VOFX -- a processor to fix Vanguard OFX files for import to Microsoft Money
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Cal Learner
Oct 17, 2025, 2:17:31 PMOct 17
to Microsoft Money
Motivation for the Vofx processing/scrubbing of Vanguard QFX files:
Vanguard stopped providing the OFX file via an OFX server, and switched to web download. They introduced a bug or two.
1. While the entries for Vanguard mutual funds worked fine, but they describe Vanguard ETFs and stocks held at Vanguard as mutual funds. This causes errors when importing into Microsoft Money. The prime thing the Vanguard portion of the scrubber does is to change those to stocks (which is also appropriate to ETFs).
2. The Vanguard download often substitutes the CUSIP for the ticker. If the scrubber detects that, it asks what the ticker is. You can enter that, or if you just hit the enter key, it keeps the ticker as the CUSIP. To avoid doing this each time, a simple lookup was added to the scrubber. To take advantage of this lookup, the user is required to edit the Scrub_CL7.py code to add an entry into the CUSIP_to_ticker_dict, which currently starts at line 329. That line number could change in future versions.
3. The date stamp sent to Money can result in wrong dates for recorded quotes. Scrub_CL7.py improves that, but is still imperfect. In particular, avoid downloading while the markets are open and for a couple hours after. Most people never notice the wrong date on quote history, including Saturday and Sunday dates, so feel free to continue to ignore.
Vofx, described in Vofx_simple.txt, is intended to be a simplified set of instructions for Vanguard-only scrubbing.
1. While the entries for Vanguard mutual funds worked fine, but they describe Vanguard ETFs and stocks held at Vanguard as mutual funds. This causes errors when importing into Microsoft Money. The prime thing the Vanguard portion of the scrubber does is to change those to stocks (which is also appropriate to ETFs).
2. The Vanguard download often substitutes the CUSIP for the ticker. If the scrubber detects that, it asks what the ticker is. You can enter that, or if you just hit the enter key, it keeps the ticker as the CUSIP. To avoid doing this each time, a simple lookup was added to the scrubber. To take advantage of this lookup, the user is required to edit the Scrub_CL7.py code to add an entry into the CUSIP_to_ticker_dict, which currently starts at line 329. That line number could change in future versions.
3. The date stamp sent to Money can result in wrong dates for recorded quotes. Scrub_CL7.py improves that, but is still imperfect. In particular, avoid downloading while the markets are open and for a couple hours after. Most people never notice the wrong date on quote history, including Saturday and Sunday dates, so feel free to continue to ignore.
Vofx, described in Vofx_simple.txt, is intended to be a simplified set of instructions for Vanguard-only scrubbing.
=================== How to use:
===================
1. Into a folder that you want to use for the purpose, copy the files that are in the vofx3b.zip file.
2. In vofx.bat, edit line 26 if "python" is not sufficient to invoke the Python program.
3. Create a shortcut to vofx.bat on the desktop. Method described below.
4. When you want to get your Vanguard data, go to the Vanguard website, and download the file. It should default to going into your Downloads folder.
5. Use the shortcut to vofx.bat. That should put the resulting file into ModOut.ofx
6. Run ModOut.ofx, and that should feed the Vanguard data into Micrsoft Money. At some point, it may be desireable to add a line to the vofx.bat file to feed the file right to Money. That line could just be "ModOut.ofx" on a line by itself.
Optional: You can create a shortcut to ModOut.ofx if you like. I think you could use that to feed the file to Money.
===================How To Download===========================
The current latest version is in vofx3B.zip which is available at the link posted.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AmqrqfWt0R_yebPXYdVYVGGH71C3yjG5/view?usp=sharing
Ask questions or make comments please.
================Thoughts on this new thread==================
The VOFX Vanguard scrubbing need was introduced by
https://groups.google.com/g/microsoft-money/c/iniSctiaBe4/m/1gfsCIfhBAAJ I envision that thread to continue with more technical discussion.
This new post is to try to make a simplified version of what I had been working on. It still may be more obscure than I hope. Please comment on problems or suggested simplification for use.
I am eager for somebody who is not a programmer to try this out, but everybody is welcome.
1. Into a folder that you want to use for the purpose, copy the files that are in the vofx3b.zip file.
2. In vofx.bat, edit line 26 if "python" is not sufficient to invoke the Python program.
3. Create a shortcut to vofx.bat on the desktop. Method described below.
4. When you want to get your Vanguard data, go to the Vanguard website, and download the file. It should default to going into your Downloads folder.
5. Use the shortcut to vofx.bat. That should put the resulting file into ModOut.ofx
6. Run ModOut.ofx, and that should feed the Vanguard data into Micrsoft Money. At some point, it may be desireable to add a line to the vofx.bat file to feed the file right to Money. That line could just be "ModOut.ofx" on a line by itself.
Optional: You can create a shortcut to ModOut.ofx if you like. I think you could use that to feed the file to Money.
===================How To Download===========================
The current latest version is in vofx3B.zip which is available at the link posted.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AmqrqfWt0R_yebPXYdVYVGGH71C3yjG5/view?usp=sharing
Ask questions or make comments please.
================Thoughts on this new thread==================
The VOFX Vanguard scrubbing need was introduced by
https://groups.google.com/g/microsoft-money/c/iniSctiaBe4/m/1gfsCIfhBAAJ I envision that thread to continue with more technical discussion.
This new post is to try to make a simplified version of what I had been working on. It still may be more obscure than I hope. Please comment on problems or suggested simplification for use.
I am eager for somebody who is not a programmer to try this out, but everybody is welcome.
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