How to reduce data file sizes larger than 500MB for Reckon Accounts Business range

How to Reduce the Size of Your Reckon Accounts Data File

As your Reckon Accounts data file grows over time, it can affect system performance and make the file harder to manage. Reducing the file size can often improve responsiveness and usability.

This guide explains:

  • The three available file‑size reduction options
  • How each option affects transactions and lists
  • What reports you need to prepare before starting
  • Your responsibilities during and after the process
  • Key terminology used throughout this guide

Important Information – Please Read First

Regardless of which option you choose:

  • File size reduction always requires accounting work
  • All accounting adjustments are the client’s responsibility
  • Reckon staff (including the Data Recovery Team) do not create journals or adjust balances
  • For Options 1 and 2, transactions dated on or after the cut‑off date must be manually recreated
  • We strongly recommend involving your accountant or a Reckon Advisor

These responsibilities apply to all options.

Example Scenario Used in This Guide

  • Current date: 1st May 2026
  • Original data file contains full historical data up to: 1st May 2026
  • Nominated cut‑off / new start date: 1st April 2026

This means transactions already exist in the original file for April 2026, which fall on or after the cut‑off date.

Key Structural Difference Between the Options

Options 1 & 2 — Brand‑New Data File
  • A completely new file is created
  • No historical transactions are retained
  • All transactions dated on or after the cut‑off date must be manually recreated
  • Balances are restored using journals and adjustments
Option 3 — Reduced‑Size Existing File
  • Transactions dated after the cut‑off date are retained
  • Only transactions dated before the cut‑off date are removed
  • Recent transactions do not need to be recreated

Reports You Must Generate Before Any File Reduction

Before proceeding with any option, you should run and save reports from the original file, dated as at the day before the cut‑off date.

Using the example cut‑off date of 1st April 2026, reports should be dated 31st March 2026.

These reports are critical for recreating balances accurately.

1. Trial Balance Report

Purpose: Used to recreate opening account balances via journals.

Report settings:

  • Report: Trial Balance
  • Date: As at 31 March 2026
  • Accrual basis

This report provides:

  • The balance of every balance‑sheet and P&L account at the cut‑off date
2. Customer Balance Summary Report

Purpose: Used to create summary customer balance journals or summary invoices.

Report settings:

  • Report: Customer Balance Summary
  • Date: As at 31 March 2026

This report shows:

  • Each customer’s outstanding balance at the cut‑off date

You may choose to:

  • Create one summary journal per customer, or
  • Create a summary invoice per customer dated at the cut‑off date
3. Supplier Balance Summary Report

Purpose: Used to create summary supplier balance journals or summary bills.

Report settings:

  • Report: Supplier Balance Summary
  • Date: As at 31 March 2026

This report shows:

  • Each supplier’s outstanding balance at the cut‑off date
4. Inventory Quantity on Hand Report (if applicable)

Purpose: Used to create inventory adjustment transactions.

Report settings:

  • Report: Inventory Stock Status / Quantity on Hand
  • Date: As at 31 March 2026

This report ensures:

  • Inventory quantities (and indirectly values) can be restored accurately
5. Additional Reports (if applicable)

Depending on your data file, you may also need:

  • Employee Leave Accrual reports
  • Payroll liability reports
  • A Balance Sheet report as a cross‑check

Option 1: Start a New File (Clean Up Company Data)

This option removes all transactions and keeps your existing lists using Reckon’s built‑in cleanup feature.

What happens
  • All transactions are removed
  • Lists are retained
  • Units of Measure are retained
List handling
  • Inactive list records can be removed automatically
  • Individual active records cannot be selectively removed

Example – Cut‑Off Date: 1st April 2026
  • Original file includes transactions up to 1st May 2026
  • New file begins from 1st April 2026
  • Result:
    • All April 2026 transactions are removed
    • All transactions dated 1st April 2026 onward must be manually recreated
Client responsibilities (Option 1)

You must:

  • Use reports from the original file (dated 31 March 2026)
  • Create opening balance journals from the Trial Balance
  • Create summary customer and supplier balance journals
  • Recreate all transactions dated 1st April 2026 onward
  • Create inventory adjustment transactions

Option 2: Start a New File (Export / Import Lists – IIF)

This option also creates a brand‑new file but provides full manual control over which list records are imported.

Units of Measure are not supported with this option.

What happens
  • Lists are exported to IIF files
  • IIF files can be opened and edited in Excel
  • Only selected records are imported into the new file
  • The new file contains no transactions initially
List handling advantage

With Option 2, you can:

  • Remove inactive records
  • Remove selected active records
  • Clean up customers, suppliers, items, and accounts more precisely

Client responsibilities (Option 2)

You must:

  • Export and edit lists
  • Import cleaned lists into a blank file
  • Use reports from the original file to recreate balances
  • Recreate all transactions dated 1st April 2026 onward
  • Create inventory adjustments

Option 3: Remove Older Transactions (via Reckon Data Recovery Team)

This option reduces file size by removing transactions dated before the cut‑off date, while keeping later transactions intact.

What remains
  • All transactions dated on or after the cut‑off date
  • No need to recreate April–May 2026 transactions
Client responsibilities (Option 3)

The Data Recovery Team:

  • Removes transactions only

The client must still:

  • Use reports to create journals
  • Fix unapplied or broken transactions
  • Create inventory adjustments
  • Verify balances at the cut‑off date

Reminder

✅ Reducing file size can improve performance, ⚠️ however the extent of improvement can vary depending on file complexity, data structure, usage patterns, and system hardware.

📌 All accounting adjustments remain the client’s responsibility 📌 For Options 1 and 2, all transactions dated on or after the cut‑off date must be manually recreated

Terminology Used in This Guide

Lists

“Lists” refers to master records in Reckon Accounts, including (but not limited to):

  • Chart of Accounts
  • Customers
  • Suppliers
  • Items
  • Employees

When using Option 2, these lists are exported as IIF text files, which can be opened in Excel and manually edited before being imported into a new data file.

Cut‑Off Date

The date that separates:

  • Historical data to be removed, and
  • Opening balances and transactions to be recreated or retained


Need more help?

Ask the Reckon Community at: https://community.reckon.com/categories/reckonaccounts

Or Log a Support Ticket: https://www.reckon.com/au/support/

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