Instructions for moving from QuickBooks Desktop Mac to Quicken Classic Business & Personal?

Please delete my post and my reply. I reposted the same information after attempting to submit the post, but never got any reply from the system, and I thought it was unsucessful.

Hello there, bobqkbx. I'm here to provide details about the article you found and migrating from QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) Mac to Quicken Classic Business & Personal.

Firstly, it's important to note that the article you referenced is tailored specifically for QBDT for Windows. This explains why the steps don't align perfectly with those for QBDT for Mac. Although the two platforms are different, the principles in the article can still be applied to QBDT for Mac with some minor modifications.

Please follow the steps below about exporting your Chart of Accounts and Vendor list:

1. Sign in to your company file as an admin.
2. Go to File and select Export.
3. Select Lists to IIF File, then choose the list you want to export.
4. Click OK and enter a name for your IIF file.
5. In the Where dropdown, choose a location to save your IIF file into, then select Save.

Please refer to this article for more details: Export, import, and edit IIF files.

Then, follow the necessary steps below for the next process:  

1. Open the exported IIF file in Excel, and if possible, save it as a .QIF file.
2. If Excel does not offer this option on your end, consider using a third-party conversion tool to convert the file to .QIF format.
3. Import the file into Quicken.

Moreover, please consider contacting our support team for further assistance with the migration process. They're well-equipped to guide you through the transition process smoothly.

Regarding the removal of your other post, one of our moderators will take care of archiving it for you.

Additionally, you can refer to the following article to learn how to optimize your experience with QuickBooks for Mac:  System requirements for QuickBooks Desktop 2024. This resource will help ensure your setup meets the necessary specifications for optimal performance.

Let us know if you have other concerns about migrating your QBDT files to Quicken, bobqkbx. We're here to help you in any way we can.

(I just created a reply to your reply, clicked Post, then was asked to confirm my identity by 2FA, which I did, but after submitting the code, I was returned to this page with my reply deleted, so I am starting over.)

Thank you for your quick reply, and confirming the page I found was for the Windows version.

I was able to complete steps 1–5. In step 3, I don't know which lists I will need, so I chose all lists.

I don't see any additional steps in your reply after you wrote: "Then, follow the necessary steps below for the next process."

Your detailed and prompt response is valued, Bobqkbx. Allow me to chime in and provide additional information on migrating from QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) Mac to Quicken.

Currently, there's no direct way to convert files from QBDT Mac to Quicken. As a workaround, you can consider moving your Mac files to QuickBooks Desktop for Windows and then converting them to Quicken. This process will enable you to move from QuickBooks Desktop Mac to Quicken efficiently.

Before doing so, update QuickBooks to the latest release and remove any memos with more than 50 characters or contain special characters. You can run a Custom Transaction Detail Report to search for memos with special characters. Here's how:

1. Click the Reports menu and then Custom Transaction Detail Report.
2. From the Dates drop-down menu, set to All Dates.
3. Double-click a transaction with a memo to open it.
4. Delete the special characters from the memo field and Save before closing the transaction.
5. Repeat the steps for all other transactions and then re-sort your lists.
6. Go to File and select Utilities, then Verify Data.

Next, move your company file to QuickBooks for Windows. Navigate to Step 3 of this article for the complete process: Move QuickBooks for Mac file to QuickBooks for Windows.

Once done, you can now convert from QBDT for Windows to Quicken. Check out this resource for additional guidance: Convert from QuickBooks Desktop to Quicken.

However, if you're uncomfortable with this alternative solution

and wish to explore other alternatives, I recommend using a third-party app that directly converts QBDT Mac files to Quicken. You can also contact Quicken Support to see possible solutions for converting your data.

Finally, I'll share this resource to help you if you need to restore or round-trip your files to QuickBooks for Mac: Convert a Windows file to Mac in QuickBooks.

Converting your files to Quicken to meet your current needs and preferences will enhance your financial management, Bobqkbx. If you have any other questions about this, please leave a comment below. We're here to help you every step of the way.

@bobqkbx 

You have QB Desktop 2021 Mac with a non subscription license, correct?

Did you change your machine from Mac to PC?

Thanks for the additional steps, and related url.

You wrote: "You can use Excel to open the exported IIF files and save them in a format that Quicken can read, such as CSV or QIF files."

Are you suggesting I will need to export each list I want to export into separate IIF files? I exported all the available lists when I exported to a single IIF file. I just took a look (in a spreadsheet) at the contents of the IIF file I created, and it contains rows for: ACCNT, INVITEM, CTYPE, CUST, VTYPE, VEND, EMP, OTHERNAME,
SHIPMETH, PAYMETH, TERMS, BUD (I have no data for this category), TODO (I have no data for this category), VEHICLE (I have no data for this category), SALESREP, SALESTAXCODE.

What I assumed the export and import processes would do, but I didn't explicitly ask about, is once I have the IIF data imported into Quicken, how do I export (and then import) registers and transactions?

Yes, QB Desktop 2021 Mac with a non subscription license.

I've always run QuickBooks (and Quicken) on macOS*; never in Windows.

* I actually ran both in Mac OS (originally System Software; retronym: Classic Mac OS), versions 9 and earlier, but migrated those to macOS when that became possible.

Hello, bob. Thank you for getting in touch with your concerns about handling import and export registers and transactions in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac. I'm here to assist you through the process.

To import transactions, you can utilize IIF files. Unfortunately, QBDT Mac does not support exporting transactions in the same file format. For detailed guidance and to view a comprehensive list of transactions while importing, please check out this article: The lists and transactions you can import.

For export transactions, I suggest exploring third-party solutions that can assist with this functionality in QBDT Mac.

As for registers, please note that import and export capabilities are only available for the chart of accounts list.

Now, let me walk you through how to import and export using IIF files in QBDT Mac. Here's what to do:

Exporting IIF Files:

1. Log in to your company file as an administrator.
2. Navigate to File and select Export.
3. Choose Lists to IIF File and select the specific list you'd like to export.
4. Click OK, then name your IIF file.
5. From the Where dropdown menu, pick a location to save your IIF file and click Save.

Importing IIF Files

Important Note: Before importing IIF files, ensure you back up your company file. This allows you to restore your data if needed.

• Open your company file as an administrator.
• Go to the File menu and select Import.
• Then, select From IIF Files and follow the prompts to import your file.

If you need further clarification on importing and exporting in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, feel free to leave a comment below. I'm here to help you.

Why do you have to switching to Quicken. You can use your QB for good. Any specific concern?

QuickBooks has served my needs fine in terms of functionality, I prefer to pay for software that isn't subscription-based and be able to run it (for the upfront amount I paid) for as long as it is supported under the macOS I'm running. My accounting needs are very minimal (sole proprietorship / one user, no employees, very low volume of business, no online syncing with bank / credit cards, etc.), no accountant access needs, and I typically don't need the features in major release versions. The version I am running is the last one that is non-subscription. The cost to move to, and maintain, a subscription, even using Simple Start, is way too high and not justifiable to me, for my needs.

Quicken is now subscription-based only, but the cost for running Quicken Business & Personal is far less than running Quicken Personal (subscription) and QuickBooks Simple Start (subscription).

I feel QuickBooks may be losing some of the customer base that is in a similar situation.

You can still run your QBD 2021 on Sonoma or Sequoia. Buy if you prefer to use a supported program on Mac, you should contact @Fiat Lux - ASIA for advise. They can share another option to compare with Quicken if required.

Some years ago, INTUIT informed me:

"We will offer a limited time exception for the purchase of our Desktop Pro, Premier, and Mac 2021 one-time purchase licenses (supported through May 2024)".

If what INTUIT told me is true, QBD 2021 is now unsupported. I am running macOS 14.7 (Sonoma), and am not concerned about continuing to run it another month or so, to allow me to finish my 2024 business tax reports (even though not officially supported), but I want to upgrade to macOS 15 (Sequoia) after that, and doing so, and continuing to run QBD 2021 Mac (support ended May 2024) in macOS 15 is not a risk I care to take. How is it you believe I can run QBD 2021 Mac Sequoia? I mean, it might run, but it isn't supported. The writing is on the wall.

I checked the link for alternative accounting software/service in Asia, but I'm not interested in that.

I do appreciate your post, though.

Hi there, Bob.

It's good to have clarity on your stance regarding using QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) 2021 Mac. As you noted, the statement indicates that support for QBDT 2021 Mac will conclude in May 2024, which flags potential risks in software functionality and security post this period, especially once you upgrade to macOS 15 (Sequoia).

The macOS 15 operating system can technically run QBDT 2021. Although the product version was discontinued a few months ago, you may encounter various issues like software incompatibilities and an absence of security patches without official support and updates from Intuit.

Since you've decided against opting for alternative software solutions in Asia, the best way is to consider transitioning to a different version or product that continues to receive support and updates from Intuit. QuickBooks Online, for instance, could be a viable solution. It offers the flexibility of being compatible with multiple operating systems and receives regular updates to stay in sync with the latest technologies. 

Moreover, you can also check out this article to learn the difference between QBO and QBDT: Compare QuickBooks Online to Desktop.

Feel free to leave a reply if you have additional concerns besides running QBDT 2021 on your macOS 15 computer. We certainly want to ensure that your business operations run smoothly and securely, and we are here to assist you in making the transition as seamless as possible.

@bob2024 

You can check this one for reference. Hope it helps.

https://www.fiatlux.co.id/single-post/quickbooks-desktop-after-september-2024-what-next

You already posted that in this thread, and I replied:

"I checked the link for alternative accounting software/service in Asia, but I'm not interested in that."