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Fidelity Download Error OL-220-A

Amo1

I have been getting this error intermittently for a couple months, after never having any issues with downloading transactions from Fidelity. I am running the latest build from Quicken. I was not having an issue for a couple weeks, and then all of a sudden on Feb 21 I started getting the OL-220-A error again and have not been able to download any Fidelity transactions since Feb 21. Further, I cannot find any pattern or logic to when this occurs. I have read many of the Quicken Community articles about this error, and it seems that it has been an issue for people for well over a year. I tried many of the suggestions that users posted, and none of them have worked.

I checked the Quicken Connection Log and the Fidelity download seems to stop at a certain point each time and the log states "Parse error. Current object: INV401KBAL Missing Tag: TAG UNKNOWN". I have no idea what this means.

I called Fidelity and spent over an hour on the phone with them this morning. They told me that the issue is with Quicken, and that they have received many calls from Quicken users about this. Is Quicken doing anything to solve this problem that seems to be affecting many experienced Quicken users? Thank you.

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nbarendt

I am having this problem as well.

Using Direct Connect.

20240229 14:04:14: Parse error. Current object: INV401KBAL Missing Tag: TAG UNKNOWN

While I was only recently impacted by this bug in Quicken, there are many similar issues reported over the last few years by several users.

Starting with an empty Quicken File, I can add the Fidelity Investment accounts and succesfully update, so not a Fidelity issue.

I have spoken with Quicken Support.

After completing File Validation and Super Validation, and neither resolved the issue, I was told to try creating a Backup Template (effectively keeps all history, but all online accounts are disconnected, so you have to manually re connect them). I completed that, and it worked for a week or so, then had the same issue.

I have been told by Quicken that this is only an issue for users with large files and the only way to resolve it is to start a new file (and throw away years of valuable history). I'm also skeptical that the issue will not occur in a few weeks or months.

That's unacceptable.

Amo1

Thank you @nbarendt. I agree, this is unacceptable. I spoke with Quicken support and they gave me the same advice they gave you. However, I did not follow the advice after reading a few Quicken Community posts from people that went through all of the work to create a backup template as you did, and then had the same result that you experienced where the Fidelity download worked for a week or two, and then stopped. I am glad that I did not take the time to do that, or I would be even more frustrated.

However, when I spoke with Quicken support they not mention anything to me about "that this is only an issue for users with large files and the only way to resolve it is to start a new file", nor have I read any posts with that information. I too have a large file (have been a Quicken customer for over 20 years) and having the history is very important to me. And I also agree with you regarding being skeptical that starting a new file would fix the issue, as there does not seem to be a true understanding of what is causing the Fidelity download error, which is evident in reading all of the different responses to this issue in the Quicken Community from both super users and Quicken experts.

@Quicken Anja, I saw you responded to several posts about this issue over the years. In one of your posts, you tell the Quicken user that they need to call Quicken support, which both I and @nbarendt have done, and we each received different advice. It seems that this has been a known issue for some time, yet Quicken support does not know what is causing it, nor how to fix it. What do you suggest Quicken customers do that are having this issue, and what is Quicken going to do to correct the problem? Since Quicken support is giving different advice to different people, it is clear that the problem is not understood by Quicken (or at least it has not been documented so your support team knows what to tell people) and that Quicken needs to spend some time and resources to figure out how to correct this problem. This is very frustrating, and your help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Deleted User]

I am assuming that the financial institution (FI) is "Fidelity Investments", which only allows the Direct Connect (DC) transmission method.

The documentation for the OL-220 and related errors has always been consistent. It also documents troubleshooting steps that have been consistent. Bottom line the FI needs to fix the issue because the error is with the file that they use for account updates. I am not sure why you both are getting different explanations or possible solutions. I do know that the error message in the Connection Log points to a syntax or format issue with the update file which again the FI can only fix.

https://www.quicken.com/support/error-message-ol-220-ol-221-ol-222-ol-223-ol-224-ol-225-or-ol-226-when-using-online-services

I know this is not what you want to hear, but there must be someone at Fidelity that can review their update file and confirm that it is formatted correctly. Even if they come back and say that their file is formatted correctly and has no syntax errors, that helps because with each verification it becomes less of a "needle in a haystack".

Amo1

Thank you for responding @QuickUserPSP. Yes, the financial institution is Fidelity Investments and is Direct Connect. I have read the documentation you provided, and that is why I called Fidelity. I spent 2 hours on the phone with them. After my call was escalated to a supervisor, he told me that this is a known issue on Quicken's end which they have received many calls about, and that I need to call Quicken support, which I did. I then spent almost 2 hours on the phone with Quicken and their advice was to Validate my file or create a backup file disconnecting all online accounts and then reconnect them. I did not try this as there is much documentation in the Quicken community (and now from @nbarendt above) that this only works for a short time.

