Cost basis is calculated “behind the scenes” when you do a partial sale of a security. Navigator reduces the cost basis by the same proportion as the number of shares you are selling is to the total number of shares. You can override this and change the cost basis on the Multiple Distribution screen of an investment transaction or directly on the Asset & Liability screen.

You can review Multiple Distribution screens for all the transactions for a particular account to see how the cost basis was affected. If the cost basis was changed manually on the Asset & Liability screen, there is no record of that. That is why it is best to create a journal entry or some kind of transaction when you need to change the cost basis.

Navigator 8.2 and earlier have one cost basis for each account for the entire year. For instance, at the end of the year, there is no record of what the cost basis may have been at the beginning of the year. For instance, the Cost Basis Balance sheet shows the year-end cost basis regardless of what month the report is for. You could run that report for the prior year to see what the prior year ending cost basis (= current year starting cost basis) was.

Navigator 9.0 and later tracks cost basis monthly. Report and the A&L Info screen show the cost basis correctly for the active month. In the same way, Navigator 9.0 also tracks tax basis, number of shares, price per share, and valuation date by month. This allows you to update prices for prior months and run meaningful investment reports for prior months, which you could not do before.