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Posted by Keith Nuttle on June 25, 2009, 7:07 pm

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We are apparently still in the dark ages, and using a notebook to
maintain our budget. We have been thinking of going online to maintain
our budget and pay our bills. I have two computers both with Window XP
SP3. One has Quicken 2005 and the other has Quicken 2006.

I have some questions.

Question #1: Will I have too upgrade to Quicken 2009 or latest for the
version to work?

Question #2: Can two computers share the same file?

--Only one person would be using Quicken at a time. On Family Tree
Maker, I sync the latest version of the datafile to both computers, I
would plan on doing the same for Quicken.

My wife uses the desktop and I have a laptop. My wife will be paying
the bills using the desktop, but I would like the option of being able
to use the laptop when we are away from home. (I understand security
problems)--

Question #3: Will Quicken exchange information with the bank?

--ie. Do all transactions in Quicken and then transfer that information
to the bank for payment. I check and Quicken supports the bank we use. --

Question #4: Are there any problems that I should be aware of while
using Quicken.

Posted by Han on June 25, 2009, 8:05 pm

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> We are apparently still in the dark ages, and using a notebook to

> maintain our budget. We have been thinking of going online to

> maintain our budget and pay our bills. I have two computers both with

> Window XP SP3. One has Quicken 2005 and the other has Quicken 2006.

> I have some questions.

> Question #1: Will I have too upgrade to Quicken 2009 or latest for the

> version to work?

You would at least have to install the same version and revision on each
computer. The (secret) data format changes at least with each version.
You are allowed to install from 1 CD (or download) on more than 1
computers (2 or 3, I am not sure). I use Q 2008. Q 2009 is not much
different. Q2010 will likely come out somewhere between August and
October. So maybe you want to try Q2006 for now, then upgrade in the
fall.

> Question #2: Can two computers share the same file?

> --Only one person would be using Quicken at a time. On Family Tree

> Maker, I sync the latest version of the datafile to both computers, I

> would plan on doing the same for Quicken.

> My wife uses the desktop and I have a laptop. My wife will be paying

> the bills using the desktop, but I would like the option of being able

> to use the laptop when we are away from home. (I understand security

> problems)--

Yes, you can do this, but do keep very good backups. The more recent
versions of Quicken can automatically add the current date to the backup
files, so you can keep track better.

> Question #3: Will Quicken exchange information with the bank?

> --ie. Do all transactions in Quicken and then transfer that

> information to the bank for payment. I check and Quicken supports the

> bank we use. --

This is a function also of the bank. I have used it in the past with
Citibank. However, I would think there is a fee for this. Currently, I
have arranged for most recurrent bills to be automatically deducted from
my bank account. This way, it is up to the payee to make sure they get
the money. In other words, less of a chance for late fees.

> Question #4: Are there any problems that I should be aware of while

> using Quicken.

Security (including passwords), errors (bank, you) and data corruption.
The latter is less and less likely with the current versions of Q, but
was a problem before 2000 or so. Backups are your friends. Many also
suggest backups off-site (safe deposit box, fire safe, etc).

Good luck!

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Posted by Laura on June 25, 2009, 10:33 pm

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> We are apparently still in the dark ages, and using a notebook to maintain

> our budget. We have been thinking of going online to maintain our budget

> and pay our bills. I have two computers both with Window XP SP3. One has

> Quicken 2005 and the other has Quicken 2006.

> I have some questions.

> Question #1: Will I have too upgrade to Quicken 2009 or latest for the

> version to work?

Check with your bank to see if they still support 2006. Mine (BoA)
discontinued support for 2006 a few months ago.

> Question #2: Can two computers share the same file?

> --Only one person would be using Quicken at a time. On Family Tree Maker,

> I sync the latest version of the datafile to both computers, I would plan

> on doing the same for Quicken.

> My wife uses the desktop and I have a laptop. My wife will be paying the

> bills using the desktop, but I would like the option of being able to use

> the laptop when we are away from home. (I understand security problems)--

You can install Quicken on multiple computers. They do not support
networking of the data file but folks on this list have said they have done
it. I'm too concerned about corrupting my data to try it. I just pass the
fileset back and forth between computers if I need to put it on another
computer (I have 2 laptops that Quicken is installed on).

> Question #3: Will Quicken exchange information with the bank?

> --ie. Do all transactions in Quicken and then transfer that information to

> the bank for payment. I check and Quicken supports the bank we use. --

Again check what versions of Quicken they currently support and to see if
your bank supports bill payment initiated through Quicken. Check for any
fees you will have to pay. I suspect you will find that 2007 is the oldest
version you can use.

> Question #4: Are there any problems that I should be aware of while using

> Quicken.

Posted by R. C. White on June 25, 2009, 10:59 pm

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Hi, Keith.

Welcome to the Quicken newsgroup. As I'm sure you know, we don't work for
Intuit. We're just users like you, sharing what we've learned.

Han has covered your questions pretty well. I'd just like to add an idea
for your Question #2.

> Question #2: Can two computers share the same file?

