Just to answer Tom’s original question:
QFX is technically a proprietary Intuit format – Quicken Financial Exchange. Underneath QFX, however, it is just a Quicken’s proprietary header put on top of OFX. OFX is an Open Financial Exchange format based on XML for which details can be found at below URL’s: https://www.openbankingtracker.com/standards/ofx https://financialdataexchange.org/about-fdx/ofx-work-group/ QIF on the other hand is Quicken Interchange Format which is just plain text ASCII format that Intuit invented in Quicken’s early life. While it was proprietary, it was the first cut of standardizing financial data interchange format that came to existence for the industry for both the producers (financial institutions) and the consumers (Financial Management Software). M$ Money then joined the foray and adopted it too. This format had a lot of gaps in terms of financial transaction definition but it stayed around a lot longer. Just to make it complete, QXF – Quicken Interchange Format -- is fully closed, proprietary and encrypted database that Quicken uses it internally to store the data. While no one knows for sure what type of database it is, I have hunch that it is based on very early version of PostgreSQL with zip encryption on top of it. Later versions possibly moved to SQLite based one. More can be found at below URL: https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7951612/quicken-for-windows-backend-database-technology-validate-and-super-validate-working HTH. From: John Ralls <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2026 10:59 PM To: Tom Route36 <[email protected]> Cc: [email protected]; Kalpesh Patel <[email protected]>; Stephen Lee Phillips <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [GNC] Download assistance sought... Tom, You’re right. OFX/QFX is focussed on transferring transaction information and for the most part assumes that only one account is involved. Absent Kalpesh’s transposition that would be true of transferring data between Quicken instances too. Regards, John Ralls On Oct 1, 2026, at 16:42, Tom Route36 <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: John, Another question about this. Although QFX files can be imported directly into Gnucash, isn't that more for importing transactions from individual accounts? Aren't QIF files what you want to use when trying to import a full Quicken database (all accounts and categories)? I know that I used the QIF format when I made the move to Gnucash. I'm not sure what the differences are between importing data using QFX versus QIF format. Tom On 10/01/2026 05:13 PM, Tom Route36 wrote: John, Thanks for that. I feel dumb now. I guess somehow a bunch of us missed the option available to import QFX files directly. Tom On 10/01/2026 03:56 PM, John Ralls wrote: If you can get a QFX then you’re done. GnuCash can import those *more reliably* than QIF files. Regards, John Ralls On Oct 1, 2026, at 14:52, Kalpesh Patel <mailto:[email protected]> <[email protected]> wrote: Tom – I agree with your intermediate step of going from Mac 2007 version to Windows 2007 via QFX format. Also wanted to add clarification on the rinse-&-repeat three times process that I mentioned in that for the next iteration open the file that was copied using the “File Operation perform Copy” from the previous rinse-&-repeat cycle; not the same file. For each iteration you want to improve on the previously improved one. Do this rinse-&-repeat three times as the very first step, then when data is in Windows 2007 version (if you perform Tom’s intermediate step) and finally when data is in Windows 2013 version before exporting to QIF format. David T. – this path might also bring your 2006 version to stable 2013 version if you are looking to keep copy of it to look back if that is what you do. From: Tom Route36 < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2026 5:12 PM To: Kalpesh Patel < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Cc: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]; 'Stephen Lee Phillips' < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]>; 'David T.' < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Subject: Re: [GNC] Download assistance sought... Kalpesh, This is a great way to get around dealing with Quicken's subscription requirement; and I think your way is definitely less hassle for Steve. It's also possibly a good way of trying to clean up any issues with the Quicken data itself. I do have one suggestion though that might make the data cleanup process better -- or at least more likely to be successful. You suggest exporting the .qfx file from Quicken Mac 2007; and importing the .qfx file to Quicken Windows 2013. That would probably work. But in regard to trying to safely clean up the Quicken data, my suggestion would be slightly different. I'd take the exported .qfx file from Quicken Mac 2007 and import it into Quicken Windows *2007* first. That way you're moving the data between Mac and PC on the same year of Quicken software (2007), which I think might be safer. Then once the data has been moved into Quicken Windows 2007, you upgrade the software on the PC to Quicken Windows 2013. That might be a safer way to clean up the Quicken data. It's still kinda iffy; and doing multiple Validate and Repair operations to check for data issues on both year versions (2007 and 2013) would be highly recommended. Anyway, that would be my one tweak to your advice for Steve. Tom On 10/01/2026 04:02 AM, Kalpesh Patel wrote: These steps can be reduced where their cloud version is *not* needed at all. Reading https://www.quicken.com/support/converting-your-data-quicken-mac-0 steps to do Mac upgrade but probably isn’t necessary. Since Mac version doesn’t provide QIF export, The cleanest route (outside