Merging security names

Todd Nicholson

I'm using Quicken 2017 Premier for Windows. I had a problem with my original Quicken data file where it would cause Quicken to stop responding every time I used One Step Update to download transactions after around February 8th. I could restore from backup to view older transactions, but the same issue occurred every time, even after validating the file and trying to repair any detected issues.

I created a new data file by exporting my old transactions. It took about a week to catch up on downloading and reconciling transactions. I thought I was done until I noticed that the value of my 401(K) portfolio was way off. It is only showing shares acquired since February 8th.

After looking into this, I noticed that several of the securities downloaded with the same ticker symbol as before, but the name is listed differently than in my original data file. 

For example, ACRNX is listed as "Columbia Acorn Fund - Z" in transactions transferred from the previous data file, but listed as "Columbia Acorn Fund Instl" for the newly downloaded transactions.  This is just one of 7 securities where this issue occurred. With bi-weekly paychecks where I purchase into these funds automatically for the past seven years, there are hundreds of mislabeled transactions  causing my total shares to be miscalculated.

Other than re-entering the security name for each transaction, is there an quicker way to merge the two listings for ACRNX and each other mismatched security name per ticker symbol? I was looking for a find and replace or even a merge option in the security list, but I don't find anything like that for investment accounts.

Sherlock

I suggest you replace the securities in the recent transactions with the original securities.  You should then be able to delete the new securities and uncheck Matched with online security of the original securities so you may match the original securities to the downloaded securities when subsequently prompted.  

q_lurker

Sherlock said:

I suggest you replace the securities in the recent transactions with the original securities.  You should then be able to delete the new securities and uncheck Matched with online security of the original securities so you may match the original securities to the downloaded securities when subsequently prompted.  

If you sort the transaction list by security (click the header), all the securities to be changed will be grouped together.  You can then rather readily change the security name as desired (Copy and Paste function) and move to the next.  For some types of transactions, you may need to edit the transaction rather than just edit the entry in the transaction list.  

q_lurker

@titanrx8:  It is a little too easy to mis-match security names when Quicken detects a possible match.  But the solution when the problem is identified should be 1) Edit the security details to unmatch the security, then you can properly 2) edit the transactions to reflect the correct security, and 3) on the next connection, make the correct association between the online brokerage security and the Quicken security.  

Where spinoffs and mergers reuse existing tickers, I typically reticker the older security, something like ABC(old), so that the new company gets a clean start with its new ticker.  (slightly oversimplified).  

Bottom line -- editing the transaction security name may only be part of the overall solution.  Very much depends on the specifics of the situation.

Sherlock

I suggest you replace the securities in the recent transactions with the original securities.  You should then be able to delete the new securities and uncheck Matched with online security of the original securities so you may match the original securities to the downloaded securities when subsequently prompted.  

q_lurker

Sherlock said:

I suggest you replace the securities in the recent transactions with the original securities.  You should then be able to delete the new securities and uncheck Matched with online security of the original securities so you may match the original securities to the downloaded securities when subsequently prompted.  

If you sort the transaction list by security (click the header), all the securities to be changed will be grouped together.  You can then rather readily change the security name as desired (Copy and Paste function) and move to the next.  For some types of transactions, you may need to edit the transaction rather than just edit the entry in the transaction list.  

titanrx8

I am not sure that simply changing the Security name will fix the problem.

After opening a new account at Fidelity for active trading, I had several transactions showing on the One-Step update as having incorrect share balances in Quicken vs online at Fidelity. This occurred for two different reasons.

1. After placing several hundred trades on the Fidelity site and then downloading a week or so later, I had to manually either accept a security as new or match it to an existing security in Quicken's portfolio. I made a couple of mistakes by accepting a NEW security with a similar ticker as if it was a security already in Quicken.

2. Immediately after purchasing a new security, the company spun off a new company and security. The purchased security had ticker "A" and CUSIP "a1". A temporary holding company also had ticker "A" but CUSIP "a2". After the spinoff was completed, a company with a new but very similar name existed with ticker "B" but CUSIP "a2".

I tried to fix all of these by changing the security name in the mismatched transactions. That didn't work because Quicken couldn't keep the CUSIPs properly aligned with date sequence of the events.

Ultimately, I deleted all of the mismatched transactions and then manually entered each of the transactions paying careful attention to the name of the security, ticker and cusip. Only the deleting and reentering worked. Fortunately this was only about 8 transactions.

Good luck!

q_lurker

@titanrx8:  It is a little too easy to mis-match security names when Quicken detects a possible match.  But the solution when the problem is identified should be 1) Edit the security details to unmatch the security, then you can properly 2) edit the transactions to reflect the correct security, and 3) on the next connection, make the correct association between the online brokerage security and the Quicken security.  

Where spinoffs and mergers reuse existing tickers, I typically reticker the older security, something like ABC(old), so that the new company gets a clean start with its new ticker.  (slightly oversimplified).  

Bottom line -- editing the transaction security name may only be part of the overall solution.  Very much depends on the specifics of the situation.