QUICKEN PREMIER 2005

[Rod]

I just purchased Quicken Premier 2005.

Does anyone else have this?

I would appreciate any tips/tricks in helping me to utilize this with the TSP.

Thank you & God Bless:^

[Rod]

BUMP

[Rod]

BUMP AGAIN.

C'mon... someone on here has to have Quicken!:D

[Rolo]

SeeEEEeeee... that's what you get for ignoring my ramblings...I've used it forever and use Prem H&B 2005 atm.

You could try "Seeeeeaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrch", too.

I've done it for you:

http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/view_topic.php?id=398&forum_id=30&highlight=Quicke n

Follow the directions; it is what I use to update my TSP share prices in Quicken semi-automatically.

[Rod]

Thanx!:^

[jgpalmerdds]

Rod,

I've used Quicken Deluxe (about the same thing as far as investing part of the program) for 10 years, and I too will search as well and would like to know how to integrate TSP and Quicken as well. I've never tried to do this and have just been manually typing in the prices. Way too time consuming.

[Rolo]

GOOD G-D MAN!!

Don't you all know this übergeek is ALL ABOUT convenience and automation and anything that provides me max info with more goof-off time!?

Yes, let me know if you have problems/need clarificationwith the Quicken dealie. Ima pretty up the web site one O these days. (I would add it to Tom's site, but dunno if putting another task onto his SQL server would be a good idea. O course, DUH! we don't have to use HIS, he can use mine! DurrRRRrrrrr...hey Tom, I'll throw you some code soon.)

I just got back into a collectible card game that I haven't played in 8 years and it's pretty time consuming....putting my new acquisitions into a database now (for max info now and max playtime later).

[Rolo]

K, after you get your account set up in Quicken, you should have individual securities setup called TSP_XX, where _ is the letter of the fund (C/S/I/F/G).

Then you download share prices from this link (http://www.techalchemy.net/TSP/tsp.php). http://www.techalchemy.net/TSP/tsp.php (http://www.techalchemy.net/TSP/tsp.php)

While on the investments screen, click File | Import |Import Prices.



There is an intermittent bug...the price update gets wonky once in a while (you will see +30% gain in one day); once I fix that, there will be a link to it on TSPtalk.


Any questions? Does everybody know how to do this who wants to do it?

Also, does the import work with Micro$oft Money?

[lsitter]

Hi, I'm using Quicken H&B Premier 2004. I have followed your directions, best I can tell, to import prices into the security. I created securities using the TSP_XX format. I saved from your website in a notepad file named 'TSP Price History.txt', using the dates for 1/3 to 1/28/05. Just this year.

Anyway, I try to import the file and it says 'No valid prices to import'.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong or what to try next. Can you help me please?

I do appreciate your efforts and can't believe TSP won't modernize for us.

Lou

[tsptalk]

Rolo wrote: Then you download share prices from this link (http://www.techalchemy.net/TSP/tsp.php). http://www.techalchemy.net/TSP/tsp.php (http://www.techalchemy.net/TSP/tsp.php)
Looking good Rolo!

[lsitter]

Rolo wrote: K, after you get your account set up in Quicken, you should have individual securities setup called TSP_XX, where _ is the letter of the fund (C/S/I/F/G).

Then you download share prices from this link (http://www.techalchemy.net/TSP/tsp.php). http://www.techalchemy.net/TSP/tsp.php (http://www.techalchemy.net/TSP/tsp.php)

While on the investments screen, click File | Import |Import Prices.





Rolo, thanks, but still no luck. Same problem regardless of downloading and importing 1 date, 5 dates, or entire history. Same error message. Also, do you know what the default folder is that Quicken looks for this file in? Getting old having to paste and copy the entire path as it is quite long!

Thanks again for your efforts, I am very excited at the prospect of getting this up and running!

Lou

[lsitter]

Just a thought: Do you think it matters in which order I created the securities? I created them in this order: C, G, F, S, I, using the TSP_XX format.

