Cannot import any QFX files

PattiMc

Yesterday (Nov 1, 2023) my version of quicken stopped allowing downloads from my banks and card accounts. It was working on Saturday, but I'm assuming that the issue with the downloads is that I have not and cannot update my current version - Version 6.12.5 (Build 612.47953.100) - until I purchase a new computer so that I can update my OS. Can't update the computer until tax time because, self employed, big bills, etc. So, yeah, that. 🙄

I called support yesterday, explained the problem. Support guy who was very nice said, no worries, just download the QFX files from your banks, cards, etc, & import to update accounts. Pushed that off until today because I had to get back to work.

File > Import > Import Bank or Brokerage File — Sounds simple enough, right? Nope.

Getting an error from Quicken:
This version of Quicken cannot use connected services.
Please click “Check for Updates” to install the latest version of Quicken.

I'm not trying to connect. I'm trying to IMPORT. I tried disconnecting accounts. I tried multiple different QFX files. Same thing happens.

Why won't it let me import??? What am I doing wrong?

Or… is this Quicken saying I can't use the product under any circumstances until I update?

I mean, my subscription is paid until June. I should be able to use it and it's not like I'm trying to use it illegally or use it for nefarious reasons. I just want to use the software as ledger at this point. That doesn't require connecting to a bank. 🤷‍♀️

jacobs

First to clarify, importing a .qfx file falls under the umbrella of "connected services" because Quicken needs to verify the financial institution's ID in the .qfx file by connecting to a server, even though the data is in a local file. For instance if your subscription ended, you would no longer be able to import downloaded .qfx files, because they are part of the connected services provided with the subscription.

That said, the question is whether this is a glitch, or whether Quicken made some change as of November 1 which is no longer compatible with version 6.12. As you know, this version was surpassed by version 7.0 back in April, and version 7.0 requires macOS Catalina or higher to run. Those still using Mojave have been able to continue to use the old 6.12 version. But there is always the possibility when using an old version on an unsupported operating system that something will change with Quicken's Connected Services which will require a more recent version of the program.

While it's true that you have a valid subscription, you're also using an operating system which, officially, is not supported. The fact that the Mac developers have been able to keep it run-in on older operating systems is helpful, but is not a guarantee that it will run with connected services indefinitely. This is just a risk with using older versions of the program.

If you can't replace your Mac for a few months, you may need to enter your transactions manually until you do, because the program itself continues to run fine on a Mojave Mac. That may sound awful, but unless you have a high number of transactions, you may fid it's not hugely time consuming for a few months until you're able to replace your old Mac.

UPDATE: I have a Mac which is still running Mojave and has version 6.12.7 installed. So I downloaded a .qfx file from my bank and… it imported cleanly, just as one would hope/expect. So I'm puzzled by why you were blocked and I wasn't. I note that you are using version 6.12.5 and I have the last update in the 6.12 releases, version 6.12.7. I would not think that would impact connected services, but who knows? It appears 6.12.7 was released in May, but it's not documented on the page of release notes, so I don't know what it might have fixed. Maybe something with connected servers? If you do Check for Updates, does it offer 6.12.7, or does it just tell you the latest version is 7.3.2 and that you need to upgrade your macOS to install it?

There is a web page where Quicken provides old versions for subscribers who need to go back to a prior version. Unfortunately, like the release notes, for some reason this page contains only 6.12.5 and not 6.12.7. If you want to send me a private message (click the envelope icon in the upper right and enter my username) with your email address, I'd be happy to send you the 6.12.7 application for you to try. I don't know if that minor update will help or not.

PattiMc

Thank you. I appreciate the info & the offer. I'm sure you'll understand that I hesitate to accept & install files from complete strangers. 😉

I suspect the reason why 6.12.7 isn't available is that on Nov 1, they removed it at the same time they locked out 6.12.5 users from updating accounts. I wish Intuit had taken the time notify users of what was about to happen instead of this stealthy, planned obsolescence trick they pull. Par for the course for Intuit. I've been reluctantly forced into updating FOR them for years. I'm kind of over it.

Using Quicken is like being married to someone you hate & can't leave because he's holding your cash & car keys. I wish I didn't have to use it but there isn't another software that works for what I need to do (track & report) & allows me to update online accounts automatically. My work flow is so entwined in it it would take me months to switch it over to any other system and I would still have to update accounts manually.

You would think that in light of all that's happened in the last few years they would be a little more supportive of small businesses & individuals that are trying to make ends meet the best they can. But no, business as usual. 🤦‍♀️

Ps56k2

just to clarify -
which specific bank are you manually downloading the QFX file ?

and what level of MacOS are you running ?

lastly - Intuit sold Quicken several years ago…. to a couple different investor funds.

PattiMc

Thanks for correcting me on ownership. Does that even matter though? It’s the same issue.

TD bank, Citi card. my other bank does not offer qfx files and quicken will not import their csv file.

High Sierra OS. Cannot be updated. Need new hardware.

jacobs

While I understand your frustration, you surely knew that you've been on borrowed time still running High Sierra on a Mac that's more than a decade old. 😉 Quicken officially supports two operating systems behind the current one, and generally unofficially supports and additional one or two behind that — but you're six operating systems behind the current one.

