Multiple account confusions on download (macOS Monterey 12.2.1).

Robin Whyte

My accounts stopped downloading mysteriously, and when I reset the connections and downloaded, they started to rewrite my transfers between my 18 accounts back to 2017. In particular they have replaced my business chequing transfers to my business credit card with personal account transfers. Many of my past transfers have lost the transfer account address completely (i.e category is simply 'Transfer'). I have tried, on multiple occasions, to recovery my last predisaster backups and run the downloads again, only to have the mistakes repeated.
Right now I'm confining my current version to my machine, as using the Quicken cloud only prolongs the agony of redoing this all over again. I intend to get rid of Dropbox anyway. Any ideas?

Quicken Jared

Robin Whyte said:

My accounts stopped downloading mysteriously, and when I reset the connections and downloaded, they started to rewrite my transfers between my 18 accounts back to 2017. In particular they have replaced my business chequing transfers to my business credit card with personal account transfers. Many of my past transfers have lost the transfer account address completely (i.e category is simply 'Transfer'). I have tried, on multiple occasions, to recovery my last predisaster backups and run the downloads again, only to have the mistakes repeated.
Right now I'm confining my current version to my machine, as using the Quicken cloud only prolongs the agony of redoing this all over again. I intend to get rid of Dropbox anyway. Any ideas?

Hello @Robin White, 

I am sorry that you are experiencing this issue with categories and transactions going into the wrong account. Thank you for speaking with us here on the Quicken Community about this matter.

Where is your current active data file located? You can check this anytime by going to File > Show "(data file name will be displayed here)" in Finder. Please be aware that it is recommended that data files be operated from within the local MacHD rather than a cloud-based storage service or external hard drive, in order to prevent erratic behavior or file damage.

I hope to hear back from you with any additional information or updates.

Thanks,

Quicken Jared 

Robin Whyte

Thank you. Right now my file is on my account on my institution's server which I access with MS OneDrive. OneDrive gives you to option to keep your files and backups on your machine, which I have chosen, so it really acts as a local file on my hard drive which is synced with the server. Before all this happened, I was using the Quicken default of Dropbox (where it remains).

jacobs

@Robin Whyte It's fine to store your backups on any cloud service, such as OneDrive or Dropbox. But your actual, live Quicken data file must live on your local hard drive, not mapped to any Cloud service. Because of the way database files are updated, syncing serves often create problems with Quicken data files. If your actual data file is on a OneDrive Server, you need to move it back to a location which is local on your own hard drive.

Quicken Jasmine

Hi @Robin Whyte,

Thank you for your thorough responses. Is the main/active file stored on your computer's physical hard drive? 
 As @Quicken Jared had stated, "it is recommended that data files be operated from within the local MacHD rather than a cloud-based storage service or external hard drive, in order to prevent erratic behavior or file damage."

I look forward to hearing your response.
Quicken Jasmine

Robin Whyte

OK. Just while I fix this, I'll restart my last working file from backup and save it on my hard drive without online synching. I now don't understand why you use Dropbox. If I don't use a cloud, I can't use other devices, yes?

Quicken Jasmine

Hi @Robin Whyte,

Thank you for your response, let me know how it goes after you restart from a backup on your hard drive! It is recommended that you store your main/active file on your computer's hard drive so as to avoid any problems, however, you can store your backups elsewhere which is why we use Dropbox, you can also use that to send your files if need be. 

I hope this helps. 
Quicken Jasmine

pamela77

I hope it's OK to ask a question on this subject as I have been following this discussion. If not I can start a new thread. My active file is in my library on my home file on my computer but I do have a service called backblaze that backs up continuously to the cloud. I never access the file from that it is just in case of a disaster when I crashed computer or something like that. Is that OK or is that causing a problem?

jacobs

Robin Whyte said:

OK. Just while I fix this, I'll restart my last working file from backup and save it on my hard drive without online synching. I now don't understand why you use Dropbox. If I don't use a cloud, I can't use other devices, yes?

