More use for NOTES

[elliots]

Mark,

Been looking at the Notes field. I'd like to use it in a custom report, but the field is not available. I see that it can be shown in a Transaction report, but the full field won't show. It would be nice if it were available as a field that "wrapped" the full text (as much of the 255 chars as was used) across the width selected on the report. Put that on my wish list.

I note that investment Description can go on a report, but the field size is too limited. Be nice if that were much bigger and could wrap in a column if necessary.

Elliot

[Mark]

Hi Elliot,

Okay, thanks for the feedback.

[monotonicus]

Mark,

I would second this request, but on further inspection, the use I was hoping to make of FM may not be appropriate. It does a wonderful job of managing data associated with transactions, and collecting, organizing and reporting on portfolio activities and positions. But it doesn't look like it wants to be used for managing the activities of investing...for which I would like robust online notes and other functions I haven't found yet.

If managing activities is a possible direction of growth for FM (and the name itself makes me doubt), the Advanced Trading Features would need to include watchlists and a more robust Notes function. Enhancing the Notes function so that they could be printed and displayed in various ways would really be helpful. For example, a listing of all open positions with all notes since the position opened would help me recap where I am with this investment...like the doctor reading your chart before he enters into conversation with you in the exam room. Or a display with all watchlist symbols with their respective notes and alerts.

FM would also need a display or report focusing only on open positions, i.e. without dividends, transfers, deposits, etc.

Almost sounds like a different product, but I don't want to short sell FM. I am really inexperienced with it...can it do the things I am wanting from it?

Thanks.

Mike

[Mark]

Hi Mike,

I'm not sure if it can do all the things you're asking, but it definitely can do some. For instance, there is an "Open Lots" report that does show only your open positions. You can customize it to show a variety of desired fields.

The "Notes" feature is not used extensively in reports currently, but it is useful on graphs, where you can see your notes as "markers".

For a watchlist, create yourself a new sub-portfolio, and use this to track the investments you want to watch. You can have as many sub-portfolios as you want, in as much hierarchy as you need, so you can organize your investments in a way that is meaningful to you.

[monotonicus]

Thanks Mark.

That takes care of the better part of it. I think that Notes used as Markers are probably adequate for me. I keep a notebook anyway, that contains, sometimes voluminous, information needed to manage a trade.

Nice product!

Mike