Share purchase transaction shows negative share amount; wipes out share balance

Unknown
Unknown Member
edited April 2017 in Investing (Windows)
I just upgraded to Quicken 2017.
I have a Vanguard 401(k) account that has online updates in Quicken that used to be perfectly in sync with Vanguard's records. But after I upgraded, I noticed that for the first year and half of transactions, the share balance increases with each purchase, as one would expect. But, at the end of August 2014, there's a purchase transaction with the correct number of shares and price, but the share balance goes from 479.45 to -11.26! I tried deleting and re-entering the transaction, but this didn't solve the problem. Any idea what's causing this and how I can fix it.

Comments

  • mshiggins
    mshiggins SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2017
    It sounds like a placeholder.

    Quicken user since Q1999. Currently using QW2017.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown Member
    edited April 2017
    Nope, that wasn't it. I ended up having to delete the account and type everything in manually to fix it.
  • rigginbe
    rigginbe Member ✭✭
    edited March 2019
    I have the same problem. Except mine doubled the value of the account. There is no transaction showing, but the balance between two existing transactions is grossly wrong. I am using Quicken Premier 2017.
  • Jim_Harman
    Jim_Harman SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Have you made the hidden placeholder transactions visible by going to Edit > Preferences  > Investing transactions and checking the Show hidden transactions box?
    QWin Premier subscription
  • shera
    shera Member
    edited March 2019
    I am having the same issue.  A transaction to buy shares actually REDUCES the share balance. However, this only happens after a certain date.  If I edit the transaction changing ONLY the date, the share balance sums correctly.  There are no placeholder transactions in this account.  See attachment.  I am using Quicken Premier 2019.  Please help!

  • Jim_Harman
    Jim_Harman SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2019
    The display in your screenshots could be caused by a hidden Placeholder transaction dated sometime between 11/19 and 12/28, setting the Vanguard 500 Index Fund share balance to -12.47783 shares.

    Go to Edit > Preferences > Investing transactions and make sure the "Show hidden transactions" box is checked.  
    QWin Premier subscription
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