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Import of QIF files generated by quicken

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Callum Paterson

06 May, 2026 07:41 AM

Hi,

I'm importing qif files from Quicken 2002 into the latest version of Moneydance and I have looked but can't find any guidance on which quicken transaction types to avoid or may have problem on import - is there any?

In particular is there guidance on which transactions to avoid and which transactions are not a 1 to 1 translation (1 IntIncX generates 2 transactions in Moneydance) as this might pose the importer some problems?

Why is the memo field in an investment transaction copied into the description field? Can I avoid that?

Regards

Callum

1. Support Staff 1 Posted by Maddy on 06 May, 2026 09:46 AM

   

   Hi Callum,
   Thank you for contacting Moneydance support.

   We would recommend to try importing your Quicken again data by following the steps below:

   • You need to open Quicken to export your data into one or more QIF files.

   Ideally you'll export one QIF file that contains all of your account data. Use the option to export 'all accounts' within one QIF file if this is available within the software you're using.
   If not, you should export one QIF file for each account in your file.

   Make sure you export any closed or inactive accounts containing transfers to your open accounts. You may need to re-open these accounts before exporting.

   If you're using Moneydance for the first time, when you open the program, you'll see the Welcome window. Choose “Create a new account set” and setup a new data file.
   If you have opened Moneydance previously, you can create a new data file by choosing File --> New --> Create a New File. Then follow the prompts to enter a name and currency for your new file.

   When viewing your new data file, choose File --> Import. Then navigate to and select the QIF file.

   You'll be asked which account you want to import your data into. If you have data for multiple accounts within one QIF file, you can pick any account.

   Below this, Moneydance will automatically try to determine the date format and decimal character used within the QIF file.
   If you want to check this, open the QIF file with a text based program like NotePad or TextEdit. This will allow you to check which date format and decimal character are being used.

   Choose 'Import' and wait a moment while your accounts and data are imported into Moneydance.

   If it appears some of your accounts are missing from the left side bar, press the '+' button at the bottom of the side bar. Choose 'Advanced'. You should see the missing accounts in the panel on the left - highlight the account name and press 'Add' to move the accounts into the panel on the right. When you're done press OK and these accounts should then be available for selection from within the side bar.

   Some QIF files don’t include an 'Initial Balance' for your accounts (sometimes referred to as a beginning balance or a starting balance). If this is the case, you'll see all transactions have imported but the account balance will show a discrepancy.
   To fix this, select the account and choose Account --> Edit Account. In this window, you can enter an amount into the 'Initial Balance' field.

   For investment accounts, QIF file don’t always carry security prices other than buy/sell prices, so investment account balances may be wrong until you update with the current security prices.

   Reminders are not included in QIF files as the QIF file format has no ability to include reminder data.

   Finally, it may be worth referring you to this article of the Knowledge Base on Possible Problems After QIF Import.

   I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions or need more assistance.

   --
   Maddy, Infinite Kind Support

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2. Support Staff 2 Posted by Maddy on 06 May, 2026 09:47 AM

   

   Side note: Moneydance uses the double entry method of accounting, which means that every transaction is a link between accounts (or categories), as outlined here.
   So, all transactions have two sides. For example: When you create a transaction in your “Your Current Account" and set the category to “#1” a corresponding transaction is created in the transaction register for the “#1” category and the category on that side of the transaction is set to the “Your Current Account" . If you are in the transaction register for the “#1” category, look at the "category" and you will see the accounts where the transaction came from.

   --
   Maddy, Infinite Kind Support

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3. 3 Posted by Callum Paterson on 06 May, 2026 10:37 AM

   

   Hi Maddy,

   This looks a fairly standard reply to a new user but doesn't answer any of the questions that I asked.

   I understand that: a) different software works differently, b) QIF files are poor and Quicken generates errors in thiers - I am having to fettle mine to make sure that is doesn't contain errors on input.

   What I am trying to do is find out if there are any known "gotchas" in importing QIF files generated by Quicken that I could avoid or at least check on after import.

   I have exported all my data in one file (but not the memorised trasnactions) - all accounts - my quicken has no concept of a closed account so everything is there. All accounts have openning balances, it includes ALL pricing data, I have imported many times (as I have been "improving" the QIF file), both directly creating a file by importing a QIF file and creating a Moneydance file first and then importing into that. Moneydance does detect the date format correctly (and I like the fact that Moneydance can do a proper UK financial year).

   It is all going, so far, pretty well. It is just wierd things such as the problems I have reported and that for some quicken single transactions are translated into two Moneydance transactions. I have already refered to the article about "Possible Problems After QIF Import" and I'm not having any of those problems and I have hunted in the knowledge base but not found any relevant info although I'm still learning how to phrase queries to get useful answer.

   ANy other useful info?

   Regards

   Callum

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4. 4 Posted by dwg on 06 May, 2026 12:08 PM

   

   Moneydance does not have an IntIncX action type. It could potentially convert it to a DivXfr transaction as they get processed the same way, but converting it to two separate transactions is valid and has the same result.

   Quicken uses action types as a categorisation mechanism, so the two fields are linked. Moneydance does not, it uses the action field to determine how transactions are to be processed and the category is assigned independently, hence a DivXfr and be used for any income event that is to be transferred to another account.

   A book could potentially be written on importing QIF files. Moneydance has 12 action types, Quicken has many more but there is overlap with Quicken linking action with category, it has been suggested that Moneydance expand their actions types to cover the overlaps, even though they would perform the same task as other actions, in order to match Quicken.

   I am not aware of anyone attempting to put together a list of what can happen with the import, it has the potential to be very long and we do get to see new variations.

   Many of the users that have worked with QIF files will recognise many issues on sight, but there seems to always be new things occurring, so they are generally handle as and when they occur.

   For information Moneydance has the following actions:

   Buy
   BuyXfr
   Sell
   SellXfr
   Div
   DivXfr
   DivReinvest
   MiscInc
   MiscExp
   Short
   Cover
   Xfr

   Splits in Moneydance are not handled as a transaction, and as indicated earlier for many categories you assign the appropriate one needed to the action selected.

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