How do I split my QDF file - to try and eliminate random errors, changes, deletions (edit)
I have had the same QDF file since 1993. It is huge. And I'm running into some major errors. When my bank downloads, sometimes it will alter the opening balance of an account or add or delete random transactions. It sometimes changes the internal transfer categories for transactions. I think it's finally time to split the old girl up.
What I'd like to do is keep my current 6 or so accounts and move them to a new file, keeping all the old accounts and probably some corrupted data in the (what I'll call) Archive file. What's the best way to do this? If I just create a copy of the file and then edit out what I don't want, I may still be keeping the damaged data in that file.
Thoughts?
Answers
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I always vote against splitting the QDF file for any reason - why ?
You can compare your QDF file size contents to others…. Help —> (shift)+About Quicken
Corruption - try the File —> Validate & Repair - to see what it finds -
and some of the errors you mention are Quicken bugs -
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I don't want to split, but feel I need to because there have been so many errant transactions. Have validated so. many. times. online with guidance from Quicken. There is just something hinky about this file. I have spent hours trying to go back and find the error. Changing the opening balance of an account? Why??? I balance to the penny every month and today I spent over an hour trying to find a missing $50 discrepancy so I could reconcile. Found in in 2018. The transaction was there before or I could not have reconciled that month. But now it's gone. I don't have time to continue to do this every month.
208077K. 63k+ transactions It's a needle in a stack of needles trying to find what went wrong today!
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We generally never recommend splitting a QDF file. As you noted, there's no guarantee the corruption won't remain in the new active file. And we prefer having all history together in one file.
But the good thing about Quicken is that you can experiment, as long as you have your original data file safely stored so you can revert back to it if needed.
First, have you tried the standard troubleshooting procedures? If not, do that first. On a Windows copy of your original file. Keep that original file away from all of this.
If that doesn't help and you decide you really want to delete stuff, delete stuff in that Windows copy of the file. Then make a Quicken copy of the file using File > Copy or Backup File > Create a copy or template. The File Copy will leave behind all the stuff you marked deleted previously. Yes, it's all still there until you do a File > Copy; that is the one and only QWin operation that actually removes data marked as deleted. The new copy should be smaller than the original.
Good luck and don't forget to keep your original QDF file out of harm's way. Did I mention that already?
Quicken user since version 2 for DOS, now using QWin Premier (US) on Win10 Pro.
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If you haven't tried this it is worth a tried:
File → copy or Backup → Create a copy or template
You will have to re-setup all the online services, but this does do a record by record copy which might leave some problems behind.
On the problem of your Online Balance changing, a search for that in this forum will quickly prove that is a current bug in Quicken and isn't tied to a corrupted data file.
If you use Sync to Mobile/Web it has also been shown to cause all kinds of problems. Definitely recommend trying without it.
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If you really find no other way, then about the best way to spilt a data file "by accounts" would be to do:
File → File Export → Quicken Transfer Format (.QXF)
Then import that into a new data file, and then delete any accounts that you don't need. But be warned, I think it has problems with investment accounts.
If investment accounts are involved, then export/import in QIF is the last possible chance. But importing of transfers usually messes that up.
This is how you might get around that:
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just a note for random changes to Opening Balance -
suggest copying the Opening Balance amount to the Memo field of that same transaction - then you have it for safe keeping -
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Great to hear it's not just me or a corrupted file. It sure is a PITA though!! Yes went through the online synching fiasco several years back. Stopped that quickly!!
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Great help. Thank you. This is kind of what I was thinking.
I do have some investment info there, but it is far from accurate, so I'd be OK with letting that go. Thanks for the response.
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Thanks. Yes I have done all the validating and repairs I can do. I am not sure I follow what you're saying about QWin… Yes I have an obscene amount of backups. On several drives. A little OCD about keeping a clean copy!
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