Import from Quicken UK
I am hoping to switch from Quicken UK and want to import all my data. I have successfully created the .qif file, but when I look at the imported data there is a lot missing.
Any tips would be appreciated, thanks.
Comments are currently closed for this discussion. You can start a new one.
Keyboard shortcuts
Generic
| ? | Show this help |
|---|---|
| ESC | Blurs the current field |
Comment Form
| r | Focus the comment reply box |
|---|---|
| ^ + ↩ | Submit the comment |
You can use Command ⌘ instead of Control ^ on Mac
1 Posted by dwg on 09 Aug, 2025 10:42 AM
What is missing?
2 Posted by tim shears on 09 Aug, 2025 12:09 PM
3 Posted by dwg on 09 Aug, 2025 12:25 PM
I suspect you have tried to post by sending email from a mobile device, in many cases this does not work properly, it is best to post directly to the forums using a browser:
https://infinitekind.tenderapp.com/discussions/switching-from-another-personal-finance-program/27050-import-from-quicken-uk
4 Posted by Tim on 09 Aug, 2025 12:58 PM
Lots of transaction and accounts. Can’t see any pattern.
5 Posted by derekkent23 on 09 Aug, 2025 07:04 PM
I am not support staff, just a user.
Hi Tim
Try this process.
You need to use Quicken to export your data in a QIF/QMTF file type. Ensure any closed account that have transfers to any open accounts are included in the QIF/QMTF file, re-open these accounts if necessary. Export everything Quicken export will allow.
Open the QIF/QMTF file in a text editor. You are looking for the date format used in the file e.g., D25/03'2019 Day Month Year or D5/ 17'19 or D05/31/2017 Month Day Year etc. You will need this information later. If you get this wrong, it will be apparent as the dates in Moneydance will be all over the place and you will need to start again creating a new data set.
QIF/QMTF files were never meant for transferring data from one program to another, but it’s all that is available, you will need to spend time cleaning thing up when import is complete.
When you first start Moneydance it opens in the Welcome window click on “Create a new account set”. If you have opened Moneydance before creating a new data set under FILE (MONEYDANCE on Mac) – NEW.
Select “Create New File” (Data Set) and click NEXT. Type in an Account Set Name (Data Set) and click NEXT. Change Primary Currency (base currency), if required. File Type, leave at “Standard Account set”, click FINISH.
In the Side Bar (list on left) under BANK deleted the two default Bank accounts, highlighting them in turn and using ACCOUNT – DELETE ACCOUNT.
NOTE: If you have accounts with currencies that are not in your base currency (foreign currencies) perform the steps under NOTE 1 before importing your QIF/QMTF file as follows.
Drag and dropped the QIF/QMTF file into the Side Bar (list on left).
Wait for the Analyzing data window to close, this can take a few minutes. Nothing may appear to happen until the Import window opens.
IMPORTANT: Checked all listed accounts are of the correct type and currency and changed if required.
The “Date Format” should be set to the date format used in the QIF/QMTF file not the date format you want to use in Moneydance. Select the correct Decimal Character. Later Builds of Moneydance may also include a Text Encoding dropdown, leave at default selection.
Click Import and wait, the process can take some time. Again, nothing may appear to be happening until the process is complete, indicated by the Merging data window closing.
IMPORTANT: When import is complete close and reopen Moneydance.
Some or all of the accounts maybe hidden in the Side Bar, list on left. To make accounts visible click the “+” at the bottom of the Side Bar. Highlight Accounts to add and click ADD button. Before Moneydance version 2024, in this window, you could click ADVANCED. If this does not help, try closing and re-opening Moneydance.
Any accounts that are inactive (closed) should be made inactive. This will remove them from the Summary Page, two columns on the right, in the Account Section as well as from reports. There are a number of methods to accomplish this:
To remove Accounts from the Side Bar, right click and select REMOVE FROM SIDE BAR.
Before version 2024 you can also click the “+” button at the bottom of the Side Bar, click Advance then use the Advance window to determine which items are visible in the Side Bar.
On the Summary Page, two columns on right, if you have Investment Securities, they will be shown in a section STOCK PRICES. This may include securities in which you no longer have holdings. To remove these from the list double click on Security Name – EDIT and then untick SHOW ON SUMMARY PAGE box – OK - X
Some QIF/QMTF files don’t include initial account balances. If you think this is the case you can add initial balance to affected accounts as follows.
