Quicken Home and Business 2010 TO Reckon Accounts Plus 2014?

Liz Fisher

We have Quicken Home and Business 2010. We need inventory management and payroll. How do I import into Reckon Accounts Plus 2014?

Mirko

Hey Liz,

Whilst there is no direct import/convert tool for taking Quicken files into Reckon Accounts, some accredited partners may offer this service. To find a partner please visit this link: http://home.reckon.com.au/support/Home/ReckonSupport/FindAReckonAccreditedPartner.aspx

Alternatively, you may be able to export the transactions as CSV/QIF and then import them into RAB 2014.

Thanks,
Mirko

Liz Fisher

Thanks for your response Mirko.

I have been exporting our data to Excel. I note the only file format available is txt. There is no-where that I can see where I can convert data to QIF.

The transaction list - you recommended - does not include GST splits. So I have also exported detailed GST, category and payee reports too for each financial year.

Some things occur to me.

1. We have been using Quicken since the inception of our business for over 10 years. The upgrade process every time we get a new computer is never simple.

2. If I am saving all my data on Excel spreadsheets - why did I bother with Quicken in the first place?

3. If I want to BUY a product - why do I need to pay someone to assist with the process? It is not like selling a house and paying a Real Estate agent. While the product provides value to the business - I don't think that if I wanted to buy a product - that I would need to pay a "partner" - particularly given we have used Quicken for years.

4. Why are the file extensions so difficult to work with - even between your own products?

5. So I am back to square one (not sure if you followed the previous conversation where you recommended Accounts Plus to meet our business needs - given Quicken no longer does). I gather there is no product that will provide for our payroll and inventory needs that converts data from Quicken Home and Business.

6. Cloud based products do not meet our needs as the internet connection is not fast enough in the rural area where we live.

Mirko

Hi Liz,

I appreciate your concerns and will happily address them.

1. I'm sorry to hear you have had issues with the upgrade process on occasions you have obtained a new computer.

2. Saving to Excel, and converting will provide you with the work around to create a compatible import file. As the data files are different, importing to Excel, saving as .iif and then renaming to .QIF will allow you to create a compatible file (see more: https://community.reckon.com.au/reckon/topics/qif_files)

3. Partners provide support and services, which is not offered by Reckon. From Tax advise to advanced product support and configurations specifically tailored to individual businesses.

4. As Reckon Accounts Personal (formerly Quicken) and Reckon Accounts Business (formerly QuickBooks) are separate programs, each use different file structures. Whilst both are part of the same family (Reckon), each perform different functions and are built differently, which requires different file structures.

5. The reason I suggested Accounts Business Plus, as it offered the features you indicated you required (payroll + inventory). You are right that there is no direct upgrade from Home and Business which allows these features. You would need to create a new data file within Plus, and import the data, or look into conversion processes.

(Alternatively; as one of my colleague has just ingeniously suggested to me, you would be able to start a new company file, close of the balances within Quicken, then using these figures as the opening balances in the new data file in Accounts Plus. This way you would have the Quicken file as "historical data", and use the new data file as of creation which would allow you to use Inventory, Payroll etc, this could be an option?)

6. We acknowledge no all software is compatible for every client and every situation (especially Cloud based solutions, at least until Rural Australian Internet infrastructure is improved).

Thanks,
Mirko

Graham Boast

Hi Liz

I would like to follow on from some of Mirko's comments.

Point 3 - Mirko is correct in describing what Reckon Accredited Partners do.  To use your Real Estate analogy, we are more like Interior Decorators - we help get it right.

Point 5 - The process that Mirko describes after "Alternatively" is the method I would recommend every time.  The time and effort involved in reconfiguring the data, importing the data, then rebalancing the figures is considerable when weighed against the small benefit afforded by having your entire history in the one file.

Some things you might consider:

• Old File/New file is best done at an end-of-period cutoff date - BAS period or Financial Year
• If you have a considerable number of open invoices at the end of the period, it may be useful to call in the interior decorators
• If you want to run reports with comparison against previous periods, then you can record journal entries summarising the figures for the period

And when to start using Reckon Accounts;

• Data entry shouldn't be done from Register - you will need to use the "Write Cheques" function
• You will need to get your head around how Recipient Created Tax Invoices need to be handled in Reckon Accounts and they cannot be entered as a single transaction. See my paper "Recipient Created Tax Invoices - Seller's Perspective" here http://www.reckonhelp.com.au/Help_RAB.htm

Graham
ReckonHelp.com.au