Quicken Mobile & Web Sync

QuickUserPSP

I changed my Mobile & Web settings a while ago and since then I haven't had as many issues as previously. Very little is discussed about Mobile & Web except when there is an issue and to shut it off. I previously kept Sync off to make sure my "data wasn't in the cloud". I did everything I could to prevent syncing. Doing this, I had come to the realization that I was causing the issues than preventing them. So then I decided to turn Sync ON, but turn off sync at the account level. Each time I do an OSU, a cloud sync is also done. But again, my accounts are not accessible on Moble or Web because I have not synced any accounts. I have confirmed this by going on to each application and verifying they are not set up.

Since I have made this change, I have very few connection issues and update process seem faster whether I am using OSU or "Update Now". I wonder how many other users have used these Mobile and Web setting this way and found similar results?

Chris_QPW

That is an interesting observation. Just as another data point, I have this setting off and don't have any performance problems.

But my main reason for posting a comment is to warn you that other things like your budget and memorized payees may still be synced with this setting on.

Ps56k2

@QuickUserPSP -  I previously kept Sync off to make sure my "data wasn't in the cloud".

If you are using any of the institutions that have migrated to EWC+
then your data is already sitting at the Intuit aggregator cloud -

Chris_QPW

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20416868#Comment_20416868

For Express Web Connect and Express Web Connect + it isn't only on the Intuit/aggregator's server, it is also on the Quicken "Sync"/Quicken Connection Services/Quicken Cloud dataset server.

EDIT: no matter if Sync to Mobile/Web is on or off, the way they are getting Express Web Connect and Express Web Connect + transactions into the Quicken Desktop data file is by using that same Sync system. The main difference between having it on or off in this case is that the block the Mobile/Web from showing those accounts. Note that Quicken Mobile/Web are basically the GUIs for the Quicken Cloud dataset. But the Quicken Cloud dataset/Quicken Connection Services work independently too. They are the connection to the Intuit/aggregator servers, that then connect to the financial institutions. And the Quicken Connect Service does periodically kick off downloading transactions to the Quicken Cloud dataset. This why typically Quicken Mobile/Web don't need to have the user kick off a download, the transactions are usually already there when you log into them.

QuickUserPSP

@Chris_QPW - I don't use the budget feature nor memorized payees. But I think it really doesn't matter if they were synced. As @Ps56k2 mentioned, other more critical data is synced, so there is no way to prevent certain data to be stored in the cloud.

@Ps56k2 - Yes and I realized that so that is part of the reason why I turned Sync ON. It seems no matter what (even if sync is off), data is going to be synched. As long as my account data is not available on Mobile or Web, I am ok with the data sitting on the cloud.

If Sync = ON is going to help Quicken run more smoothly for me, I am all for it.

Chris_QPW

Good, as long as that is understood, whatever works is the way to go.

QuickUserPSP

@Chris_QPW it seems like if you keep the Sync OFF and turn it on only to troubleshoot, it causes more connectivity issues than if you keep Sync ON. At least that has been my observation. So, it seems ironic that users who keep Sync OFF in attempt to mitigate connectivity issues are making things worse for themselves, in my opinion.

Chris_QPW

I have rarely had it on in my real data file. One time I turned on to find that Quicken had turned on syncing for some accounts that just had got added. So, having it off works for me.

But more than anything else I think the main thing is that people think that it is preventing their transactions from "being in the cloud" whereas it takes pretty much an expert like the SuperUsers to avoid "most of that". As in only using Direct Connect/Web Connect or manual entry.

But the fact that they are syncing the budget, and the memorized payee list is another reason to have it off (if you can). Just recently there have been a ton people reporting that their budgets have been wiped out because of something with Sync to Mobile/Web.

Up to now even though Express Web Connect and Express Web Connect + use the same Sync they haven't seemed to have the same "corruption" problems, but these new problems with the dropped transactions make me believe that someone has made a change in this process and messed it up. When the problem is all of a sudden, across different financial institutions, all using Express Web Connect + on both Quicken Windows and Quicken Mac, it has to be a change either on the Quicken servers or the Intuit ones.

QuickUserPSP

@Chris_QPW -

"But more than anything else I think the main thing is that people think that it is preventing their transactions from "being in the cloud" whereas it takes pretty much an expert like the SuperUsers to avoid "most of that". As in only using Direct Connect/Web Connect or manual entry."

I find this comment interesting. For users that want to avoid the "cloud", their options dwindle as DC migrates to EWC+ and more and more Quicken features need to sync with the cloud. I believe the progression to the cloud is unavoidable if you like it or not. Isn't Simplifi a cloud-based application?

I don't think manual entry for most users is feasible. The laborious data entry negates and benefit that Quicken could provide, in my opinion. The QFX file is an option to help with data entry, but not all FI offer these files or use them consistently and I know several that are "broken" and never seem to get fixed. I am not sure if the FI doesn't have the resources or if they just frustrated with maintaining a file that they perceive as not cost effective.

Let's face it anyone using any of Microsoft's products, or any financial institution, have their personal information stored in the cloud. If fact, their personal information is probably all over the web. Most people don't stop to think about that. So it is interesting that they are so concerned with having their Quicken information "in the cloud".

I have found personally that Quicken works best if I have Sync ON, but shut off sync at the account level. It no longer has anything to do with having or not having my information "in the cloud", because the information will be stored there no matter what.

Chris_QPW

@QuickUserPSP I agree that in the long-term avoiding the "cloud" is not going to be possible for most people. And yes, Quicken Simplifi is purely "cloud based".

For the diehard "not in the cloud" it will be harder and hard over time. But I find it interesting that no matter what they say, most of them "bend". They have basically ignored the fact that Express Web Connect and Express Web Connect + are the "cloud", because when it gets right down to it, they need the downloading more than this belief.

As for manual entry, my history with Quicken goes like this, I started using it in 1992, but stopped after about a 1 or so because at the time it was only manual entry (and my finances were much simple back then). Started back up in 1996 when downloading was available. As time progressed my finances are now simple again and I can easily drop Quicken at any time and just handle on the financial institution's websites (mostly just Chase's).

With ImportQIF I could also opt for creating QFX files for all my financial institutions/transactions. But what is the fun in that?

The only reason I really use Quicken any more is as a hobby for commenting on this site.