Vanguard Accounts keep reverting to simple tracking method - SOLVED

Milehigh5280

I have a couple of Vanguard accounts that have recently reverted to the simple tracking method. I've always had them on the complete tracking method. Quicken will not let me change the tracking method until I deactivated the online connections. I then switched to the complete tracking method. But each time I setup online downloads again it reverts to the simple tracking method. Also when I ask Quicken to update my transaction it leaves quicken and goes to the Vanguard website. Does anyone know a fix for this? Thanks.

Quicken Kristina

Hello @Milehigh5280,

Thank you for coming to the Community with this question. Based on your description of the issue, it sounds like your Preferences are set to default to Simple Investing. To change this, navigate to Edit>Preferences>Investments. Uncheck Default to Simple Investing for new accounts, then click OK.

Once you've unselected that option, your Quicken should no longer default to Simple Investing when you add/reconnect your investment accounts.

I hope this helps!

SomeQknDude

Did the OP mark this as solved? Or did the responder. I have the same problem. The solution proffered does not solve the issue. This is not a new account.

After the extended Vanguard inability to download transactions, I deleted and re-enabled "Online Services" for 1 of 5 Vanguard accounts. When I did this, the account was changed to Simple-Positions Only Tracking Method — it cannot be changed. This sounds exactly like the OP's problem.

It is not a "new" account. Regardless, my preferences for new accounts are not set to Simple.

SomeQknDude

FWIW, There is a fix on this thread toward the bottom in a post by @BK;

A Perspective on ongoing Quicken/Vanguard Issues

usnavy1610

Mar 7, 2025

I've read of all sorts of frustration and irritation about the ongoing Vanguard/Quicken issue. IMO everyone should relax, take a deep breath, and relax- the world has not come to an end and this will get fixed in due time.  Meanwhile, accept the fact that:

• Quicken is a service entirely dependent on the cooperation and support of third party financial institutions
• 3rd third party financial institutions have absolutely no obligation to provide and support the interface to Quicken.  You will not find these anywhere in their terms and conditions/agreements with you. And if they did, they certainly do not have a Service Level Agreement (SLA) to rectify a Quicken interface issue within a certain amount of time.  Their priority is rightfully on their own proprietary interface and web GUI, which of course continues to be available to you and is probably more accurate and rich compared to what you are getting from them via Quicken. If you are dependent solely on Quicken to provide your awareness on your financial accounts, I respectfully say that you are foolish.
• Nonetheless, these companies want to provide a value add Quicken interface their customers will be happy with. At the same time, are hyper-focused on cyber defense and protecting your data. Each company has a proprietary interface that needs to be adapted to Quicken's, and they will take their sweet time to get right, because they can.

All that said, is your historical transaction really lost?  Did you set up your account to backup your last X files like quicken recommends so that you resume downloading transactions once this issue is resolved, without losing your historical data? Have you/did you check your backup preferences?

As far as the loss of historical transactions, IMO this is more Quicken’s fault for not having a better and more informative user experience for preserving historical data when there are changes in account types.  Further, interoperability is not as easy as it sounds- it takes a lot of cooperation, communication, and thorough test processes. I wonder if Quicken has reliable test harnesses/processes and technical “hand-holders” and the awareness to help 3rd party financial institutions transition to new Quicken interfaces.

You chose Quicken as your aggregator for a reason, and you are naive if you think there aren’t going to be bumps in the road, some larger and longer than others.  You also chose Vanguard for a reason, and it wasn’t because of its interface to Quicken.  Stay the course, this will get fixed soon.

My two cents. Ready to receive flying rocks.

SRM

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[Edited - Fixed Link]

Quicken Kristina

Hello @SomeQknDude,

Thank you for joining the discussion. To answer your question, the OP marked it solved, but since it looked like they were posting a question rather than a solution, I responded with the most likely cause of what they were describing.

Did @BK's post help you resolve the issue you're seeing, or do you still need assistance?

I look forward to your reply!

Jim26@

This is also an issue for me and the proposed fix under "Preferences:Investment" was already set correctly. Ever since Vanguard started working again recently, when I re-establish my connection, it returns to "Simple"

Quicken Kristina

Hello @Jim26@,

Thank you for letting us know you're also seeing this issue. Which connection option are you using when connecting with Vanguard?

Are you making sure to select Direct Connect as the connection type?

If you are connected via Direct Connect and it's still defaulting to Simple, try switching to Complete by navigating to Tools>Account List, click the Edit button next to the problem account, then, on the General tab, click the radio button next to Complete and click OK.

