Importing QIF/QFX into Quicken for Mac

Question

Quicken for Windows did this just fine, but the Mac version does not.  Using a python script, I create a QIF file from a list of transactions from my rental property manager and import that QIF file into Quicken.  Again, Windows worked fine, but the mac version complains that it can only import into an empty file.

I tried creating a csv and importing that, but quicken leaves off important information such as tags and is very persnickety how it handles csv files.  And it won't import csv into an existing account.

So I wrote a new script which creates a QFX file, however, Quicken rejects this, probably because it does not contain a recognizable bank name.  So it appears that Quicken Mac is unable to import transactions of any sort from a non-bank source.

Any ideas on how to get a list of transactions into Quicken Mac without having to simply re-type them?

I've been a Mac user for over a decade and getting weary of running Quicken in a virtual machine.  The Mac version runs much better, with this glaring deficiency.

smayer97 · Answer

If your resulting import of a QIF into a new empty QMac file works as you desire, in that all the right details are there, there is yet another option. After the QIF import in to a new file, you can export that data to a QXF file then import this QXF file into your existing QMac file.

As I am sure you know, always have adequate backups in case some does not work out correctly.

jacobs · Answer

I wrote a new script which creates a QFX file, however, Quicken rejects this, probably because it does not contain a recognizable bank name.

Assuming your QFX file is constructed properly, then all you need is one additional line near the top of the file to identify a valid participating financial institution. Since this isn't exactly playing by Quicken's rules, I don't think I can spell it out fully here, but Google "INTU.BID" and you'll find what you need. (Note that using any valid Bank ID number will work.)

I tried creating a csv and importing that, but quicken leaves off important information such as tags and is very persnickety how it handles csv files. And it won't import csv into an existing account.

The latter issue is pretty easy to work around: let it import into a new account, then open that account, Select All, drag the highlighted transactions to your real account, and delete the now-empty imported account. But the former is true: the CSV import was written specifically for users migrating from the old Intuit Mint program to Quicken Mac (which is why it requires one specific, fixed format for the columns), and there were no tags built into that.

Your only other option that I know if is to purchase one of a few commercial tools which will convert a QIF or CSV file to a QFX format for importing into Quicken. Again, Google "CSV to QXF" and you'll see what's available. But since you've already done the heavy lifting with your Python coding, I think adding the INTU BID line to your QFX file will probably get you what you need.