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USAA Script to fix the broken download issue

• Edit

Stuart Beesley (Mr Toolbox)

24 Feb, 2021 06:40 AM

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/]

Showing page 6 out of 22. View the first page

1. 151 Posted by dtd on 07 Mar, 2021 11:46 PM

   

   For those who've already fixed things - it works. There is no need to worry, my own connection has worked rock solid for weeks.

   What we are improving is that the last day or so revealed that Moneydance will "refresh" the fix under some circumstances, to "fix" things, but of course what that really does is break the USAA link again.

   So, if you are now working, just relax. But if you get a "2000" error at some point, that means Moneydance refreshed the USAA profile, and you need to create another new profile (i.e. do what you did again - but you took notes, right? :) )

   We hope to have the "never have to do this again" script (i.e. don't let moneydance refresh the profile) in a day or two or three at the latest. EDIT: Done (it took a day).

   just users here. hope that helps.

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2. 152 Posted by dtd on 07 Mar, 2021 11:50 PM

   

   redacted, not needed now

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3. 153 Posted by dwk on 07 Mar, 2021 11:58 PM

   

   Is this the scrip to salvation that I should use? I do not see Version 5 in the title.

   ===============
   Title:
   USAA_MD_User_Walk_Through

   From Moneydance's user @dtd. Thanks, dtd.
   How to use Stuart Beesly’s scripts to get USAA ofx files downloaded directly in Moneydance:

   ===============

   Thanks you fellows ... I will try soon. dwk

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4. 154 Posted by dtd on 08 Mar, 2021 12:05 AM

   

   The latest documentation was (version 5) :

   However, given the last days events, a version 6 will be out in a day or so.

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5. 155 Posted by dwk on 08 Mar, 2021 12:19 AM

   

   Thanks very much for the reply and advice ...

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6. 156 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 08 Mar, 2021 06:32 AM

   

   UPDATE:

   • Lots of people are now working with the fixed USAA download profile 

   • There is now only one script called ofx_create_new_usaa_bank_custom_profile.py

   • The latest documentation is always here: https://github.com/yogi1967/MoneydancePythonScripts/raw/master/sour...

   • The latest script package is always here: https://github.com/yogi1967/MoneydancePythonScripts/raw/master/usef...
     (unzip and use the ofx script within)

   As always, keep us posted with your success stories.....

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7. 157 Posted by conrodi on 08 Mar, 2021 06:50 PM

   

   Oh wow, you folks rock!!!

   Just completed full restoration of eight USAA checking, savings, credit card accounts using instruction 6a. It all worked fine! The instructions are most excellent and guided me through every step including the replaced credit card peculiarity. I do not have alternate login accounts so I did not use step 7. Step 8 was all N/A.

   (Thanks for persisting through and making this work. TIK owes you much since I would likely have left Mondeydance without your effort. The intersection of USAA and Moneydance users is too small for us to be an existential threat to either USAA or TIK. However, they are each powerful threats to those of us who occupy this intersection. Fortunately we are in good company. And very talented to boot. My sincerest thank you to each of you.)

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8. 158 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 08 Mar, 2021 06:54 PM

   

   @conrodi  +1

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9. 159 Posted by Dudley SIrius on 08 Mar, 2021 09:10 PM

   

   Gentlemen,
   @conradi nailed it. You guys went out of your way to help a small group of users who are the only ones to whom this is a critical issue.

   Follow up and additonal data point: I used the "fix" script nearly a week ago. I have 4 checking and 3 savings accounts as well as a single CC. I am listed as an accountholder on all of them. Two of the checking accounts were created by me as UTMAs and converted to Classic Checking when the minors turned 18. I have successfully downloaded all accounts 4 times since then with no issues. I'm following the rule of "If it aint broke, don't fix it." If something errors, I'll try the new one.
   I poked around on the USAA website. There doesn't appear to be any options to allow another family member access to your account info without adding them as an additional account holder. Interestingly (to me) the two converted UTMA accounts list both myself and my wife as account holders along with the former minor who is the primary accountholder. I am investigating further with USAA to see if there are other options for view-only access. I suspect they will say it is the same process we used to gain permission to transfer money to and from my wife's US Bank checking account, "Fill out this bunch of paperwork, sign it and fax it to us. After a week or so, we'll let you know."

