Can't import OFX file generated by my bank

[David Reiser]

On Apr 13, 2010, at 9:23 AM, Tulio Padilha wrote:

> On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 23:57, David Reiser <dbreiser at earthlink.net> wrote:
>> 
>> On Apr 12, 2010, at 8:45 AM, tuliouel wrote:
>> 
>>> 
>>> I'm trying to import my month transaction records from my bank. It is
>>> in OFX format, which is compatible with GNUCASH. All I do is hit
>>> "File" > "Import" > "Import OFX/QFX". Then I select the file and then
>>> a BLANK window apeers. I should apeer a list of transactions to
>>> import, either marked as green, yellow or red, but instead nothing
>>> shows. I verified the file and it is ok. What should be happening? I
>>> have the account added to my profile. I tried to change it's number,
>>> so it is exactly coincident to the numbers in the file (just added
>>> some zeroes to the left to make it exact the sabe as in the file), but
>>> it doesn't work.
>>> Can anybody help me?
>>> Thanks. http://n4.nabble.com/file/n1837068/duvida.jpg
>>> --
>>> 
>> The fact that the transaction matcher window opens suggests that you have assigned an account previously for imports from this bank. Have you completed an import previously?
> 
> Thanks for your help. I've never imported any transaction to any
> account before. I just set up all the accounts names and numbers to I
> could start importing all the data. And that's where I'm locked up.
> 
> 
>> 
>> The fact that the transaction matcher window is empty means that gnucash sees no new transactions to import. The most likely cause of this failure is that the bank is sending incorrectly constructed ofx files.
>> 
>> Look at the individual transaction ID's, something like:
>> <FITID>200805060070</FITID>
>> In ofx, all of those FITID numbers need to be unique for that account. Forever. If you can look at downloads from two different time periods, check to see that the bank isn't just making the transaction ID's unique for a single download.
> 
> Ok. I inspected the file I was origilally having problems and compared
> it to another file I just got from the bank specially for answering
> you. The FITID numbers are different. By the way, the last file I got
> has transactions made in the month, and I had never tried to import
> then before. I'm attaching both files.
> 
>> 
>> When you import an ofx file, gnucash looks at the FITIDs. If it already has a transaction in the data file with that ID, gnucash rejects that transaction in the current import because it is a duplicate of a transaction already imported.
> 
> Ok, I should really reject duplicate transactions showing them in red,
> not by suppressing, right? I whouldn't expect a blank screen. If it is
> duplicate, I suppose it should be displayed in red.

No. If the FITIDs match between a transaction in the data file already and one that is incoming, there is no reason to display it. The new transaction _must_ be a duplicate if the ofx file rules are being correctly followed. There is no reason to display a known duplicate.

I've forgotten the rules gnucash uses for displaying a transaction in red during an import. I know if I turn off both Add or Reconcile check boxes, the transaction shows in red. And I do get a few incoming transactions in red automatically. But I can't remember the triggers for that.

There was someone else recently that had an importing problem similar to yours. You could try searching the archives to see if he found a solution.
>> 
> <7Ca19f8c63fb719ffffffffd585c7243f9283f.ofx><7Cf74ca0a13bcdcefffffffff1347c37240fd58.ofx>

I'll try importing these files to see what happens.

Dave
--
David Reiser
dbreiser at earthlink.net