Starting Over with new Quicken Data File

QuickMule
QuickMule Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭

Using Quicken for years, but is there any advantage to starting a new file, creating your accounts and putting a starting balance in. Is there any benefit in archiving all that old stuff by leaving it in another file and using a new file for transactions say for 2026 and beyond? Has anyone done something along these lines?

Comments

  • RalphC
    RalphC Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    It's my opinion that there's zero advantage to starting a new Quicken data file unless your existing file is hopelessly corrupted. It's much more valuable to have a history of financial transactions. I'm constantly going back in time to research transactions, especially when researching new purchases.

  • splasher
    splasher Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    @QuickMule , @RalphC could not have stated my feelings any better. It is a diary of your financial life and it is best kept in one file. Mine goes back to 1996.

    -splasher using Q continuously since 1996
    - Subscription Quicken - Win11 and QW2013 - Win11
    -Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list

  • QuickMule
    QuickMule Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭

    - Subscription Quicken - Win11 and QW2013 - Win11

    you are using both sub and QW2013?

  • splasher
    splasher Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes, I am. I run them in parallel. Since I won't use EWC/EWC+ type downloads, I download the .QFX files from the websites and import them into subscription. I use ImportQIF to convert them into .QIF files for import into QW2013. It doesn't really take to much time for the QW2013 part since I have to do all the downloads for subscription anyway.

    -splasher using Q continuously since 1996
    - Subscription Quicken - Win11 and QW2013 - Win11
    -Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list

  • QuickMule
    QuickMule Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭

    Not sure what EWC is? Why do you use both QW2013 and QclassicSUB?

  • splasher
    splasher Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    EWC is Express Web Connect download, a method used by Quicken's One Step Update process.

    They aggregate information that is gleaned in nightly runs from your financial institution onto servers held by Quicken's data aggregation provider, Intuit, for later download and importation into Quicken at your request. My financial information is scattered around in pieces all over the internet, I just don't want it all on a single aggregation server maintained by Intuit.

    Why both? If your subscription is not renewed, Quicken's screenspace is reduced (about 25%) by panels reminding you of that fact. QW2013 is the last version that runs without a registration requirement that needs a server to authenticate against which can go away. Also, it is a way to help some users if they have questions about QW2013.

    -splasher using Q continuously since 1996
    - Subscription Quicken - Win11 and QW2013 - Win11
    -Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list

  • QuickMule
    QuickMule Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭

    so your master copy is QW13 or sub newer? Or do you keep them both same data point?

  • splasher
    splasher Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    Neither is master. They are updated separately using the downloads from the financial institutions. .QFX files for subscription and .QFX converted to .QIF for QW2013.

    It takes me about 15% additional time to keep the QW2013 file up-to-date, but the time consuming part of doing the downloads only needs to be done once.

    -splasher using Q continuously since 1996
    - Subscription Quicken - Win11 and QW2013 - Win11
    -Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list

  • QuickMule
    QuickMule Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭

    ok I like non sub QW so I'll get to QW2013 once i upgrade Windows to 11