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10. 160 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 08 Mar, 2021 09:13 PM

    

    @Dudley SIrius  +1

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11. 161 Posted by Dudley Sirius on 09 Mar, 2021 12:20 AM

    

    I spoke with USAA FSB. Their policy is that only account holders have authority to view transaction and balance info for an account. For Credit Cards, this includes authorized users. So, there is no way to download data from an account unless you are logged in as an accountholder/authorized user.
    I submitted feedback through the phone agent that there should be a way to authorize view-only access to a different user, or to create view-only login credentials which can be revoked by the account owner at any time. I was trying to come up with additional use-cases, but the only thing I thought of was perhaps giving my CPA viewing access to make it easy to access info for taxes and other accounting tasks.
    My argument was that it was less secure for me to download the data and email it to my CPA than for him to have view-only access to accounts I specify for a time period which I control. In hindsight, having separate login credentials for financial software makes even more sense. If Moneydance (or Quicken) only has credentials with view-only rights, then even if the data gets hacked, the hacker can't take my money with those credentials. (Identity theft is a different issue.)
    The phone rep said that the more members who request a specific change, the more likely it is to get done. So, maybe if a few other Moneydance users call USAA and request a way to view/download account data without being logged-in as the account owner, they might actually consider tasking their IT dept.

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12. 162 Posted by dtd on 09 Mar, 2021 02:46 AM

    

    @conrodi - thank you for your compliment on the instructions. Currently on Version 6c, hope that's the last version (crossed fingers), but Stuart's script seems very solid now.

    @Dudley Sirius - yes, if it works, don't fix it. I haven't moved to the newest script either, (other than testing) because my file has worked rock solid for 3 weeks now.

    Thanks for the compliments. Appreciated. We have two fixes now. (hleofxquotes OFX downloads, and Stuart's MD profile modification) I'm pleased to have been able to document both.

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13. 163 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 09 Mar, 2021 07:30 AM

    

    @dtd  +10

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14. 164 Posted by Pete L on 09 Mar, 2021 07:26 PM

    

    Stuart

    Thank you very much, sir. You script and instructions worked perfectly.

    As you have previously stated - read the complete instructions first - then follow the steps.

    Pete L

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15. 165 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 09 Mar, 2021 08:08 PM

    

    @Pete L  +1

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16. 166 Posted by Mark J on 10 Mar, 2021 01:03 PM

    

    Oh wow, you folks rock! :)

    Followed the instructions, everything is working well and I encourage anyone thinking of making the change to dive in. However, a little feedback to help and because I'm a perfectionist. ;)

    • Might want to call out in the instructions that the clientUid is 36 characters including hyphens.
    • If people have used "nicknames" for their accounts on the USAA website, those will show up in the dropdown list in the online banking setup. That can be a big help in matching the right credit card account between USAA and MD (steps 5 and 6).

    • Amex cards only have 15 digits, so will always need to be "fixed" following the instructions in step 5.

      • For TIK devs: The new downloaded files for checking and savings accounts include check numbers. If there is no check number, this script put a zero (0) in that field. Past MD default is to leave the field blank (null).

    Again, small issues but this is a HUGE help. Thank you, Stuart, DTD, and helofxquotes!

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17. 167 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 10 Mar, 2021 01:50 PM

    

    @MarkJ  +1 (thanks for the feedback too).

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18. 168 Posted by dtd on 10 Mar, 2021 07:01 PM

    

    @mark j
    Thanks for the feedback. I’ll let some more come in before I edit the docs again.

    As to the zero in the check field, we are not trying to replicate everything Moneydance does, that’s for them to fix. We are just trying to get the downloads to work. The script fixes the profile, it does not download the data.

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19. 169 Posted by gnuite on 10 Mar, 2021 07:26 PM

    

    Yeah, the zero check numbers are annoying, but the script is not
    responsible for it - I had the same problem when I was downloading the OFX
    files directly (via curl). I'm not sure if it's a bug in USAA's OFX files
    or in Moneydance's handling of OFX (I suspect the former), but it'd be nice
    if Moneydance simply ignored zero check numbers - I don't think zero is a
    valid check number, or at least I don't know of any banks that use zero.

