Erroneous Transaction Data Generated when Linking

GS1

When linking the account of a manually added account in Simplifi containing imported Mint transactions (such as those that included Mint transactions splits), this scenario has been observed to result in erroneous transaction data in the account transactions list, where in addition to the split transactions appearing, the original transaction that was split also appears after linking the account with the online account.

We haven't fully bound where this issue occurs, but at least one example was confirmed where a previously imported Mint three-way split had its originating transaction added upon linking with the online account. It's not clear if this is a limitation in Simplifi's handling transaction data from Mint, or a "true bug", but there should at least be a disclaimer made to Mint users who are attempting to transition over to Quicken Simplifi, because the result is erroneous transaction data, and this may require much manual work to both identify and correct the erroneous data, if a Simplifi fix is not deployed.

UrsulaA

I am a user who did a limited two year import from Mint to Simplifi. Simplifi treats split transactions as one. Mint treats splits as separate transactions only denoting they are split with an icon on the Mint UI.

Because of the difference in treatment of split transactions between Mint and Simplifi, I believe the bank is downloading a split transaction with the entire amount when the data ranges between import and download data overlap. Simplifi cannot match the amount of the splits and it is downloading an additional transaction with the original total when the date range between the imported data and the bank data overlap.

I avoided this by only importing data before the earliest date the bank provided. I connected the accounts first, ran an initial synch, and then backfilled missing data. I know the support article recommends the opposite order (manual import, then connect the account) but my method avoided the split matching problem and did not create any duplicates.

With the scenario you describe, I will delete the account and start over. Let the bank synch initially and only import Mint transactions dated prior to the bank's downloaded first transaction. Then re-split needed transactions in Simplifi that were downloaded from the bank for the shorter time period the bank provides if they were split in Mint. Usually banks download transactions for 90 days for an initial synch. Wells Fargo went back two years for my initial synch, longest interval among the institutions I use.

GS1

Thanks for your response, UrsulaA.

I was also considering whether another workaround to this limitation might be to start over and link the account first, but then delete all the transactions at once that occur prior to a date, and then import those transactions in that range from Mint. Similar to your solution, but I'd like to preserve the existing categorizations and splits from Mint if possible. I'll test it and see if that works.

Since there is some existing capabilities to support Mint imports/transition, it's surprising that the option/capability isn't already part of the linking process/logic, i.e. for specifying a link start date manually or for Simplifi to just detect the existing transactions and avoid adding the ones that "don't belong" based on the transactions already imported (or at least prompt the user to confirm).

"Simplifi cannot match the amount of the splits and it is downloading an additional transaction..." - I would argue that it's a bug because the resulting erroneous data where a user wouldn't necessarily be aware, unless they're specifically checking for a problem. If it's not a bug, then it still seems like a big oversight that should be a simple for Simplifi team to fix.

UrsulaA

Yes, your solution below will work:

"another workaround to this limitation might be to start over and link the account first, but then delete all the transactions at once that occur prior to a date, and then import those transactions in that range from Mint. Similar to your solution, but I'd like to preserve the existing categorizations and splits from Mint if possible. I'll test it and see if that works."

Regarding the bug - no, Simplifi treats splits transactions as one unit with multiple lines by design currently. If you want split transactions treated as separate transactions, vote for the feature here:

https://community.simplifimoney.com/discussion/966/split-transactions-should-be-treated-as-separate-transactions-2-merged-votes

fcastillo

I'm currently stuck, I either have to keep my Mint categories intact while adding additional transactions to Simplifi because of split transactions, or I have accurate transaction information but I'll have to correct all categories manually. As mentioned in the previous post here, it all depends on the order in which you import your Mint data and connect/link to your bank.

I was checking the Mint CSV file, and there are no markers identifying a split transaction. Simplifi could check if multiple transactions have the same date, payee, etc but different amounts. The problem is that some people also change the date of their split transactions.

Unless Mint includes a marker to identify split transactions, and specifically which transactions go together, I don't see a way forward for this.

I don't want to have to choose between keeping my categories or keeping my transactions accurate. Right now, even though I have tens of thousands of transactions, it'll be better to manually change their categories than have duplicate transactions in my register without a way to know which ones should be deleted.

UrsulaA

If I was importing split transactions from Mint, I will add a tag in the CSV with split on them. There is no market on the Mint CSV for a split transaction but the split marks are on the Mint transaction list website.

fcastillo

So, I've fixed the issue for me. I'm able to keep my categories while also correctly labeling split transactions. So they'll be easier to find in Simplifi and be dealt with (probably delete them).

Your suggestion is exactly what I'm doing but automated. Manually adding a label to split transactions in the CSV requires going page by page in Mint, finding where you're split transactions are, for tens of thousands of transactions. For thousands of transaction pages.

I had to create some code that would run on the Mint website and import only the split transactions into a CSV file, with a label identifying them as split. This can be done because Mint shows an icon for each transaction that is split.

Once I have this data, I can import it before connecting my bank, so my categories are kept, and split transactions are labeled. Then I connect my bank, adding any additional transactions (including duplicated ones for the split) and then filter the Mint split transactions based on the label and fix them.

I will not be explaining how to use this code, if you're familiar with how to run a snippet of javascript in Chrome, this is for you. If anything I just said makes no sense to you, please don't ask me to help you.

Perhaps Simplifi can create an extension for Chrome/Firefox, that could use my code to help people get their transaction data.

https://gist.github.com/fcastilloec/50e353dd59020f7a730be650ec829e85

GS1

Thanks all for providing input on this topic.

I'm catching up on this thread but I'd like to provide a quick update on what I'm seeing with the proposed solution from earlier that I was testing ("..start over and link the account first, but then delete all the transactions at once that occur prior to a date, and then import those transactions in that range from Mint..").

Steps/Observations:

After removing the transactions that would be replaced by imported data, proceeding with the import, seeing the notification that import was "successful"- I then reviewed the resulting transactions.

My observation is there are transactions missing from the import of 6,266 Mint transactions dating back to 2013. The most recent transactions were missing and some earlier ones appeared to be missing also. It was as if only a sampling of the transactions across the time period appeared.

I proceeded to delete the imported transactions to try again. I set the filter to show all transactions in the account and expanded transactions to make all visible for section as before. It seemed that the selection was buggy this time because I needed to repeat this until all transactions in the account for the target range were removed, the selection count was as follows: 999 + 1,848 + 2,784... 5,631 total if I can add.. until no transactions were left to remove. So at least 635 were not imported.

On this second try, the import notification was "successful", but none of the transactions appeared. Refresh, reset filters, log off/on, repeat import... still nothing.

Conclusions:

First "solution" failed..

Why?? Here's a guess- It appears that previous transactions that were removed are "recognized" by Simplifi and therefore cannot be added again- whether they were manually added or added by linking the account. (I knew this was the behavior for transactions from linking the account but didn't expect it in this scenario.) The proposed solution doesn't work- at least not for me .

Not sure if I'm missing something, or if it's perhaps another "bug" or oversight?

Thanks

Coach Natalie

@GS1, it sounds like you would need to re-import the transactions into a new Quicken Simplifi account; re-importing into the same account won't work as outlined here: "Also, you can only import the same transactions or the same CSV file into Quicken Simplifi once. So if an imported transaction gets deleted, the transaction would then need to be manually entered. Reimporting the same file into the same account will not re-import the deleted transaction."

I hope this helps clear things up for you!

-Coach Natalie