Yes, you are on the right track.  The ID0 files are what you need.  And you have correctly assessed the Runtime version as "only use, not create."  That is why they give it away for free...

You will need two things more:
 - setting up an ODBC connection (so that Paradox will have permission to actually work with the Lacerte files), and
 - something to run in Paradox to *do* that work for you.
 (Note that I refer to Paradox because that is what I use and am comfortable with.  I am certain that others who use Excel or Access or other spreadsheet/database software can achieve the same thing.  Someone else posting on the developer topics has been using Python, for example.)

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I am out of the office today/Wednesday, so I will reach out to you tomorrow/Thursday 23 Dec 2021 in order to work with you on putting that in place.

Since there is no direct communication here, if you want to touch base with me at "ParadoxForLacerte" at "Yahoo.com", we can trade files directly.



Robert