Is it possible to recombine separate archived files?

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Mark Velarde
Mark Velarde Member ✭✭
edited January 2023 in File Conversion and Backup (Windows)
I would like to break down 5 years of data into separate years. Is this a good idea if I later want to re-combine? I think it would make my life easier if I just start fresh every year because even if I have prior transactions that are "reconciled" I'm able make a mistake that will throw my balances off. Then I have to search sometimes near the beginning for that extra, missing or modified transaction.

If there were a way to absolutely NOT revise reconciled years would even work for me. That one "are you sure you want to do that?" doesn't work for me at times I'm not paying attention.

Thanks

Answers

  • Rocket J Squirrel
    Rocket J Squirrel SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Mark Velarde said:
    I would like to break down 5 years of data into separate years. Is this a good idea if I later want to re-combine?
    Absolutely not. Once separated, it is extremely painful to recombine data files.

    Quicken user since version 2 for DOS, now using QWin Biz & Personal Subscription (US) on Win10 Pro.

  • Mark1104
    Mark1104 Member ✭✭✭✭
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    @mark velarde - archiving is a bad idea.  it has been part of Quicken since the beginning.  It was quite useful back in the 1990s when harddrives were small and RAM was limited. I ahve been a quicken user since 1994.  in the 90's I archived my file each year because the desktops couldn't really handle the size of the quicken files.  By around 2000, that was no longer the case and I haven't archived since.  

    why archive - to what benefit? 
  • Greg_the_Geek
    Greg_the_Geek SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
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    How to 'merge' two Quicken files? — Quicken Not an easy process.
    Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 10
  • Ps56k2
    Ps56k2 SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Short answer - NO - Don’t archive or split your Quicken QDF data file… 

    QWin - R54.16 - Win10

  • q_lurker
    q_lurker SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Mark Velarde said:
    … 

    If there were a way to absolutely NOT revise reconciled years would even work for me. That one "are you sure you want to do that?" doesn't work for me at times I'm not paying attention.

    Thanks
    I think the best advice I can offer is …

    Pay Attention!  These are your finances. They are important. Don’t expect Quicken to serve as a black box that magically pays attention when you don’t. 
  • Mark1104
    Mark1104 Member ✭✭✭✭
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    also, let me tell you, when my spouse asks "how much did we pay for that refridgerator", it's an easy task to seach my 20 years of Quicken data.  But had I split that up into 20 separate files, now I'd need to remember which year the refridgerator was purchased or be prepared to review a number of different files. 

    do not archive!!!!
  • Mark Velarde
    Mark Velarde Member ✭✭
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    Thank you all for the straight forward advice. :)
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