Need Your Opinion For Returns Script

[tsptalk]

I am writing a little script that will allow you to enter 2 dates and it will give your the TSP fund returns during that period. I'm having a hard deciding how to ask for the dates.

There are a few ways to do it, but which way makes more sense to you, the user?...

Let's say you have to enter a START_DATE and an END_DATE

If you enter July 1 and July 31, you would think you'd get the returns for the month of July, but what you'd actually get is July 2 through July 31 since the July 1 prices are COB prices.

To get the full July monthly return you'd actually have to enter June 30 and July 31. I'm guessing that will confuse a lot of folks.

I'm looking for ideas on how to ask the user to enter the dates: Some examples...

Enter Start Date:
Enter End Date:

Enter Start COB Date:
Enter End COB Date:

I could program it so that if someone enters July 1, it automatically starts with COB June 30.

Etc.?

Thanks for your input!

 

[nnuut]

Can you use code to subtract one from the first date and add one to the second?

 

[tsptalk]

That may be the best way to go - the first date one. I think the second date will work as is.

 

[Frixxxx]

>=
<=

 

[Bquat]

Next week, next month... JK Ok push buttons: MTD, Quarter, YTD then one for each previously year return for 5 years.

 

[nnuut]

Yep!

 

[nasa1974]

It would probably be a little more complicated programing wise, but I like bquat's MTD idea. What if you could pick MTD and add the correct monthly number. MTD-1 would equal January (14) or maybe MTD-1/13 would equal January 2013. I guess it depends how much information you want to make available and how dificult the program would be.

 

[tsptalk]

TSP Fund Return by Date: TSP Talk AutoTracker

 

[tsptalk]

Next week, next month...

I'm working on that one.

 

[tsptalk]

The MTD, WTD, YTD returns are on this page... TSP Share Prices.

This new script will probably be put as a link on that page.

Buttons for prior year returns is doable. I'll dive in.

 

[Bquat]

The MTD, WTD, YTD returns are on this page... TSP Share Prices.

This new script will probably be put as a link on that page.

Buttons for prior year returns is doable. I'll dive in.

I wasn't talking share prices. I was doing time frames for individual's returns.

 

[jonfresno]

I am writing a little script that will allow you to enter 2 dates and it will give your the TSP fund returns during that period. I'm having a hard deciding how to ask for the dates.

There are a few ways to do it, but which way makes more sense to you, the user?...

Let's say you have to enter a START_DATE and an END_DATE

If you enter July 1 and July 31, you would think you'd get the returns for the month of July, but what you'd actually get is July 2 through July 31 since the July 1 prices are COB prices.

To get the full July monthly return you'd actually have to enter June 30 and July 31. I'm guessing that will confuse a lot of folks.

I'm looking for ideas on how to ask the user to enter the dates: Some examples...

Enter Start Date:
Enter End Date:

Enter Start COB Date:
Enter End COB Date:

I could program it so that if someone enters July 1, it automatically starts with COB June 30.

Etc.?

Thanks for your input!

I like the START (COB)/END(COB). Unless I'm mistaken, this will show the returns using the exact prices you bought and sold.

Now having said that, my retirement is in huge trouble after trying your link out that shows I lost 100% over the past month and a half..

Anyway, just my opinion on the question. And of course, thanks for providing yet another great resource for us. Much appreciated.

 

[tsptalk]

Now having said that, my retirement is in huge trouble after trying your link out that shows I lost 100% over the past month and a half..

That's another benefit of the script. It takes all your money.

What dates did you enter?

By the way, it's not our individual returns. It's the TSP Fund returns.

I like the START (COB)/END(COB). Unless I'm mistaken, this will show the returns using the exact prices you bought and sold.

That's the issue. We look at prices as COB, but if a novice checks the dates they won't understand that 7/01 really means COB 6/30.

 

[nnuut]

The 100% thing will happen if you enter the wrong date, ie. May has 30 days and you put in 31.

 

[Frixxxx]

The 100% thing will happen if you enter the wrong date, ie. May has 30 days and you put in 31.

Days in a month=
January - 31
February - 28/29
March - 31
April - 30
May - 31
June - 30
July - 31
August - 31
September - 30
October - 31
November - 30
December - 31

 

[nnuut]

I know those by heart and still screwed it up!!:laugh:

 

[jonfresno]

That's another benefit of the script. It takes all your money.

What dates did you enter?

By the way, it's not our individual returns. It's the TSP Fund returns.


That's the issue. We look at prices as COB, but if a novice checks the dates they won't understand that 7/01 really means COB 6/30.

I don't remember the exact ending date, but I plugged in 20140701 as the starting date. I tried it again and I'm getting much better results! I might have plugged in a date beyond todays for the ending. but I did this too and got a result that wasn't -100%.

I see what you mean about not knowing the true date, but since we're talking about TSP transactions, it's the numbers we see on our TSP correspondence regarding the share prices on the date of the transfer, so that was my thinking.

Maybe an info blurb stating what the date means?