Recording transactions

Transaction-based portfolios track every investment activity. This guide covers how to record different types of transactions.

Transaction types

TrackMyShares supports the following transaction types:

Type	Description
Buy	Purchase of shares
Sell	Sale of shares
Dividend	Dividend payment received
Split	Stock split that changes share count
Transfer in	Shares transferred into your portfolio
Transfer out	Shares transferred out of your portfolio
Bonus issue	Free shares issued to existing shareholders
Delisting	Stock removed from exchange, shares become worthless

For complex corporate actions like mergers, spinoffs, and symbol changes, see the corporate actions guide.

Adding transactions

There are two ways to add a transaction:

From the portfolio page

The quickest way to record a transaction — no need to find the holding first:

1. Open your portfolio
2. Click Actions → Add transaction
3. Select the transaction type (buy, sell, dividend, etc.)
4. Enter the symbol and market (for buy transactions) or select an existing holding (for sell/transfer out)
5. Fill in the quantity, price, date, and optional fees or notes
6. Click Add transaction

For buy transactions, if the symbol doesn't exist in your portfolio yet, the holding is created automatically.

From a holding's transaction history

You can also add a transaction from within a specific holding:

1. Click on the holding in your portfolio
2. Select Transactions
3. Click Add transaction
4. Fill in the details and save

Recording a buy transaction

When you purchase shares:

1. Open your portfolio and click Actions → Add transaction
2. Select Buy
3. Fill in the details:
   • Symbol — Stock, crypto, or metal ticker
   • Market — US, AUS, Crypto, or Precious metals
   • Date — When you bought
   • Quantity — Number of shares purchased
   • Price — Price per share
   • Fees (optional) — Brokerage fees paid
4. Click Add transaction

If you don't already hold this symbol, a new holding is created automatically.

Example

You buy 50 shares of Apple at $150 on January 15, with a $10 brokerage fee:

• Symbol: AAPL
• Date: January 15, 2024
• Quantity: 50
• Price: $150.00
• Fees: $10.00

Total cost: $7,510 (50 × $150 + $10)

Recording a sell transaction

When you sell shares:

1. Click Actions → Add transaction
2. Select Sell
3. Select the holding you want to sell from the dropdown (only holdings with shares are shown)
4. Fill in the details:
   • Date — When you sold
   • Quantity — Number of shares sold (cannot exceed your current balance)
   • Price — Price per share received
   • Fees (optional) — Brokerage fees paid
5. Click Add transaction

The system automatically:

• Reduces your holding quantity
• Calculates your capital gain/loss using FIFO
• Records the proceeds

Note: You cannot sell more shares than you own on the transaction date.

FIFO explained

FIFO (First In, First Out) means the oldest shares are sold first. This is the standard method for calculating capital gains in most jurisdictions.

Example: You bought Apple in three lots:

1. Jan 1: 20 shares at $140
2. Mar 1: 30 shares at $150
3. May 1: 20 shares at $160

If you sell 25 shares on June 1, FIFO sells:

• 20 shares from the Jan 1 lot ($140 cost)
• 5 shares from the Mar 1 lot ($150 cost)

Your cost basis for the sale: (20 × $140) + (5 × $150) = $3,550

Recording dividend transactions

When you receive a dividend payment:

1. Click Actions → Add transaction
2. Select Dividend
3. Fill in the details:
   • Symbol — Stock that paid the dividend
   • Shares — Number of shares you held on the ex-dividend date
   • Dividend per share — The per-share dividend amount (from your broker statement)
   • Distribution type — Ordinary, qualified, or return of capital
   • Withholding tax (optional) — Foreign tax withheld at source (e.g., 15% US WHT for non-residents)
   • Franking credits (AUS only, optional) — Australian imputation credits as a dollar amount
   • Date — Payment date
4. Click Add transaction

Dividends are tracked separately from capital gains and appear in your cash flow summary, transaction history, and tax reports.

Tip: You can find the dividend per share and franking credits on your broker's dividend statement (e.g., Stake, CommSec). Enter the values exactly as shown.

Withholding tax

If you hold US stocks as a non-US resident, your broker typically withholds tax on dividends (usually 15% under tax treaties). Record this as the withholding tax amount so it appears correctly in your tax report as a foreign income tax offset.

Franking credits (Australia)

Australian companies pay dividends with franking credits attached, representing company tax already paid. When recording an Australian dividend, enter the franking credits as a dollar amount from your broker statement. These appear in your tax report as a franking tax offset, reducing your personal tax liability. See our franking credits guide for a full explanation.

Recording stock splits

When a stock splits (e.g., 4:1 split):

1. Click Actions → Add transaction
2. Select Stock split
3. Fill in the details:
   • Symbol — Stock that split
   • Date — Split effective date
   • Ratio — Split ratio (e.g., 4:1)
4. Click Add transaction

The system automatically:

• Adjusts your share quantity
• Adjusts your cost per share
• Maintains your total cost basis

Split examples

4:1 split (more shares, lower price):

• Before: 100 shares at $400 cost basis
• After: 400 shares at $100 cost basis
• Total value unchanged

1:10 reverse split (fewer shares, higher price):

• Before: 1000 shares at $5 cost basis
• After: 100 shares at $50 cost basis
• Total value unchanged

Transaction history

View all transactions for a holding:

1. Click on the holding in your portfolio
2. Select the Transactions tab
3. See all buy, sell, dividend, and split transactions

You can edit or delete individual transactions from this view.

Warning: Editing historical transactions may affect your calculated gains and cost basis for subsequent transactions.

Best practices

• Record transactions promptly — Don't let them pile up
• Include fees — Brokerage fees affect your cost basis
• Use exact dates — Important for tax calculations
• Keep receipts — Your broker statements should match your records