Vanguard OFX outage recurrence -- possible solution
Please see https://infinitekind.tenderapp.com/discussions/online-banking/12502... for full context.
It's been suggested that adding
User-Agent: InetClntApp/3.0
to the http request for downloading OFX data from Vanguard might get it working again. I think this requires a software update.
Note this outage is affecting many MD customers so prioritizing it would be greatly appreciated.
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1 Posted by Tim on 14 Feb, 2025 08:15 PM
+1. Thanks !
2 Posted by dtd on 15 Feb, 2025 01:08 AM
I doubt that updating the UserAgent would make "all the difference", given that the error is that Vanguard is redirecting again to a non-existent page. That said, whatever is in their "Transaction module 242" might show a difference, like a different url versus the current one, or something else.
I will consult with my OFX expert again (hleofxquotes) to see if I'm wrong. I'd love to get more information from Mark at FundManager about how he fixed this... (the UserAgent might be part of the solution, but I don't think it's the only thing needed.)
Again, I'm also just a user here, but I've been working on OFX issues and banks discontinuing OFX for a few years now.... USAA, Chase, Schwab, Vanguard, etc.
3 Posted by jlf on 15 Feb, 2025 02:02 AM
Mark's email to me literally said that user-agent was the only thing that changed. Here's the quote:
If anyone wants to communicate directly with Mark, he can be reached at support at fundmanagersoftware.com. It's a small company and he was quite responsive and helpful.
4 Posted by dtd on 15 Feb, 2025 02:06 AM
Thanks for that info. Will pursue tomorrow.
5 Posted by dtd on 15 Feb, 2025 02:09 AM
It would be nice if Vanguard would work with Moneydance and Fund Manager versus having to trial and error through all of this...
Last time, Vanguard did have to change things due to both MD and FM users complaining. It would be nice if they'd respond again versus having to "fix it ourselves through trial and error".
Support Staff 6 Posted by Sean Reilly on 15 Feb, 2025 03:25 PM
Setting the User-Agent very well could make all the difference. We have had to set this same user-agent header for a few other connections.
I've just made the change, and hopefully someone with a valid account at Vanguard can try it?
Thank you @jlf!
Thanks!
Sean
--
Sean Reilly
Developer, The Infinite Kind
https://infinitekind.com
7 Posted by Dan P on 15 Feb, 2025 03:29 PM
I tried and it works now! Thanks for the quick response.
8 Posted by jlf on 15 Feb, 2025 03:47 PM
Success!
I first double-checked it was still failing and saw the same error. Then selected "Online" --> "Set Up Online Banking" from one of the failing accounts. In the pop-up, I then pushed the "Refresh" button to reload the Vanguard profile, and then pushed the "Done" button. This fixed the error across all six of my Vanguard accounts.
Thanks, Sean Reilly, for the quick response!
9 Posted by jonh on 15 Feb, 2025 05:00 PM
Thanks all. This thread confused me a bit but I did what jlf posted. Clicking Refresh didn’t provide any feedback so I wasn’t sure it worked. I clicked it again and noticed the refresh button briefly dimmed & brightened, I guess that is the feedback.
Anyway, all is good, several of my accounts now have blue buttons waiting for me to process them
10 Posted by dtd on 15 Feb, 2025 07:06 PM
Just got on today, and was going to pursue this further. Glad to see it was handled during my sleep time! Glad it is working again.
11 Posted by Tim on 18 Feb, 2025 04:26 PM
And ... Just like that, it's no longer working ...Same error. Anyone else?
12 Posted by Dan P on 18 Feb, 2025 04:33 PM
I did a successful download this morning. But I just tried again, and it is indeed broken.
@seanreilly ?
13 Posted by dtd on 18 Feb, 2025 08:36 PM
I sent a message to Mark at fundmanagerssoftware as well to see if they are experiencing this issue today.
14 Posted by jlf on 18 Feb, 2025 08:39 PM
@dtd Mark just posted to their message board that they're seeing it too.
https://www.fundmanagersoftware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&p=2...
15 Posted by dtd on 18 Feb, 2025 09:17 PM
Mark says they are having the same problems as we are. At this point, Mark feels Vanguard will need contacting again.
