Quicken Upgrade Question

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

I'm still using Quicken Deluxe 2017 but just purchased Quicken Deluxe 2019 on EBAY (cheap) and I'm getting ready to move over to the new version. That got me thinking about my current file which has got to be at least 15 years old and I do from time to time search for purchase information or run reports. Should I be creating a new file and starting fresh every year, I know they suggest a year end copy and also an option to archive records. Curious what others do, I'd still like to be able to access previous years info easily.
How easy is it to archive records and create new files and keep track of everything? Has anyone ran into problems doing this?

 

[pb4uski]

I create a new file when there are so many transactions in the existing file that it starts to run slow... seems like every 3-5 years or so.

 

[Philliefan33]

I create a year-end copy every year, usually after I file our income tax forms.

 

[grasshopper]

I started a new file in 2012, I don't do a EOY copy, but do save a copy of tax schedule and tax summary.

 

[SecondCor521]

My file goes back to 2006 or so and is still peppy under Quicken 2017 Deluxe on Windows 8. If it ever bogs down I'll probably archive off everything through the end of the previous calendar year.

 

[sdtech]

I have transactions back to 1992! With Quicken for the Mac it's still fast.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I am going to use the same file I always have and make regular backups as I always have.

On a side note: 2017 still will work for downloads till April, I also purchased a 14 month subscription from FleaBay for ~$12. It is guaranteed to work until the end of 2020 and still give 14 months from registration date. I will wait till March to activate it and use my current 2017 version till then.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I've used Quicken since the early 90s (maybe even the late 80s, I've lost track). Through the years, I've had a few files that just go so messed up with bad data that I started new files. Quicken wasn't (isn't?) always so good at working when the data gets corrupted by whatever means corrupts it. My general rule is to keep using the same file as long as I want. Every couple years, I will save off a copy as an archive and/or save and rename the file to match my current year. If you move to a completely new file, you lose a lot of the history. But sometimes, I just really wanted to start a new file. My current file has about 5 years of data in it.

 

[AmigaDude]

I just did the exact same thing last week (including using eBay).
FYI - Turbotax will not import from Quicken 97, so I decided to bite the bullet.

I did my usual and let it upgrade the existing file, and can happily report that everything works fine. Speed is consistent with where it had been, with no major slow downs. I can't recall when I started using Quicken, but a quick glance shows some transactions back to 1997. However some account trans start in 2000, when I believe I was forced to cleanup things.

Good Luck!

 

[Masquernom]

I thought the versions of Quicken newer than 2017 were subscription based? You have to pay to use them every year?

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I thought the versions of Quicken newer than 2017 were subscription based? You have to pay to use them every year?

Yes, 14 Month Subscriptions are $12.95 on eBay.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Thanks for all the feedback. The file was actually created 12/31/2000 and like others have mentioned it still runs fine, no slowdowns at all. I think I'll save a final backup and copy all the info into a new file dated for 2020. I did run a file validate a couple of weeks ago and everything seemed to be fine. I will start start saving a copy of the Tax Schedule and Summary, I never did that before, never even thought of running it since my taxes are fairly straightforward.
I paid $9.99 with free shipping on EBAY, could not turn down that price although I was a little concerned that I was buying a valid copy but it seems to be genuine and factory sealed.

 

[nobody]

I have transactions back to 1992! With Quicken for the Mac it's still fast.

You got me beat by a year, mine goes back to 1993.

 

[NW-Bound]

Wow, people keeping data going back almost 30 years! I like this.

I started with Quicken only in mid-2010, so not quite 10 years. However, I have a lot more stock trades than expense transactions. My Quicken file is currently 117 MB. It is not running too slow, but I wonder about future performance.

Those posters with a long-time record, could you please tell me about your file size?

In comparison to Quicken, MS Money, which I used until they discontinued it, left me with a file size of 250MB after 10 years. And I did not make as many stock transactions then, nor used it to track expenses. This means Quicken is more efficient in storing data in its file.

 

[nobody]

I don't track any investments with it. I just use it for checking, money markets, credit cards and such. I also confess I quit using Quicken about 10 years ago when I switched to running Linux full time. I was able to export my transactions and import them into KMyMoney (free version for windozs and Linux) and have been using that since then. File size is 540KB.

 

[SecondCor521]

Those posters with a long-time record, could you please tell me about your file size?

First transaction December 2006, 123MB.

 

[AmigaDude]

Those posters with a long-time record, could you please tell me about your file size?

133MB with some trans going back to 1997, most restart in 2000.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

For some reason we did not start tracking since 2009. We lived on a boat and traveled about so did not use a financial program as we were too busy doing other things and living. When we purchased a permanent home in FLA that is when I started. No rigging, water makers, Auto Pilots, AC, or other boaty crap to fix on a daily basis.

 

[grasshopper]

My Quicken file restart was 2012 and 94MB, Quicken keeps brokerage for forever it seems so my brokerage goes back to 2005. I have old files on thumb drives and disc, and floppy. I did buy a floppy drive to look one thing up years ago, none of my laptops have a CD/DVD.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

119MB and data from December 2000, no stock transactions. That's pretty amazing how small the file is.

 

[CDRE]

Quicken file is 69MB with downloaded transactions beginning in 2004 and not aware of any degradation in performance. Using Ver2017 and will have my "forced" upgrade in the fall this year.

 

[ejman]

Wow, people keeping data going back almost 30 years! I like this.

I started with Quicken only in mid-2010, so not quite 10 years. However, I have a lot more stock trades than expense transactions. My Quicken file is currently 117 MB. It is not running too slow, but I wonder about future performance.

Those posters with a long-time record, could you please tell me about your file size?

In comparison to Quicken, MS Money, which I used until they discontinued it, left me with a file size of 250MB after 10 years. And I did not make as many stock transactions then, nor used it to track expenses. This means Quicken is more efficient in storing data in its file.

63 MB on Quicken 2010. Started using DOS Quicken in 1992 and stopped updating to new versions in 2010 since I found I don't really like to use the electronic price/transaction update function. Been entering everything manually and as you can see by my file size, not very much work to do so. It runs just fine on Linux Mint, as speedy as always on an old laptop with an I3 processor (also runs OK on my one Win 10 machine with an I7) surprisingly its actually faster on the old Linux Laptop).

 

[spncity]

I have transactions back to 1992! With Quicken for the Mac it's still fast.

Can Quicken for Mac (not subscription) still be purchased? What price expected?



Any fewer features?



I'm using Quicken 2014 with Codeweavers Crossover to make it work on a Mac.


Thanks for comments!

 

[kblagron]

I started using Quicken in DOS in 1987, and although I always thought I was going to have to archive past transactions, newer computers and better Quicken versions allowed me to keep all that data. I do like having my net worth available since 1987 - I had about $50K invested when I started.

The file is now 232 MB, and more or less has every transaction I have made in the last 33 years. I have a 6 year old computer, and do not ever notice any slow down. I am going to have to upgrade from 2017 in a few months, so hopefully no issues there.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I have transactions going back to 2007 with some brokerage transactions going back to 1996 so it will have an accurate basis. Wow hard to believe I've held onto some funds that long.

Quicken for Mac, file size 97 MB. I track everything and must have at least 50 accounts including closed ones, so I'm surprised it isn't bigger than that.

My first version of Quicken was under DOS, and I recall installing Windows version 1.0. I fell off the wagon for a number of years, which is why my current file starts in 1997.