Morningstar.com Developments

Preview the new Mutual Funds page

2009-06-16T22:50:00Z

Hi All,
We are currently working on a new layout for the Mutual Funds Page. Please take a look at the latest screen shots below and let us know what you think.

I would also like to remind you that the screen shots are just images, you will not be able to interact with the links and the menus. Thanks.

Click on the images for larger view:

Mutual Funds Page Menus

Mutual Funds Page

You Ask; We Answer: Our Responses to Your Feedback - Week of June 14, 2009

2009-06-22T14:26:00Z

We at Morningstar.com appreciate your feedback and suggestions. Starting this week, we will summarize your input, frequently asked questions, as well as any updates that we have made to our site. Feel free to reply below with your thoughts on how you would like to see this weekly report presented.

Your Suggestions

Q: Can we have cash taken into account in Portfolio Manager?
A: We are working on an update so cash will be included in returns in Portfolio Manager. This is a top priority now, and should be available later this summer.

Q: Please include forward-looking Dividend Yields.
A: We have this data point in Portfolio Manager, and call it "Dividend Yield (%) - Current". We'll change the name to "Dividend Yield (%) - Forward" shortly as this is clearer.

Q: Why is the "Morningstar Rating" tab on new Fund Snapshot view missing?
A: As we update our snapshot, we are working through where we want the rating history information to be placed. The rating will continue to be available on the Morningstar Rating tab until we add this new page.

Q: We would like to enter portfolios by percentages instead of by number of shares.
A: We like this idea and are adding it to our to-do list.

Q: Can we permanently remove dividends on Modify/Splits Screen in Portfolio Manager?
A: Our portfolio team is looking into how this could be achieved.

Q: Can we route to "snapshot" instead of "charts" when clicking on a mutual fund in portfolio manager?
A: We will be implementing this when we go live with our new snapshots in July. These already have charting functionality integrated into them, so it will satisfy those who like the snapshots, as well as those who prefer the charts.

Your Feedback

Q: "Projected EPS Growth 5Yr(%)" in Portfolio is showing decimal instead of percentage.
A: This has been corrected.

Q: Videos should be labeled for those who prefer to just read articles.
A: We now have transcripts available within the video page for those who prefer to just read the interviews versus watching the videos.

Q: Charts Beta has technical issues in the Firefox browser.
A: We're looking into this and expect to resolve it with the next Chart update.

The New Discuss Forum Format

Q: Is the list of favorite forums coming back?
A: We plan to launch an update Monday morning that will address this. See a preview here.

Q: "Reset all dropdowns" button-what does it do?
A: It clears out all the sorting options you've selected. We'll be updating this slightly with Monday's launch.

Q: We want the "Jump to last post" feature!
A: We have some ideas on how to do this, and will include it in an upcoming launch.

Q: The sorting options (authors, time, posts) limit my search results!
A: Since the sorting options layer on top of each other, it's often better to use one or two options at a time (versus all options) as this will give more results.

Updates to Morningstar.com

"Realized Gain/Loss Since Purchase" in Portfolio Manager

We have added "Realized Gain/Loss Since Purchase" as a new data point within Portfolio manager. To learn more, please click here.

A new insiders section is under development for the Stock Report

Previews:
Insider Activity
Executive Compensation
Key Executives
Executive Profile

New Mutual Funds Page preview

Preview the new mutual funds page here.

Updated Video Format: a new look, transcripts, and comments

Learn more about our new video format here.

New Personal Finance Topic Pages

2009-10-01T03:33:00Z

Find the tools, insights, and roadmap you need to invest for retirement, fund college costs, save on taxes, and build your first investment plan in Morningstar's new Personal Finance topic pages.

Each new topic page contains a wealth of information and data, including articles, investing and savings tips, credit information, videos, investment calculators, Morningstar Analyst Picks, and columns from Christine Benz, Morningstar's director of personal finance.

Stay tuned as we roll out more content, tools, and interactive features in the months to come.

Take a look today and let us know what you think:

Jason Stipp
Site Editor
Morningstar.com

Portfolio Manager gets better by the second...

2009-04-02T18:41:00Z

Our popular Portfolio Manager tool now has more frequent real-time data updates. As new intraday-related data (like price, market cap) come in, we'll update the value (no page refresh required) and bold the new value momentarily.

Check it out by visiting the Tracking tab in Portfolio Manager. Wait a few seconds and you'll see the screen update with real-time data (as long as the markets are open).

Our portfolio team has been working hard to optimize this new feature over the last few weeks, and is excited to hear your feedback. Let us know what you think!

Thanks,

M*_Darrin

Favorites toolbar & Most read - new features in Discuss!

