Import of dividends in different currencies from a CSV file

Hi Andreas, Thank you very much for creating this great tool that I came across when looking for an alternative to the now closed application “StockMarketEye”.

I have noticed that the issue of importing dividends from a csv file where the transaction currency differs from the account currency, has been discussed several times in the past. However, the issue seems still to be unresolved - at least the ways I have tried.

When importing a csv file with dividend records for a mix of USD and EUR securities into an account managed in DKK, the import function doesn’t recognise the currency exchange rate, even if it is correctly mapped in the import wizard. I am using the “Account transactions” type of data, but the “Portfolio transactions” gives the same issue.

If I try to record a manual dividend transaction, I can get by without the exchange rate. When you look at the steps for a manual registration of dividend (Transaction / Dividend…) where the security currency differs from the currency of the Cash Account the following fields could be mapped:

The Gross value in DKK is calculated based on the Gross Value in USD divided by the exchange rate that the system has picked up. I can manually enter a different gross value, so it fits with my bank statement and input file:

I then add the taxes, and the end result provides the net amount (Credit Note) in DKK that is posted to my Cash Account.

If I then try to post these values as my csv test file, which are the exact same I use for manual entry, I run into problems

Security Name;Cash Account;Date;Shares;Value;Gross Amount;Taxes
Oracle Corporation;Pension Nordnet - Ratepension;2020-01-24;167;0,24;270,92;40,64

The Exchange Rate is mentioned as an optional field, but nevertheless I get an error message that it is missing.

Allow me to humbly offer a solution for your evaluation:
Could a dedicated “Dividend transactions” type of data mapping with EITHER Gross Amount OR Exchange rate as mandatory fields be a possible solution to this issue?

Again, Thank you for a great product.

Hi @AndreasB

Is it the conclusion that it’s not possible for the time being, to import dividend transactions via the CSV file import if the currency of the security differs from the currency of the deposit account?

I can see from a lot of previous posts that many have asked the same question, but I’ve not really been able to find a post that provides the solution or even a work-around.

/TomHH

I haven’t done an import for a little while but I’m pretty sure that it is possible, @TomHH, to do what you ask. Indeed, as a UK based investor I’m constantly up against securities – some of which pay dividends - that are priced in both GBX (pence in the UK) as well as GBP (UK pounds), but I only maintain a GBP based deposit account.

There’s a good section in the manual about using the CSV import function for GBX priced securities – cast to one side its UK focus, as some of this content could be very useful in your case: How to use the CSV Import functions for GBX priced securities? - Portfolio Performance Manual

Hi @Rich28

Thank you very much for your input regarding the GBX/GBP issue, which in many ways is the same as the foreign currency dilemma.

I finally managed to match the right fields with my import sheet to load the dividends to PP. The label that confused me was the “Currency Gross Amount”, which I understood as the “Gross amount in the security currency”, but shall be interpreted as “The currency of the security gross amount”. Totally different meaning :slight_smile: