how can you reduce the number of targets in company file

Your financial transactions are made up of targets.  The only automated way to remove them is Condense, usually by choosing an aggressive (more recent) date and other options.

I condensed from 3-1-2010 back and my number of targets didn't reduce at all.  Would this be normal?

@SUNT1 

The condense data utility has the limitation at a certain point. You may consider removing some (or many) older transactions to lower the Total Targets and migrate your data to QBO.

https://quickbooks.grsm.io/US

https://quickbooks.grsm.io/us-promo

Utilize the migration tool to migrate the removed ones as a workaround. i.e TPExporter for Desktop, TPImporter for Online.

https://transactionpro.grsm.io/qbo

Another option, purchase a 3rd party conversion service. Contact us in private for details.

@SUNT1 

RE: I condensed from 3-1-2010 back and my number of targets didn't reduce at all. Would this be normal?

All depends on the data in your file. Do you have a lot of transactions dated before 3/1/2010?  If so, what kinds of transactions?  Generally bank and credit card type transactions will all be deleted - except those connected/linked to AR or AP transactions - which will only be deleted if everything they're connected to is also deleted.