Phantom Transaction Downloaded by Quicken Deluxe 2012

"Margaret"

I'm pretty happy with QD2012. This is the first version where I've been able to successfully use Express Web Connect (or whatever it's called). It seems it really depends on the financial institution whether or not EWC works consistently. Anyway, I've been using it with my relatively new Alliant Credit Union accounts.

But today, Quicken downloaded what I'm calling a phantom transaction. My checking account received a supposed deposit from my savings account dated 12/15/2011. Not only was there no matching transaction downloaded to my savings account, but I'd never scheduled any such transfer. I logged into the ACU web site, and confirmed that my accounts showed no such activity.

Next I called ACU's customer service, and the rep also confirmed no such transfer had occurred. He said he'd forward this on to the department that handles Quicken, etc.

Has anyone else seen this behavior with Quicken and Alliant Credit Union?

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I think this is the first I have heard of someone getting a transaction that never occurred. I have no personal experience like it, nor do I recall reading of such a thing.

Have you tried doing a plain Web Connect download from the account (probably to a test Quicken file) to see if the phantom transaction appears there?

There are two different methods EWC can use to get your data.

In one method, the financial institution provides a "back door" for Intuit; which basically allows the Intuit EWC servers to logon to your account and initiate a Web Connect download. In that case, the data is selected/formatted by the financial institution just as they would if you did a true Web Connect download. The financial institution would be the source of incorrect data when this method is employed.

When the fi doesn't provide a back door, Intuit has to use screen scraping to get the data. Intuit selects and formats the data to be downloaded. Intuit would be responsible for incorrect data when screen scraping is used.

You can probably tell which method was employed by looking at your OFXlog from the download. I think you would find a record in that log that says, "QFX_enabled='T'" when back door Web Connect is used.

In any event, I suggest you try contacting Quicken tech support with the problem (especially if QFX_enabled is not "T"); they should (eventually) ask you for your log files (OFXlog and CONNLOG, I think), which Intuit can use to help determine the cause of the problem, and to fix the EWC script.

Thanks for your response, John. Yes, I thought this was a *very* odd occurrence. The only log files I have in my Quicken data directory are qfilenameOFXLOG.DAT and qfilenameOFXOLD.DAT. (Should I be looking elsewhere for CONNLOG?) I opened each with a text editor, but they look like HEX files. Consequently I see nothing like the "QFX_enabled='T'" (or any other text strings) you mention. Regardless, I've since run OSU several times, so the log files that most likely contain info related to the phantom transaction have been long overwritten. I didn't even *think* about saving the log files! :-(

I did just try a regular Web Connect download, and the spurious transaction was not there. Also, after I deleted the phantom transaction from the OSU download (without accepting it), Quicken successfully balanced my account *without* the phantom transaction. Strangely enough the transaction looked authentic.

Unfortunately it didn't occur to me the error might be the fault of Quicken, so I didn't save any evidence of the anomaly because I'd spoken with ACU.

Sigh, no longer working in IT on a daily basis means I don't always think like an IT pro.... ;-)

Regards,

Margaret

Margaret, I have no experience with ACU, but you mention it is a relatively recent relationship. I've had some recent experience setting up intra-FI linkage relationships where the FI forced a sort of ping between the two. No $$ exchanged, Customer support seemed oblivious to it, and within a day, usually less, even the FI's web site had disavowed the existence of the transaction.

Currently, my Wells Fargo relationship is such that I get no charges for checking, savings, nor Quicken online access. But every month their process registers a charge to each of my accounts, followed immediately by a like credit. Then an hour or so later, all transaction history of these events are masked from my access either via web site, web connect, or direct Quicken access. I guess, but can't find anyone who will confirm, that they run some sort of post-processing to clean up their records. Only in very rare instances will my random timed Quicken Direct connect capture the transaction. The always net to zero, but never reconcile as they no longer exist in any customer visible register.

