Importing transactions from a French bank through an .ofx or .qif file

schnarrd

One of my bank accounts is with a French bank (https://www.lcl.fr/). I know that Quicken does not automatically download transactions from banks outside the US, but my bank, LCL, allows me to batch export transaction data to .ofx or .qif files.

However, when I try to import the .ofx or .qif files, Quicken bugs out. With the .ofx file, it tells me that it is "Unable to read the selected Web Connect file." With the .qif file, Quicken creates a new, empty profile with no transaction data.

Can anyone help me troubleshoot what's going on?

jacobs

Quicken Mac doesn't support transaction downloads as QIF files. you may be able to find some paid converter software on the market that transforms QIF files into QFX files, but I have never tried one and haven't seen many reports of people doing this successfully. 

QFX files rely on a financial institution identification (INTU.BID) which verifies it is from an institution that has an operating agreement with Quicken. I believe some converters will insert an identifier which spoofs a supported financial institution, or with more work, you can find ways to edit the QFX files to do this spoofing yourself.

OXF files are similar to QFX, and Quicken Mac will import OFX files, but only if the financial institution has a signed agreement to be on Quicken's supported list -- which won't be the case with a French bank. So again, you'll have to learn how to edit the OFX file to spoof a supported bank to be able to import data.

NotACPA

Well, the OFX file will never work, because it's not QFX, which is the format (different from OFX) that Q expects You should be able to import the QIF into an empty CASH type account and then move the transactions to the desired account.

schnarrd

Thanks for responding.

I can't figure out how to post a screenshot, but when I go to "File > Import ...", the first menu option is "Bank or Brokerage File (OFX, QFX) ...". Are you saying that, contrary to this menu option, Quicken cannot handle OFX files?

Also, I tried doing precisely what you suggested (import into a new account) and came up with the result I mentioned in the original post -- no transactions get imported.

jacobs

Quicken Mac doesn't support transaction downloads as QIF files. you may be able to find some paid converter software on the market that transforms QIF files into QFX files, but I have never tried one and haven't seen many reports of people doing this successfully. 

QFX files rely on a financial institution identification (INTU.BID) which verifies it is from an institution that has an operating agreement with Quicken. I believe some converters will insert an identifier which spoofs a supported financial institution, or with more work, you can find ways to edit the QFX files to do this spoofing yourself.

OXF files are similar to QFX, and Quicken Mac will import OFX files, but only if the financial institution has a signed agreement to be on Quicken's supported list -- which won't be the case with a French bank. So again, you'll have to learn how to edit the OFX file to spoof a supported bank to be able to import data.

schnarrd

Thanks, jacobs, this is super helpful. So it sounds like the next step for me is to figure out a workaround for this INTU.BID in the QFX file.

jacobs

Google INTU.BID and you should find information about what you will need to do.