Cash Initial Balance

[tradewinder]

Hi,

I want to start entering my porfolio back to the beginning of this year to start.
But I would like later on, being able to enter previous years.

What I understand is that you can only enter starting cash position and starting date when you create the Cash inverstment. Once, it has been created, is there a way to update/change to starting date and starting cahs position?

Thanks

tradewinder

[Mark]

Hi tradewinder,

Yes, you can always edit any of your recorded transactions. When you are in the New Investment dialog and it asks for "Opening" data, it simply records a purchase on that date for whatever shares you enter. You can always go back later and edit/delete/replace that initial purchase.

For example, let's say in 2012 you bought 50 shares of a stock in January, and another 50 shares in November, so you owned 100 shares on 12/31/2012. If you enter this 100 shares and 12/31/2012 in the New Investment dialog you will see a purchase of 100 shares on that date. If you later decide you want to go back and enter the details of how you got those 100 shares, delete that purchase, and enter your 2 actual purchases in 2012. Do this in the Data Register window, under the "All Transactions" data type.

All investments work this same way, including cash. The number of shares you own on any date is simply the sum of all the transaction shares up through that date.

[tradewinder]

Thanks Mark for your quick answer!
Awesome support!

[dacallander]

I am going nuts trying to add cash to the default cash account and also add account fees as a distribution. I add it but the account balance does not update. What am I doing worng?

[Mark]

Hi dacallander,

To add cash, record a purchase in your cash investment. Record the purchase at a price of 1, with the shares equal to the value. The price should stay at 1 for cash for all transactions, and all your closing prices.

If you paid an account fee out of the cash account, such that you should have less cash, record a Reinvested Distribution of type "Account Fee". Make sure to enter the value and shares as negative numbers. Again the price is 1. Make sure to check the "Reinvested" box, so you can enter shares/price. In this case you are redeeming shares of cash to pay for an account fee. This will lower the number of cash shares you have by the amount of the fee.