Regarding your comment that FI needs to fix this, I am not sure that is accurate. As @nbarendt points out above, if one starts a new Quicken file they can connect with Fidelity, so would this not suggest that there is something going on which Quicken needs to address?

Regardless, given how many posts there are about this, I am hopeful that someone at Quicken takes the time to research this issue, so at the minimum, the Quicken support team is able to provide consistent guidance to customers on how to correct this frustrating problem.

[Deleted User]

@Amo1 - the difficulty of this situation is that there are 3 parties involved with a lot of moving parts, and they are all looking to each other for a solution. It is not always clear cut as to what the issue is and who is responsible. The 3 parties - the FI, Quicken, and Intuit all have systems and processes that interface with each other, and the issue is that if anything changes anywhere, the connection is easily broken.

Typically, the OL-220 error is an FI file issue. And since the connection method is DC, quicken has no access to the FI servers to trouble shoot the issue. That is why the solution to the issue points to the FI.

Amo1

Thank you @QuickUserPSP. Unfortunately, I have heard this several times before with other issues with Chase Bank and Bank of America I experienced. I followed Quicken support's guidance both times to follow up with the other party, only to find out in both cases that the issue was in fact on Quicken's end, after spending hours trying to resolve with the other party. In both cases the issue was then researched and corrected by Quicken, but only after many Quicken customers had spent hours with the other parties trying to figure out what was wrong. Thus, my experience tells me that Quicken needs to get involved in some manner.

@nbarendt, you mentioned above "I have been told by Quicken that this is only an issue for users with large files and the only way to resolve it is to start a new file (and throw away years of valuable history)". I am curious who gave you this feedback?

[Deleted User]

@Amo1 - Believe me, I can relate to your situation, the problem is that at this point we can't make any assumptions because we aren't privy to any coordinated efforts by all parties involved. Hopefully they are in contact with each other and there is a solution soon.

Chris_QPW

For the people having this problem, have you tried deactivating the account for downloading, and then adding a new online account connected to the online account in question?

My guess is that this isn't a "large file" problem, it is a corrupted data file problem. But data corruption comes in a lot of different forms. I have certainly had an account or two get corrupted over the years. In general, if the corruption is limited to that account, you can create a new account and continue with that one.

nbarendt

I was told that the only way to "fix" this was by starting with an empty file by a Quicken customer support supervisor named Pablo.

Support Ticket 10820609

@QuickUserPSP I have been through the OL-220 error message resolution procedures before starting any engagement with either Fidelity Investments or Quicken.

None of them resolved the issue.

I then spent an hour on the phone with Fidelity Investments early January 2024 and they had me verify that starting with an empty Quicken file and adding my Fidelity Investment accounts worked without issue.

I then spent two hours on the phone with Quicken Support the next day. After sharing my screen with support, doing Super Validate, testing with an empty Quicken File, they had me use the File→Copy or Backup File→Create a Copy or Template function - apparently a side-effect of that is all online accounts are disconnected in the file created. Enabling online accounts in that file worked, for about a week.

Frustratingly, the online update with Fidelity Investments occasionally does work - maybe one out of twenty attempts (I perform the one-step update, and my accounts at several other institutions all update correctly, and generally the accounts at Fidelity fail with OL-220-A, but seemingly randomly, the Fidelity accounts occasionally update correctly).

I would be more than happy to assist Quicken and Fidelity Investments in debugging this situation.

[Deleted User]

@narendt and @Amo1 your issues are perplexing, especially if the connection works in a new file. But it doesn't seem to last.

Do your other FIs work without issue? Have you tried @Chris_QPW suggestion of deactivating the account, and then setting it up again as new (but then connecting to the existing account on Quicken)?

It sounds like for at least for @narendt, the connection works intermittently.

The error message that both of you are getting points to the update file. The INV401KBAL is a file variable that I think was also the issue when users were getting their account balance doubled and then later on a zero balance in their accounts. To me it looks like someone made a correction but caused a format or syntax error. Something else in the programming or the file reveals the error when certain conditions are met. That is why a new file works but only temporarily. That is just an educated guess on my part.