LOu

[lsitter]

I just got it to work! I screwed up, I named the securities, but never named the actual ticker symbol! DOH!

Lou

[Rolo]

Hi Lou,

No, it doesn't matter which order you created them. What, exactly, are you clicking in Quicken to import the prices?

Be sure to be on the Investing Center screen (the one that shows all your holdings, watchlist, daily gains, etc.). Then click on File | Import | Import Prices.

Yesterday, the data were horked a bit; it is OK now. I haven't had time to kill that elusive bug yet. (Day 3 in my new house...most of my stuff still in boxes!)

[lsitter]

Hey Rolo,

I am importing it properly, however, the dates are screwy. I downloaded June 2, 2003 to Dec 31, 2003. The I Fund was $12.90 on Dec 31, 2003. In Quicken, it shows the price history as $12.90 for all dates, June 3 - Dec 31, 2003. Also, the 'as of' date in Quicken always shows whatever date I input when I do the download. Finally, do you know what the default directory is for Quicken when it looks for the TSPprices file? I ask so I don't have to put the path in everytime I do the download.

Thanks for your help!

Lou

[lsitter]

Rolo,

I finally got it to import prices! I had to sort in reverse order as I saved it, most recent date at the top.

Now what?

I will import all of my transanctions and see just how I can manipulate this data.

Thanks again!

Lou

[Rolo]

Oh, I think that may be the intermittent bug. A succeeding import should correct it. I need to fix that (still moving in).

Is everything working?

[lsitter]

Rolo wrote: Is everything working?

Yes, everything is working as far as showing the price history. That is very cool, thank you!

As far as me being able to manipulate the data...well, that is a different story. Allow me to ramble:

To start with, I have used Quicken since 1992, I'm pretty familiar with it. I usually upgrade about every 2 to 3 versions. I am currently using 2004 H & B Premier. I have never really done a lot with my TSP tracking other than every paycheck it automatically sends my contribution and the matching to the TSP account. Then, at the end of each quarter I would put an entry in that update the account to match the ending balance shown on my statement. Essentially, the update amount would be the gain or loss of the account for the quarter. That is all I have done with Quicken with respect to my TSP. Until now.

Now, I created a spreadsheet in Fall of 2003 that I use to track the TSP funds. In a nutshell, I use formulas to tell me which fund (C, S, or I) is the 'most undervalued' or the 'least overvalued'. I don't fool with the F Fund and the G Fund is never overvalued. I compare the closing price of the fund to it's average price. I have a formula that computes it's average price by giving more weight to more recent data. I then move 100% of my money, every day if neccessary, to the most undervalued fund. If all 3 (C, S, I) are overvalued I move to the least overvalued. If all 3 are overvalued by 1.45% or more, I move to the G Fund.

Is this working? Two weeks ago my answer would bea resounding 'YES!'. Now, I doubt my math. According to my spreadsheet, by making every move recommended, my rate of return since June 2, 2003 would be 77.46%. $100 would now be $177.46. I have not always followed the spreadsheet due to testing, emotions, etc. My spreadsheet math shows my personal/actual rate of return since June 2, 2003 as 29.85%. I believe I have adequately allowed for the 1 day delay in moving funds. As I do the quick math in my head and add my contributions and the matching to my balance and then factor in my RoR for the last year, the numbers don't add up. At least I don't think they do. Hencewith, the reason for my doubts.

Now to my point: I am wanting Quicken to verify my math for me. Unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to manipulate the data in Quicken like I want. I have input every transaction I have made. Quicken seems to show my RoR based on when I bought the current security (fund) and compares it to todays value. For instance, I have been in and out of the C Fund many times this last year and a half. Quicken doesn't show me how I have done with my moves because I currently have a zero balance in the C Fund. I'm sure that I am doing something wrong, but I don't know what. I just want Quicken to tell me what my rate of return is for any given period based on my daytrading my TSP and always going 100% to one fund on my trades. I suspect it is because I have not diversified to all 5 Funds that it is not giving me the data I want. Who knows?