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20. 170 Posted by hleofxquotes on 10 Mar, 2021 07:50 PM

    

    I'm not sure if it's a bug in USAA's OFX files or in Moneydance's handling of OFX (I suspect the former),

    If you have access to the OFX file either via

    • curl download
    • or MD console debug output

    look for value of

    <CHECKNUM>
    

    Something like this

    <STMTTRN>
      <TRNTYPE>CHECK</TRNTYPE><!--Check -->
      <DTPOSTED>20210215</DTPOSTED>
      <TRNAMT>-200.00</TRNAMT><!-- $200.00 -->
      <FITID>ec84db1e-3565-49ea-989b-f7f0b409be7b</FITID><!-- Unique ID -->
      <CHECKNUM>1000</CHECKNUM><!-- Check number -->
    </STMTTRN>
    

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21. 171 Posted by Ted on 11 Mar, 2021 03:03 PM

    

    I've run into a little wrinkle that will likely require USAA to fix on their end. When the trouble first started, I used the link found by others to generate my Quicken ID and PIN on the USAA website. At the time, I didn't copy the clientID, because I didn't yet know I needed it. When Stuart announced his script, I re-visited the USAA/Quicken site to copy my clientID, but I didn't complete the process. The setup worked with the clientID I just obtained and the previously obtained ID/PIN.

    Now, every time I login to USAA, it takes me to the page to authorize Quicken access to my account. I don't want to say no because I don't want to stop my downloads, but if I click authorize the page just sits there. I have to re-enter usaa.com in the URL bar to visit the main site.

    Has anyone else experienced this and found a way out of the authorization cycle without breaking MD downloads? I suppose I'll have to bite the bullet and click no the next time to see if it breaks anything. The worst that will happen is I'll have to try again.

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22. 172 Posted by Rand on 11 Mar, 2021 03:18 PM

    

    @Ted, your browser might just be "helping" you by taking you to the last usaa.com url that it remembers thinking that is where you want to go.

    The next time you try to go to USAA, try to verify the url that the browser is using and that it is just https://usaa.com.

    No guarantees that this is what is going on though! 爛

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23. 173 Posted by Ted on 11 Mar, 2021 03:31 PM

    

    EDIT

    Forget everything I typed before. I hadn't properly cleared the cookies/cache before trying to re-load the site. While the URL was correct, somehow the Quicken page was stored in my browser's site data. Clearing that gets me back to the main page now. I feel like "clearing cookies and cache" has become the new "have you tried turning it off and on again?" of the modern browser. I wonder if I should be running one of those extensions that clears data every time I close the browser or something like that.

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24. 174 Posted by dwk on 11 Mar, 2021 05:33 PM

    

    Is it possible/conceivable to download USAA data using Quicken, and then transfer that data from Quicken to MD in a usable format?

    Thanks,
    dwk

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25. 175 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 11 Mar, 2021 05:46 PM

    

    @dwk - sorry to ask, but why...? MD can download the USAA data if you fix the profile with my script.... However, if you can download an OFX file, then just import that into MD. Failing this perhaps a QIF export / import, but this would be a real pain to get right...

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26. 176 Posted by dwk on 11 Mar, 2021 08:17 PM

    

    Thanks. I assumed that these continuing messages about flaws in the process suggested that I should not yet use the script. However, I gather that I should ... and will. dwk

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27. 177 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 11 Mar, 2021 08:22 PM

    

    @dwk. The scripts work. Can I ask how complex your setup is? - how many accounts? - CCs? - multiple logins? Why don’t you read the pdf and then get the credentials and then decide?

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28. 178 Posted by dtd on 11 Mar, 2021 08:35 PM

    

    @dwk, most of the conversation here has been about improving the process. The process has worked since Feb 23, but we've been listening to feedback and making it better (and easier) to use.

    If you read ALL the documentation first (the pdf file we provide), and then follow each step once you see the whole process, I'd say it's ready to go now for just about everyone. The current documentation says "Version 6c"

    Current Version of Documentation:
    https://infinitekind.tenderapp.com/discussions/online-banking/18363/r?go=aHR0cHM6Ly9naXRodWIuY29tL3lvZ2kxOTY3L01vbmV5ZGFuY2VQeXRob25TY3JpcHRzL3Jhdy9tYXN0ZXIvc291cmNlL3VzZWZ1bF9zY3JpcHRzL29meF9jcmVhdGVfbmV3X3VzYWFfYmFua19jdXN0b21fcHJvZmlsZS5wZGY%3D

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29. 179 Posted by dwk on 11 Mar, 2021 08:47 PM

    

    8 checking accts* / 3 cc accounts. I am the sole login. (My wife has a separate USAA# and login, with only 1 acct.) She shares use of a few of the accounts that are in my login. Will start reading soon.

    * could be reduced in needed [I joined USAA in 1959 ... it is has changed much since then, not consistently in a useful way, at least for me.]

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30. 180 Posted by dwk on 11 Mar, 2021 08:49 PM

    

    Thanks for the comments to clarify my understanding. Much appreciated. dwk

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