I've been running Quicken since 1990, so I've migrated through transitions
in hardware, MS-DOS and Windows versions, and Quicken versions. I started
dual-booting multiple versions of Windows in about 1998 and have had
multiple Windows installations ever since. To be sure that I could run a
single copy of Quicken from both Win98 on Drive C: and WinNT4 on Drive D:, I
installed Quicken onto Drive E:, a "neutral" volume that I named "Data".
When Microsoft introduced the Program Files folder and issued the
(mostly-ignored until Vista) edict that it be used only for applications,
NOT data, I just kept installing each new version of Quicken into
E:QuickenW. (The "W" is a holdover from the transition from the DOS
version.) In older versions, Quicken kept its .qdf and related data files
right in the Quicken folder, along with its BACKUP folder for automatic
backups. That's not the most secure arrangement, but it sure is
convenient - so long as nothing goes wrong. Today, running Win7 (on X:),
but sometimes rebooting into Vista (on C:), I still have Quicken 2009
installed in E:QuickenW, including my one .qdf file. (If I were to install
it into Program Files, Vista/Win7 would insist that I put my data files
elsewhere.)

When a new version of Quicken arrives, I install it from Win7 into
E:QuickenW. In addition to updating the application files on E:, Setup
also makes whatever Registry entries it needs on X:, and updates pointers in
X:UsersRC's folders as required. Then I reboot into Vista and install the
new Quicken all over again. It updates the files on E: again and then
updates Vista's Registry and User files on C:. All this Setup activity
doesn't affect my .qdf or other data files; they simply stay in place on E:
as they always have. Whenever Intuit issues a new Release, I run the One
Step Update twice, once from each Windows installation, so that each knows
the current R level.

After installing Quicken on E: from both Vista and Win7, I can boot into
Vista in the morning and pay my bills. Then I can boot into Win7 in the
afternoon and reconcile my bank statement - or whatever other activity I
choose.

Why tell you all this? Because so far as Quicken is concerned, dual-booting
is just like having Quicken on 2 computers sharing a single hard disk
volume. EXCEPT THAT: With dual-booting on my one computer, there's no way
to have both Windows installations running at the same time. If your two
computers can both access your equivalent of my Drive E:, and if you will be
sure that they never both try to run Quicken at the same time, then they can
quite happily share the one copy of Quicken - including the one set of data
files.

I've never had a network and don't know anything about them. So I won't
make any suggestions as to HOW to share the single hard drive between the
two computers. You'll have to get that advice from others.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(Retired. No longer licensed to practice public accounting.)
rc@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Using Quicken Deluxe 2009 and Windows Live Mail in Win7 x64)

> We are apparently still in the dark ages, and using a notebook to maintain

> our budget. We have been thinking of going online to maintain our budget

> and pay our bills. I have two computers both with Window XP SP3. One has

> Quicken 2005 and the other has Quicken 2006.

> I have some questions.

> Question #1: Will I have too upgrade to Quicken 2009 or latest for the

> version to work?

> Question #2: Can two computers share the same file?

> --Only one person would be using Quicken at a time. On Family Tree Maker,

> I sync the latest version of the datafile to both computers, I would plan

> on doing the same for Quicken.

> My wife uses the desktop and I have a laptop. My wife will be paying the

> bills using the desktop, but I would like the option of being able to use

> the laptop when we are away from home. (I understand security problems)--

> Question #3: Will Quicken exchange information with the bank?

> --ie. Do all transactions in Quicken and then transfer that information to

> the bank for payment. I check and Quicken supports the bank we use. --

> Question #4: Are there any problems that I should be aware of while using

> Quicken.

Posted by John Pollard on June 26, 2009, 10:17 am

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Keith Nuttle wrote:

> We are apparently still in the dark ages, and using a notebook to

> maintain our budget. We have been thinking of going online to

> maintain our budget and pay our bills. I have two computers both

> with Window XP SP3. One has Quicken 2005 and the other has Quicken

> 2006.

> I have some questions.

> Question #1: Will I have too upgrade to Quicken 2009 or latest for the

> version to work?

There is no limit on how long Quicken will work. But to do anything
online with Quicken, you will need Q2007 or later. And, if the past is a
guide, Q2007 will lose its online capabilities in April 2010 ... while
Q2010 should be available sometime in August 2009, or so.

> Question #2: Can two computers share the same file?

> --Only one person would be using Quicken at a time. On Family Tree

> Maker, I sync the latest version of the datafile to both computers, I

> would plan on doing the same for Quicken.

> My wife uses the desktop and I have a laptop. My wife will be paying

> the bills using the desktop, but I would like the option of being able

> to use the laptop when we are away from home. (I understand security

> problems)--

Intuit discourages networking of Quicken data; their tests indicate a
significantly higher probability of data corruption if you do. On the
other side of the coin, many users have reported networking their Quicken
data with no apparent problems. Only one person can have the Quicken data
open at a time.

You will both have to be using the same year/version of Quicken (and it
shouldn't be the "New User" or "Starter" Edition ... and since the Basic
version is no longer available, you probably should plan on using Deluxe
or better).

> Question #3: Will Quicken exchange information with the bank?

> --ie. Do all transactions in Quicken and then transfer that

> information to the bank for payment. I check and Quicken supports

> the bank we use. --

See answer to #1

Also, "online billpay" is available for most all accounts if you want to
pay Intuit ~$10/month. While most banks have their own, often "free",
online billpay, some of them don't allow you to send billpay instructions
via Quicken. And even then, you may have to pay extra for it; the policy
is determined by each financial institution.

--

John Pollard