of cleaning up the data) is to export out data into QFX format from the existing Mac version and then install Windows version of Quicken 2013 (might not need Virtual Box). There is a link at the bottom of https://www.quicken.com/support/how-and-when-use-intermediate-version-convert-older-versions-quicken/?srsltid=AU7gw4UlwroMzIM8S5PREhIkCezAcT3BYQrpq0Ev9KerNVR0jIMjetyY for Quicken 2013 Deluxe download for free which is stated to be able to import QFX format and export away directly from there into QIF. This kind of implies that changes to their internal database was last done during version 2013, which make sense as I recall something to that effect. Before exporting the data, I suggest that in Quicken use Validate and Repair from File Operations and then from File Operation perform Copy. Do this about three times to try to rinse out bad records in Quickens internal database (not guaranteed). Then export to QFX, Import into Quicken 2013 on Windows. Run this rinse operation three times there as well before exporting to QIF format. This is likely to be the least resistant way of getting to GNC from that old data. From: Tom Route36 < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2026 2:35 AM To: David T. < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Cc: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> ; Kalpesh Patel < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]>; 'Stephen Lee Phillips' < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Subject: Re: [GNC] Download assistance sought... David, The reason for having to go thru this rather long complicated process is because Quicken desktop software on the Mac -- all versions, from the oldest to the current subscription version -- fails to include any option to export a .qif file. I don't have a Mac system myself where I could check that; but all the user forums and AI info that I looked at seem to confirm that. You have to do the .qif export with Quicken Windows software. Ugly, but that's Quicken. As far as troubles with opening an ancient Quicken 2007 .qdfm file, you're absolutely correct. Quite a few users have reported issues trying to do that. Unfortunately, if there is a problem opening the file with the latest Quicken Classic desktop software, the database itself may have issues inherent in the data structures. And even if you can successfully open the .qdfm file with the original Quicken 2007 software, it's quite likely that exporting it to a .qxf file, and then attempting to open it with Quicken Windows (any version) is likely to have problems as well. There's no real good way of getting around that. If it's any consolation, the encouraging bright spot is that the export of the data is likely to export basic checking, savings, and credit card accounts and categories in those accounts intact and correct (at least based on the reports that I've seen). Where problems are more likely are with stock and mutual fund type accounts, especially when they involve tracking stock splits and capital gains. I suspect that no matter how the conversion goes for Steve there's going to be a lot of manual tweaking involved in Gnucash. It's the reality of dealing with nearly 20 year-old software. Tom On 09/30/2026 11:54 PM, David T. wrote: Tom, I hope you're right, but I'll note that I've seen some troubling pages from the Quicken websites that suggest that the current versions of Quicken won't directly open a Quicken file from 2007. That would complicate things drastically. Also, I'm not certain, but wouldn't Quicken for the Mac also have a QIF export? David T. On October 1, 2026 7:54:44 AM GMT+05:30, Tom Route36 < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> wrote: Steve, I think Kalpesh's advice is on the right track here. But I think there's a simpler way of getting to where you want to go. (Well, maybe not simpler. There's a bunch of steps involved.) My suggestion would be to let Quicken provide you with the means of converting that data. First (and don't get scared off just yet) it *will* involve you purchasing a Quicken subscription. *But* you should be able to ultimately accomplish all this on the cheap -- i.e., for FREE! Bear with me here while I explain. If you go to the Quicken website (not a third-party, that's important) and purchase a subscription from Quicken for "Quicken Classic (Windows and Mac)" (that specific product name is also important), you'll get the current Quicken desktop software. Once you get that program loaded on your Mac computer, as soon as you go to start it for the first time (after logging in with your new Quicken ID), the program should ask if you have an existing file you want to open. That's where you specify your Quicken 2007 .qdfm file. I would avoid any requests or options to cloud sync your data. Once you've opened the .qdfm file on your Mac computer with the latest Quicken Classic desktop software, don't try to change anything. Just immediately go and export the data (all accounts and categories) to a .qxf file. Be sure to save that .qxf file somewhere where you can access it from a Windows PC. Next, go to your Windows PC (or borrow one if needed), and go back again to the Quicken website, this time on the Windows PC. Login to your Quicken account (using the same Quicken ID you just created earlier on the Mac). And download and install the same Quicken Classic software that you previously installed on the Mac. Your subscription should allow multiple installations of the software. Once the Quicken software is installed on the Windows PC, select the option to create a new empty Quicken file. Once you've got the new empty Quicken file open, then go and import the .qxf file that you previously created on the Mac. Now that you've imported the .qxf file to create a Quicken database on