Just by way of food for thought, Jere

"Margaret" wrote

The only log files I have in my Quicken data directory are qfilenameOFXLOG.DAT and qfilenameOFXOLD.DAT. (Should I be looking elsewhere for CONNLOG?) I opened each with a text editor, but they look like HEX files. Consequently I see nothing like the "QFX_enabled='T'" (or any other text strings) you mention. Regardless, I've since run OSU several times, so the log files that most likely contain info related to the phantom transaction have been long overwritten. I didn't even *think* about saving the log files! :-(

I did just try a regular Web Connect download, and the spurious transaction was not there. Also, after I deleted the phantom transaction from the OSU download (without accepting it), Quicken successfully balanced my account *without* the phantom transaction. Strangely enough the transaction looked authentic.

Unfortunately it didn't occur to me the error might be the fault of Quicken, so I didn't save any evidence of the anomaly because I'd spoken with ACU.

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To read the log files, use Quicken Help > Log Files. Choose OFXlog or Connlog.

[You can also Save the OFXlog to a TXT file from there; often (for some financial institutions) you can use Word (or similar) to help make the OFXlog more readable. And the Connlog file is already a TXT file, so it can be read with Notepad, as well as from Quicken Help.]

The OFXlog, as you now know, is in the folder where the Quicken data resides. The Connlog (for Win 7) is in:

C:\Users\YourWindowsUserName\Application Data\Intuit\Quicken\Log

Normally I would say: To capture appropriate log files, you should be able to create a New test Quicken file (in a separate folder), and do an EWC for the one account in that new file, then save the log files. You could rename the Connlog file just before starting the download, then it should only contain data from the one download ... though this probably isn't necessary for Intuit's purposes.

But there is some reason to believe that this may confuse the issue. As I understand it, when you setup the download in a new Quicken file; Intuit creates a new user-profile for that account/file on its EWC server. Under some conditions, it seems, this interferes with Intuit's ability to analyze the problem and construct a solution. I have not had the problem so I can't speak from experience, and my memory may not be completely accurate here. This is more in the way of a heads-up, in case you get some response from Intuit that your log files were not valid.

I believe the fact that you don't see the problem with a plain Web Connect download tends to confirm the fi's claim that it's not their problem, and to indicate an Intuit screen scrape problem.

Margaret: I've been with Alliant CU for about 4 years now. Up till 2011, EWC had been working fine.

I no longer use EWC with Alliant, only Web Connect. Problems started happening with EWC this summer. I have 2 separate member numbers, personal and business accounts.

Alliant EWC started downloading business transactions into my personal accounts, and vice versa. The first time it happened, I assumed I must have messed up somewhere in associating accounts for download.

After it kept on happening, I knew it wasn't my fault. It got so bad that I just stopped using EWC completely, and manually do Web Connect downloads.

On top of that fiasco, Alliant stopped supporting EWC for Roth and Traditional IRAs. Bob

Thanks for the tips, John. I've figured Quicken was using the backdoor method for the simple reason that ACU transactions appear on the web site several hours before an EWC download detects them. The odd thing is that if a new transaction is listed on the web site but not yet downloaded via EWC, manually reconciling to the online balance will only balance if I marked the not-yet-downloaded transaction as cleared.

But perhaps this is one of the EWC issues with Alliant Credit Union noted by Bob Wang.

Regards,

Margaret

Very interesting indeed, Jere! More food for thought. :-)

Regards,

Margaret

JMc wrote:

Thanks for the reply, Bob. I opened my ACU accounts 11/1/2011. I noticed fairly quickly that often a new transaction would show up on the web site several hours before Quicken received it via EWC. Nevertheless, manually reconciling to the online balance necessitated my marking the not-yet-downloaded transaction cleared.

I hadn't noticed any other issues till the phantom transaction showed up. When I tested plain old web connect yesterday and I attempted to download the transactions without first saving them to a file, Quicken displayed a message that it was "installing" and then displayed an error that it had some problem with the PDF printer. When I download the transactions to a file and then double-click it to open Quicken, there's no error message, and Quicken imports the transactions just fine. I realize this issue is most likely a Quicken and/or Windows problem, but I just thought I'd mention it.