I hope this helps!

arlingpj

I just ran into this issue with 2 of my Vanguard accounts. I tried the solution detailed here but none worked. Quicken customer support said that there is not solution to this problem as it is a Vanguard issue. I understand it is a Vanguard issue but I am paying Quicken to track investments and record transactions. They should work something out with Vanguard. Without being able to record transactions why do I need to pay for Quicken.

Quicken Kristina

Hello @arlingpj,

Thank you for letting us know you're seeing this issue. When I reviewed your contact with Support, I can see you're connected via Direct Connect, but stuck with Simple for the tracking method.

What is happening when you try to change the tracking method (Tools>Account List, Edit button next to the account, General tab)?

I look forward to your response!

arlingpj

I changed the tracking method to Complete as you illustrated. I then reactivated the online services which changed the account back to the Simple method. Here is the message from Quicken:

This is not acceptable at all. I manage 3 trusts, 6 IRA's and 4 individual accounts that have Vanguard investments. I need the transaction detail and I pay Quicken so that I do not have to enter transactions manually.

Quicken Kristina

Thank you for your reply,

There are multiple connection options with Vanguard. Which connection option are you using with these two problem accounts?

Is it the same connection option you're using with the accounts that are working correctly, or a different connection option?

Thank you!

arlingpj

I am using the Vanguard connection that is highlighted in blue. It is the same connection that I use for the accounts that are working correctly.

Jim_Harman

@arlingpj I think the key to your issue is when you say

I changed the tracking method to Complete as you illustrated. I then reactivated the online services which changed the account back to the Simple method. Here is the message from Quicken:

In some cases deactivating and reactivating via "Set up now" does not resolve the problem you describe; you must go through the "Add account" process and relink the problem accounts. Also for old Vanguard accounts you must specify the old account number that was used before the outage. Please follow this process exactly as described, no shortcuts!

1. Back up your data file in case something goes wrong.
2. Go to Edit > Preferences > Investments and make sure the "Default to Simple investing for new accounts" box is not checked.
3. Go to Edit > Preferences > Downloaded transactions and un-check the "Automatically add to investment transaction lists" box if it is not already un-checked. This will give you a chance to review any new transactions to make sure there are no duplicates and the transactions are going to the correct accounts.
4. Go to each problem account, click on the gear at the top right and select Edit account details. Make a note of the account name and the Vanguard account number.
   For accounts that have been connected since before 2009, when Vanguard converted to their current brokerage platform, you may need to use old account numbers that begin with 2 digits and a V rather than the current 8 digit numbers when re-linking the accounts. If you downloaded transactions using Web Connect (QFX) during the outage, your account numbers may have been changed to the new numbers. If in doubt, open a backup from before the outage, record the correct account numbers, and then return to your working file. You are only using the backup to see what account numbers Quicken was using for Direct Connect before the outage. 
5. Now for each problem account, click on the gear at the top right, select Edit account details, and then the Online Services tab. If it says the account is set up for transaction download, click on Deactivate. Do not click on “Set up now” after deactivating, you must go through the following steps.
6. Go to the General tab and now you should be able to select Complete mode. Select that.
7. At the top of the Accounts bar, usually on the left side of your screen, where all of your accounts are listed, click on the plus sign. This should open the Add account window. Don't worry, you will not be adding any accounts, you will be linking your current Vanguard accounts in Quicken to the corresponding online accounts.
8. Enter Vanguard and you should see the Vanguard logo on the right. Below the logo, click on Advanced options. Read the permission screen about Quicken and Intuit and click on Continue.
9. Under How should Quicken connect, select Direct Connect. Click on Next.
10. Provide your Vanguard username and password, and check the Save to Password Vault if that is how you normally operate. Click on Next.
11. You will see a list of all your Vanguard accounts. Any accounts that are already connected will be marked Don't add to Quicken. Accounts that you can connect will have entry boxes. For your existing problem accounts DO NOT SELECT THE DEFAULT OF ADD TO QUICKEN. Instead, select Link to existing account and select the Quicken account to use. Do not guess here. If you don't know which account to select or there are Vanguard accounts that you don't want to track, select Don't add to Quicken and only do the accounts you are sure of. You can pick up at step 7 later and reconnect any other accounts later if necessary.
12. Click on Cancel if you are confused at this point and your accounts will not be re-linked. If you are satisfied, click on Done and your accounts should be set.
13. Check to make sure any downloaded transactions are going to the correct accounts.

If you have attempted to update while the accounts were in Simple mode, you may see Added or Removed transactions during that time. You will need to delete these. If there are problems, restore the backup file you saved and you will be back to where you started.

Please let us know if this fixes the problem for you.

arlingpj

That worked. Thank you so much. The only difference/change in the steps you outlined and what I was doing was in steps 8 &9 - click on Advanced Options, select Direct Connect. Thanks again.