Here is his message at 1:42pm:
Hi Dan,
Yes, unfortunately I’m seeing the same problem in Fund Manager again. I’m not sure of the reason why. It will probably take the help of someone at Vanguard. Maybe they are purposely trying to prevent programs like MD and FM from accessing their OFX server, I’m not sure.
FYI, this is being discussed on our forum here:
https://www.fundmanagersoftware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6711
Thanks,
Mark
16 Posted by bheck11 on 18 Feb, 2025 10:41 PM
Yup, same thing here. For those wishing to contact Vanguard, if you have a Personal Advisor or are a Flagship customer with access to a "dedicated" advisor, you might want to complain on that end in addition to/instead of Tech Support. My message to one of these folks will indicate that I'm starting to doubt either Vanguard's ability to manage their own IT operations for the benefit of their customers or their interest in doing so.....
17 Posted by Jon on 21 Feb, 2025 01:29 AM
Same error here. The only change on my end since my last successful download 2 weeks ago was updating to the latest version of MoneyDance.
How hard is this? Really?
18 Posted by dtd on 21 Feb, 2025 01:43 AM
I'm a user here, so my thoughts do not represent IK/MD....
Reading the forum threads and thus understanding the situation must be hard for you...
How hard is this? Really?
19 Posted by dwg on 21 Feb, 2025 01:51 AM
Ask Vanguard how hard is it for them to fix their system so they work as they did in the past, or to admit they want to stop supporting Direct Connect.
20 Posted by Tim on 21 Feb, 2025 03:59 PM
So I finally received an updated msg from Vanguard after reporting a reoccurrence of this OFX issue. (And BTW, just now I updated MD to the latest release - the problem STILL exists.) Here's their response :
Dear Timothy:
Thank you for taking the time to contact us.
When reviewing the status of your ticket numbers, I have learned that you need to work with your external software for further assistance. Our team advised that the issue is on their end.
The first incident was due to an OFX system update that blocked third party software and applications. By making them aware of the issue you are experiencing, they can work to resolve the matter.
21 Posted by dtd on 21 Feb, 2025 09:30 PM
If the issue is on Md's end, it's also on Fund Manager's end - and yet Vanguard fixed this issue before, and now it's back.
The response was simply to get you off the phone and to blame someone else.
The last paragraph is true, but the redirect issue is still something they have to fix on their end, or at least inform the "external software" on what they've changed on their end and how MD or Fund Manager can bypass their issue.
And no, given this reality, the new MD update will of course not fix anything with Vanguard and OFX. Your "the problem STILL exists" seems to indicate you do think this entire debacle is something MD should or could have fixed.
Should MD have fixed Schwab, USAA, Chase, American Express and others as well? I personally worked with Stuart to find a way to keep USAA working for a time, but ultimately USAA locked MD out.
22 Posted by Rick on 21 Feb, 2025 10:00 PM
Quicken is also impacted. Looks like from the below thread the problem is at Vanguard and despite what their CSR's are saying, a solution is in the works. No ETA is available or if OFX servers will become available to other software.
https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7960264/quicken-classic-for-win-ol-295-a-errors-at-vanguard
23 Posted by dtd on 21 Feb, 2025 10:49 PM
This part is scary for MD/Fund Manager users:
https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7960231/new-errors-connecting-to-vanguard-accounts-or-enrolling-with-new-vanguard-connection-method?utm_source=community-search&utm_medium=organic-search&utm_term=vanguard
The token comment suggests that Vanguard is actively shutting down Direct Connect (for everyone - even Quicken) and is trying to implement something akin to the FDX standard which involves both MFA (multi-factor authorization) and token passing.
i.e. aggregator usage or approved connecting agents. That would mean that even Quicken would need to use aggregator methodologies, and they do have Intuit (who no longer owns Quicken) to be an aggregator for them.
MD also has an aggregator - which is Plaid through MD+... that does work, but is not as good as Direct Connect. Given the thread link above, it suggests they will be discontinuing OFX direct connect for everyone, meaning manual downloads or using an aggregator may be the only path forward.
Hope I'm wrong, but this echoes other banks who have discontinued OFX/Direct connect in the past few years.
I will copy Mark at Fund Manager to see if he knows this or has thoughts about this...
Thanks @Rick for the information.
