Receiving error when trying to connect to Payflex

skondolf

Over the past week when I try to connect to Payflex (my HSA) I get the following message: "Sorry. We encountered an error (it's not your fault)" This worked fine prior to the past week. I've checked and I can log into my account via their website. I've tried deactivating online banking and then reactivating but no luck. I've also contacted PayFlex and am waiting for them to get back to me.

skondolf

As I was the one who started this thread in the community I thought I would try and get a definitive answer from Payflex so I asked them directly if they could provide an answer to this issue. Here's their reply on 6/13/2020:

"Dear Steven:

Thank you for contacting PayFlex.

Your information will not be able to be linked to any third- party sites or finance software directly. If you use Quicken or any other third -party vendor programs, then you would have to input your information directly from your PayFlex website yourself. Unfortunately, we no longer allow 3rd party website access to our PayFlex systems for security purposes."

Boatnmaniac

After deactivating, did you go to the General tab of Account Details and remove all of the Financial Information in the top right corner before trying to reactivate? 

That can be an important step to take, especially if the Financial Institution changed something in the connection process or in what account information is included in the download to Quicken.

skondolf

BoatnManiac -

thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I had tried this and it didn't help. I even tried to setup a brand new account with no luck. And I also tried activating using a purposefully wrong password and username. No matter what I enter I get the "Sorry ..." message.

Boatnmaniac

@skondolf - Since you have a "it's not your fault" error message it might mean you need to contact Quicken Support to get this fixed  (https://www.quicken.com/support/error-when-using-online-services-cc-501).

skondolf

I contacted Payflex Customer support to see if was an issue at their end but have not received any communication. I will probably contact Quicken on Monday to have them look into it. Thanks for the help.

skondolf

So just to update, I did contact Quicken support and they acknowledged this is an issue and they are working on it. They hope to have it resolved in a week. it's Friday a.m. and I still cannot connect but at least the recognize the issue. FWIW.

FMH1

Bump - I am experiencing the same issue. Did you hear anything back from Quicken support since then?

skondolf

I spoke to Quicken support for a 2nd time this past week and was on the phone over an hour working with the technician and trying different things. Finally I was so frustrated I asked the technician to escalate the issue which he says he did. I'm now waiting to see if anyone ever gets back to me.

I also contacted Payflex. they tell me their security software is probably blocking Quicken but "it may work on a sporadic basis." Obviously this is total bs - what kind of security software allows blocked connections to work on a sporadic basis?

Personally I think Payflex canceled their service with Quicken to save money and just didn't notify anyone.

Boatnmaniac

skondolf said:

I also contacted Payflex. they tell me their security software is probably blocking Quicken but "it may work on a sporadic basis." Obviously this is total bs - what kind of security software allows blocked connections to work on a sporadic basis?

There are a large number of FIs that have sporadically blocked connections from Quicken as well as online account access over the last two weeks.  So, what Payflex told you might indeed be true.  You can read about it in this Alert: https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7874067/ongoing-4-16-20-you-may-experience-errors-updating-some-of-your-accounts#latest.

One thing I've observed in the last few days is that some people have been reporting sticky connection problems being resolved after they updated their subscription Quicken program to R26.15 (the latest version is R26.17, just recently released).  You might want to check your Quicken version and verify that you have it (Help > Check for Updates).

If you get a message that you have the latest revision but it shows a revision less than this, then download the Mondo Patch and install it from here:  https://www.quicken.com/support/update-and-patch-20182019-release-quicken-windows-subscription-product. 

skondolf

I guess what I took exception to from the Payflex comments was that their "security software was causing sporadic blocking issues." Security software isn't going to allow access sporadically unless there's a bug in it somewhere - the whole intent of security software is to BLOCK unwanted attempts at access.

Now if Payflex is purposely blocking access due to their systems being overwhelmed (and being an HSA, perhaps that IS the case here) then I agree that may cause me to not gain access. But then you'd think Payflex (or even Quicken) would've mentioned this to me when I contacted them.

And yes, I do have the latest release of Quicken subscription.

At this point in time I'm pretty much done with pursuing this. I've escalated the issue with Quicken (not sure if that'll do anything but I guess it can't hurt) and will periodically attempt to setup online access.

thanks for all your help.

jaws2

We have two threads going on this issue since April 7. Unfortunately no one from Quicken appears to be helping us to resolution, even if its to say that Quicken will no longer work with PayFlex accounts. Would be nice to get some closure one way or another.

