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Convert from Windows to Mac resulted in unusable data

Anders Martinson

There seem to be lots of closed discussions, but not too much useful information. It seems as if unless you have a very simple QWin file, the conversion to QMac is an utter failure. Hard to know where to start. Several of my zero balance bank accounts that I am no longer using came over with non-zero balances. Some of my investment accounts with closed positions have negative balances.

I simply cannot have any faith in what the conversion has done. I did the conversion mostly out of curiosity because I am keeping my Windows computer and planned to use QMac as a supplement to what I have been doing with QWin.

I am a long time Quicken user (20+ years of data). Describing what happened in detail would be rather complex, but I needed to share these results to warn others. I may try making a copy of my QWin data that covers only the last couple years and see how that converts because a file like that would be sufficient for what I hope to do on my Mac.

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Comments

Anders Martinson

Tried a copy file for the last 5 years in QWin, and QMac says it can't read/convert the file

jacobs

While I appreciate you trying to want users of potential problems, I'd caution that there are many factors at play and it would be incorrect to make any generalization. I've read of people with old, large, "complex" Quicken Windows data files converting successfully to Quicken Mac, and of people with relatively new, small, and "simple" files having problems. The only generalization I think I'd feel comfortable making is that the majority of Quicken Windows users converting to Quicken Mac do so successfully; I have no idea if that's 60% or 80% or 95%.

Have you validated your Quicken Windows primary data file before moving the file to the Mac to do the conversion? For your smaller file copy, did you open the file and validate it in Windows before moving the file to convert it? (I don't know enough about the quirks of Quicken Windows data files or it's save a copy feature to guess at why your large file converts (with problems) and your smaller file can't be read.)

Anders Martinson

The validated file converted in even worse shape that the original. Numerous accounts duplicated. The converted file was a total mess. Pretty much giving up at this point and using Windows exclusively.

jacobs

When you tried to re-convert after Validating the file in Quicken Windows, when you launched Quicken Mac, did you start a new file or did you select to import? You need to go to File > New and select to start from a Quicken Windows file. If that's what you did, then I'm not sure why the conversion was that messed up. It often not difficult to merge the transactions in two different accounts, as there are unlikely to be duplicate transactions between the two. The conversion log file may also reveal something about what problems the converter is encountering, if you care to look at that.

If you've decided you don't want to pursue it, though, then happy sailing with Quicken Windows, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to help.

[Deleted User]

@Anders Martinson first of all I am not a Mac user. Just trying to help here. I think the fact that you are trying to convert a "Copy File" of the last 5 years, might be part of your issue. Using a "Copy File" with partial date ranges doesn't work well, and there are issues as you described without converting to Mac. Also, as @Jacob mentioned, you should do a file validate in Q Win before you bring the file into Q Mac. I am not sure if you have seen this support article?

https://www.quicken.com/support/converting-quicken-windows-quicken-mac-2016

It seems like a very straightforward process. I am hoping that using a full Q Win data file would work better for you.

[Deleted User]

Also, before you convert, make sure to do a backup, and run transactional reports for all your accounts in Q Win and put them to Excel if you can. This way you will be ready to reconcile and troubleshoot after conversion. After you move to Q Mac and find you need additional information from Q Win, hopefully you will still have access to a Windows computer.

rickruizsf

I have been using QWin for 16 plus years and just did the conversion to Mac. It was similar to you and what I had heard, it was not a good experience. However, I was pleasantly surprised; EVERYTHING converted, even my old reports. I did have to contact QMAC support for a few items, but overall it works for me.
I plan to run on both platforms for a few months, just in case...

jacobs

rickruizsf said:

I was pleasantly surprised; EVERYTHING converted, even my old reports.

Your reports converted? This would be something relatively new, as our understanding has been that reports don't convert, due to significant differences in the report engines between Quicken Windows and Quicken Mac. (I'd note that Quicken Mac has a large number of pre-built reports, so I'm wondering if that's what you found? Or did your customized reports actually convert to Quicken Mac?)

Also, perhaps you could add a little information about why the conversion was "not a good experience" even though everything converted and you got up-and-running successfully.