Can I access my Quicken data file from 2 laptops?
I have Quicken Deluxe for Windows (and the data) installed on our main laptop. We just bought a 2nd laptop for my wife. Is there a way for me to install Quicken Deluxe on the new laptop and have access to and enter transactions to our Quicken data file? We do have a Western Digital MyCloud server, if that helps.
Best Answer
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Extending @RalphC's reply
Q lacks the "Lock", "Commit" and "Rollback" controls that would be necessary to safely run it over a network. In the absence of such, a single hiccup during a write operation to your file (which Q does all the time) would risk severely (perhaps irreparably) damaging your Q data file.
Q expects the data file to be stored on a hard drive that's local to your computer … not networked, which is why it lacks those controls.
Q user since February, 1990. DOS Version 4
Now running Quicken Windows Subscription, Business & Personal
Retired "Certified Information Systems Auditor" & Bank Audit VP1
Answers
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Yes, but it's a little bit cumbersome. First of all, NEVER access the data file from a server. Quicken was not designed to do this and you risk corrupting your file if you don't fully understand what's going on in the background.
But, short of a sneaker net approach, you'd have to store the file on the server. A user would have to download the data file from the server to a local drive and access it from the local drive. Once finished with any transaction entries and closing Quicken, the file would then get uploaded back to the server for future work.
Another possible approach might be to keep the data file on one of the laptops. The other user would use something like Remote Desktop or Chrome Remote Desktop to access the other PC remotely and run it from there. However, it'd probably be a challenge if both users want to be on their respective laptops at the same time.
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Extending @RalphC's reply
Q lacks the "Lock", "Commit" and "Rollback" controls that would be necessary to safely run it over a network. In the absence of such, a single hiccup during a write operation to your file (which Q does all the time) would risk severely (perhaps irreparably) damaging your Q data file.
Q expects the data file to be stored on a hard drive that's local to your computer … not networked, which is why it lacks those controls.
Q user since February, 1990. DOS Version 4
Now running Quicken Windows Subscription, Business & Personal
Retired "Certified Information Systems Auditor" & Bank Audit VP1 -
Thank you both for your thoughtful, complete answers. Not what I wanted to hear, but it is what it is.
Thank you again!
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I have never set up "Mobile and Web" in Quicken and never paid attention to discussions about it. Maybe some folks can give their experience with it….. as a possible option….
Short Video:
Windows 11 (2 separate computers)..... Quicken Premier.. HAVE USED QUICKEN CONTINUOUSLY SINCE 1985.
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Official answer is NO, but-
I use Quicken on 2 PCs with OneDrive. Only one PC at a time can access the file and before opening Quicken you should pause OneDrive sync, do your work in Quicken, then close Quicken and then let OneDrive sync again.
The data file stays locally resident on each computer hard drive. One Drive serves to make sure each PC has the latest version. The risk is if you forget to pause OneDrive, the Quicken data file can get corrupted. Not always though, the main effect from forgetting to pause OneDrive is Quicken runs slower as OneDrive and Quicken battle for file access.
If you forget to let OneDrive sync after using Quicken, you run the risk of the other PC using an old file and having the issues associated with that.
Since MS turns on OneDrive by default, I'm sure there are a lot of users unknowingly using Quicken with OneDrive active all the time. I've had no corruption issues with my data file using it with OneDrive as described above.
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