Simplifi - trying it out

Ps56k2

Here's the CSV Export for our Checking acct -

Ironic that the CSV headers indicate fields for Investment transactions -
but the Export/Import feature and icons are NOT currently supported by Simplifi for the Investment account transactions.

,account,state,postedOn,payee,usage,category,tags,notes,amount,action,security,description,quantity,price,commission

,"GS Checking2","PENDING","11/10/2023","At&t","","Utilities:Phone","","just a note as a memo","$0.00","","","","","",""

Ps56k2

so - today - was CSV day….
Exported a CSV file from our checking acct - since Investment Import/Export are not supported -
then tried Importing the same CSV file that Simplifi just Exported - NOPE -

Ps56k2

And…. the website appears to have a 15min idle timeout -
You can checkmark the [Keep Me Signed In] during password entry - to circumvent the idle timeout -
…wish they would add that simple text to the screen - as we were getting bounced -

Jon

At least the import instructions show you exactly how to format the CSV data for import (unlike Quicken Mac). I don't know why they wouldn't let you import all the fields they export, but re-importing Simplifi data is probably not a typical use case.

Ps56k2

CSV - I guess I can see how the Import MUST conform to the simple 4-field published template - but the Export can be anything… doesn’t matter, but they really should at least document which fields are mapped to the output

Chris_QPW

Still wondering how splits and transfers are handled. Those are the hard ones.

Ps56k2

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20397503#Comment_20397503

you mean - just as entering as a transaction?
Was going to try some Splits tomorrow.
Transfers are similar to Classic - but uses a pull down list of the “target” accounts - but no indication in the Category field, so hard to tell what’s a Transfer - but will check it out…

Chris_QPW

I'm talking about what format is required to import split transactions and transfers so that they are recorded properly in Simplifi.

Chris_QPW

I just got on Mint and tried things there. I thought they supported splits, but at least now they don't.

EDIT: It was hard to find how to do it, but Mint does have splits. I put one in and exported the transactions, and the export gives no indication that this is a split, just two regular transactions.

In Mint:

Exported:

When it comes to transfers, they don't have linked transfers, you can only set a category that indicates it is a transfer like "Credit Card Payment".

Given that Mint is so limited maybe Simplifi is the same.

Ps56k2

I’ll try some things tomorrow with Splits and Transfers - and ask some Q&A

https://help.simplifimoney.com/en/articles/3348103-managing-transactions-in-quicken-simplifi

Ps56k2

here’s my SPLITS thread over on SimplifI …
I’ll grab some pieces and post inline -
basically, to me, it doesn’t work at the very simple things.
…
https://community.simplifimoney.com/discussion/5950/how-to-split-transactions-with-rows

Ps56k2

TRANSFERS -

you find the Transaction - and then Edit the CATEGORY - but it's really different -
You slect the Category field box - and then scroll to find the "TRANSFER" category name - and then find the listing of the other accounts and pick the target entry…. So it's just like picking a normal category - but the top level Main Category is TRANSFER and the sub-cats are now the listed accounts … Here's the transfer payment from Checking to pay the Cap One credit card.

But - there is nothing on the transaction list that indicates which ones are Transfers.. you have to guess based upon the Category name. There are a few “ideas” to suggest this be changed from the existing bad design.

and here is your EXPORT - looks like both sides are exported -

,account,state,postedOn,payee,usage,category,tags,notes,amount,action,security,description,quantity,price,commission
,"GS Checking2","CLEARED","8/15/2023","Online Payment Xxxxxxxxxxx To Capital One 08/15","","PS CapOne","","","-$1,942.35","","","","","",""
,"PS CapOne","CLEARED","8/16/2023","Electronic Payment","","GS Checking2","","","$1,942.35","","","","","",""

Chris_QPW

The more I think about this I was comparing the wrong thing. I got unhung up on that they were able to import the Mint CSV file, and sort of transferred that to Simplifi's possible feature set. But what I should have been comparing it to was Quicken Web/Mobile's feature set. And they have both splits and transfers.

This is the syntax that Quicken Web uses for their exported CSV files for the transactions in a register.

In the actual CSV file (not Excel):

Of course, the question then is can Simplifi import this CSV?

Ps56k2

Nope - I think that Simplifi will only Import the 4 fields listed in their CSV “template” and barfs on anything else… vs just ignoring them.
Also, your Export looks similar to a Simplifi Export … like “posted0n”

[EDIT]- I can try again - but it didn't Import the same looking file that it Exported -

Chris_QPW

That is a real shame, because at for people that have less complicated finances, just being able to import what they export would give enough to allow for a Quicken export in CSV format, with at the most running it through some simple converter to get their data moved from Quicken to Simplifi.

Ps56k2

SPLITS - and positive/negative numbers

In the splits line items, the numbers all appear as positive - but the Category determines if it treated as + or - as per Income vs Expense.

I suggested that this was a bad design … and was told to submit an IDEA to change it .
NOPE - not submitting IDEAS to Quicken to have their software contain common sense…

This example has the Income $3500 and rest are “negative” expenses…