Problem adding Schwab accounts

Richard Troy

Add Account tool leads to message: "We couldn't get information from Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.  This account will be set up as manual account".  As test, confirmed I was presented with login info only for current accounts (USAA and Vanguard). (Otherwise, entering Fidelity, etc. led to same message.)

Schwab says no problem on their end.

Ran Validate and Repair File, shut down, and reopened:  no change.

Premier Version R35.31  Build 27.1.35.31  Windows 10 Home.

Frankx

Hi @Richard Troy,

The "test file" routine is meant to determine whether the are issues with you Quicken datafile that may be causing the problem.  If you can successfully download on the test file, you would then need to perform validation and perhaps supervalidation of your datafile to see if they might fix the problem.

Frankx 

BK

You are very welcome @Richard Troy 

Richard Troy said:

I assume a "test file" is a new Quicken file.  If it works, my question would be how to integrate the two.

Correct, by test file I do mean a new Quicken file for troubleshooting purposes only with just this one Schwab account in it.  The idea is not to integrate the two, rather to narrow down the problem by using the process of elimination as you suspected.

So just for example, if you are able to add your Schwab account to the Test file but not to your Main file, then at minimum you know that the issue is not on the Schwab end, password or communication, rather appears to be isolated to your Main file - again just an example.  But if the Add process fails in the Test file as well, then it is some type of communication issue, password, system maintenance? etc. where the support team can further investigate.

I've just switched from Vanguard to Schwab and assumed the new Schwab account could incorporate the cost basis from my transferred Vanguard holdings as that security history (cost basis) remains resident in my current Quicken file.

It depends on how Vanguard transfers the cost basis data to Schwab.  May be a good idea for you to create a new separate post on the cost basis question once your main issue is resolved so that the community experts and superusers can address it - w/o getting mixed or buried in this post.

Richard Troy

Thanks to both for the clarification and direction.  Yes, the Test file fails the connection as well, so I'm ready for Quicken Support tomorrow.  And, if it exists, I'll address the cost basis issue elsewhere.

Richard Troy

BK said:But if the Add process fails in the Test file as well, then it is some type of communication issue, password, system maintenance? etc. where the support team can further investigate.

Woke up this morning with the answer, thanks to the above comment.  Problem was with my Norton 360 VPN.  Turned it off and all is well.  Downloaded Schwab accounts immediately, even with a special character in the password.  And there is no "cost basis" issue.  I don't understand the VPN issue, but I'll pass it on to Norton.  (Quicken issue?  I'll leave that up to you.)

If we'd been playing the old Adventure game, yesterday you gave me the word XYZZY.

Gold stars for your help.

BK

Yes, VPN certainly introduces a challenge where the IP may get blocked and I suggest that you search this community to see if/how others may have worked around it.  Perhaps the path of least resistance is to temporarily turn it off during your Quicken sessions.  Glad you are back in business.  Cheers.

Chris_QPW

The biggest problem with VPN problems is that in fact they will vary based on the use case.
When you use VPN you get an IP address that the VPN service assigns you instead of your real one.

This is billed as a "security/privacy" feature".  Well criminals like to hide their identities too.
So some financial institutions/websites have taken to rejecting IP addresses from outside of the regions they consider their customer base.

In reality for the case of financial institutions you deal with VPN provide neither security or privacy.
Security is already there because all of this communication is being done on a secure connection.
Privacy isn't any difference because the very fact that you logged in with your username/password means that they know who you are.

BK

@Richard Troy ,

Long shot but this this could possibly be as simple as enabling 3rd party access on the Schwab side.  You can find the details I wrote yesterday in this post.  Please let us know if that resolves it.

Richard Troy

I appreciate the quick response.  Thanks to your comment yesterday, that was the first thing I did.  I'm also prepared to use passwords with letters and numbers only, once I find the login page.

