USAA Script to fix the broken download issue
Need to reconnect to USAA? I have written a (run one-time only) script to make USAA download to Moneydance work again. All it does it fix your connection profile. You simply run once, and then use standard Moneydance. It's not needed again.
This is now the IK recommended fix as they are working on 'medium and long-term' improvements to ofx connections
You must be on MD version 2019.4 (build 1904) or newer (if older, you must upgrade, else usaa will never work again).
[@@ UPDATE Oct 2021: This script is now built into the Toolbox extension (MD2021 onwards) under the Online Banking menu and it also works with MD2022 too. Further, we have worked with Moneydance so that once you have ‘primed’ MD with your USAA specific ClientUID number(s), the standard Moneydance Online Setup will work. Further again, there is now an even simpler way to get the connection working (which we haven’t documented: In Toolbox run the USAA ‘Prime’ option and then just use standard MD Online Setup. Lastly, if you need to get multiple UserIDs working, then Toolbox / Online Banking / OFX Authentication / Edit Multiple UserIds. NOTE: if you still just want the script, it’s still available, read on…. @@]
Following these simple, but complete, PDF instructions will make USAA download to your Moneydance file.
My python script creates a new USAA profile in Moneydance to replace the broken USAA profile. It has been used since Feb 23 by more than 100+ users successfully 😃
This script will allow you to download USAA transactions again. It isn't rocket science, really. You don't have to wait for IK/MD to fix the problem, nor will it stop you from embracing the Moneydance fix if/when it happens. I just fix the connection profile.
NOTE: usaa have changed their download data (content, format). If you get some data duplication afterwards, this is NOTHING to do with the script, it's what usaa are now sending. You simply need to do a one-time cleanup, keep the new data, and that's it.
DISCLAIMER: I have no affiliation with Moneydance. It's entirely possible that this won't work for you. Pretty much the worst that can happen is that your bank logon / service profile won't work - but then it's not working anyway.. You can always just delete the profile and start again, if you wish.
PLEASE ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR DATA FIRST!
The first thing to do is read the walk through PDF guide: ofx_create_new_usaa_bank_custom_profile.pdf
The latest PDF guide (now version 8a) is always here:
[https://github.com/yogi1967/MoneydancePythonScripts/raw/master/sour...]
The latest zip file containing the script to fix USAA/Moneydance is at: [https://github.com/yogi1967/MoneydancePythonScripts/raw/master/usef...]
FYI - When you click these links, you may see a blank screen (depending on your browser) and the file(s) will auto download to your downloads folder
You need to unzip this file. The script is called: ofx_create_new_usaa_bank_custom_profile.py
Quick Details:
- Make a backup first.
- Read the instructions.
- Once you run the script, Moneydance takes over with the new profile.
PS - If you get issues ensure a) you are connecting from a USA IP; and that any PiHole, Blockers etc are not getting in the way..
If you have problems, post - We love to solve problems.
CREDITS and thanks: @dtd and @hleofxquotes
I am not support, just a fellow user and creator of the very free and most-excellent Toolbox 🧰 extension for Moneydance.
The latest useful_scripts.zip package and Toolbox are on my site: [https://yogi1967.github.io/MoneydancePythonScripts/]
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571 Posted by dtd on 08 Jun, 2021 09:56 PM
@jynxnyx - Well, usaa obviously told you wrong (hopefully you were saying you couldn't connect with quicken, if you said moneydance, they'd be even less helpful), since the access id and access pin are how you connect and download with quicken.
If you got one account to connect, you were successful! You don't need to run the script again once you have a successful connection, and a working profile.
I don't understand "going to the online did not work to add the other accounts". Once you have a successful connection, and a working profile, you use moneydance itself to add the other accounts, as the documentation (version 8a) states and walks you through reconnecting other accounts.
Please read the documentation (Version 8a) which tells you how to add other accounts once you have achieved a successful connection, which you say you have done.
572 Posted by docrobc on 09 Jun, 2021 05:14 AM
I don’t know if this helps you, but I have had a usaa credit card for a long time. Some years ago they switched from MasterCard to visa. When I went through this process to get the link to moneydance working again, it didn’t work for the credit card. But when I went back and tried again using the method described in the instructions, I found that the credit card number on my account with usaa was really still the old one from my original credit card with them, even though I could only see the current one on my account.
573 Posted by cosmo4181980 on 12 Jun, 2021 09:27 AM
Ran through the script and was able to link 6 of my 8 accounts. For whatever reason 2 of my savings accounts will not show up when I try to link them through setting up online banking.
I've tried "waking" the account up with transactions but a week later they still don't show up as an option from the drop down. Anyone have any solutions? I've already tried running the script again but I just get the same problem.
574 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 12 Jun, 2021 09:41 AM
Hi - do not run the script again - there is no point and it will just delete all the the config on the other accounts - meaning you have to do that again.... Once you have a successful connection, which you do, then any further tweaks are done in the std moneydance interface. Sorry, but 'waking' up the accounts is the usual fix... Are these accounts enabled to allow quicken downloads?
But giving a +1 😃 anyway as you have connected....
