Start on Web - Add Desktop - Lose Everything

saraxi

:s So I just purchased Quicken on the Web, it immediately directs you to set up your accounts. I spent a couple hours connecting accounts, creating categories, recategorizing transactions, setting up rules, getting it all straight. Then I wanted to add older transactions than just the last month. Quicken tells me "you can do more in the Desktop App." Then it directs me to download and install the Quicken App for Mac. I do that and can't figure out how to sync all the work I just put in on the web.

I spend 2 hours searching the internet, trying to use the Support Chat, going round and round. There's no way to download FROM the web to be able to load into the desktop program that I just installed. Apparently the ONLY way to go is desktop TO web. And now I am going to have to start over from scratch!!

Why does Quicken have you buy online, start online, work online and THEN tell you to install the app and then LOSE all that??? WHY DON'T THEY JUST TELL YOU UP FRONT THAT IF YOU START ON THE WEB, YOU CAN'T MOVE TO THE DESKTOP WITHOUT LOSING YOUR DATA??!!??

Greg_the_Geek

This is a screen shot of the opening page when you login to Quicken on the Web. Where does it "directs you to set up your accounts"?

Chris_QPW

This has come up several times.  For some strange reason (BUG!) when a person first purchases Quicken, if they first go to Quicken Web, it allows for adding accounts, transactions and so forth.

This "Quicken Cloud dataset" isn't connected to any Quicken Desktop data file, since none exist at this time.
When the user creates a Quicken Desktop data file, that creates a linked Quicken Cloud dataset.  Once that happens the original "unlinked" Quicken Cloud dataset, is "hidden/orphaned".

Note the "model" has always been that Quicken Desktop is the "master" to a Quicken Cloud dataset and Quicken Web/Mobile are the GUIs to interact with that dataset and are "companion Apps".  Not only does the Quicken Desktop data file have more data in it than the Quicken Cloud dataset, but it is also the only way to create accounts, and a budget and such.

It makes one wonder is there is either plans for such extra functionality that is sort of turned on when a Quicken subscription is first purchased, that is turned off when you create your first Quicken Desktop data file or if in fact there is some kind of overlap with their other product Simplifi.

Chris_QPW

Since as soon as you create a Desktop data file things change, I have never seen anyone that has been able to post what the "before" looked like.

So, I ask does the interface look like what @Greg_the_Geek posted or like this screenshot of Simplifi?

jacobs

@Chris_QPW I just found this thread after the same issue popped up in another thread. Here's what it looks like according to the Quicken video which directs users to start from scratch in the Quicken web app and later switch to the desktop application:

Chris_QPW

@jacobs Very interesting!

That is definitely the Quicken Web interface, not Simplfi.

Chris_QPW

Anyone interested in this subject should look at this thread.  It is mostly from the "Quicken Mac side", but there is a lot of overlap that applies to both Quicken Mac and Quicken Windows.
https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7908068/import-qforweb-to-qformac

And I will add here the way one would look at what Quicken Cloud datasets you have in Quicken Windows:
In a data file that is setup to sync to Mobile/Web select:
Edit -> Preferences -> Quicken ID & Cloud Accounts -> Cloud accounts associated with this Quicken ID(x) and this dialog will come up:

Ps56k2

And another user just posted the same trap - April 14, 2022

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7911890/set-up-all-my-accounts-with-online-version-now-desktop-version-cant-see-my-accounts

jacobs

I think some of us discussed this previously in another thread I can't immediate locate. 

There is a hidden feature in Quicken Mac at least on the Let's Get Started page of the application (which you can get to if you do File > New). The hidden trick is holding down the Command key while selecting File > New. That reveals an additional option to start from a Quicken Cloud data file:

I don't know if that hidden option exists in Quicken Windows or not. Note this option is labeled as "beta", so there's no guarantee it will work exactly as expected. 

I tried this a couple months ago with a test file. Quicken selected the wrong Cloud file (an old one from my test copy of Quicken 2015!) and did not offer me a way to search from my various Cloud accounts and select the most current one. But this presumably wouldn't be a problem for a new user who starts online and only has a single Cloud data file.