Tutorial on how to open QFX files

What are QFX files?

QFX files are files that have a .qfx extension. These files are a financial format that is used to import data into a tool called Quicken financial software. QFX files are not widely used, but are quite interesting. They may include account balances, transactions, and many more information that has been recorded in a standardized format.

This type of file is generated by some financial institutions. For example, a credit card transaction history can be downloaded as a QFX file. And, for some reason, Windows XP can’t open the file. Why is that?

Well, Windows can’t open the file because it is not a recognized standard file type. Instead, it need additional software to open and manage these files. The software is called Quicken and is available in different packages. Let’s see where to find this tool.

How to find and download the tool

To download the tool, we must go to the developer’s official website. This is located at http://quicken.intuit.com/. Go there and you should see a page like the one below:

Quicken main page

For this tutorial, we will learn how to download and install Quicken Deluxe. It is the basic version (aside the free online version) and it offers you a way to create a budget to help you save for things you want. However, we just need to open a QFX file so all of this doesn’t really matter. What matters is that this tool costs $39.99. It is a little too much if you just want to open QFX files.

However, since it is the only trustworthy tool available, we will have to work with it. Go ahead and click Add to Cart on the Deluxe tab. Here is the next web page:

Quicken shopping cart

Make sure that the Delivery Method is set to Download, just like in the picture. The Quantity should be set to one. You can see that you save $20 and so on. When you are convinced you want to have the tool click Checkout. Here is where you will be sent:

Quicken registrstion

You must fill in all the fields marked with an *. This is the account registration process. You will need an account to enter Quicken. After you have filled all the fields with your personal information, click Continue Checkout. You will be directed to the following web page:

Quicken payment information

This is the place where you should enter your payment information. You can pay through Visa, Discover, MasterCard, or American Express. It should have included PayPal, but let’s leave it like it is. Choose what you use and enter the information. Make sure you have a secure computer otherwise this info might fall into the wrong hands. After your card is debited, you will reach the main download page. Download the file and save it somewhere safe on your hard drive. The next and final step is installation.

Installing Quicken Deluxe

First of all, it is best to save your file on a CD or DVD. This allows you to have easy access whenever you reinstall Windows or when a problem occurs. After the file is saved, double click it (on the CD/DVD or on the hard drive – it doesn’t really matter). You will see a screen like the one below:

First step of the setup

The file is basically a self extracting archive. It extracts the necessary files to a temporary folder on the hard drive. The tool is installed from these files. Here is how the next window looks like:

Second step of the setup

This is the install shield. It will guide us through the setup process. Click Next:

The license agreement

You must agree to their License Agreement. It is best to read it from start to finish. However, if you don’t agree, the installation will be terminated. You are forced to accept the terms. Go ahead and check “I agree to the terms of the license agreement and acknowledge receipt of the Quicken Privacy Statement". The Next button will become available. Click on it:

Choose the target folder

This window asks you to where you want to install the file. It is best to leave the path as it is: C:\Program Files\Quicken. You will find most of your programs there. After you modify the path (if you want), click Next:

Quicken is ready to install

This is the last window before the installation begins. If you want to change anything, you can click Back. Once you click Install, the installation will begin. Remember that you need at least 100 MB of free space on the chosen partition. If you don’t have anything to change, click Install:

Installing Quicken

After the installation is finished, you will be asked if you want to download and install additional updates. Updates are great, but we don’t really need them at this point. You can get them at any other time:

Get Quicken updates

Go ahead and click Next. You are told that the installation is a success and you can choose to open Quicken 2009 at once:

Quicken installation complete

Click Done to launch the tool. Here is how the User Interface looks like:

Importing a QFX

Now that we have the tool working, we can test to see if it can open QFX files. Although you might think that you can click File and Open, this will not work. You must import QFX files. So click File and select Import:

Importing a QFX

You must choose to import a Web Connect File. Go ahead and click on it. This is what will appear next:

Importing a QFX

As you can see, the Web Connect Files are actually QFX files. Select your file and click open. You are now able to open and edit these files. Congratulations! Although it costs $39.99, this software is quite useful and powerful. To see what it can do and to learn how to use it, check the Help section or find online assistance on the developer’s website. Have fun with your new acquisition!

We hope you had a pleasant lecture and that you successfully managed to install and run the tool and open the desired QFX files.

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