Definition of "balk"

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In Reply to: Re: FM doesn't like investment-less portfolios? posted by Mark on September 22, 2005 at 16:00:00:

: Hi Mike,

: When does FM "balk" at the empty sub-portfolios? You can have empty sub-portfolios with no investments. Are you using the New Portfolio Setup Wizard to create these? You might find it easier to use the "Portfolio Editor" to deal with creating/organizing your sub-portfolios, especially when they are empty. Just use "View / Portfolio Editor". This works like Windows Explorer, and you can create/move/edit/delete portfolios and their investments. There is another tutorial on using this at:

: http://www.fundmanagersoftware.com/tutor_ports.html

: If you have 3 separate holding of IBM you would indeed want to create 3 separate investment files, each with their own pricing/transaction history. When you retrieve prices all 3 will get updated for you.

: To retrieve historical prices go under "Options / Internet Settings..." and change the quote server to "Yahoo (Historical)" and then do a price retrieve.

: Thanks,
: Mark
: --
: Mark Beiley
: Fund Manager, portfolio management software for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/00/XP/2003
:
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You asked, "When does FM 'balk' at the empty sub-portfolios? You can have empty sub-portfolios with no investments." Well, here's what I mean by "balk", Mark...

Using "New Portfolio Setup Wizard", I defined a new master portfolio in the "Portfolio Properties" screen. I gave it a name, and entered the actual brokerage account number corresponding to this portfolio.

Then I clicked "Advanced" which took me to a "Save As..." screen. I had previously created a folder called "Fund Manager Data", and so I was at this folder, and I took the name FM recommended for the MM4 file, with "Save as type:" set to "Portfolios (*.MM4)". So then I clicked "Save," which returned me to the "New Portfolio Setup Wizard" screen.

I then clicked "Next>" and entered the "Add New Investments" screen. I didn't add any investments, because I had just done a "strict QIF" export of this portfolio from MS Money 2003 (which I currently use as my portfolio manager) and intended to import this QIF file into this portfolio in FM, with presumably all its transactions.

So I simply clicked "Next>" again and was warned "You haven't created any new investments for your portfolio. Continue anyway?" I clicked OK.

This took me to the "Price Retrieve" screen. Since I hadn't defined any investments, there was no reason to retrieve anything at this point. So I indicated "No" on the radio button, and clicked "Next>" again down below.

This took me to the "Default Cash account" screen, which indicated "(none)". But I wasn't worried, as you said in the tutorial this could be done later. So then I clicked "Finish."

What did I get?? The gray opening screen, with only "File" and "Help" on the menu bar.

I clicked "File, Open Portfolio..." and there was my MM4 file. But when I selected it, and pressed "Open", I ended up with the same gray opening screen, with only "File" and "Help" on the menu bar. So I have a portfolio "shell," and FM won't let me open it.

That's what I mean by "balk."

-Mike Jordana.

Replies:

• Re: Definition of "balk" Mark 10:36:42 09/24/05 (2)
  • Re: Definition of "balk" Mike Jordana 21:01:50 09/24/05 (1)
    • Re: Definition of "balk" Mark 00:01:59 09/25/05 (0)