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Currency rates price data

Questions about updating prices or transactions in Fund Manager

Postby marathon » Fri May 08, 2015 8:37 pm

Want to share with others something beneficial. This should be updated into the documentation for others to benefit.


The 2 choices suggested by documentation for historical FX rates are to download from either Oanda or Fed and to use Generic Import.

A more robust method I found was to link the feed to Bloomberg. E.g. EURUSD the symbol is EURUSD:CUR for the Bloomberg historical server. Data upload is very fast and avoid human error during the more tedious import process.

Would suggest a feature which is to upload the major currency pairs against USD automatically into the system via these data feeds and then work out the internal currency cross rates. For example a home currency CAD portfolio would use EURUSD and USDCAD rates to revalue the holdings for EUR stock. This is because EURUSD and USDCAD are published and easy to verify, EURCAD is a cross that is not frequently monitored.


Using this method the system will allow for sub portfolios to switch reporting currency without having to re-link each currency instrument under the Options >> Currency Settings

This can happen for people who use 2 or more reporting currencies and should be included at least in the Professional and Advisor modules. I can think of many situations when reporting currency is specific to the portfolio/sub-portfolio. Handling of common currency situations is more robust (less error prone) when there is a system function like from a drop down menu. The current flexible DIY system is important but better for a "Custom" function when the standard menu is not sufficient.

The robust way to do this would be for FM to run an internal database for all the main currency pairs (since the source can change over time) and the data inside to be scrubbed and checked for accuracy. The FM system then gets the currency data directly from the FM database server instead of from any and every server around the world. Exception would be for the "Custom" feature which can be using the current system Options >> Currency Settings


That's my 2 cents worth :-)
marathon
 
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Joined: Thu May 07, 2015 11:44 am

Postby Mark » Sat May 09, 2015 7:36 am

Hi marathon,

Thanks for the feedback. Did you see somewhere in our documentation that talked about Oanda and the Fed? We do have this FAQ on retrieving historical exchange rates:

https://www.fundmanagersoftware.com/faq ... wnload.php

To easily switch your default currency you can set up currency templates. They are described here:

https://www.fundmanagersoftware.com/hel ... _Templates
Thanks,
Mark
Fund Manager - Portfolio Management Software
Mark
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Postby marathon » Sat May 09, 2015 7:49 am

Hi Mark

the template feature means need to change the global settings each time moving from one portfolio to another.

Suggestion is for the system to maintain internal table of major FX rates (i.e. the 20-30 most common) and any user specified (ideally in USD crosses) that is computed on the fly as and when needed.

This will be closer to the system used by banks/brokers to show position valuation
marathon
 
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu May 07, 2015 11:44 am

Postby Mark » Sat May 09, 2015 7:57 am

Hi marathon,

It would be a nice improvement for FM to automatically retrieve and maintain all these. For now, though, you are responsible for setting up and retrieving the prices for any exchange rates you want to use. With the currency templates feature you can assign a global default currency, and all the necessary exchange rates. Is there something about the templates feature that isn't okay for your needs? You don't have to manually change the settings, they are all stored with each template. You just need to switch templates when you want to view everything converted into a different default currency.
Thanks,
Mark
Fund Manager - Portfolio Management Software
Mark
Site Admin
 
Posts: 11583
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:24 pm
Location: Chandler, AZ

Postby marathon » Sat May 09, 2015 8:05 am

it is additional step....prone to human error

had to remember to check the currency template when viewing different portfolios

add the Ctrl-X function and after a long day, easy to get confused with what I am looking at on the screen.

Why is this number showing this again...let me see...Ctrl-X? nope...ah...its the wrong template for this portfolio
marathon
 
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu May 07, 2015 11:44 am

Postby Mark » Sat May 09, 2015 8:11 am

Hi marathon,

Understood. What are you suggesting as an alternative/improvement? Have a currency assigned to each sub-portfolio, and that sub-portfolio always displays in a certain currency? Are you suggesting to completely eliminate "View / Exchange Rate Adjusted"?
Thanks,
Mark
Fund Manager - Portfolio Management Software
Mark
Site Admin
 
Posts: 11583
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:24 pm
Location: Chandler, AZ


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