USAA have stopped supporting Direct Connect in July 2023

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dtd

19 May, 2023 07:17 AM

just a user - OFX appears to be a dying breed.

EDIT: UPDATE, as of July 4, 2023, it appears that USAA has shut down their Quicken access id system. That would render the current Moneydance OFX direct connect as useless.

If you wish to verify this or deny it, please post, as this is data based on only two days observation...
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Over two years ago, USAA "changed" OFX to particularly support Quicken. Stuart Beesley fixed the issue, I documented it.

So, two years. It was an indication that things were changing. MD+ was introduced and so on.

So, today, a simple question - is USAA (via OFX and the change profile) still working for you?

Mine works - sort of. I have to go to www.usaa.com/accessid and say "I approve!" and it stops the Error 2000 (Error general id - which basically means nothing) for - about two hours or so.

Other insights? I think we are near the end for USAA OFX.

Showing page 3 out of 4. View the first page

  1. 61 Posted by mgphl52 on 07 Jul, 2023 07:21 PM

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    What's the difference between "Online" vs "Regular"...?

  2. 62 Posted by Mike M on 07 Jul, 2023 07:28 PM

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    On Fri, Jul 7, 2023 at 2:20 PM mgphl52 <[email blocked]>
    wrote:

  3. 63 Posted by Mark D on 07 Jul, 2023 07:37 PM

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    Online looks like a transaction that came in from USAA (has the blue dot, can't recall what it stands for, & I'm not at the computer). Regular looks like a transaction you added yourself.

  4. 64 Posted by dwg on 07 Jul, 2023 10:19 PM

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    Blue Dot means downloaded & imported. It changes to a blue circle after you have confirmed the transaction.

  5. 65 Posted by Jeff on 07 Jul, 2023 10:30 PM

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    If anyone is looking to purchase MD+ that already purchased MD I believe there is a problem. I would hold off paying the $9 a month. It should be $4 from what I am hearing.

  6. 66 Posted by mgphl52 on 07 Jul, 2023 11:05 PM

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    Ok, thanks.

    On Fri, Jul 7, 2023 at 5:31 PM Jeff <[email blocked]> wrote:

  7. 67 Posted by dtd on 08 Jul, 2023 12:31 AM

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    Jeff - please start a new thread on your topic. You are now indeed hijacking this one.

    I can make the $4/$40 show up, I'll discuss that with you if you start a new thread.

  8. 68 Posted by Jeff on 08 Jul, 2023 12:50 AM

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    dtd - I started 3 new threads, two in Problems (support), one here. They were all marked Private automatically. Apparently I can't start a public thread. No support help at all after 24 hours. I posted here again because people should be aware there is a $4 option. I do not have that option and I'm likely not the only one.

  9. 69 Posted by dtd on 08 Jul, 2023 02:21 AM

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    just a user
    Don't post private. And don't post here - create a new public thread. You say they all were private - well, this one is not.
    You've turned this into a multi-topic thread, and that can be confusing to those only interested in the USAA issues.
    Note that MarcKDavis1 reposted their thread because you are co-mingling MD+ purchase issues with USAA issues.
    I am willing to help you, but not here; this is a separate topic from USAA OFX failing.
    You DO have the $4/$40 option. You just don't seem to know how to get to it.

  10. 70 Posted by mgphl52 on 08 Jul, 2023 05:34 AM

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    How do I find/follow the "new thread"???

    On Fri, Jul 7, 2023 at 7:31 PM dtd <[email blocked]> wrote:

  11. 71 Posted by Stephen N Skidd on 08 Jul, 2023 03:05 PM

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    As of 7/8/23, I am unable to connect to my USAA accounts. I had the same problem as everyone else a few weeks ago. The fix was easy. Simply go to the USAA website and allow connectivity to "Quicken" accounts.
    However, today is different. Money Dance does not connect to my USAA accounts and there are no error messages. Connection attempts, from my end, are simply being ignored. It's a lot calling a phone number and getting hung up on.
    Regardless, attempts to connect with USAA are AGAIN not working.

  12. 72 Posted by jk on 08 Jul, 2023 04:08 PM

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    Regarding the import extension that marckdavis1 described very thoroughly, can someone explain the advantage of this? I have just taken the CSV files from my download folder and dragged them over onto the account in MD, and it seems to import without using any extension tool. What does this tool do that is not being done with just dragging the file over onto the program account?

