"Zombie" credit card account

peterpqa

I had a Quicken file with all my personal and business accounts. I needed to split it into two files - one for personal and one for business. I made a copy of my original Quicken file. Then I deleted all the business accounts from my original "personal" Quicken file, and I deleted all the personal accounts from my new "business" Quicken file.

Now, in my business Quicken file, the business credit card account stops downloading after one or two updates. Then, when I run an update on my personal Quicken file, the "zombie" business credit card account is re-created in my personal Quicken file.

Several times, I have deleted the "zombie" business card account from my personal Quicken file, and I re-enabled downloading for the business card account in my business Quicken file. The same thing keeps happening - the business card account in my business Quicken file stops downloading, it gets re-created when I run an update in my personal Quicken file.

The business checking account behaves just fine in my business Quicken file. It keeps updating, and it does not get re-created in my personal Quicken file.

WTF? Please help!

John_in_NC

No, not both. You can choose either one you feel would have less work. Keep in mind custom reports, budgets, and split line ordering will be lost. (The splits come through, but not necessarily with the child lines in the same order.) 

Anybody coming from QMac 2007 or from Windows goes through this, so it isn't a huge deal. The good part is that QXF tends to be quite accurate on the Mac side.

Just make sure you have backups just in case.

John_in_NC

I suspect what is happening here is because you are working with a copy of the same file. Even though they are a different files to you, it has the same internal ID. This can create crosstalk between the files in certain circumstances when updating accounts.

It is not advisable to work with copies of the same file. If you wish to break the files for good, I suggest you go into one file and File:Export to Windows Transfer (QXF). Then, create a new, blank file and import the QXF into that. This will create a new file with different ID.

You will have to setup/reactivate all your accounts again in the new file. It would also be advisable to Reset Cloud Data (under Preferences:Connected Services) in the original file. This will force an upload of fresh data from your desktop file.

peterpqa

John - Thanks for the quick reply.

I'm on a Mac, so I exported a Quicken Mac Transfer File (QMTF). But Quicken Mac cannot import a QMTF file into a new file! So I exported a QFX file and it did import into a new Quicken Mac file. But I would have to go through the long, tedious process of resetting window sizes, register columns and widths, etc.

What if I just did a Reset Quicken Cloud on my new personal file and my new business file? I have backup copies of both. Any danger there? Thanks

John_in_NC

My answers apply to Quicken for Mac-that is all I use :-)

You don't want to use QMTF-that format isn't applicable here.

You will indeed want to use the QXF format (Quicken Exchange Format). (While it is labeled for Windows, it is the modern way to export/import into new files on both the Mac/Win platform.)

Yes, you will have to reset window sized, etc., but that is part of dealing with a new file. I believe you will find it a short lived hardship until you get your new file up and running.

Resetting cloud data isn't a solution as your two files will still have the same internal ID even after the reset, and you will have the potential for crosstalk between files.

The only way to create a new (internal) file ID so that file has its own Cloud downloading is to strip that data out via an QXF export/import.

peterpqa

John - Thanks again for the quick reply. But yikes! What a FUBAR. I'm curious: what use, at all, is an exported QMTF file? Can Quicken Mac do anything with it?

John_in_NC

You will be thankful you rebuilt your file down the road.

QMTF (Quicken Mac Transfer Format) was added circa 2012 to allow Quicken Essentials users to migrate back to Quicken 2007 for Mac, and only for that purpose. (It is even less fidelity of a format than QXF. It doesn't support investment transactions.)

It's purpose was back when Quicken for Mac had been completely rewritten and was very basic. Some users were forced to upgrade from 2007 to Essentials when MacOS Lion stopped supporting certain older programs (including QMac 2007.) When a special version of 2007 was patched to run under newer Mac operating systems, that format was introduced for backwards compatibility for users who wished to return to 2007.

That format is irrelevant as 2007 is now unsupported and won't run on new Macs. Moreover, Quicken for Mac has matured with many feature enhancements, so the need to go back to 2007 is mostly unwarranted. QMTF basically is a vestigial artifact from when Quicken for Mac was less mature.

peterpqa

Thanks again. Which file should I rebuild with QFX export/import? The original file with the business accounts deleted (but the deleted business card account keeps re-appearing)? Or the copy with personal accounts deleted (but the business card account stops downloading)? Please don't say both...

John_in_NC

No, not both. You can choose either one you feel would have less work. Keep in mind custom reports, budgets, and split line ordering will be lost. (The splits come through, but not necessarily with the child lines in the same order.) 

Anybody coming from QMac 2007 or from Windows goes through this, so it isn't a huge deal. The good part is that QXF tends to be quite accurate on the Mac side.

Just make sure you have backups just in case.

peterpqa

So far, so good. I rebuilt the copy (business) file - fewer accounts. The "formerly zombie" credit card account keeps updating every day, and it has not been re-created in the original (personal) file. I haven't refreshed the cloud data, yet ... not messing with success, for now. Thanks again for all the help.