Amo1

Thank you, @QuickUserPSP. All of my other financial institutions work without issue (Chase, Baird Investments, Bank of America to name a few). I have tried @Chris_QPW's suggestion a while ago. It did not work, but as @nbarendt describes, I also experience this issue intermittently and it seems random in nature. I have tried to isolate what may be causing the problem but cannot come up with anything. However, I do find it interesting that @nbarendt and I started having the same issue at around the same time, which could indicate there is a common problem (and not data corruption) causing the issue, especially given that @nbarendt has tried various things to correct the problem including to validate and super validate, created a backup file and reconnected, etc.

Regarding your comment "to me it looks like someone made a correction but caused a format or syntax error. Something else in the programming or the file reveals the error when certain conditions are met. That is why a new file works but only temporarily. That is just an educated guess on my part.", do you have any suggestions on how we could use this educated guess with Quicken to resolve the problem? I would also be more than happy to assist Quicken and/or Fidelity in debugging this problem, as it is causing much lost time and efficiency. Thank you.

[Deleted User]

@Amo1 I am sorry to say there is nothing more you can do other than what you have been doing. Reporting the error and trying the connection periodically, and going through troubleshooting steps. Quicken never divulges anything about their internal process for debugging and error correction process.

Chris_QPW

You might try exporting/importing your data file using QXF (Quicken Transfer Format) (into a new data file). It now supports investment accounts and non-investment accounts. But be aware in my testing, simple investments transferred correctly, but more complicated ones didn't (my data file didn't). a simple test one did, and some people converting from Quicken Mac were successful.

The only other thing I can suggest is using a QIF export/import to create a new data file. This is a very hard thing to do, but if you want to try here is some suggestions on how it might be possible:

https://www.quicknperlwiz.com/changetransfers.html

Amo1

I wanted to provide an update. On 3/6/24 my Fidelity accounts started to download transactions again. However, today they stopped downloading again, receiving the OL-220-A error again. @nbarendt, I am curious if you were able to download transactions any time between 3/6 and today, and if so, did it stop working again? If it did start and stop working, when? I am asking in an effort to determine if this is a system issue or an individual issue. Thanks.

NotACPA

I've had no difficulty downloading any of my 7 accounts at Fidelity Investments.

Amo1

@nbarendt, have you come to any resolution on this issue? I have not been able to download any transactions from Fidelity since March 13. Thank you.

Stephen Fox

Same issue for me - OL-220-a. Last successful update 05-Apr. I also have a large file (quicken user since 1992). I hope this gets resolved soon.

Amo1

I may have found one possible resolution to this problem. A few weeks ago I noticed a pattern for when I would receive the OL-220-A errors. I was not positive, but I seemed to be having issues after I had logged into the Fidelity website through my MS Edge browser (on the same computer as Quicken). Further, the issues seemed to happen if I did not log out of Fidelity or close my browser window. This seemed to make some sense to me, as the Quicken log errors I would receive after getting an OL-220-A error indicated that Quicken was establishing a connection with Fidelity, but got hung up at some point. Since then, if I use the Fidelity website, I make sure to log out of the website, select another website (like Google or something), and then close the browser window, before I try to download Quicken transactions. Since I started doing this, I have been able to download from Fidelity without issues (2+ weeks now). I am not sure how to explain from a technical standpoint why this fixed my issue, or if this is simply a coincidence, but I wanted to share with those having issues, as I know how frustrting in can be.

nbarendt

@Amo1 I was successful downloading from Fidelity for the last 6 weeks or so, and then the error started up again a few days ago.

This is maddening.

dleary4608

I have the same issue with Fidelity. Long time Quicken customer with a large data file. This error has been happening for YEARS. I will have weeks where I get an OL-220-A error when I try to download from Fidelity every day, then it will start working again randomly, sometimes for as long as a week, but then will start failing again. It's very frustrating to have such bad connectivity to one of my main investment accounts.

One approach that SOMETIMES works to fix it: go to Tools→Online Center, then hold ctrl and click Contact Info. When the popup appears, select your Fidelity account, then check "financial institution branding and profile", "download FI list", and "statement download" and hit refresh. Repeat this if you have multiple Fidelity accounts. Then select Fidelity and update/send to try to download data again. It works to fix the problem SOME of the time, not always.

The randomness of this error is super annoying and the fact that it has existed for at least 5 years make me want to ditch Quicken. Telling me it's Fidelity's issue to solve isn't helpful either. As far as I'm concerned, Quicken needs to own this problem and resolve it once and for all.

nbarendt

@dleary4608 thanks for that tip - I tried your recommendation and I was just able to download successfully for the first time in weeks;

Agreed - this appears to be a Quicken problem.