STEP 1: Creating your expenses report file in Quicken

Expenses and categories created in Quicken® can be easily imported into Graphic Accounts as a report file. Expenses for a full 12 month period are needed as the basis for a Graphic Accounts budget. To create such a report, start the Quicken program, and, depending on your version*, complete the following steps: (We recommend you print this page for reference.)

(*There are two sets of instructions to cover all versions from Quicken 98 to Quicken 2010)

Quicken 2003 to Quicken 2010 users: On the Reports menu, click the EasyAnswer option (Quicken 2007 to 2010 users click Reports & Graphs Center option). On the Reports and Graphs screen, under the EasyAnswer heading, click Where did I spend my money during the period...? In the date control ('For the period:'), select 'Last 12 months' or 'Last Year'. Note: If you want to set a custom date you can amend this date at step 4. Now click the Show Report button. At the top of the report screen click the Customize button to open the Customise tab control. Enter the following settings: (At the top) If you wish to set a different 12 month period, change the Date Range (using the Custom Date option). On the Display tab: Set Column to None. On the Advanced tab: Set Transaction Types to Payments. Set Subcategories to Show All. Now click the OK button. To save this report in a form that Graphic Accounts can import you need to use the Print option. Do a right click and select the Print (or Print report) option*. The Print screen will open: Quicken 2006 to 2010 users: Click the Export to option, select tab-delimited from the dropdown list, and click OK or Print. Quicken 2003 to 2005 users: Select the Export to tab-delimited Disk File option, and click OK. *IMPORTANT: When you right click do NOT be tempted to choose the To Excel compatible format option. It creates a different file which Graphic Accounts cannot process. Save the report file with a relevant name (e.g. "Expenses for Graphic Accounts.txt"), and in a location (folder) where you can easily find it. This file contains the actual data that you will import into Graphic Accounts. Time Saver: Click Save Report to save the report format itself for future use with Graphic Accounts. Give it a relevant name such as Annual Expenses (For Graphic Accounts). When you wish to update the categories & expenses in Graphic Accounts you can quickly call it up from the Saved Reports and Graphs option on the Reports menu to produce an updated expenses file. All you need to change is the date range. STEP 2: Importing an expenses report file into Graphic Accounts

Quicken 98 to Quicken 2002  users: Open EasyAnswer Reports (on the Reports drop down menu). On the left, click Where did I spend my money? In the date control, on the right, select 'Last 12 months' or 'Last Year' (if you want to set a custom date you can amend this date at step 4). Now click the Show Report button. Click Customise to open the Customise tab control. Enter the following settings: (at the top) If you wish to set a different 12 month period, change the Report Dates (using the Custom Date option). On the Display tab: Set Row to Category and Column to Don't Subtotal. Set Organization to Income & Expenses On the Advanced tab: Set Transaction Types to Payments. Set Subcategories to Show All. Now click the Create button to produce your 12 month expenses report. To save this report in a form that Graphic Accounts can import you need to use the Print option. Open the Print dialog using either the Print Report option on the File menu, or the Print option on the context menu (appears after a right click). Select the Export to tab-delimited Disk File and click OK. Save the report file with a relevant name (e.g. "Expenses for Graphic Accounts.txt"), and in a location (folder) where you can easily find it. This file contains the actual data that you will import into Graphic Accounts. Time Saver: Click Memorize (at the top of the report page) and save the report format itself for future use with Graphic Accounts. Give it a relevant name such as Annual Expenses (For Graphic Accounts). When you wish to update the categories & expenses in Graphic Accounts you can quickly call it up from the Memorized Reports option on the Reports menu to produce an updated expenses file. All you need to change is the date range. STEP 2: Importing an expenses report file into Graphic Accounts