Perhaps I'll give up on EWC, use plain old web connect and download to a file.

Regards,

Margaret

Bob Wang wrote:

"Margaret"

Thanks for the tips, John. I've figured Quicken was using the backdoor method for the simple reason that ACU transactions appear on the web site several hours before an EWC download detects them. The odd thing is that if a new transaction is listed on the web site but not yet downloaded via EWC, manually reconciling to the online balance will only balance if I marked the not-yet-downloaded transaction as cleared.

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EWC only picks up transactions once every 24 hours.

Don't know how/how often the online balance is obtained for EWC, nor whether your fi supplies the "available balance" or the "cleared balance".

When you notice an apparent discrepancy, you could try doing an Update Now for the specific account.

Makes sense now that I think about it. Duh on me! ;-)

Yes, after a discrepancy, I've done an "update now," but it still doesn't download the transaction. It may be due to the time of day, haven't paid that much attention. :-)

Thx!

Margaret

Why not go with a credit union and save the bank fee hassles?

Regards,

Margaret

If *I* had been the one to suggest that option, Margaret, by now several self-righteous types in this newsgroup would have already posted excoriating attacks on me for trying to force MY way onto other people. Your suggestion, of course, makes a lot of sense. However, the sensitive types here might interpret it as a judgment that anyone who deals with a bank, rather than a credit union, is stupid.

Well you know, Sharx, readers' interpretations of postings do have a tendency to incorporate the poster's history of group interactions.

I read some years ago that one poor interaction takes a much greater number (something like 10, though I don't recall the exact figure) of positive interactions to counteract it. Now I do recall you reformed your posting attitude sometime ago, but my question is, has that new attitude been pervasive enough to earn some trust in this group?

No judgment intended here or in my prior question of why not switch to a credit union. Just something to ponder as we approach the new year. :-)

Regards,

Margaret

I've been expounding credit union membership here in this NG for longer than anyone else I believe; the only valid reason (in my opinion) that I've heard that people stay with commercial banks was one comment about lack of a CU in their area that seemed to have its act together in their systems and people. And if that's the case, get involved as a lay leader and fix it! CUs are always looking for volunteers such as committee members and directors.

The only thing my local CU does not do is safe deposit boxes, so I maintain a small (non-interest baring) account at a local Chase for that purpose. (And even there, they bought out Bank of NY branch operations and terminated the little interest I used to receive in my account...another reason I hate commercial banks. They are NOT customer oriented.)

Why individuals bank at a for-profit commercial savings bank vs. a NPO CU is beyond me.

contains more information. And despite the appearances, I am not employed at one.

When I went to college at Michigan State, they had (and still have) a great credit union. At that time, the didn't allow students to join. I was stuck with banks, and the fees they charged us poor students then were outrageous! Two years later, the CU welcomed student members, and I joined immediately. Over the past 30 years, they've expanded greatly, and fortunately for me, they offer safe deposit boxes. Although their rates are not as generous as some other credit unions, there are no fees, and they have a large ATM network that participates with other credit unions.

So I've been sold on credit unions for quite some time. I even had my mortgage at the credit union until some of the big banks offered even more competitive rates, so I refinanced once again. I've been reading about how great Alliant Credit Union is for quite a while, and a few months ago, I finally joined. It seems that credit unions are loosening their membership requirements, and some even have loopholes that make joining even easier.

Alliant's rates are very good considering the state of our economy, and once again, there are few fees. The fees they do have are not that terrible, and they're well documented, so it's easy to avoid fees.

I don't understand the turn-off re credit unions, because IMNSHO, their benefits are many, and unlike banks, they seem to care about their members.

My brother was up in arms (and rightly so) about the fees Bank of America was about to institute a few months back, but he was willing to pay the fees rather than switch to a credit union. Fortunately for him, BofA backed down due to customer outrage.

Oh well! I have no bank accounts. But I do use the big banks' reward credit cards and have taken advantage of their low mortgage rates. This strategy works for me and IMNSHO is the best of both worlds.! ;-)

Regards and Happy New Year!

Margaret