Escape from QuickBooks (with data in hand)
Escape from QuickBooks (with data in hand)
Posted Mar 7, 2022 2:26 UTC (Mon) by lragan (guest, #157284)In reply to: Escape from QuickBooks (with data in hand) by pyz01
Parent article: Escape from QuickBooks (with data in hand)
My book in QuickBooks is not that large, so my method may not work for all, but here goes. I use GnuCash 2.6.19 in linux.
I was hanging on to QuickBooks 2008, which is not subscription. Giving up my Windows 7 machine, I discovered that I was, as I suspected, riding a dead horse. (I have switched to Linux for all but tax prep software. I keep a Windows 10 machine for that purpose, and occasional interaction with something that someone sends me, but for the most part, like a housecleaning service, I don't do Windows!) But, I was able to write out an account list to a CSV file. After fumbling around a bit in the import function of GnuCash, I decided to follow their format precisely. It is revealed in the import process as a "custom" import option. Not understanding the symbols that make up the command, I simply took note of the field names.
Then, using a spreadsheet program, I rearranged the CSV file into the format of the import option, adding blank columns where needed, using their field names in the first row.
After importing, it was necessary to enter the balances from my CSV file (GnuCash, understandably, does not import the balances). This was done by a series of simple cut and paste operations. It was then necessary to edit the accounts into the hierarchy that I needed. I took this opportunity to delete accounts that I no longer used or needed (one can always add an account using GnuCash if necessary).
When done, the reports work to show balance sheet and income statement. I have not used the others yet, but suspect they work, too. I entered one month's data (January 2022) taking off from the year end of QuickBooks in 2021, and all reconciles nicely. When one enters the balance for each account, GnuCash puts the compensating balance into an "Unbalance" account. If all is done correctly, this will go go zero when the last data is entered.
This is, I admit, a "brute force" approach, but for me, I feel certain that is was less work than writing code to do the job. For a more complicated business than mine, that might not be the case. I can now retire my ancient Windows 7 machine and let QuickBooks rest in peace...
Color me happy with GnuCash, and grateful for all who have contributed to it.
I was hanging on to QuickBooks 2008, which is not subscription. Giving up my Windows 7 machine, I discovered that I was, as I suspected, riding a dead horse. (I have switched to Linux for all but tax prep software. I keep a Windows 10 machine for that purpose, and occasional interaction with something that someone sends me, but for the most part, like a housecleaning service, I don't do Windows!) But, I was able to write out an account list to a CSV file. After fumbling around a bit in the import function of GnuCash, I decided to follow their format precisely. It is revealed in the import process as a "custom" import option. Not understanding the symbols that make up the command, I simply took note of the field names.
Then, using a spreadsheet program, I rearranged the CSV file into the format of the import option, adding blank columns where needed, using their field names in the first row.
After importing, it was necessary to enter the balances from my CSV file (GnuCash, understandably, does not import the balances). This was done by a series of simple cut and paste operations. It was then necessary to edit the accounts into the hierarchy that I needed. I took this opportunity to delete accounts that I no longer used or needed (one can always add an account using GnuCash if necessary).
When done, the reports work to show balance sheet and income statement. I have not used the others yet, but suspect they work, too. I entered one month's data (January 2022) taking off from the year end of QuickBooks in 2021, and all reconciles nicely. When one enters the balance for each account, GnuCash puts the compensating balance into an "Unbalance" account. If all is done correctly, this will go go zero when the last data is entered.
This is, I admit, a "brute force" approach, but for me, I feel certain that is was less work than writing code to do the job. For a more complicated business than mine, that might not be the case. I can now retire my ancient Windows 7 machine and let QuickBooks rest in peace...
Color me happy with GnuCash, and grateful for all who have contributed to it.