Reset DTSTART Not Working as Expected

Question

I have been using Quicken for 25-30 years. I've never had such an intransigent problem like this one in all that time.

My transactions from UBS have not been downloading into Quicken since February 8. UBS uses Direct Connect; I am not aware of any other option being available.

Someone advised to try Refresh DTSTART which didn't change anything, but I wonder if the refresh is actually occurring, as when I complete the process, the DTSTART date value is the same as before, as described in detail below.

I found this very useful blog post that explains how to use Refresh DTSTART. I can't post the link, but if you replace the spaces with slashes below, you should be able to find it.

qualapps.blogspot.com 2018 08 quicken-wont-download-transactions.html

I followed the process, but my DTSTART date doesn't change.

Here is what I did:

* Accessed the Refresh Online Transaction Information panel and saw that the current DTSTART data for the UBS account is 1/1/1970.

* Clicked Reset DTSTART button to get the next screen, updated the data to 2/1/2023, then clicked OK.

* Clicked Refresh.

* Clicked Update/Send on the Online Center panel for UBS accounts.

The result is the same however, there are no new downloaded transactions.

Additionally, if I access the Refresh Online Transaction Information panel again, the DTSTART date has reverted to 1/1/1970.

The following shows my software version.

markus1957 · Answer

This seems to indicate that UBS has put a limit on how many transactions can be packaged into a qfx download file and they are loading the oldest rather than the most recent into the download file.

UBS should reverse the date sort order of the transaction set so the excess transactions above the limit,  cut off the oldest transactions rather than cutting off the most recent transactions as they appear to be doing.

Your manipulation of DtStart seems to be partially working around the issue. You may need to use that until UBS fixes their process to create a download file. The fact that a new file behaves the same way pretty much puts the issue in UBS hands to resolve.

jerrylcanterbury · Answer

Hi Markus, thanks for your response. It's really just newer transactions I'm looking for since Feb 8. The older transactions were downloaded successfully in the past.

I was trying some things similar to what you suggested before your comment came through. Specifically, I set up a test file, added a UBS account (all accounts were actually added by the Activate process), deactivated all but one, then did the Update. Data loaded through June 2022. I updated DTSTART to 6/1/2022 and Updated again. A couple more months came through. I repeated that, moving DTSTART forward each time, until that account was caught up.

Encouraged, I went back to my live file. I deactivated all UBS accounts but one. If I did an Update alone, no new transactions appeared. But if I updated DTSTART to 2/1/2023 and then did the Update, the missing transactions appeared. I connected two more UBS accounts with similar success, always needed to update DTSTART first to get the recent transactions.

Now, the bank support representative has made comments about too much data coming through the data pipe, to use non-technical terms. I don't know how much data the bank is sending to Quicken, but from my point of view, I'm getting maybe 100 new transactions for the past 6-7 weeks at most. Surely, that can't be enough data to break the process. Nevertheless, that is where I got the idea to process individual accounts combined with updating DTSTART.

That leaves me with a concern, however. If I reconnect the remaining accounts, am I somehow flooding the data pipe? Will that break the process again? The bank rep suggested dividing accounts into different files to minimize the data load at any one time. That approach might make the process work, but then I wouldn't have the ability to see my total financial position in one place.

I will incrementally add the remaining accounts in coming days, to see what happens.

But if anybody has thoughts about what I've shared and the impact of "too much data" on the process, I'd like to hear them, thanks.

markus1957 · Answer

DTSTART is really not functional anymore for bringing in older transactions. It might still be able to restrict the download request to a more recent date. The direct connect FI pretty much exclusivley determines from how far back transactions will be downloaded.  Then to the extent transactions were previously downloaded, Quicken will not recognize them as new, but will rather ignore them. That happens even in the case where some type of corruption prevents the download from showing up in transactions for review. It behaves as if instead of accepting the downloaded transaction, you deleted it. No matter how many times you download again, it will not post that transaction for review.

In your case I would suggest creating a new test data file and try to add your UBS accounts in the new data file. If they successfully download in the new file, there is a problem with your current file.  You can then deactivate the accounts in the new file and delete it.

I'm assuming you've tried deactivating/reactivating individual UBS accounts without success and file validate/repair. In that case the next step is to deactivate all UBS accounts including any old hidden accounts. Then go to Tools>Online Center, using your mouse, hover over the "C" in Contact Info, hold the Ctrl + F3 keys and left-click the "C". You will see a smaller window than the one in your screen shot that contains a list of your active FIs. If you have deactivated all of your UBS accounts, UBS should NOT appear in the list. If it does highlight it by clicking on it and then click the Delete button to delete it. Do not delete any other FI in the list unless it is also one with no activated accounts. FIs in that list with no activated accounts indicates corruption in that FI configuration table.

Then try using Tools>Add Account to LINK your UBS account registers to their matching online accounts. Once linked, they should work just like the test file accounts did.

To save time restoring your file in case this does not work, make a windows copy of your data file before deactivating the UBS accounts. That way if the process doesn't work, you can just use the copy and not be any worse off for trying to fix the issue. I would also turn Sync Off if you have it On while troubleshooting.