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Combining Quicken files going back to 1990 into 1 master file

Phil Burton

I need to research details from some transactions going back to the 1990s, and then I realized that I probably want an all-years file. From 1991 to maybe 2000 I used Quicken for DOS, and then migrated to Quicken for Windows.

My 1991 file does not have a qdf file as such. Starting in 1992, Quicken did use qdf files. I have a few starter questions:

How far back can my 2026 Quicken for Windows Premier convert/import files? For years before that, what tools can I use so that these years can be imported?

Any advice? Started with the oldest? Or start with the newest?

Once I have this information I will probably use Claude AI to automate the actual process as much as possible.

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Comments

Chris_QPW

Quicken Subscription can convert data files back to Quicken 2004. Before that (and how far back is limited, but a bit more than the documentation states) you use the provided Quicken 2004 program to do the conversion (Quicken 2013 is usually not needed even though it is provided. It was provided because of a bug in an early version of Quicken 2014's conversion that was long since fixed, but they have left the Quicken 2013 install which is great since it is the last truly offline version).

https://www.quicken.com/support/how-and-when-use-intermediate-version-convert-older-versions-quicken

On the subject of combining data files, well that is a very hard thing to so and one of the main reasons that the SuperUser always recommend not splitting them in the first place.

The general process is to export in QIF format and import what, but Quicken's QIF import stinks for some things like transfers. It is also lacking any syntax for "security lots". This means everything will be FIFO, but even more important would be that any open options will not import correctly.

It might be possible to use QXF export/import these days. In the not so recent past the QXF import didn't support investment accounts and messed up importing in other ways, but it has improved so you might be able to use it and it might be better than the QIF export/import.

mshiggins

Be prepared to back up, try an import/conversion, and test resulting data. Then repeat, likely many times.

nmestanas

According to the link @Chris_QPW posted, conversion of quicken files prior to 1998 is not possible.

"Converting a data file from versions of Quicken older than 1998

Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to convert from versions of Quicken older than Quicken 1998; we recommend that you open a new data file in the latest version of Quicken, to ensure data stability."

So unless you have an older copy of Quicken, you may not be able to extract/convert your oldest files.

Phil Burton

@nmestanas

So that raises the question of whether or not I can get an old copy of Quicken for this purpose? How old?

I have purchased many, many versions of Quicken since 1990.

NotACPA

I suppose you could try to install those very old versions, but I doubt they'll install on any modern OS … and even if they do, the Q/Intuit servers to "validate" the install have LONG BEEN taken offline … so you still wouldn't be able to use those old versions.