I'm surprised you don't want to try 6.12.7, but that's your choice. The fact that 6.12.7 works for me for .qfx files indicates they haven't locked out users of pre-7.x versions completely. I don't know if your issue is due to High Sierra or 6.12.5.

You would think that in light of all that's happened in the last few years they would be a little more supportive of small businesses & individuals that are trying to make ends meet the best they can. But no, business as usual.

I don't agree with that assessment. I'm not sure why you never updated to 6.12.7 when it was available, but it does still work. And you're expecting them to expend extra effort to support a tiny number of users who haven't updated their operating system for many years. Extending support for old operating systems takes time away from developing new features and supporting the entire customer base. Still, they give us more years of use than official company policy. I don't think that's "business as usual."

my other bank does not offer qfx files and quicken will not import their csv file

You understand this isn't something to hold against Quicken, right? Your bank has chosen not to support their Quicken-using customers, as thousands of other banks do.

But if you want, there are third-party applications you can buy which claim to convert .csv files into .qfx files which can be imported by Quicken. We can't discuss them here because they use faked credentials which violates Quicken's terms of use. But… some people do use them.

And if you don't want to go that route, you have the option of entering transactions manually until you can purchase a new Mac. As I said, it's not as bad as it may sound. I actually enter most of my transactions manually; it's viable, even if it's not optimal for you.

Best wishes with however you decide to proceed.

PattiMc

Jacobs. Was never offered the option of upgrading to 6.12.7. You yourself said that version isn’t available for download any longer.

The computer is not 10 years old, but thanks for shaming people who work for a living and can’t afford to throw down nearly $3k every couple of years. FWIW, it works great, no other software giving me a problem, even Mac apps.

The other bank works with quicken connection but it doesn’t offer qfx exports. The csv export won’t import for the same reason as the qfx or because the import menu says something like “csv from Mint only”.

What I hold against Quicken is they did what they did without a warning. Failed to say even a day before, “hey we are flipping the switch tomorrow.” AND then, make it so the import file won’t import. If I have a valid subscription, they should at least leave that open for use. That’s what is irritating me.

Jon

I agree some notice would have been good.

As for your computer age, AFAIK the newest Macs that are incapable of progressing past High Sierra are the 2011 models (based on this list). You may not have bought the computer that long ago, but that's how old the design is.

Ps56k2

I can’t remember if it was TTAX or Quicken - back many years ago - but the programs would not even be allowed to install on an “unsupported” OS … Received error message - That was the only reason that forced me to upgrade OS.

jacobs

The computer is not 10 years old, but thanks for shaming people who work for a living and can’t afford to throw down nearly $3k every couple of years.

I wasn't trying to shame you; I'm sorry you took it that way. You said your computer can't run anything past High Sierra, and the last Macs which could run High Sierra but the next operating system, Mojave, were the twelve year-old 2011 iMacs, MacBooks and Minis.

Nearly $3k? I haven't paid that much for a new Mac, well ever. I just looked in my Quicken (😉), and found my last four Macs — laptops and iMacs — averaged $1,250 in cost. A current macBook Air is $1,000- $1,300; the new iMac is $1,300-$1,500. I'm not suggesting everyone can afford a new Mac all the time, but you don't need to spend $3,000 except for a very powerful higher-end Mac.

Another option when money is tight is buying a used Mac: newer and faster than what you have now, but you can find 2017 or 2018 Macs for roughly half the cost of a new Mac.

Was never offered the option of upgrading to 6.12.7. You yourself said that version isn’t available for download any longer. 

I said that it isn't included on the web page of prior versions for some reason. But I only have it because it popped up as an available update back in May; I didn't do anything special to obtain it.

The csv export won’t import for the same reason as the qfx or because the import menu says something like “csv from Mint only”. 

No, .csv won't work because Quicken Mac generally does not support .csv imports. And that's because it bypasses their system of validating participating financial institutions, and because there's no standardization of .csv files. The only exception was that they built an importer years ago for people who wanted to switch to do a one-time conversion form Mint to Quicken Mac. If you can manipulate a .csv file into the exact format as a Mint export — which is available in posts on this site — you can make it work. But most people aren't going to want to jump through those hoops on an ongoing basis.

That's completely different than importing .qfx files. As I've said, .qfx imports still work for me on a Mac running Mojave and version 6.12.7. We don't know if your problem is because of High Sierra or 6.12.5. You've said you can't update to Mojave, but I offered to send you the 6.12.7 update to try, which you declined.

If I have a valid subscription, they should at least leave that open for use. That’s what is irritating me.

But you're not running a supported operating system, so that's where I think your argument falls short. If you stay with your current computer for another 5 years, do you feel they should continue to support you indefinitely? As I tried to explain, continuing to test and make changes to support a 6 year-old operating system carries costs and diverts resources from the current product. It's quite possible they didn't intentionally turn off support for High Sierra this week, but changed something in their back-end systems which simply was not tested for compatibility with High Sierra.

I'll bow out of this conversation now, because I realize I'm repeating myself, and I realize that's not helping you. If you want to complain about Quicken's policies, I'm just a fellow Quicken user, so I can't help with that. I've suggested a number of options, free and at a cost, for you to move forward. Best wishes.