    The big pain with this CSV approach is that I have 5 different USAA accounts I'm tracking in MD. Whereas before with Direct Connect all 5 downloaded with one click, now I have to manually do each of the 5 separately. Does the import tool batch process? it seems to still require that each file be processed separately.

  13. 73 Posted by jk on 08 Jul, 2023 04:33 PM

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    As a follow-up, when I just drag the CSV file for an account over onto that account in MD, I don't have to change any fields or anything. It already populates with the correct fields, and then I can go through the process of merging like I would have done anyway.

    This seems to work with both asset accounts and with my USAA Visa account.

    What am I missing? The import tool doesn't seem to offer any advantages to this.

  14. 74 Posted by Stephen Skidd on 08 Jul, 2023 05:30 PM

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    I have no idea what any of this means. I have no desire to drag CSV files,
    manipulate data, download folders, manually import, export, parse data,
    etc. All I want to do is perform two simple tasks, click the "online" tab
    and then click the "download" menu item. That's it. A banking software
    program that requires more than that, doesn't do much for me. That's not
    asking too much. As I mentioned in my original note, this communication
    misfire with my bank is like making a phone call and getting a busy signal.
    Nothing is getting through.

    On Sat, Jul 8, 2023 at 12:33 PM jk <[email blocked]> wrote:

  15. 75 Posted by dtd on 08 Jul, 2023 07:44 PM

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    jk - If the builtin CSV import works for you, that's fine, use that.

    The issue is that not all CSV files follow a proper format, and that they have to be massaged to work. If USAA CSVs are properly formatted, then that's one less step you have to take.

    Still, as you say, it is a pain...

  16. 76 Posted by Stephen Skidd on 08 Jul, 2023 07:49 PM

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    What is a built in CSV import? How do I verify if I have a built in CSV
    import that works? If so, what do I do next? I’m willing to play with it
    but I don’t understand any of this jargon. Can you recommend steps?

    On Sat, Jul 8, 2023 at 3:44 PM dtd <[email blocked]> wrote:

  17. 77 Posted by dtd on 08 Jul, 2023 08:06 PM

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    Stephen Skidd - basically USAA shut down OFX downloads, end of story. ALL banking software that used this method will no longer download, so basically no banking software will work to your satisfaction given this shutdown, unless they come up with a different download method.

    What has happened is that some banks (more than USAA) have decided not to provide their customers data anymore because they don't want to support giving their customers data. Instead, they are outsourcing data provision by only allowing aggregators (a third party) to get your data, and then provide it to you.

    The banks say this is for better security, but many disagree - allowing another company to access your data doesn't sound like added security to many.

    But, that's all we have for USAA now. So, manual data entry, CSV imports, OR use an aggregator. Moneydance didn't want this to happen, as they are all about privacy.

    However, they saw what was coming, and how people would react (i.e. I want my downloads! - blame USAA not Moneydance)

    So, Moneydance created Moneydance+, an optional add on, by teaming up with an aggregator called Plaid. Unfortunately, aggregators want to be paid for providing their services, so MD+ is $4/month or $40/year - which basically goes to pay Plaid.

    That would be the only way now to do your two step process - as that busy signal via OFX is going to be there forever for USAA. They have indeed hung up on you, and everyone.

    Hope that helps.

  18. 78 Posted by dtd on 08 Jul, 2023 08:13 PM

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    mgphl52 - my impression is that jeff has not started a new thread at this time. Still since there appears to be interest, here are the pertinent MD articles addressing how to set MD+ up, if desired.

    https://infinitekind.tenderapp.com/kb/moneydance/moneydance-overview

    https://infinitekind.tenderapp.com/kb/moneydance/subscribing-to-moneydance

    I conjecture jeff's issue is not having registered the MD software with the purchased license code. That would cause the wrong pricing to come up when trying to set up MD+, but I didn't want to pursue that (if it is more than that) in this USAA thread.

  19. 79 Posted by Stephen Skidd on 08 Jul, 2023 10:49 PM

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    That helps a lot. Thank you, even though I don’t like the answer.

    On Sat, Jul 8, 2023 at 4:05 PM dtd <[email blocked]> wrote:

  20. 80 Posted by dtd on 08 Jul, 2023 11:02 PM

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    No one likes the answer. Definitely I don't.

