Importing Dividends using Generic Format

[jnewton]

Mark:
Sorry to keep bothering you.
I'm trying to import dividend transaction using the generic format and am having some difficulty getting FM to read the file.

As with other transactions, I'm exporting the div history from MS Money into Excel, massaging the numbers, saving as a CSV file and then trying to import into FM.

Import string in FM is the following:
MM/DD/YY,SYMB,NAME,TRAN,ANUM,BNUM,CNUM

Format info in Excel is:
MM/DD/YY SYMB NAME TRAN ANUM BNUM CNUM
06/20/08 AIG AIG Dividend 300 0 0

Also tried using DIST_D insead of Dividend

What am I doing wrong?
Thanks

[Mark]

Hi jnewton,

The generic import can be difficult to get the hang of. It is powerful, but also can be difficult. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you need.

Are you saving out of Excel into a CSV file? The format shown below isn't showing a comma between the fields, but you have a comma in your import string. They need to be the same. I'd suggest opening up your importing file in Notepad once you save out of Excel. That way you can see exactly what is in the file, and how it is formatted. As a tip, to open a CSV file in Notepad, use "File / Open..." and change the "File type" filter to show all files, instead of only TXT files. That way you can see/open a CSV file. A CSV file is just a plain ASCII file, which will open fine in Notepad or any other text editor.

You should be using DIST_D, and not Dividend in your file.

If you still have troubles, please copy/paste your import string and also a sample line from your file, as viewed in Notepad.

[jnewton]

Mark:
Still having trouble. File is saved in Excel as a CSV File. Opend here in Notepad as you suggested.

FM Imort String:
MM/DD/YY,SYMB,NAME,TRAN,ANUM,BNUM,CNUM

String & Data from Notepad:
MM/DD/YY,SYMB,NAME,TRAN,ANUM,BNUM,CNUM
06/20/08,AIG,AIG,DIST_D,300,0,0
09/19/08,AIG,AIG,DIST_D,330,0,0
09/23/05,BAC,Bank of Amer,DIST_D,250,0,0
12/23/05,BAC,Bank of Amer,DIST_D,250,0,0

FM shows the preview window but no records show up.

FM seems to be very sensitive to the Date Formatting. Seems to often get stuck on that. Any suggestions would help.

Thanks for your help.

[Mark]

Hi jnewton,

Your data and format string look fine. I test imported using this data and format string, and all 4 transactions showed up correctly in the Preview dialog. If you aren't getting any errors, and the preview screen is empty, then it is probably one of these reasons:

1) These transactions are already imported, and you have on the option to "Skip Transactions Already in Fund Manager Investment" on the first import screen.

2) These transactions are going into a new investment, and you have OFF the option "Create New Investment(s) As Needed" on the first import screen. You will want to turn on that option, so a new investment can be created for these transactions.

Double check your import options at the bottom of the first import screen. I'm guessing one of these is the cause of the empty Preview screen.

[jnewton]

Mark:
I was able to get it, although I don't quite understand the rational.

In the Generic Import window, if I UNCHECK the "Skip Transactions Already in FM Investment" box the transactions will show up and are able to be imported.

I assumed this box was to prevent duplicate entries in the investment. These investments were set up and purchases and sales recorded, but NO dividends had been recorded and unlikely that many had duplicate payment dates.

Am I missing something?
Thanks

[Mark]

Hi jnewton,

For some reason Fund Manager thinks you already imported those transactions. This option causes Fund Manager to compare your already recorded data with the importing transactions. If it finds an exact match, then it will skip that transaction during the import.

If you go look in the investment using the "Data Register" and set the data type to "Distributions (all)", you can view the recorded distributions. If you did the import with this option off, and there are duplicates, you should see them in the Data Register.

If you'd like for me to take a look, just give me a call at (480) 705-0129, and we can do a quick web conference.

[jnewton]

Mark:

As stated in reply above- The "Skip Transactions" box was the problem.

However, If the transactions were already in FM and unchecking the box was needed to import, wouldn't I now have duplicate entries?

Unchecking the box allowed me to import, but I DO NOT have duplicate entries!

Also, on another account, I did an QIF Export/Import, and checked "Offset Entries Into Cash Account". Transactions seem to be imported correctly although I haven't checked them- BUT every cash entry had 2 entries-a positive and negitive entry. I had to go in and delete every other entry.

Not trying to be a pain, but trying to identify how FM works, its quirks, or help you identify bugs.

Thanks

[jnewton]

Mark:
So I don't send you on a goose chase-

I was looking at the wrong account.
On the Dividend import, I was mistaken and you are correct. The dividends have in fact been duplicated. However, I do not know which of my attempts were successful.

This brings me to another question- How do I restore to previous file?

Thanks

[Mark]

Hi jnewton,

If you want to restore, you can use "File / Restore...". You can either restore any backup you previously made using "File / Backup..." or any autobackup made by Fund Manager. You can view or choose the frequency and location of these autobackups under "Options / General Preferences... / Data".

Another options is to just exit without saving. Turn off "Options / Save Investments on Exit" and "Options / Save Portfolio on Exit" and then exit. Say "No" when it asks you to save.

I noticed you don't have account number in your importing data. This means you must choose a specific destination sub-portfolio for each import. If you are trying to import many accounts, you can add the ACCT value to your data and format string, so you can do all accounts at once, and help avoid any confusion with transactions going into the wrong sub-portfolio.

[jnewton]

Thanks Mark:

I god to know on the mltiple account import. I may use this feature in the future. For now I 've been importing one ccount at a time. Started with the simple accounts and working up to the more complicated ones. Helping me learn the system and determine how much detail and history I want to bring over.

Another question:
From what I can tell, FM seems to be a little weak on non-investment Money Market Activity. For instance-detail reports for check registers, payments to others, Social Security payments received etc. Are there any specific reports that help monitor these activities? Any suggestions on how others handle this activity either within or outside FM?

Thanks for your help.

[Mark]

Hi jnewton,

All of these money market transactions would simply be buys or sells. You're right, there isn't much on categorizing transactions within a single investment. You could run an Investment Transaction report on just the Money Market to show all this activity. To filter out all the buys/sells of securities, you can turn on the filter option "Include Only Portfolio External Transactions (Contributions / Withdrawals)". Press the "Filter..." button in the Report Settings dialog. You can also do things like filter by Memo contents, if you wanted to only show certain transactions with a common memo.

BTW, in case you didn't see it, version 10.2 is now available. This fixes the status dialog problem you reported.