(not support, just a fellow user)
575 Posted by cosmo4181980 on 12 Jun, 2021 10:23 AM
I assume so since I was able to add 6 other accounts in MD. I haven't found anywhere on USAA that allows me to allow/deny quicken access.
Appreciate any help anyone can give.
576 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 12 Jun, 2021 10:35 AM
I don't know, but presumably the same place where you found your UUID and quicken credentials...? Or ring them and say 'can you check my accounts, as Quicken can download 6, but not these two - why?'..?
577 Posted by cosmo4181980 on 12 Jun, 2021 10:43 AM
Thanks dude. I'll give them a ring.
578 Posted by dtd on 12 Jun, 2021 08:25 PM
As you call, make sure you say you are using Quicken, it's the same concept, (i.e. you can't direct connect to two savings accounts), but if you say MD, you may get a "oh, well, that's why it is not working" type of response.
As for quicken, it's all or nothing, once you grant permission it should be everything within that login id at USAA. (If you have other login ids, that's another issue).
Did you change nicknames on accounts? That might wake them up after a couple days (total conjecture on my part).
579 Posted by eric.klanderman on 12 Jun, 2021 11:58 PM
". ...(If you have other login ids, that's another issue)."
I would like to hear if anyone has gotten a spouse's credit card (her own login ID) to work on the family's joint MD software.
And if not, is InfiniteKind working that angle for the mid/long fix?
I have both a checking (joint) and my credit card working just fine, but can't seem to find any set of steps to integrate her credit card data into the mix.
580 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 13 Jun, 2021 03:54 AM
It can be problematic, but yes others have made it work. You need to use the prime second account option with my script. Then add the other’s uuid and user id at that point. When it’s done, setup your accounts, then theirs. I believe the PDF explains this?
581 Posted by dtd on 13 Jun, 2021 04:28 AM
#eric - the real issue here is getting the new userid/password to "stick" and to not interfere with the other userid/password. But this isn't a script issue, it's a moneydance issue that i wish they would fix (forget medium/long term issues)
For example, I have many chase credit cards, and have FOUR logins (personal/business/spouse personal/spouse business) - and making them all work is like playing jenga. I play and futz, and once I get it working, I say "don't touch it anymore!"
582 Posted by norwich2 on 13 Jun, 2021 05:34 PM
Script and instructions worked great, except the post-script merge note. Specifically, even with "Automatically Merge Downloaded Transactions" selected in preferences, I am left to manually merge all the transactions I'm downloading through the script-fixed connection. Not sure why, since Stuart seems to indicate it works for him. I get blue dots for every transaction and have to manually decide to merge. Why?
583 Posted by dtd on 13 Jun, 2021 07:05 PM
Congratulations on getting USAA to work again.
USAA changed what and how they download things - one change is in the FITID field (a hidden field that allows Moneydance/USAA to agree that the transaction has been downloaded, so don't do so again).
As for automatically merging downloaded transactions, this works sometimes, and sometimes does not. For me, it worked for manually entered transactions that didn't have an FITID (since it was manually entered), but not for older transactions (before Jan 26).
As for "I get blue dots for every transaction" = that's normal before confirmation. Are you saying you "get blue dots for every transaction, and there is another identical transaction as well"?
If you are using 2021.1(3069) you can use Stuart's toolbox to set a don't download before a certain date and I think USAA abides by this date.
If you do manually merge, it shouldn't be too hard (click, click, click click) unless there is no merge option. Then you have to keep the new transaction and delete the old. This should be a one time process, so although tedious, it's part of the getting back into the download game with Moneydance/USAA going forward.
All of this is in version 8a of the documentation (which it appears you have read).
584 Posted by A B on 15 Jun, 2021 08:21 PM
I just tried to get the information from
https://www.usaa.com/accessid
No luck. I was redirected to a simple white screen that said:
{
"error": "invalid_request",
"error_description": "Validation error"
}
I copied the URL and was able to get my client_id. Here's the URL with the client_id obfuscated with x's:
https://api.usaa.com/auth/oauth/authorize?client_id=xxxxxxxx-xxxx-x...
I saw no way on this page to get to the page with my Access ID and Access Pin
585 Posted by dtd on 15 Jun, 2021 08:59 PM
@A B - the basic issue is you can't get there from here at the moment.
Are you logged in to USAA with your normal login and password?
Do you have any type of blockers in place to keep USAA from acknowledging your url attempts?
If both of those are not an issue, I'd suggest calling USAA and having them look over your account. (Always remember to say you are trying to get Quicken access, not Moneydance). Have them walk you through setting up connections with Quicken, as this is all about USAA and Quicken.... not about Moneydance (yet)
Hope that helps.
586 Posted by dtd on 15 Jun, 2021 09:03 PM
Given you could get the client_id, I'm wondering if the usaa/quicken system was simply down when you tried?
587 Posted by A B on 15 Jun, 2021 09:08 PM
@dtd I'm logged in and have no blockers. I disabled Safari extensions and allowed cross-site cookies.
Same result.