  21. 81 Posted by Mark D on 10 Jul, 2023 02:31 PM

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    @jk - I am not sure whether or not there is an advantage, I was unaware of the drag and drop option. The only thing that may be different is the ability to import transactions from a CSV as "Online" or "Regular", but perhaps that even can be configured inside Moneydance somewhere, I don't know. Also what dtd (Dan) posted regarding CSV files...

    P.S. I found this reference for CSV files on Infinite Kind's website's documentation. I'm assuming this is what happens when you drag and drop instead of using the import add-on that I referenced: Importing CSV Files

  22. 82 Posted by mgphl52 on 12 Jul, 2023 05:27 PM

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    The USAA extension is great... however, why do transactions fail to get the "green" cleared dot?

  23. 83 Posted by dwg on 12 Jul, 2023 11:31 PM

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    Clearing transactions is really a separate process to the download/confirmation process, however Moneydance recognizes that some use it that way so they provide an option in preferences. It would be up to the extension whether it honours this setting or not.

    I'm not sure what you mean by the "USAA Extension".

  24. 84 Posted by mgphl52 on 14 Jul, 2023 07:11 PM

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    @dwg: Thanks! I missed the "Preferences" setting. Working OK now, just a pain with multiple accounts. The extension I spoke of is the CSV importer.

  25. 85 Posted by Gib Henry on 21 Jul, 2023 09:37 PM

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    USAA FSB is no longer listed as a supported financial institution on Infinite Kind's website (yes, USAA Investment Management Co. is still listed…but for how long?).

    I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Plaid's checkered past. Check out this Reuters link from August 2021. Basically, they got hit for $58 million for "consumers' claims that the financial technology company obtained and used bank account credentials and financial information without consent."

    Do you really want to trust them with your financial data? I certainly don't. I guess I don't need a USAA bank account any longer.

  26. 86 Posted by jk on 21 Jul, 2023 10:13 PM

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    @Gib Henry, I suppose numerous people feel the same way, and I certainly do. Many of us are definitely aware of that past history. I didn't want to side track the discussion onto Plaid, but yeah, there's no way I'm trusting my data and online credentials with Plaid. And so I'm stuck with CSV file manual importing for now.

    Unfortunately, the handwriting is on the wall. We're being forced or corralled into these third party gate keepers just to access our own data. It's ridiculous that USAA just unilaterally stopped supporting the OFX download file for an export, even if they aren't allowing direct connect, given that there is a huge installed user base that depends on that format. Chase bank also stopped allowing Direct Connect, but they still give me an OFX file to import my data. But I think we are seeing that banks are making it difficult now to not have to go through one of the third party gate keepers, which is ominous.

    If a significant minority of us simply refused to do business with banks that forced into third party gate keepers, then perhaps they would change, but the problem is that so few will protest and most will just go along with the agenda. Those of us who resist are in the small minority.

  27. 87 Posted by Gib Henry on 22 Jul, 2023 11:44 PM

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    I concur heartily. I have begun the first steps to close my USAA bank and credit card accounts and continue with PNC Bank…for how long, I just don't know, but for now…

  28. 88 Posted by dwg on 23 Jul, 2023 12:09 AM

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    Plaid are probably no better or worse than the Yodlee, SaltEdge etc of this world, it is whichever gets caught at the time, some make no bones on the fact that they aggregate, analyze and sell data as part of their business model, you are a data provider to them.

    You want complete privacy and security, then you will have to do some work, how much depends on what data the institutions provide for manual download and how they provide it.

    Moneydance tried to come up with an automated download system some time back, but in the end it looked like it was more work than maintaining the rest of Moneydance. They would be doing as much work as an aggregator, for this one feature, not viable.

    Outside of North America we are just starting to get automated downloads with countries adopting Open Banking BUT to get accreditation to access these systems you have to be substantial and jump through a lot of government hoops, in other words you are probably going to be an aggregator, Yodlee, SaltEdge and Intuit have done it here in Australia, Quicken/Reckon show no signs.

  29. 89 Posted by Cas Baye on 26 Jul, 2023 06:11 PM

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  30. 90 Posted by Gib Henry on 26 Jul, 2023 08:36 PM

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    in other words you are probably going to be an aggregator

    Unfortunately, aggregators also aggregate hacking attempts! If you had a choice between hacking a thousand different banks or hacking one aggregator that has data for a thousand different banks, which would you choose? 🤭

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