Highlighting an account, then click ACCOUNT – EDIT ACCOUNT and add an Initial Balance.
For investment accounts QIF/QMTF file don’t always carry security prices other than buy sell prices, so investment account balances maybe wrong until you update with current security prices.
The NET WORTH value on the Summary page is the addition of selected account values. To see the breakdown click on NET WORTH. The accounts that are included are those selected under GRAPHS & REPORTS – REPORTS – NET WORTH - EDIT
Reminders are not included in QIF/QMTF files.
Now the real work starts to check balances and tidy thing up. This is especially true of investment accounts as not all action types are supported. But worth it in the end.
For information on how to use Moneydance see https://infinitekind.tenderapp.com/kb
Note 1: This section only applies if you have accounts with currencies that are not in your base currency. For these currencies ensure “Show on summary page” box is ticked under TOOLS – CURRENCIES – highlight subject currency and double click – EDIT.
Note: QIF/QMTF file do not contain exchange rates. To overcome this QIF/QMTF file shortcoming the Currency/Security History window under TOOLS – CURRENCIES - highlight subject currency and double click must have current and dated exchange rates filled in which cover the date range of transactions in non-base currency account. If your version of Quicken allows you to export a CSV file for a given currencies exchange rate this is the way to go. Use IMPORT button in Moneydance under the Currency/Security History window to import the exchange rates. If this route is not available you can manually add exchange rates or you can import CSV exchange rate files downloaded from sites on the web. If you have investment account, their balances will probably be incorrect. This is due to the fact that the currency set in the security history windows will be in the Moneydance base currency. You can change to the correct security currency and provided exchange rates exist the values will be converted. As you do this re-calculation occurs, but I think the results should be correct. No guarantees the section will work correctly.
Hope this helps.
6 Posted by Tim on 10 Aug, 2025 09:43 AM
Thanks for the great explanation. That’s a lot of work. I think on balance I shall just start afresh if I do switch app and leave my history where it is. I have 25 years of Quicken data and I don’t think the effort required to ensure it’s integrity after transfer is warranted.
7 Posted by dtd on 10 Aug, 2025 06:31 PM
I have 35+ years of data from Quicken (and earlier) and feel the effort to convert was worth it. I do only have one currency, so that did simplify things some.
Your choice as to where you are of course.
8 Posted by Tim on 10 Aug, 2025 06:37 PM
Wow that’s a lot. I am also single currency, but I do have over 250 investment items, each with multiple price points per month.
I wish I could find a common thread in the missing data. I would love to convert as I am running Apple everything snd I meed to run a decades old Windows virtual machine to support one app - Quicken UK.
9 Posted by dwg on 10 Aug, 2025 09:15 PM
I migrated something over 70 old Investment accounts, like @dtd I had years of data to pull over. I came from Reckon which is an Australianised version of Quicken.
Yes it took some work and some time, but I was happy with the result.
10 Posted by dtd on 10 Aug, 2025 09:17 PM
As for missing data.
You say your data is in Windows. Ok.
Open ALL accounts that might have been closed. With 25 years, you will probably forget some are even there.
Do a QIF export of EVERYTHING - check every box, even invisible ones ;)
That way, you'll get everything Quicken is willing to give.
Import THAT. If there is still something missing, figure out a pattern - it won't/can't be random - that's not how computers work. Find out what you forgot to check.
What you WILL find is your final balances are absolutely, totally screwy. but if you look at your investments, all your securities should have proper shares, if not values.
If you get that far, and want to go further, there are ways (as you say, there is a bit to do) to fix the still not good issues moving forward.
11 Posted by tim shears on 11 Aug, 2025 03:00 PM
Thanks again for you help.
I have made progress. Apart from opening balances the transactions seem to be there.
Several puzzling things though.
I have an asset account called Little dove. It now has a zero balance. That account seems to be there, but I cannot see it or add it. There is another account called LittleDoveX that appears to have been generated. It seems to be something to do with transfers or splits in quicken. Anyway, if I look at the transaction on the X account and do “show other side” it opens the Little dove account.
Several accounts that have no balance now appears to have balances and when I look at the accounts there seems to be something weird going on with uncleared transactions still showing.
Kind regards
Tim
System closed this discussion on 10 Nov, 2025 03:10 PM.