merging transactions in one account across mac computers

datetrees

How do I get some transactions ( a few hundred) from one Mac into the correct account on another Mac? ( Quicken Premiere). I thought I could just import but it is telling me that it will only create a separate data file.

I lost some downloaded transactions in my Schwab investment, brokerage, account. I went to my other Mac computer which was not updated, and then updated and got the missing transactions.

I thought it would be simple to just export, and then import on the other computer which I generally use, and then delete the duplicate accounts, and drag and merge, but it a) won't let me import the data without creating a new data file, which is not what I want, and b) won't let me drag transactions into an investment account in Mac, so I can't just create a new account, update it, and then drag information into the existing account.

I could create another account from the date that I need those transactions forward, which is Jan 1st, but that is messy-who likes duplicate accounts, and how will quicken know which account to update, and might make mistakes importing transactions?

I could switch to the older computer, but I have to return it, and my current computer has a perfect copy of quicken data for the last ten years- except for those missing transactions which I may have mistakenly deleted-, which took a lot of work.

I also wondered if I should export the missing transactions into a windows format from the older mac and then try to import into the mac I actually use (as a windows file), into quicken for mac premiere, and see if it will merge files that way ( as I did when I imported data from a windows computer, creating duplicate files, dragged and dropped the data, ( but not investment account data) and then deleted the duplicate accounts)...

thank you!

John_in_NC

There is no way to export select transactions from your older file and add them to an existing account(s) in your newer file.

Yes, you can export the file to QXF file (Windows transfer format) and import that into your newer file. It sounds like you are familiar with how it will duplicate existing accounts which you would have to delete. Be forewarned, though: QXF will bring the data, but it is a low fidelity format. Things like split transaction order, etc. will be lost. But, that might not matter if you are going to delete the other accounts.

It might add a step, but you might wish to export your older file to QXF, and import that into a blank new intermediary file. Then, get rid of anything you don't want carried over there, and then export that file as QXF to import into your new file. That way, only your investment account gets carried over. Note: you may have a bunch of orphaned splits depending on your your cash flows exist.

datetrees

First of all, I just ant to say thank you for taking the time to write to me.
I will here post the quick answer I tried to send from my phone. I am actually on the computer right now, so what I say in the post is not true! But in the interest of not duplicating my work, and in case I forget something, I will post it. I apologize for the verbosity. I might add that I do have a Windows computer, with quicken for windows on it, I'm not sure what version, but I may not be able to get it to connect to the internet to update; also, I hate it, its a pain to use, with a rebellious mouse. Here follows my quick answer:

Thank you. I’m not at the computer now so I will try what you say later, and can’t be totally specific right now. However, I already tried to export from the Mac as a windows file format and then when I tried to import it only showed the file as grayed out.
As a general question, why is it so difficult to transfer information from one Mac to another?
And more to the point, I do understand that one can’t, in a Mac, transfer specific transactions or accounts from Mac to Mac.
And I liked the clever windows file format export from the Mac that you suggested- that is what I actually did after I posted the above, but then I could not import because it was grayed out, while exporting the program told me that many messages were truncated fro 2007 format but why it uses 2007 i dont know, it does not say so when you choose which kind of file to export.
Ben in NM.

datetrees

will I be able to take the transactions form the Charles Schwab investment account that i imported from the other computer in a windows format, into the usual working computer's Charles Schwab investment file? That is, I will have Charles Schwab (1) and Charles Schwab 2 but I bet I won't be able to merge them, as you can not move transactions between investment accounts in a Mac.

I did actually just import all the transactions and data from the old computer into a new blank file. And I can delete all the unneeded files and then export in windows qxf format as you suggest, and hopefully import into the new file, but again, I won't be able to merge the transactions into Charles Schwab (1).

BTW, I do not know why earlier today the transactions ( data) I exported from the old computer, including the one that was in a quicken format, were grayed out, but not tonight. One of the files i exported was in a mac format and one was ina quicken format.

To be clear, I had two computers, both macs, an old one, and one I use generally, slightly newer. I lost some of the transactions ( transfers only, actually) on my usual computer, in my investment account. I could have just reverted to an earlier version of the file, which had the lost transfers and then updated from there. But I also edited and corrected some credit card accounts, and did not want to have to do the work over. As I think about it now, it would be easy to make a note of the few added transactions and corrections, as they show up with a pencil, and do as I say, just update an older version of the file.

However, I am happy to try what you suggest but I am dubious that I will be able to get missing transactions, from Charles Schwab (2) into Charles Schwab (1).

The other thing I could do, I guess, is to be careful when I update. I could create a new account of Charles Schwab and only have transactions from Jan 1st, 2020 forward. I will have to see if the transfers that are lost are only from 2020, but I think so. Then I could toggle the account with data prior to 2020 off when I download so that it does not receive unwanted transactions if quicken makes a mistake as it is wont to do, and put transactions in there, instead of the account that has the data going forward from 2020. Then when I do a report I would have one extra account but all the data would be continuous. That is, if I am not missing transactions ( transfers) from a period earlier than Jan 1, 2020.

Thanks so much, Ben from NM.

John_in_NC

Thanks for the additional info, Ben.

From your first post, I thought that you managed to get your Schwab accounts all up to date on your old machine, and you wanted to move that good account over to your newer machine. But, even if this were the case, you mentioned transfers, and this really throws a wrench in the gears as you can no longer delete all the other accounts as you will orphan the transfers.

I really suggest you reconsider reverting to an older backup file before you deleted your transactions. Then, flesh in the missing CC details. I really think you save more time doing this than trying to merge files/fix transfers.

I wouldn't break your investment account into to separate accounts-that is a poor idea for a variety of reasons (including the fact your holdings are likely to be double counted. These aren't cash transactions we are dealing with :-) )

NM is a very different place than here. But, my experience was only with Ruidoso, Roswell, Portales, and other parts on the easter side. Carlsbad was nice.

datetrees

I'm up in Taos, which is in the northern part of the state, think colorado. In fact, I'm only 50 miles from the border. My GF wants to move to NC and have a small farm, but I don't know about making a living. I'm an acupuncturist. It's very beautiful here, lots of rivers and forests, not dry like Ruidoso, at least not dry in the same way, certainly not humid like NC. We do love Appalachian music tho.

I will call quicken support now. I have Premiere, so I get some customer support.
Actually the transfers are nearly all from the Brokerage account to the Investor checking ( a linked account) so deleting an account won't necessarily orphan the transactions, I'm pretty sure.
The other thing is I actually have two Brokerage accounts of the same Schwab account on my quicken file, with older data and then newer data, now, anyway. I don't like it, but it doesn't seem to cause problems, as far as I can tell. Ok, I'll keep you posted. Sorry, it took so long to get back to you.

datetrees

What I and the Quicken rep ( Chris in Guatemala) did was create a test file, download the transactions from the last 2 years, delete all the unneeded accounts, export the needed account in windows transfer file format, import it into the existing file, and then drag all the transactions into the account which had the missing transactions. That worked, but the only thing was it won't transfer the specific investment transactions which will have to be entered by hand, but all the deposits and withdrawals and transfers that were missing got moved into the account, so that is good. That is the way to get transactions that were downloaded, that quicken won't download again, and that were mistakenly deleted.
It's gotten hot here in Taos. But remember we are at 7000 feet so it doesn't get too hot, but very strong sun and UV.