the Windows PC, you can finally export the data from there (on the Windows PC) into a .qif file. And be sure to save it someplace safe. That's the file that you need to get the data into Gnucash. So you're finally done. Uh, not quite. Remember what I said about doing this for free. Well, this is where you go back and contact Quicken customer support. You tell them you tried their software and didn't like it. And so, you'd like to take advantage of their "30-day Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee". You should be able to get a full refund of all your money. Anyway, I think this is probably the most straightforward way of getting the .qdfm file converted for Gnucash. Hope this helps, Tom On 09/30/2026 04:04 AM, Kalpesh Patel wrote: In that case MacOS is the only way in Virtual Box instead of Windows OS it sounds like. Two possible routes instead of one – 1) Older MacOS running an older Quicken version in Virtual Box and then export it out as QIF, or 2) let newer version of Quicken on MacOS upgrade that version into modern format, and then either export to QIF directly from there or bring it over to Windows and export. Note that Windows has been using QDF proprietary format to store Quicken data. I found number of Vagrant boxes for older MacOS that can run in Virtual Box at <https://portal.cloud.hashicorp.com/vagrant/discover?query=macos> https://portal.cloud.hashicorp.com/vagrant/discover?query=macos. In either case, though, you will end up with export-import cycle which is the best route. From: Tom Route36 < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 12:08 AM To: 'Stephen Lee Phillips' < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Cc: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> ; Kalpesh Patel < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]>; 'David T.' < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Subject: Re: [GNC] Download assistance sought... Hi Steve, After I saw Kalpesh's advice, it got me curious about those old versions of Quicken, and I decided to run a few tests. If you did get a Windows instance up and running, you wouldn't need to worry about which version of Windows it was. For my testing here on a current Windows 11 system, I was able to successfully install and run both Quicken 2014 and Quicken 2007. The bad news though is Quicken Windows can't open a Quicken Mac (.qdfm) file. So I don't think doing that will help in your case. As David mentioned already, you need Quicken (specifically a Mac version of it) to open that .qdfm file so that you can export it in one of those generic formats. A piece of good news for you though is that newer versions of Quicken (post-2007) can most likely open your .qdfm file. I tested and confirmed that Quicken 2014 can open a Quicken 2007 file. At least it worked for me on Windows. So even if you don't have a Mac system with Quicken 2007 anymore, I think if you can find someone with a Mac system that has *any* version of Quicken, there's a good chance it will be able to read your old .qdfm file -- which would then allow you to export it as a .QIF file. Hope this helps, Tom On 09/29/2026 07:25 PM, Kalpesh Patel wrote: Your only and, one and only one real option is run a Windows instance in a VirtualBox (Vagarant can provide a lot of plumbing if you know how) where you can install Quicken 2006 and export it out as a QIF format (OFX and CSV formats for export are not available in Quicken) to import into GNC. Even that is not strait forward as semantics of two system differ in many ways. I would venture to think that you would probably need either Windows XP or Windows 7 as a compatible OS to possibly run that old of a Quicken version. You should be able to get a copy of it from the archive machine ( <https://archive.org/search?query=quicken> https://archive.org/search?query=quicken < <https://archive.org/search?query=quicken&tab=all> https://archive.org/search?query=quicken&tab=all> &tab=all). I remember writing up good hints to minimize pain to this group many years ago from my experience of migrating over two decades of data from Quicken 2017 into GNC inn 2020 (and I am still fixing up some of that data). -----Original Message----- From: David T. < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 2:32 AM To: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> ; Stephen Lee Phillips < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Subject: Re: [GNC] Download assistance sought... I'm pretty sure you won't find any success getting at that data from outside the Quicken universe. Your only option, I believe, is to open the data file in Quicken and export your data in a generic format like OFX, QIF, or csv and then importing that into another accounting program. David T. On September 29, 2026 7:16:35 AM GMT+05:30, Stephen Lee Phillips < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> wrote: Trying to find conversion for .qdfm (Quicken Data for Mac) file from 2007 and was directed to GnuCash, however I've been unsuccessful in finding, downloading, and extracting/opening the correct iteration to run on Intel Mac OS Sonoma 14.8.9: Any suggestions would be most gratefully appreciated... Thank you! Steve *Advocacy • Legislation & Ordinance Preparation* *Education • Intervention • Transport • FosteringPre-adoptive Home Visits • Avocational Bodhisattva* _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: <https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. David T. _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] < <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected]> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. David T. _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list [email protected] To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
