Split File in Half

fweiss1
fweiss1 Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭
edited July 2022 in File Conversion and Backup (Windows)
I have a very large Quicken file that I would like to split in half.
The file goes back about 20 years.
I do make periodic backups.

Should I do this?
Benefits of doing this?
If yes, how?

Thanks.

Best Answer

  • Sherlock
    Sherlock Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭
    Answer ✓
    How large is your very large Quicken file and why would you like to split it in half?

    In my opinion, you should not do this if you can avoid it.   The slight performance benefit you may achieve when Quicken processes all available transactions or when performing certain file operations may not be worth the cost of managing segmented data.   Quicken provides two approaches to performing a split: Create a copy or template and Create a year-end archive.  Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.  

Answers

  • Sherlock
    Sherlock Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭
    Answer ✓
    How large is your very large Quicken file and why would you like to split it in half?

    In my opinion, you should not do this if you can avoid it.   The slight performance benefit you may achieve when Quicken processes all available transactions or when performing certain file operations may not be worth the cost of managing segmented data.   Quicken provides two approaches to performing a split: Create a copy or template and Create a year-end archive.  Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.  
  • skeleton567
    skeleton567 Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭✭✭
    There are pros anad cons with file splitting.  i have found that there are definite advantages in record saving speed by reducing file size.  Performance is MUCH better.  However, there are definite disadvantages to splitting up OUR data.  I would love to have an archive of my complete history and a smaller current working file.  The large overall problem is not being able to move our investment hsitory around nicely.  And of course, the inability to re-combine history for consolidated reporting.  

    If you would like to witness the problem real-time for yourself, make a copy of your large file and try using the Tranaction Report feature to delete old account history.  Sitting and watching the flickering and refreshing display for minutes illustrates the horrible performance in just getting rid of data. 

    I have investment hsitory for 78 years in one account and a total of 23 investment-type accounts that I would love to be able to report and analyze. 

    For those of you for whom it is not too late, the developers need to create a means to have a SINGLE archive file for us to ADD old data to while keeping it in a single colection which can be used for processes that don't need to be so pereformance focused while giving overall access to OUR data. 

    The owners of this company forget that WE OWN the data, and they are, or SHOULD BE, tasked with making it available and usable for us.  If they would do this, I would MAYBE be willing to pay annual fees.  Without this, I'm staying with my purchased version and don't plan to upgrade. 

    In essence, when making decisions about YOUR data, consider careully what you would like to be able to do with it in the future. 

    Ó¿Õ¬

    Faithful Q user since 1986, with historical data beginning in 1943, programmer, database designer and developer for 42 years, general troublemaker on Community.Quicken.Com
  • fweiss1
    fweiss1 Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭
    My file is about 100MB. Thank you for your prompt response.
  • Sherlock
    Sherlock Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭
    fweiss1 said:
    My file is about 100MB. Thank you for your prompt response.
    Your Quicken file is not very large.  Our Quicken file is 25 years old and over 330MB.

    You didn't explain why you would like to split it in half.
  • Ps56k2
    Ps56k2 Quicken Windows Subscription Alumni ✭✭✭✭
    fweiss1 said: I have a very large Quicken file that I would like to split in half.
    As mentioned... it doesn't matter - nothing will change - not performing faster.
    And most users with any kind of history have a single Quicken QDF file that is between 200-300MB -

  • fweiss1
    fweiss1 Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭
    My reason for splitting the file is performance. Based on comments I've received I will now keep the file as is. Thanks to all for your responses.
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