Travel Technology - Quicken: Windows vs Mac versions

I used quicken for years and seldom upgrade. Currently have 2002 on my 6 yr old iBook and 5 yr old iMac. After finally getting new 2008 aluminum MB, found that 2002 version won't run.

I was going to upgrade to quicken 2007 rather than waiting for 2009 and after doing some preliminary research, read that quicken 2007 windows is much better product.

Since I also installed VM Fusion and WinXP on my new MB, I wonder if anyone has comments re which is preferred version? I do know migrating from windows to mac is nearly impossible but the reverse is less painful? And intuit charges a ridiculous premium for mac version, $69.99 vs $39.99 for windows!

In the past, my usage relatively simple, a record of all my banking (eg check writing, balances each month). I now do on-line banking and it would be nice to integrate that with quicken so that each month's balancing of the check book is easier.

Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

Are you just trying to balance your checkbook or do you want to be able to actually move money around within Quicken? I tried out a beta version of the new one and I was not impressed. The consensus on other forums I have read, for those who really want to use Quicken to its fullest, is to boot up Windows as the Mac clients just lag behind.

Note that the online features are "retired" every three years with Quicken. Thus, Quicken 2007 (I have and like that) will work until 2010. Then it will be necessary to get a new version for the online aspects. The rest will work forever, of course. I'm hoping that 2010 is better than 2009 :)

Cheers.

On the Mac, they're not doing an update of Quicken but a written-from-scratch replacement: http://quicken.intuit.com/personal-finance/mac-personal-finance.jsp

On the Mac, they're not doing an update of Quicken but a written-from-scratch replacement: http://quicken.intuit.com/personal-f...al-finance.jsp


I read elsewhere current Mac versions (incuding 2007) has a 'bug' re EV validation (http://db.tidbits.com/article/9964) but that will be fixed when 2009 versions comes out in fall 2009


The consensus on other forums I have read, for those who really want to use Quicken to its fullest, is to boot up Windows as the Mac clients just lag behind.

That was what I was afraid of.....thanks!

Quicken is the only reason I run VMWare on my Mac - so I can run the Windows version of Quicken. I tried the Mac version. It's just primitive compared to the Windows version.

Quicken is the only reason I run VMWare on my Mac - so I can run the Windows version of Quicken. I tried the Mac version. It's just primitive compared to the Windows version.

Did you migrate data from Mac to Windows version?
What Windows version are you using?

Thanks for everyone's input - the jury is in and will switch shortly.

When I travel I bring my personal Macbook Pro and my Lenovo T-61 for work, so I use Quicken Online. Its free and it imports information from your bank/credit card accounts automatically. Plus I can use it on either computer.

Did you migrate data from Mac to Windows version?
What Windows version are you using?

Thanks for everyone's input - the jury is in and will switch shortly.

I did not migrate data from Mac to Windows as I was a Quicken Windows user when I got my first Mac a few years back. I just re-sync'd my data.

I'm currently using Quicken Home & Business 2008, which is overkill for my needs but I got a good deal on it.

When I travel I bring my personal Macbook Pro and my Lenovo T-61 for work, so I use Quicken Online. Its free and it imports information from your bank/credit card accounts automatically. Plus I can use it on either computer.

Is this the on-line banking capabilities?
Available with either platform of product or only Windows version?

Is this the on-line banking capabilities?
Available with either platform of product or only Windows version?

It's available with either. IMHO, you need to be a pretty trusting soul to export all of your financial data onto Intuit's hardware.

Quicken is the only reason I run VMWare on my Mac - so I can run the Windows version of Quicken. I tried the Mac version. It's just primitive compared to the Windows version.

ditto here....plus I decided to use turbo tax in Windows via vmware--i thought that the import would be easier.

Quicken 2009 arrived by mail over weekend. The instructions provided on intuit.com to import/convert from mac to win was antiquated - tells me they don't really care about mac users.

Anyway, conversion went smoothly and have yet to reconcile last month's bank statement or play with quicken 2009. For now, just amazed at the menu selections - slight overload for someone coming over from mac version.


Btw MacWorld just posted review of beta of new mac version and the comments from readers not very positive.....

Anyway, conversion went smoothly and have yet to reconcile last month's bank statement or play with quicken 2009. For now, just amazed at the menu selections - slight overload for someone coming over from mac version.

What was the process for the conversion? Did you just export the Mac data to a QIF format and then import that into the new Quicken? And all your accounts came over the same way they were before?

I'm facing a very similar dilemma, as Quicken 2003 is pretty much the only thing I use my vintage 2001 iBook for these days. I mainly use Quicken to manually track and analyze expenses (I'm a bit obsessive about it, so I enter everything manually into Quicken and then reconcile it with Yodlee online--I have almost every US$ transaction I've made since 1997 in my current Quicken file!), so I want to make sure I can continue to do this with all my old data intact.

Has anybody tried buying the cheap "OEM" versions of Quicken that are available from some Pricegrabber storefront sellers (like this one (http://www.pricegrabber.com/user_sales_getprod.php?masterid=90487060&lot_id=9321414))? From the feedback, it looks like these may be pirated and not actually "OEM," but has anybody tried them and determined whether they work? I don't think I really need Quicken Home & Business, but mrsmicah is starting to have some home-business expense-tracking needs, so if I can get it cheap, it's worth doing so to try it out and see if it's helpful or not.

Themicah

I emailed intuit for instructions and they replied with this:
Please open the link and follow the steps.
Title: How do I convert my data file from Quicken for Mac to Quicken for Windows?
URL: https://quicken.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/quicken.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=469&p_created=1129160857

I converted from 2002 iBook running quicken 2002 for mac and had only one bank account; no securities, IRA, etc. etc. It was essentially as you indicated, creating .qif file, exporting from mac, importing into win versions.

Next step is to try to activate and link on-line banking. I've been using on-line banking directly with my bank for just over 18 months, set up most of recurring bills, etc. Then at end of each month do a manual reconciliation on quicken. Hopefully a 'link' will make that even easier now....probably for most of your power users, sounds like kids play :)

Quicken has "guarantee satisfication or full refund" policy.....so if it get's too complicated for me, will revert back to stone ages. Also, if you go to their website, they show chart comparing quicken oem/basic, deluxe (which is what I bought$39.99), one more premium version and then Home & Business. That might help you.

I also inherited the management of our small condo association way back and bought QuickBooks Pro 2006 (Mac version) - it's used simply to pay bills, manage the bank account. I'm sure it's probably loaded with tons of stuff but never had played with it. During the transfer to me, earlier owner used Win version but at that time I was still relying on my iBook so bought the Mac version. Maybe one day will go back to windows version.