FMH1

Bumping

Chris_QPW

Just so people know, has also been reported on another thread for Quicken Mac.  So it isn't Quicken (the program) that has the problem.  And the error message they are getting is that the financial institution is blocking access.

Chris_QPW

@FMH1 Here is a link to the CC-555 error you asked about in the Quicken Mac thread.

https://www.quicken.com/support/message-when-connecting-bank-using-one-step-update-cc-555

annette.flugstad

:#
BUMP - been having problems for going on 2 months now... How hard is this Quicken - FIX THIS...

Quicken_Tyka

Hello all,

Thank you for taking the time to visit the Community to report this issue with Payflex.

Payflex is returning a 155/555 error. This error message will be presented when the financial institution is blocking access to their servers, preventing Quicken from retrieving data to download to your file.

As this issue has persisted for more than 24 hours, please contact the affected financial institution's customer support for further assistance. There may be a block on the financial institution's side that may need to be removed. 

Thank you,
-Quicken Tyka

VAXman65

I am seeing a trend again in support for transaction downloads. Support for this activity is perhaps the main reason to maintain a subscription for Quicken or for periodic updates. Seems like we are returning to the days where the value for customers just is not there.

In the past couple of months, i have been through this a number of times. Support response continues to be along the lines of quite honestly wasting customers' time repeating the same ineffective steps on a per-customer, per account basis, then saying to us that "something" is being done and we should try again in 24 hours. Sometimes this works, other times not. Then more time wasting until we get to the point where individual customers are told to go talk to customer support at the institution (which rarely has a Quicken support queue - just a lot of confused CSRs trying to help us with their website that we are not using directly).

Overall, the support process of maintaining online transaction downloads is just not there for me anymore. I have been using Quicken for over 20 years, but this is the end. One more static license from me is all you get, then i'll reduce my update schedule to once every five years.

This is not saving me any time.

skondolf

As I was the one who started this thread in the community I thought I would try and get a definitive answer from Payflex so I asked them directly if they could provide an answer to this issue. Here's their reply on 6/13/2020:

"Dear Steven:

Thank you for contacting PayFlex.

Your information will not be able to be linked to any third- party sites or finance software directly. If you use Quicken or any other third -party vendor programs, then you would have to input your information directly from your PayFlex website yourself. Unfortunately, we no longer allow 3rd party website access to our PayFlex systems for security purposes."

UserSince1997

As a long-time Quicken user, I fully expect Quicken to have strong relationships with institutions for downloading. If Quicken does not take the leading position in these relationships, their entire business model will be at risk. E.g., if one company makes the decision to cease their Quicken relationship, users will move to a different institution; if enough organizations do this, then they will cease using Quicken itself. I personally find Payflex's behavior repulsive, since the decision to use (or not use) Payflex is not an individual's decision and they are already difficult to work with.

I've had this CC-555 Payflex error for my FSA account since April, as I see others have. I work in software and do not appreciate the canned responses in this thread. I've also reported this issue to Payflex and respectfully ask that the 2 R&D organizations synchronize to fix this 3-month-old issue. The users have waited long enough.

PeterK

Hi, I just started a new HSA with Payflex, along with an investment account. What's the latest status on how this information can be downloaded? Can I at least save to a QFX file and import into Quicken?

Quicken_Tyka

Hello @PeterK

Thank you for taking the time to visit the Community to post your question.

Payflex is still returning a 155/555 error. This error message will be presented when the financial institution is blocking access to their servers, preventing Quicken from retrieving data to download to your file.

 Unfortunately, Payflex does not offer the ability to import a QFX file.

Please contact the Payflex customer support for further questions or concerns regarding the block.

I apologize for not having better news!

-Quicken Tyka

Boatnmaniac

@PeterK - Unless and until Payflex removes their block, you have two options for tracking your Payflex HSA and investments accounts in Quicken:

1)  Set up manual accounts for them and manually enter the accounts transactions.

2)  If Payflex offers manual download of transactions in QIF format:

• FAQ: A program to add the account name and type to QIF files so that Quicken will import them:  This is about a program you can download (the download link is provided) which will allow you to modify QIF files so they can be imported into Quicken.  The post and the program was written by one of the SUs in Community and some have reported it works well.
  
• FAQ: How to Import QIF Files Into Non-cash Accounts, post-Q2004:  This post tells you have to manually modify a QIF file so it can be imported into Quicken.  I used this process successfully for nearly 5 years with a 401K account I had.