Learning about data files

Setting up a new data file

If you're starting fresh, just launch Quicken: the application guides you through creating a new data file.

• You may name the data file whatever you'd like by choosing File → Rename... from the Quicken menu.
• The default location of your file depends on whether you purchased from the Mac App Store or directly from Quicken.com or some other retailer.
  • If you bought from the App Store: ~/Library/Containers/com.quicken.QuickenAppStore/Data/Library/Application Support/Quicken/Documents
  • Why is it here? The security rules for Mac OS require that, by default, applications read and write files only to this special Sandboxed location. However, you can move the data file to your preferred location.
  • In Quicken, choose File → Move To... and choose any location you'd like for your Quicken data file.
  • If you bought it from some other source:: ~/Library/Application Support/Quicken/Documents
  • Again, you can move this file to your preferred location.
• You can also set up additional data files (this is usually not necessary). However, you can only use one data file at a time. See Using more than one Quicken data file.

A bit more about data files

Your Quicken data file contains all your financial data. Your personal Quicken data file can contain several accounts, such as a checking account, a savings account, credit card accounts, and an investment account.

A Quicken data file is like a drawer in a filing cabinet, and the accounts in it are like the folders in that file drawer. You might, for example, have folders in your financial file drawer labeled Checking, Savings, Car loan, Mortgage, and so on.

All the accounts in one Quicken data file share the same lists of categories, tags, and other information—and you can transfer funds from one account to another within the same file (see the Transfers help topic).

When you run a report, you can choose to see data from any or all of the accounts in your file. For example, if you want a status report on the accounts you use every day, you can create a net Category Summary report that includes the balances from your checking, credit card, and savings accounts.
If you use Quicken for personal finances only, you probably need just one data file. Quicken reports, graphs, and budgets only include information from accounts that are in the same data file. In some cases, you may decide you need more than one data file.

See Using more than one Quicken data file for more information.