Import from CSV - Moneydance changes categories
I import transactions in a csv file, and including a column specifying the category for each transaction.
- If there is no previous transaction for a payee (Description) Moneydance correctly applies the category from the csv file.
- If there is a previous transaction for the payee with the same category Moneydance correctly applies the category from the csv file;
- If there is a previous transaction for the payee but only with a different category Moneydance incorrectly applies a category from a previous transaction.
This makes the importing pricess prone to errors and means that I have to double check the categories a second time. Is there a way to change this behaviour?
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1 Posted by -Kevin N. on 09 Jul, 2024 12:48 PM
Hi treasurer,
How are you importing the CSV file?
1) File > Import
2) Extensions > CSV Importer
If it's 1) then, try 2).
If you need a hand setting up the CSV Importer, post a sample of your CSV file. Make sure that there is no sensitive information e.g. account numbers in the file before attaching it here.
-Kevin N. (not a member of Moneydance support)
2 Posted by treasurer on 09 Jul, 2024 02:06 PM
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for the reply. I have been using File > Import.
I will try the CSV Importer for my next import.
Regards,
Lionel
____________
/Lionel Mackay
[email blocked] /
//
/Ipswich Choral SocietyRegistered Charity No 278866
/
3 Posted by -Kevin N. on 09 Jul, 2024 04:37 PM
Hi Lionel,
The Confirmation process may be playing into the issue you are seeing.
It is my understanding that the 'pool' of Description/Category combinations is made up of only those combinations that have been Confirmed. So, if I am correct, then it may take at least one instance of the desired combination to be Confirmed in order for Moneydance to be able to draw it from the pool.
Do keep us apprised of your findings. OK?
-Kevin N. (not a member of Moneydance support)
4 Posted by treasurer on 25 Jul, 2024 02:50 PM
I have now imported the next block of transactions.
I tried using the CSV Importer extension, but it generated a large number of errors so I wasn't able to complete it. It required setting up a template which I may not have done correctly, but it wasn't worth the time to try and fix it.
The import included a number of entries of new Description/Category combinations. In all cases the Description/Category combinations were new.
In every case where there had been previous entries matching the Description Moneydance assigned a Category that had been previously used with the Description, ignoring the Category in the import file.
In all cases where there had been no previous entries for the Description Moneydance correctly assigned the Category from the import file.
As I previously said this makes the importing process more difficult than it need be.
5 Posted by -Kevin N. on 25 Jul, 2024 04:56 PM
Hi Lionel,
Attach a sample of your CSV file so that I can try setting up the CSV Importer for you. Make sure that there is no sensitive information in the file. e.g. account numbers.
Of course, I can't guarantee that the CSV Importer will provide the results you are looking for, but it has been my experience that the CSV Importer is more robust in its performance than the built-in importer.
-Kevin N.
6 Posted by treasurer on 25 Jul, 2024 07:09 PM
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for the offer. That prompted me to have a look at the errors and
I found I could get the file to import correctly after editing the File
reader template to correct the date format and allow blanks in 3 of the
fields. Also I had to swap the payment and deposit assignments (!).
Once I had done that I found that all the Category assignments were correct.
Thank you for your advice and patience!
Kind regards,
Lionel
____________
/Lionel Mackay
[email blocked] /
//
/Ipswich Choral SocietyRegistered Charity No 278866
/
7 Posted by -Kevin N. on 25 Jul, 2024 07:25 PM
Hi Lionel,
Excellent! I'm glad to hear that you were able to get it working.
As you've discovered the CSV Importer is, let's say, unforgiving when setting up its File Readers. There is no room for error.
But anyway, thank you for reporting back with your results.
-Kevin N. (not a member of Moneydance Support)
8 Posted by treasurer on 14 Sep, 2024 09:28 PM
Hi Kevin,
I have a new problem with the CSV importer:
As I said before the importer assigns the field labelled -Payment- to Deposit, and the field labelled -Deposit- to Payment.
I have now found that for some Income transactions Moneydance creates new Expense categories with the same name, as the specified exisiting Income category.
This happened on my last but one import session for one category; on my latest import session it has done the same with that category and another income category. Other categories imported correctly.
As you can imagine this is frustrating: you cannot easily see whether the categories shown on the account are Income or Expense; I have to look at a statement and identify incorrect Expense categories, batch change the incorrect entries, and delete the incorrect Expense categories.
Lionel
9 Posted by -Kevin N. on 14 Sep, 2024 09:49 PM
Hi Lionel,
I can imagine that being very frustrating and inconvenient, to say the least.
Moneydance will create a category based on imported data - that much is true.
What I'm thinking though is that the signage of the transaction(s) in question may be reversed and therefore Moneydance is creating the Expense category to compensate for it.
Can you confirm that within the CSV file that the transaction(s) in question have the correct signage?
Also, there is a setting in Preferences on the Network tab to 'Ignore Transaction Types in Favor of Amount Signs'. See it either ticking or unticking that option provides any relief.
-Kevin N. (not a member of Moneydance support)
10 Posted by treasurer on 14 Sep, 2024 10:16 PM
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your reply.
The majority of the transactions have the correct signage; the latest import included a couple which wee payments from an Income category, but there were plenty which had the correct signage. The new category transactions were all correct.
Next time I will try the preferences option.
I won't be doing another import for a couple of weeks and will be away from tomorow..
Lionel
System closed this discussion on 14 Dec, 2024 10:20 PM.