Any ideas? Anyone? I am happy to share my tracking spreadsheet, but it is quite large, over 1 meg in size.

Thanks for listening/reading.

Lou

[Rolo]

Yes, Quicken, in the Investing Center, tells you your gain from your cost-basis.

Use the reports, subtotal by account, to get your IRR for a given time period, or use those $ figures to calculate your actual gain.

Use the attached spreadsheet to enter your fund transfers.

Zip your spreadsheet, that should make it small enough to post.

[lsitter]

Rolo wrote: Yes, Quicken, in the Investing Center, tells you your gain from your cost-basis.

Use the reports, subtotal by account, to get your IRR for a given time period, or use those $ figures to calculate your actual gain.

Use the attached spreadsheet to enter your fund transfers.

Zip your spreadsheet, that should make it small enough to post.

Actually, what I am finding is that Quicken only tells you your gain based on when you purchased the fund. For instance, I purchased 21,409.902 shares of G Fund on January 27, 2005,at $10.72 per share. The shares are now worth $10.73 each. Quicken reports a gain of $214.10, TOTAL. And that is with me setting the dates to include all dates. It does NOT show what the total, overall gain for my TSP account is. It bases it's gain on when the currently held security was purchased. I want it to say how much of my TSP value is contributions and how much is gains. It should be able to break it down like that as the money that has gone into the account in Quicken shows as either '_401Contrib' or '_401EmployerContrib'. Or should I be using different categories to track the cash IN to Quicken?

Thank you for the spreadsheet, I understand how to put the data in there, but what do you do with the spreadsheet after the data is entered? Do you copy and paste it to Quicken somehow?

As far as attaching my file, it is 290kb zipped. The limit is 102kb. :(

Lou

[lsitter]

lsitter wrote: Is this working? Two weeks ago my answer would bea resounding 'YES!'. Now, I doubt my math. According to my spreadsheet, by making every move recommended, my rate of return since June 2, 2003 would be 77.46%. $100 would now be $177.46. I have not always followed the spreadsheet due to testing, emotions, etc. My spreadsheet math shows my personal/actual rate of return since June 2, 2003 as 29.85%. I believe I have adequately allowed for the 1 day delay in moving funds. As I do the quick math in my head and add my contributions and the matching to my balance and then factor in my RoR for the last year, the numbers don't add up. At least I don't think they do. Hencewith, the reason for my doubts.

I have used the TSP Return Calculator to verify my math. It looks like I have my numbers right. For 2004, I made a 12.82% rate of return. Not that great considering the S Fund made 18.03% and the I Fund made 20.00%. The thing to remember is this: I didn't always follow my own recommendations and let my emotions get in the way. Had I followed the spreadsheet recommendation 100% I would have had a 29.42% return for 2004. I have got to take my emotions out of this!

For 2005, my spreadsheet has a return of 0.41%. This beats the C, S, and I. Not the F Fund, but I don't use the F ever. Maybe I should try to incorporate that in my formulas.

Anyhow, how does this compare to you guys?

Lou

[Rolo]

lsitter wrote: For 2004, I made a 12.82% rate of return. Not that great considering the S Fund made 18.03% and the I Fund made 20.00%.
I have the same problem! I made 12.6 or .8 or something in '04 and was disappointed, too: "Whatever it is I'm doin' ain't werkin', so I need to fix it."

lsitter wrote: The thing to remember is this: I didn't always follow my own recommendations and let my emotions get in the way. Had I followed the spreadsheet recommendation 100% I would have had a 29.42% return for 2004. I have got to take my emotions out of this!

Ummm...yeah, you should be kicking yourself harder than I have, hehe.

I was tinkering with a spreadsheet :dude:<-- Frizz B. made with giving more weight to more recent share prices. I never really got anywhere with it and stopped screwing with it. It sounds like you have a good system; I wonder how it will do in various markets.

lsitter wrote: For 2005, my spreadsheet has a return of 0.41%. This beats the C, S, and I. ...Anyhow, how does this compare to you guys?


One of the few to make a YTD profit, I think.