BK

Try using a new test file and see if you can add your Schwab account there - if you haven't done that already.  On the password w/special chars, @Chris_QPW wrote an interesting workaround today here that you may want to review and save for the future - once you can get to the login page.  Sorry I couldn't help further.  If your issue is not resolved by tomorrow I suggest contacting Quicken support.

Richard Troy

Thanks for the follow-up.  I assume a "test file" is a new Quicken file.  If it works, my question would be how to integrate the two.  I've just switched from Vanguard to Schwab and assumed the new Schwab account could incorporate the cost basis from my transferred Vanguard holdings as that security history (cost basis) remains resident in my current Quicken file.  But it's worth a try to narrow down the issue.  Thanks also for the password workaround suggestion.  I hope I get far enough to have the luxury of dealing with it.  :-).  I'll be in touch with Quicken support.

Thanks for being there.

Frankx

Hi @Richard Troy,

The "test file" routine is meant to determine whether the are issues with you Quicken datafile that may be causing the problem.  If you can successfully download on the test file, you would then need to perform validation and perhaps supervalidation of your datafile to see if they might fix the problem.

Frankx 

BK

You are very welcome @Richard Troy 

Richard Troy said:

I assume a "test file" is a new Quicken file.  If it works, my question would be how to integrate the two.

Correct, by test file I do mean a new Quicken file for troubleshooting purposes only with just this one Schwab account in it.  The idea is not to integrate the two, rather to narrow down the problem by using the process of elimination as you suspected.

So just for example, if you are able to add your Schwab account to the Test file but not to your Main file, then at minimum you know that the issue is not on the Schwab end, password or communication, rather appears to be isolated to your Main file - again just an example.  But if the Add process fails in the Test file as well, then it is some type of communication issue, password, system maintenance? etc. where the support team can further investigate.

I've just switched from Vanguard to Schwab and assumed the new Schwab account could incorporate the cost basis from my transferred Vanguard holdings as that security history (cost basis) remains resident in my current Quicken file.

It depends on how Vanguard transfers the cost basis data to Schwab.  May be a good idea for you to create a new separate post on the cost basis question once your main issue is resolved so that the community experts and superusers can address it - w/o getting mixed or buried in this post.

Richard Troy

Thanks to both for the clarification and direction.  Yes, the Test file fails the connection as well, so I'm ready for Quicken Support tomorrow.  And, if it exists, I'll address the cost basis issue elsewhere.

Richard Troy

BK said:But if the Add process fails in the Test file as well, then it is some type of communication issue, password, system maintenance? etc. where the support team can further investigate.

Woke up this morning with the answer, thanks to the above comment.  Problem was with my Norton 360 VPN.  Turned it off and all is well.  Downloaded Schwab accounts immediately, even with a special character in the password.  And there is no "cost basis" issue.  I don't understand the VPN issue, but I'll pass it on to Norton.  (Quicken issue?  I'll leave that up to you.)

If we'd been playing the old Adventure game, yesterday you gave me the word XYZZY.

Gold stars for your help.

BK

Yes, VPN certainly introduces a challenge where the IP may get blocked and I suggest that you search this community to see if/how others may have worked around it.  Perhaps the path of least resistance is to temporarily turn it off during your Quicken sessions.  Glad you are back in business.  Cheers.

Richard Troy

Once my Schwab accounts were activated, there was no problem updating them with VPN on.  The issue shows up only when "Add Account" is selected.

I'll check the community for VPN issues.

Thanks again.

Chris_QPW

The biggest problem with VPN problems is that in fact they will vary based on the use case.
When you use VPN you get an IP address that the VPN service assigns you instead of your real one.

This is billed as a "security/privacy" feature".  Well criminals like to hide their identities too.
So some financial institutions/websites have taken to rejecting IP addresses from outside of the regions they consider their customer base.

In reality for the case of financial institutions you deal with VPN provide neither security or privacy.
Security is already there because all of this communication is being done on a secure connection.
Privacy isn't any difference because the very fact that you logged in with your username/password means that they know who you are.