Re: Problems retrieving some transactions from Schwab

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In Reply to: Re: Problems retrieving some transactions from Schwab posted by Kamtsa on March 10, 2005 at 05:13:46:

Hi Kamtsa,

Thanks for looking into this.
1) It sounds like the server wasn't updated with the transactions for 3/10 yet, which explains why they weren't retrieved. Yes, some sort of warning might be helpful. I'll give it some thought.

2) In 7.2 we've added an option to the retrieve dialog where you can choose whether or not to retrieve "Investment Banking Transactions". These are usually interest payments, checks, or visa purchases out of your cash account.

3) There is an option to "Skip Transactions Already In Fund Manager" on the retrieve dialog? Did you use this option?

4) When FM records both sides of a transaction they will be consistent. It is true you can edit one side without editing the other. They aren't "linked" after they're initially recorded. If you sell a stock and money goes into your cash account, would you suggest using something other than a "buy" for the deposit into the cash account? I guess we could tag it as something special, like a deposit?

An implicit cash account for each sub-portfolio is an interesting idea. I can see how that would be easier to use, without requiring the user to set up an investment and assign it. Thanks for the idea.

Thanks,
Mark
--
Mark Beiley
Fund Manager, portfolio management software for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/00/XP/2003

: Hi Mark,

: I took at look at the file and indeed, only one of the sells order was there.

: Few question regarding the transactions:

: 1. The returned file has 1991010120050309 even though it was requested on 3/10/2005 (this may explain why some of the transactions are not there yet). Is it possible to warn the user about partial info if the date of the returned transactions is in the past?

: 2. The returned file include a bunch of transactions with things as interest payment. For some reason, FM does not show nor import them with results in incorrect totals. Is it possible to have these transactions as well.

: 3. I noticed that FM does not complain about importing duplicate transactions and leave the responsability to the user. This is very error prone. How about having automatic filtering of duplicate transactions. I spend several hours today cleaning the dupes, missing and mismatch transactions.

: 4. One of the difficulties I have is the need to sync between the cash and the stock transactions. Also, the terms used for cash investments are misleading. For example, I have a Schwab account that includes the 'cash' account. Now, if I buy stock X, I see two transactions, one for the cash and one for the stock and FM does not enforce consistency between the two side of the same transaction. Further more, in the cash account, a 'sell' transaction appears a 'buy' (of cash) which is confusing.

: It would be great to have in FM portfolios that already include an implicit cash account, each transaction appears only once (without duplicating in the 'cash' investment) and FM will enforce consistency (that is, I cannot delete one side and leave the other). This is the paradigm that my Schwab account provide and I think it is more intuitive and easy to use.

: Sorry for the long posting, hope it is clear. I spent today long hours to fix inconsistency in the data.

: Thanks,

: Kamtsa

: : FM should be retrieving everything available on the OFX server. It may be that FM isn't importing correctly, or these transactions aren't being returned by the server for some reason. To check, take a look in the "ofxretr.txt" file right after a retrieve. If you'd like to email that to me, I can take a look, and help decipher what transactions are in there. This is the file returned from the OFX server, and contains all the transactions retrieved.

Replies:

• Re: Problems retrieving some transactions from Schwab Kamtsa 10:53:28 03/10/05 (1)
  • Re: Problems retrieving some transactions from Schwab Mark 11:05:17 03/10/05 (0)