Convert CSV/Excel to QIF and import into Quicken 2018 Starter Edition for PC

This tutorial shows how to convert the CSV file to QIF format and import into Quicken 2018 Starter Edition for PC. We will use the CSV2QIF utility. IMPORTANT: CSV2QIF is now replaced with the Transactions app, which converts from more formats and converts to more formats.

It is important to download the latest version of the converter, as it has Quicken 2018 for PC added the support option. The Target here should have Quicken 2018 for PC listed. Make sure, that you have 3.0.8.2 version or later to have this enabled. We will use the sample CSV file, as we use before. It is a simple file. It has few transactions: one Deposit, three Withdrawal. And it has the column names that the Parser can read and understand.  

Another new option is Payee Mapping, which allows to rename/clean up Payee Names from original to what you would like to be then in Quicken. So you can put here some Original, then put the New value, what you like to be/replace. You can put here, for example, Shell 1234 (Stations, they have Shell 1, 2, 3, 4 for the certain city) and you want to replace it, just want to be Shell. How to make it Shell? You suppose to use mask form, we have to use Shell.  

Whatever, the Payee Name, if it has Shell, those stars - * - before and after means that everything before and after will be removed. So, whatever Shell will be replaced with Shell.  

Something you would like to change, like shorten Payee, for example, Purchase Order System and you want to change to POS. Stars are not used here, then Payee Name stays like this, but if it has Purchase Order System, it will be replaced with POS. Essentially, you keep everything around this, but you're shortening to make Purchase Order System to POS. 

Quicken 2018 has different QIF variations, then Quicken 2017. Please, make sure, that you select Quicken 2018 for PC, as your Target. Quicken 2018 requires only Account Type, so make sure to select the Account Type you need. You can put Account Name here, but for Quicken 2018 it will not be used. Then the date format for Quicken 2018 should be MM/DD'YYYY. You can change here format, but it will not be used. It will be used only for different, like MS Money or other options. That's why this date format is plain, but for Quicken options format is always MM/DD'YYYY.  

Make sure, if your convert for Credit Cards, that your charges, your expenses are negative in the Withdrawal column. If your CSV file has the Charges, as positive numbers, the Amount is positive for expenses for Credit Card charges, you can change it by selecting charges on positive, so the Parser will automatically change/put them in the right column, make them withdrawals/charges.  

If you have a file with many columns and the Parser cannot figure out, which column is which, you can use 'Review Mapping' and readjust it by selecting different columns. You can reassign columns here, for example, select 'Memo': here you can select different columns. Those column names are coming from a CSV file. If your CSV file has the first column, as column names, those column names will be used here. If you don't have column names, then you see something, like Fill1, Fill2, Fill3. And you have to look here to figure out which field number which. Better to have column names, as first name on your CSV file.  

Click the 'Convert' button to create a QIF file. We create a QIF file for Quicken 2018.  

Switch to Quicken and click 'File' - 'File Import' - 'QIF file'.  

Then click 'Browse' and select the QIF file.  

At the column 'Quicken account to import into' there is no format, no account to select. We can create the account, we know where to import.  

Click 'Tools' - 'Add Account'.  

Select the 'Checking' account.  

Click 'Advanced Setup'.  

Then select 'I want to enter my transactions manually' (when you don't want to connect to any bank, just click 'Advanced Setup' - 'I want to enter my transactions manually').   

The Account Name 'Checking', click 'Next' and 'Finish'.  

So now, when you import a QIF file, you can select the 'Checking' account. This option is new in Quicken 2018, because before there were messages, that some transactions, some account types are not supported, etc. It is a good change. Only listed accounts are available. You can simply select, which account you want to import into and just click 'Import'.  

And we have four transactions imported. Click 'Done'.  

You can review them, you can also edit them if you like. In this tutorial, we used a CSV2QIF converter and convert a CSV file to QIF format, and import into Quicken 2018 Starter Edition. Before Quicken 2018 Starter Edition was Limited Edition. And you have to get the Lux Edition to import properly QIF files and do other things. Now they changed to have Starter Edition to import everything, which is a good thing as well.