How to compare an account from 2 backup?

mikek753b · September 28

hi,

I see some issues with an account that a week or two ago I didn't see.

This is investment account with linked Cash account that currently is balance way off.

What is appropriate way to compare this account from older backup to find problematic or missing transactions?

tnx

Tom Young · September 29

What I've generally done when I want to look back in time is to find the backup I want to restore outside of Quicken using File Explorer and then RENAME the backup file to something like TEST.QDF

Then open that file by clicking on it. That way you're not getting confused between your "live" file and the one that you've just opened.

Of course you can't have both files open at the same time so you generally have to compare a report printout of one file to the other file's open screen.

BK · September 29

There is one way to open two files at the same time side-by-side by using a Virtual Machine (VM) and installing Quicken on the VM. As if you are using two computers. However, to ensure that I don't cause any conflicts and issues, I make sure to disable/disconnect the Internet on the second setup - and this is very important. I have been doing this for years successfully where I do all kinds of creative experiments and tests copying my Quicken files to the [disconnected VM] without affecting my real file.

mikek753b · September 29

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20512434#Comment_20512434

That is interesting idea.
Is there a way to run 2 Quicken side by side in the same Windows 11?

BK · September 29

That is interesting idea.
Is there a way to run 2 Quicken side by side in the same Windows 11?

No. As @Tom Young mentioned as well, you cannot do that.

To do so your only option is to setup a VM. And perhaps you misunderstood my prior comment. to clarify, the main instance of your Quicken runs on your primary Win11, and the second one runs on the VM.

q_lurker · September 29

My thought would be to print out (paper or pdf) an account balance report by month for your active file as far back as you might choose. Then restore the backup as Tom suggested and compare monthly balances.

You’d be looking for when did the divergence first appear and after that point is the discrepancy constant (a single transaction, perhaps?) or a discrepancy that changes over time?

You can then start evaluating transactions in the problematic month(s).

mikek753b · September 29

Thank you all for the replies.

I'm in process to have secondary Quicken without connectivity. I don't want to mess with Quicken / Intuit Sync accounts, that would be a mess. That is a must req to NOT have Internet access for old backup restore IMHO.

I plan to export and use WinMerge to compare both exports.

Randyg · October 10

If you have Microsoft Excel, or equivalent, you can use those to automate a comparison. I've had success by using the Quicken register "Export to Excel" function. Do this for your current file, and then follow Tom's advice for opening the backup file. Then also export that register to Excel. Now you can open both files in Excel, copy and paste the contents of the backup to the first spreadsheet, such that the lines match up to the dates. Then you can either eyeball the two, line by line, or create a simple Excel function that would flag any differences. Alternatively, you can create the function to compare the values between the two separate files (then there is no need to copy and paste).

How to compare an account from 2 backup?

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