New method for accrued dividends

The latest version of the FundCount software helps automate the dividend accrual and settlement process. Now, instead of having to do general ledger entries to handle the accruals and settlements, FundCount asks you to assign an "Accrued dividends account" for any brokerage account holding dividend paying stocks.

Then when it comes time to enter the dividend into the database (Securities>>Corporate Actions Long>>Cash distribution), you select the security, then select the account that holds the security, then enter payment date and ex-dividend date, and now the software will automatically accrue the dividend at the ex-dividend date and settle the cash payment at the payment date.

The fact that the software automatically handles the cash settlement means that there will for the first time be entries in the database that cannot be edited via "Edit transaction" in the View/Edit/Delete All Transactions window. The only way to edit the cash settlements is to go back to the original entry for the dividend and adjust the payment date. FundCount handles the actual cash settlement entry on its own now.

Version 2.10.76

I recently upgraded to version 2.10.76. Incredibly I was still using version 2.6.40, but I really loved that version because it was so stable and there were absolutely no problems with it.

I am still testing version 2.10.76, and will make a full report later. Right now, though, I am having problems creating PDF files. When I create a "Performance and Capital Summary" report, I cannot make a PDF file of the report. When I click the "To PDF" button, FundCount brings up the "Calculating. Please wait..." notice and I sit there for minute after minute while the software "calculates." My guess is that the software is hanging on this function and is not getting anywhere. Twice now I have had to shut down my computer simply to interrupt FundCount which is stuck.

I will mention this to the guys in Moscow tomorrow, though, and since they are so quick at fixing problems, I'm sure it will be fixed very soon.

Marco Thomas and his dangerous commute home from work

Sometimes I feel sorry for my very hard working friend, Marco Thomas, at FundCount, because after a very long day at work he then has to face a difficult drive home to his wife. Here is a video clip of what Marco faces each time he drives home through this freeway tunnel in Moscow.