24 Posted by Tim on 22 Feb, 2025 03:30 PM
I had read somewhere that FIDELITY still supported OFX Connect. Now I'm not so sure, reading this on their web site:
Fidelity Access provides a convenient and more secure way to share your Fidelity account data with third-party websites and applications using our integrated connection. This means you do not provide your Fidelity username and password to these third parties to access your Fidelity account data.
Can anyone confirm that OFX works in MD for Fidelity ?
25 Posted by Jon on 22 Feb, 2025 04:22 PM
Yes, I can still download transactions from Fidelity into MoneyDance.
If Vanguard can't get their act together I'll be moving my transferable investments to Fidelity.
26 Posted by Tim on 22 Feb, 2025 05:06 PM
Using regular MD. Not MD+ ? Thanks
27 Posted by dtd on 22 Feb, 2025 05:13 PM
Fidelity still supports OFX connect. That is how I download my data from Fidelity Investments.
So far, so good.
Still there are some scary issues with Fidelity to be aware of. First, Fidelity does not support manual OFX downloads, only CSV, which is basically useless for investment accounts to import.
Second, if using an aggregator, Fidelity insists you use Akoya (which they used to basically own, but spun off into its own company). Thus they don't support MD+/Plaid, nor almost any other aggregator. Yes, of course, this would be a separate fee to get your own Fidelity data.
So, as the banks fall away from OFX/Direct connect, I am so glad that Fidelity hasn't followed in the same mold (as Vanguard now seems to be doing).
However, with Vanguard, you can still do manual downloads and use an aggregator like MD+/Plaid.... not nearly as good, but...
If Fidelity ever does drop OFX/Direct Connect, there are really no good alternatives other than paying for Akoya. This may be the reason they ARE still using OFX, as even companies like Quicken would be at issue, as they do use an aggregator (not Akoya) for some banks as well. So it may well be a discussion point between Fidelity and companies like Quicken on how to move forward and away from OFX. [NOTE: This part is conjecture on my part, based on my involvement with OFX/no OFX for a few years now, involving various banks as they dropped OFX.]
So, yes! OFX from Fidelity still works, and I am very glad they do. Still, as Tim quoted, Fidelity has been pushing the "more secure way" (aggregators) for about two years now, while being silent about their still working OFX system.
28 Posted by dtd on 22 Feb, 2025 05:15 PM
TL/DR above....
Yes Fidelity will download via regular OFX, built into Moneydance.
Fidelity does not work with MD+
29 Posted by dwg on 22 Feb, 2025 10:19 PM
And yes other aggregators can also use Akoya, but they have to pay them, which would likely result in increased fees for anyone using their services, the customer always pays at the end of the day.
I believe Fidelity still have an ownership position in Akoya, so this does sound like enabling another revenue stream for them.
30 Posted by Tim on 28 Feb, 2025 06:14 PM
I sent an email to Fidelity to try to get a clarification where THEY stand on this issue. Here is the msg & their reply:
---------------------------------------
We have a lot of money assets at VANGUARD. They no longer support OFX Direct Connect for downloading Investment balances to computer software (MoneyDance, Quicken, etc). This is a MAJOR issue for a LOT of their customers. We are ready to start moving assets to FIDELITY, simply because YOU support OFX Connect. Before starting this move, we just want to confirm that FIDELITY has no plans to discontinue the OFX Connect feature.
Reply:
Dear Timothy:
Good morning, and thank you for contacting Fidelity Investments. You've reached me here in technical support, and I can certainly address your questions about account aggregation.
While the direct support we can provide with these connections is limited, Fidelity does not have any current plans to disable feeds into external aggregators. For Quicken specifically, our agreement with that provider has a Direct Connect feed enabled to transmit Fidelity balance information into the program. As for other tools, such as MoneyDance, we do not strictly prohibit the use of those services for accessing Fidelity data, provided the connection is secure. We have a Fidelity Access feed that external sites can utilize, and as long as your login credentials are active and without error there should not be any hindrance to importing data into outside tools in general.
If you have further questions about this process, or would like to discuss other matters such as moving funds or adding a beneficiary to your profile, you can contact a Fidelity Service representative by calling 800-544-6666. Associates are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Have a good day, Timothy, and thank you for investing with Fidelity.
Sincerely,
James
Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC