QIF Import

[MikeD]

I'm trying to get & running on your software. I exported a QIF file from Quicken. I imported it into your software and it doesn't look like anything other than my cash position was imported. No stocks at all. Not quite sure where to go from here...

[Mark]

Hi MikeD,

A couple suggestions:

1) When importing, did you have "All Securities" selected?
2) Did you have "Create New Investments as Needed" turned on?
3) If neither 1 or 2 help, open your QIF file in Notepad, and take a look at it. Do you see any of your stock transactions? A QIF file is just a plain text file that you can open in any text editor, like Notepad. Doing this checks to make sure that the export actually exported this info. If not, re-do your export from Quicken.

[MikeD]

The "Create New Investments as Needed" did the trick. Next I didn't setup a sub account when I did the import. Is there an easy way to transfer everything into a sub account? Secondly, my cash position is off. At first glance, it looks like some margin interest has not been deducted from my FM cash position. Any ideas on how to address that? Thanks

[Mark]

Hi MikeD,

You can use the Portfolio Editor window to create yourself a new sub-portfolio, and move all your investments in there. This window works a lot like Windows Explorer in windows, where you can drag/drop etc. There is also a tutorial in using the Portfolio Editor here:

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

Margin interest should be recorded as a negative valued "Reinvested" interest income distribution into your default cash account.

[MikeD]

Got the sub account squared away. Here is a MargnInt entry from my QIF file:

D1/31/96
NMargInt
CR
U4.03
T4.03

However, when I look at the cash account in FM I don't see that entry. Thx...

[Mark]

Hi MikeD,

This will be put into whatever investment you have assigned as your default cash account, as a reinvested interest income distribution for -$4.03.

Do you have a default cash account assigned? If you had Fund Manager create the account for you at the time of import, you should have been prompted for what to do about a default cash account. You can choose to create a new investment, not use one, or select from a list of investments being created with the import.

You can check your default cash account assignment under the "Properties..." of your sub-portfolio.

Also, to view this transaction, look in your Data Register under the "Distributions (all)" data type.

[MikeD]

I finally got my cash account squared away. I deleted everything and started over making sure to setup the sub account and cash default account correctly. Reconciling everything was painful, because it looks like your program tosses anything in a Misc. Exp or Misc. Income category. Unfortunately I was a little lazy and didn't always put every fee in the appropriate category.

I have another account that I would like to import. I will correct all Misc. Exp & Misc Inc items before importing. Are those the only two categories I need to be careful with?

Thx

[Mark]

Hi MikeD,

Can you post an example transaction that got "tossed"?

[MikeD]

I just started to change all of my Misc. Income & Expense Items in Quicken. It is painful, because it is asking me to delete item as opposed to simply allowing me to change. It may be easier for me to hack the QIF file. Any suggestions?

Thx

[MikeD]

I will find an example & get back to you in a few...

[MikeD]

Here are a couple of examples:

^
D9/25/97
NCash
CR
U-0.09
T-0.09
MSEC Fee
^
D9/25/97
NCash
CR
U-0.04
T-0.04
MSEC Fee
^

I have tons of these things. When I figured out what was going on - instead of changing each one - I would reconcile every three months or so. I was too painful to correct each one.

I have another account to import. It will be easier to hack my QIF file than making changes in Qicken or FM...

[Mark]

Hi MikeD,

The "N" field describes the transaction code (buy, sell, interest, etc...). For some reason you have a transaction code of "Cash", which isn't a code known to Fund Manager. If instead, you change this to "MiscExp", they should import as you want. (Negative valued "account fee" type of reinvested distributions in your default cash account.) So, make it look like this:

D9/25/97
NMiscExp
CR
U-0.09
T-0.09
MSEC Fee
^
D9/25/97
NMiscExp
CR
U-0.04
T-0.04
MSEC Fee
^

[MikeD]

Looks like I have made it thru the importing issues. I think my next problem will be equity option quotes. Where can I find that historical data? Most of that info is in my Quicken database - not sure how to get it out. Also going forward - where would I attain option pricing data... Thanks

[Mark]

Hi MikeD,

You can get daily option pricing from Yahoo. Set your option investments to use the "Yahoo (Options)" quote server. Look up the symbol on Yahoo, and record that in FM.

Quicken used to be able to export prices to a .PRN file. Not sure if it still can, but if so, you can import those into Fund Manager under "File / Import / Prices / Quicken (*.PRN)...".

I am not aware of a quote server offering historical option quotes.

[MikeD]

I realize that this is not your problem, but it is frustrating. I would like to replace Quicken as my portfolio management tool, but not being able to get the option pricing out of Quicken into FM makes dropping them difficult.

I think even if I do decide to keep two databases past and present/future - I may still have problems. I use Interactive Brokers. To get data into FM - I think I would have download from IB to Quicken and then write a .QIF file for FM.

Sorry for the rant, but I am ready to move on past Quicken.