Windows too. The advantage of these solutions is that you retain access to all the features of Quicken, unlike Quicken Mobile. The trade-off is that the host computer cannot really be used for anything else while using Quicken with these remote solutions.

Note that these options would require you to settle on only ONE of the two platforms (Mac vs Win) and sync your device(s) to or access that one platform.

thecreator

Hi @MartyW ,

Leave Quicken installed on just one computer. Use either Remote Desktop or TeamViewer (Free for Personal Use) to use into your Desktop Computer.

https://www.teamviewer.com/en/