Know more about My Watchlist

It doesn't surprise me when a code base is retired.  There are strategic considerations here so that M/S can use the same code base to support web based and smart phone and tablet markets.  What this does is allow a higher user predictability of what they will see when using this app on the different platforms.  It also allows a smaller support footprint and a coherent upgrade cycle.

Very interesting, Sonora. So in other words, Portfolio Manger is being dumbed down to the level that will fit on a smartphone screen?

Essentially, yes, because a common code base is easier and cheaper to maintain.  Unfortunately, using standards that all platforms subscribe to doesn't usually lead to the best user experience, and in this case, it was exacerbated by what appears to be woeful project management.

You learn from your failures much better than you learn from your successes....Comforting?

Hi Adriana,

Thanks for your help. I'm getting an error message when trying to migrate my portfolio data to the new platform. On Friday (12-19-14) I was finally able to access the PM after  week of not being able to do so. I was able to make a backup of my positions using the Print Portfolio tab at the top, but that method does not provide transaction data (buys, sells, dividends, reinvestments, etc) (as others have pointed out) so I took the past two days to copy all that info down by hand. I was able to do so. Following the Migrating your Watchlist instructions (http://support2.microsoft.com/kb/3004532/en-us) I attempted to migrate my portfolio data over to the new platform today, and pleasantly found that unlike my previous attempts, all my portfolio data appeared as being eligible for transfer**. It seemed to start the migration process and then suddenly the following appeared:**

Whoops!

We can't show you this right now. We'll get it fixed soon.

2014-12-21T20:26:27.5294705+00:00

b9e1b961-92ba-4a36-aa3b-d5a8fa7f6a41

Attempts to refresh the page and try again do not work. The same error as above appears not only after after refreshing the page, but using a separate window to visit my Watchlist page at: http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/watchlist.

When I try to Retry the migration (http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/watchlist/migrationsupport)  I get the following error next to each portfolio I have checked to transfer over:

! Watchlist with this name already exists. Select a new name.

**I can't access the new platform at:**http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/watchlist in order to delete the watchlists with the same names from my previous migration attempt, because, as I mentioned previously, I keep getting the following error when trying to visit that page:

Whoops!

We can't show you this right now. We'll get it fixed soon.

2014-12-21T20:26:27.5294705+00:00

b9e1b961-92ba-4a36-aa3b-d5a8fa7f6a41

Signing in and out and opening in different browsers doesn't seem to help. What am I supposed to do? Thank you.

Start drinking heavily. :-\

After two weeks of banging my head on my desk, I give up.  The migration was a disaster and now it just doesn't work.  I have read about a million threads of frustration like my own and figured out there is 250 entry limit.  Well after 15 years of data input I probably have 25,000 entries.  It would be nice if there was an option to forget the whole migration thing and just use my watchlist as viewing tool of stocks I have interest in, but no, can't do that. Still stuck with a useless site that still doesn't work properly.  And to top it all, PM is gone!  Nice work! 

Time to throw MSN overboard and use a completely different homepage that works and provides useful information. 

Whoops!

We can't show you this right now. We'll get it fixed soon.

2014-12-22T18:43:52.6679565+00:00

66cdc571-0401-4490-a0df-4a1485640fcf

Soon? next week, next year?

For me, never ever again!

Excluding the Portfolio Mgr., the site most like the ole MSN site is Yahoo except it has better info for reasons you'll see. The MSN Watchlist (the name is apropos because you can't really manage your portfolios well w/it) is so big and unwieldy. I only have one monitor so I have to open it on my laptop and then go to Yahoo on my pc for the financial info. But form follows function.

One thing I've learned. Smart people in "successful" companies can do really dumb things.

I think you will like FT.com once you become familiar with it.  Right now Im entering transactions into FT.com and I still have a long way to go.  I used the old PM for 15 years, and for the most part Im only entering stocks I currently own or stocks that were sold in 2010 or later (not beyond the 3 year statute of limitations).

News Alert !!!! I think I have finally found a free onlline website that is comparable to the old PM.

and it is the FINANCIAL TIMES PORTFOLIOat FT.com.

http://help.ft.com/2014/03/10/financial-times-redesigns-its-ft-portfolio/#axzz3MUHzrRR1

http://help.ft.com/markets-data/portfolio/#axzz3MUHzrRR1

I just discovered it and the more I work with it, the better it gets.  However, its a little bit of a hassle to enter old transaction dates (you will see what I mean).

FT help says that it can also be accessed on a mobile device.

Congratulations to myself.

Congratulations to you, TW!

I'll check this out when I have time after this weekend, writing down my years of transactions one by one before they disappear into Microspace!

Thanks Michael,   I have started entering transactions into the FT PM and it seems very good so far.

Its very similar to the Old PM, but its done in a different way.  The FT PM provides you with more information on your holdings and its in a world class financial website that is similar to the Wallstreet Journal.  There are a couple things I dont like about it.  When you viewed transactions in the Old PM you could see the date, activity, quantity, price, commission, and then the calculated total cost.  The FT PM has the same information, but it doesnt calculate the total cost for you, and I wish it would.  Also its hard to enter transaction dates that are very old.

The FT.com is a mostly pay site, but the Portfolio Manager is free.  I just started using it and for me it is the clear winner and not a step down from the Old PM.  I like it much better than Morningstar or Google Finance.  If youre considering Quicken, take a look at the FT.com portfolio manager first.

Im sorry to see the Old PM go, but I think I have found a new home with alot of nice amenities.

Good luck in the stock market unless youre short.

Very good, TW. I'll have to get to that.

I've just been using Morningstar, which isn't the end of the world, at least for daily reports.

(Doing OK in the market - just wish I didn't have to waste time with all this stuff!!)