Robin, as I noted above, it's fine to use Dropbox for your backup files, if you wish. If you don't have this set-up already, you can set Quicken to create a backup every time you quit the program, and you can specify the location of the backup folder. It's fine for that folder to be synced to Dropbox, if you use Dropbox.

The problems with Quicken occur if you locate your active data file on, or in a folder actively synced to,  Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive or any other storage location other then your local computer. 

Quicken Jasmine

Hi @pamela77,

Thank you for bringing this question to the Community. Unfortunately, we would not be able to confirm if Backblaze is causing the error or not without doing a trial run in which you deleted Backblaze and restored Quicken from a backup on your hard drive. 

I hope this helps to answer your question. 
Quicken Jasmine

jacobs

pamela77 said:

My active file is in my library on my home file on my computer but I do have a service called backblaze that backs up continuously to the cloud. I never access the file from that it is just in case of a disaster when I crashed computer or something like that. Is that OK or is that causing a problem?

Cloud backups should be fine. I use iDrive, which is similar to Backblaze. I also have Time Machine backup up my two Macs. None of these interfere with Quicken.

My only caution with Backblaze is to make sure it is actually backing up your home user Library folder, or specifically the Quicken folder within it. Some backup services avoid backing up the User Library folder, and you might need to manually add it to the locations Backblaze is set to back up.

With all backup plans, a good strategy is to try recovering a file from the backup service to make sure it's actually there. So log onto your Backblaze backup and see if you can navigate to the user Library folder to access your Quicken files. 

pamela77

Thank you, I always restore from a back up from within my hard drive. Does the existence of a service that is continuously backing up my files to a cloud service like backblaze cause problems with Quicken?

pamela77

Thank you Jacob, I posted my message above before yours showed up on my screen. You are correct, when I checked, back blaze is not backing up my home user library folder. How can I set Quicken to save its back ups to a location where backblaze would find it?

I also have a Time Machine back up and a connected my passport hard drive.

Quicken Jasmine

Hi @pamela77,

Thank you for your response. As long as your main/active file is located on your computer's hard drive, the presence of Backblaze should not interfere with your Quicken application. 

I hope this helps. 
Quicken Jasmine

jacobs

@pamela77 You have two options: (1) make Backblaze backup where your Quicken files are currently stored, or (2) move your Quicken folder to somewhere that Backblaze will automatically pick up. 

You can move your Quicken to your Documents folder, but only if you don't have your Mac set to store your Desktop & Documents folders in iCloud. (This is a Mac System Preference for iCloud Drive.)

Alternatively, you can create a Quicken folder at the top level of your User folder; e.g. Macintosh HD > Users > your user home folder > Quicken. This would be at the same level as folders like Desktop, Documents, Movies, Music, Pictures, etc.

To avoid confusing the program, I would make the change of location from within Quicken. That is: with your Quicken running, do File > Move To to relocate your Quicken file location. Then do the same with your backups, using Preferences > General > Backup Folder. Then go back to the Quicken folder in the Library > Application Support location and move anything remaining there in the Backups folder to your new backup folder location. Also check the Documents folder inside that Quicken folder to see if there are any other data files there which you want to move to the new location. (To avoid confusion, at that point you could delete the Quicken folder inside Application Support.)

pamela77

Thank you Jacobs, I will try that

Robin Whyte

I have gone back to a Dec 2021 backup called (Preupdate) which must be a Quicken convention. When I load it the account transfers are fine. Then when I try uploading I get a notice that the account is not known to Quicken and then there is a prolonged wait for the Quicken cloud. It is this step which mixes up the accounts, and not the reconnection with the bank (which I haven't done this time). This is very odd.

pamela77

Jacobs maybe I should start a new topic but I did want to respond to your comment on February 21. My Quicken back ups are in my library in my user home. Backblaze is backing those up, but I only see three of them backed up there as opposed to the 30 that I see in Finder on my hard drive?

Also when I go to Apple preferences, Apple ID, I see that iCloud drive is checked but I can't tell what is getting backed up there. When I search in Finder for a quicken back ups I did find three quicken back ups in iCloud Drive from February 11, 17th and 19th, but I'm not aware of how they got there.

Robin Whyte

This problem (Multiple account confusions ...) is now resolved, but only by going to the backup prior to the last Quicken update (which happened to appear at about the time of the last MacOS update). Most of the transfer rewrites were as addressed in Quicken's "Check for "orphaned" transfers" topic, but there were hundreds of these duplicates and orphans and not a few other errors. Because my 18 accounts went back to 2017 it was impossible to deal with and reconcile all this, so I shortened all my files to start in Jan 1st 2020. Quicken no longer provides a data year-splitting option, and as any splitting requires a new starting balance this has to be fixed for each account by reconciling and providing a new balance for Jan 1st 2020.
The Quicken Help sections "Setting up a new data file ... A bit more about data files" do not carry warnings about avoiding synchronized servers (e.g. Dropbox, OneDrive) for the active data file (Quicken's wording which encourages moving says simply "However, you can move the data file to your preferred location". As my data is now in my root files and not on OneDrive it means that I must use the backups (on OneDrive) to open my data on my other desktop/workbooks.OK, good to know.

A couple of tips to pass on. (1) To cut down all your files to the same starting date, use the register "All transactions" to cut them all back at once. (2) Whenever you start major repairs to your Quicken data, you must turn the Backup preferences to 'save all files'. If you back up several times a day after each fix, you'll find (if you are set to discard more than 5 past backups, as I was) you'll loose your earlier backups (3) Use Quicken file menu to move, rename, or manipulate data files, not Finder or Explorer.

pamela77

Robin thank you for your tips, I have been following this because I had very similar problems to you, however I finally started a new file as of January 2022. A few questions on your tips: when you cut down your files did you then do an adjusting entry to make things balanced? When you ended up with many back ups, as I did, did you go in and delete some of the ones that were created repeatedly when building the file and repairing it? When you say that you must use your back ups on OneDrive to open data I was a little confused. I thought we were not supposed to open a data file from something saved other than on our hard drive? I can see how much work you have put into this, thank you for your comments.

Robin Whyte

Q: ...did you then do an adjusting entry to make things balanced? A; Yes. If you cut off your register part way, it will restart at zero balance. You need this balance to be correct as of Jan 1 2022. You can look it up, but I just did a reconcile, and when it showed a non-matching balance, accept that as a reconciling balance which will default to today's date. Redate it to Jan 1st 2022. You need to check that interim balances match your bank accounts since then.
Q ... When you ended up with many back ups, as I did, did you go in and delete some of the ones that were created repeatedly when building the file and repairing it? A; Yes. I had hundreds of backups to 1993 and just selected one a year. If you're just making safety backups during dangerous rebuilds, you can delete them when you've solved the problem. Only then reselect the preference to automatically delete (if you want).
Q When you say that you must use your back ups on OneDrive ...A: the distinction is that you can store/open a backup from a server store, but you cannot do that with with your active data file. This must sit on your hard drive and not be synced with OneDrive or Dropbox. Quicken's recent collaboration with Dropbox rather confuses the issue.

Thanks for your comments. I would appreciate confirmation from Quicken's resources here, or correction/improvement on my suggestions. Cheers.

pamela77

Thank you Robin, I spent time with Quicken support again yesterday and it seems they have actually fixed this problem of the cloud over writing data when doing an update. I was able to go back to an older data file and make it work. It would still mean updating a couple months of transactions but I would be able to use it. Thank you for all your help and ideas because I think I am going to go ahead and use the new one anyway. It is cleaner and doesn't have a bunch of old categories and payees etc. But it is good to know I have that clean file to look at all my past history.