Method 2: Select and copy the data to NotePad

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This method applies to native Ameritrade Accounts for instance

A slightly more inconvenient method is sometimes required. This method requires one to copy the data from a web page, paste it into a text editor and then save the data as a text file. This method requires a little more manual effort, but can be used for most instances where a brokerage doesn't supply a straight text download. An example of this method covers those accounts that began at Ameritrade as native Ameritrade accounts.

In this situation, the user logs into their account, and chooses the link on the Ameritrade home page to view their transactions. By setting the view settings to show all the trades for the current year, a web page is generated that contains all of the trade transactions.

However, this web page can't simply be saved because it contains hidden formatting code and extraneous matter. The solution is to place the cursor at the beginning of the first trade transaction and to carefully select only the trade transactions (all of them). By choosing copy from the menu once the trades are selected, you can capture all of this data. But you still must paste it into a text editor to get only the data and not the web formatting (use NotePad - [not a word processor which may keep the web styling]).

Tip: When selecting a large range of trades in a web page, you can generally click and position the cursor at the beginning of the first transaction. Then, instead of dragging the range all the way to the end, you can scroll to the end and hold down the shift key while clicking the cursor at the end of the last transaction. This will select the entire range without having to drag through it.

Once in Notepad, take a quick look at the data to double check and make sure you have captured all of your data from beginning to end of year. If so, save this as a text file. If your account is indeed an Ameritrade account, if you use the name "inputfile" and make sure the file type in the dialog box is set to text it will be named correctly for use with the provided script for that account.

Congratulations, you've now captured your trade data! That's probably the toughest step in the entire process. Onward, and we will be done before you know it!