Thanks for your comments. I dislike calling USAA; maybe I'll give it a day and see if it clears up
588 Posted by dtd on 15 Jun, 2021 09:11 PM
I dislike calling usaa as well. they rarely help.
I just checked and it is working for me (i.e. taking me to the page and not white space)
ill see what happens when I use safari instead of firefox to access usaa.
589 Posted by A B on 15 Jun, 2021 09:12 PM
Update: I tried Chrome and it appears to have worked.
590 Posted by dtd on 15 Jun, 2021 09:19 PM
I just typed in usaa.com/accessid without even being logged in (with safari), it took me to a login page, required verification (not surprising, I never use safari), and then it worked (for me).
So, I don't know what to say or suggest. It might be part of your account. Quicken disallowed? I have no idea. But it sounds like you might need to deal with USAA even if you dislike it. Other thoughts - outside the U.S.? When you login, you can see all your accounts and such, it's just accessid that's the issue? Maybe something in your profile about permissions? Try a different browser?
I got nothing else at the moment.
591 Posted by dtd on 15 Jun, 2021 09:20 PM
Chrome. Great! Move along, nothing happening here. I'm the author of the documentation (Version 8a now), hope the rest is easier!
(Take note for Version 8b - "Try a different browser if this doesn't work....")
592 Posted by jerryw.miller on 17 Jun, 2021 11:34 PM
Freaking awesome! Worked on Mac Big Sur 11.4
Only had to re-add credit card and savings accounts, but easily done.
Thanks!
Man, you never know how reliant you get on an app until it doesn't work for a long time. I pretty much stopped using USAA during this period because I was so tired of manual reconciliation. Speaks to how great the MD app and how thankful I am that this script worked!
593 Posted by 0404toward on 19 Jun, 2021 06:20 PM
WOW! Fantastic Stuart. This is so great. Your script, Toolbox extension, and instructions were just what I needed. Thank you so much.
I forgot to turn off the automatic downloading of transactions I had enabled, so once they started working again I got many months of duplicates. Glad for MoneyDance Merge function!
Thanks to all! @StuartBeesley @Stuart_Beesley (not sure of the format) @dtd @hleofxquotes
594 Posted by jamdo on 11 Jul, 2021 05:20 PM
Stuart thanks for the amazing work. I apologize if this question was answered in the 20 pages of responses. I sync my data to a second computer. Can I run the script on the second device with the same credentials as the first? Or will this cause conflicts? Again thank you.
595 Posted by dtd on 11 Jul, 2021 11:59 PM
just a user, and the doc writer
Do you download from both computers? (I don't, my primary does all the downloading.)
But to answer your question, you can run the script on both devices - it is a lot simpler than people seem to think (but that's the genius in it) - it simply creates a new profile that can connect to USAA.
Hope that helps.
596 Posted by Andrew on 13 Jul, 2021 06:56 PM
Stuart, thank you, thank you for all the work you put into this. Finally got around to running it. The script and instructions were perfect. I can't seem to find the buy you a beer button :)
597 Posted by Sue on 15 Jul, 2021 10:20 PM
Stuart: thank you for the help. Unfortunately I have not been able to make it work. Follwing instructions assiduously, I arrive at Step 2: Download this file to get the python script:
https://github.com/yogi1967/MoneydancePythonScripts/raw/master/useful_scripts.zip
Unzip the file, then look for this file (script):
• ofx_create_new_usaa_bank_custom_profile.py
I have clicked on the link and downloaded the python script. I cannot unzip it. When I attempt to open it in Moneydance, the error message says: There was an error importing the file. ofx_create_new_usaa_bank_custom_profile.py Unknown file. Do I have to download Python? If so, can you provide instructions on how to use it? I am clearly not a programmer.
How do I solve this? Thank you.
598 Posted by dtd on 15 Jul, 2021 10:33 PM
@Sue, i'm just the document writer.
Sounds like there may be a little confusion as to the order of what to do.
My key take is the "I cannot unzip it" part.
First, you download the useful_scripts.zip file - note the "zip". You then unzip THAT file, which reveals quite a few useful_scripts, including the .py file. Is the .zip file what you cannot unzip? If that's the case, you need to find a better unzip program....
Once you extract the correct .py file (check the name), you don't try to unzip that file, nor do you need python (what you need is built into moneydance). You follow the instructions in Step 2 to get the Moneybot console to run the .py file.
Note - this has happened before, in a way, someone tried to get Moneydance to run the .pdf instruction file instead of the .py file.
Hope that helps.
599 Posted by dtd on 15 Jul, 2021 10:37 PM
Another comment - this isn't about programming, it's about files/folders, and locating the correct file to run. Sometimes just saying that gets one to look at this differently than thinking about programming.
600 Posted by ExCobraPilot on 23 Aug, 2021 07:52 PM
I cannot get this script to work, I now get a java.net.UnknownHostException: df3cx-services.1fsapi.com error on all the accounts. I downloaded the latest Moneydance and after applying the script, my Vanguard accounts also no longer download thru the download all accounts, although; I can do the Vanguard accounts separately. Also, my savings account (USAA) is no longer recognized as a USAA account. What am I doing wrong? Thanx