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Converting data from Quicken to QuickBooks

Detailed Instructions

If you are unable to convert from Quicken to QuickBooks after following the steps provided, you will need to contact the Quicken Support Team.

IMPORTANT: Converting from Quicken to QuickBooks may require additional assistance from the Quicken Support Team.

Use these instructions if you want to convert Quicken for Windows 98 through 2012 or Quicken Home and Business 98 through 2012 to QuickBooks. If you are converting data from Quicken for Macintosh, please refer to Converting a Company File from Quicken for Mac to QuickBooks for Mac or Windows.

Note: You cannot convert a Quicken for DOS 1-4 file into a QuickBooks for Windows file. You must either upgrade your Quicken file to a newer version of the software or start a new company file. You can use reports to see what historical data you will need to enter.

To install QuickBooks and convert your Quicken data, please follow these steps:

Insert the QuickBooks installation CD in the CD-ROM. The installation program will start automatically.
Follow the on-screen instructions to install QuickBooks.
After installation, start QuickBooks.
In QuickBooks, from the File menu, choose Utilities, then choose Convert, and then select From Quicken. In QuickBooks 2005 and older, from the File menu, choose Utilities and then select Convert from Quicken
Select the Quicken .QDF file you want to convert. (You will also need to convert the .QEL, .QPH, and .IDX files.)
QuickBooks will guide you through the remainder of the conversion.

Important: QuickBooks will not convert data from a newer version of Quicken (i.e. QuickBooks 2009 cannot convert data from Quicken 2011).

At the end of the Quicken conversion is a list of every payee name that was not used in an account you designated as an A/R account. Therefore, this list may contain not only names of customers, vendors, and employees but also descriptions such as "Deposit," "Transfer," and "Interest."

You have a chance to change the names on the list to customers, vendors, or employees. If you don't change them now, they remain on your Other Names list. If you decide not to change the type now, you can still do it later, but you'll have to do it one name at a time.

Here are some tips for deciding whether to change a name type:

Type of name	Use for
Customer	Person or company to which you send estimates, invoices, or statements
Vendor	Person or company to which you provide 1099 forms or send purchase orders or from which you receive bills
Clear the tape	Person or company to which you provide 1099 forms or send purchase orders or from which you receive bills
Employee	Person for whom you provide W-2 forms and report as being on your payroll
Other Name	Owners, partners, or miscellaneous payees on checks or credit card charges

Changing the name type for several names on your Other Names list

In the Change Name Types window, choose the appropriate column for each name you want to move to a different list.

For example, to move some names to the Vendor list, click the Vendor column next to those names. To change all the marks back to the Other Name column, click Revert.
Once you change the name type, you can't undo it. The only name type you can change is the Other Name type. You can move a name from the Other Names list to the Vendor, Customer: Job, or Employee list. However, you can't move a vendor, customer, or employee to any other list. Therefore, if you are not sure whether to change a name now, it's best to leave it as is. You will be able to change it later.

When the columns are marked correctly, click OK.

If you have different versions of the same name

If you have slightly different versions of the same name (for example, Mike Rhymes, Michael Rhymes, and Michael P. Rhymes), QuickBooks will put each version of the name on the Other Names list.
QuickBooks will not allow you to delete any name used in a transaction. However, you can shorten the Other Names list after you have started using QuickBooks.

If this solution does not resolve the issue, you can read discussions and post messages and questions relating to your issue on the Intuit QuickBooks Community site for free or you can contact a technical support agent for additional guidance. Fees may apply.