2009-06-24T16:34:31Z

We've been updating Discuss to be more user-friendly and feature rich, using your feedback to drive our efforts. Over the last two days, we've rolled out a number of updates, highlighted below:

Many of you requested easy access to your favorite forums, blogs, and portfolios, so we've created a new menu that allows you to quickly jump to your favorites. Click the Favorites link on this page (and soon to be on every page in Discuss) to check it out.

If you don't have any favorites, simply click the Favorite checkbox when viewing a favorite forum or blog. Or if you want to receive e-mail updates when new posts hit your favorite forum or blog, check the Subscribe box.

While on the post listing page (or All Posts tab), select the "Most read" option in the Post column dropdown menu. You can join this criteria with a date range under the Time column (say, "Past week"), and together you'll find the most popular posts over the last week.

Also recently updated is our Blogs tab; now you'll find a couple featured blogs, alongside our most active blogs.

We've also rolled out a number of behind the scenes changes that promise to speed up Discuss. One page we heavily optimized is the thread page, in preparation for some design changes outlined here.

We're continuing to update Discuss (and the rest of Morningstar.com) based on your feedback, so let us know what you think!

Thanks,

M*_Darrin

Check out our new stock, fund, and ETF snapshots!

2009-04-08T17:59:00Z

Now when you look up a stock, fund, or ETF, you'll see a link at the top of the page:

New Beta: Preview our new Stock/Fund/ETF Snapshot.

Check it out and let us know what you think via a reply below or through the survey link on the beta page. To check it out, type in a favorite ticker in the Quote box above, or take a ticker I've selected for a test drive:

Stock: IBM
Fund: VFINX
ETF: VDE

Thanks everyone,

M*_Darrin

Realized Gain/Loss Since Purchase in Portfolio Manager

2009-06-15T19:54:00Z

Based on your feedback, we've added "Realized Gain/Loss Since Purchase" as a new data point within Portfolio Manager. Click the My View tab, then click "Customize My View" to add this data point.

Realized Gain/Loss Since Purchase is the cumulative amount of realized gains and losses resulting from the sale of securities. It is calculated by the net proceeds minus the initial cost. The calculations do not take into account tax efficiencies, individuals tax brackets, etc. We assume FIFO for sale of securities, also dividend is separated from any gain/loss.

Learn more about this, and all of our recently launched features, here.

Thanks,

M*_Darrin

Video: New Look, Transcripts, and Comments

2009-06-15T15:38:00Z

Check out our new video reports; in addition to a new look, you'll find transcripts on new videos and the ability to comment.

Most videos will now have transcripts available when they launch; transcripts on breaking news may not be available immediately, but will post soon after. The quick availability of transcripts is a direct response to your requests. Thanks for the feedback, and keep it coming!

M*_Darrin

New ETF Center

2009-05-19T17:25:00Z

Get our latest ETF commentary, picks, video reports, and Solutions tips in Morningstar’s new ETF Center. On the newly redesigned page, you can access our enhanced ETF Screener beta, find undervalued ETFs, see all of our latest ETF Analyst Reports, and browse our new ETF Solutions Center for easy but informative step-by-step tips to help you understand exchange-traded funds, decide if they're right for you, and put them to use in your portfolio.

Check out our new ETF Center today!

Check out our new article format, and the ensuing user comments!

2009-05-11T22:23:00Z

Earlier today we launched a new format for our articles, which you can check out here: Get Your Portfolio on Track with Burlington Northern

This new format combines a cleaner layout with user-focused features like the ability to comment, recommend, share, and adjust font sizes. Related content is prominently featured and longer-form articles are easily navigated with a new multi-page option. Over the next few weeks we'll carry this new format into our stock analyst notes, fund analyst picks, and news, as well as update our article archive pages.

Let us know what you think!

M*_Darrin

Morningstar.com iPhone Application Now Available on iTunes!

2009-05-06T22:36:00Z

Download the free application here, and watch our video to learn more!

Weigh in! Preview our new fund and stock snapshots.

2009-03-18T16:51:00Z

This blog aims to add transparency to our development process, giving you an opportunity to preview new pages and weigh in. One of larger initiatives currently is an updated format for our fund, stock, and ETF snapshots. We're right in the middle of this development, and it involves updating many related pages. We've got the main page pretty well sorted out, so I've included links to previews below.

These links will pull up images of the new stock and fund main snapshot pages. These images are static, so some of the data may seem a little off and you won’t be able to click into the page. Let us know what you think of the layout, data, visualizations (graphs, icons), etc. We’d love to hear any suggestions you have for improving the page as we are still early enough in the process that we can quickly integrate your feedback.

Mutual Fund Snapshot preview image (click to zoom if it shows up small)
Stock Snapshot preview image

These are just the main pages, so check back in the coming weeks for previews of the other related pages. Or click the “Favorites” dropdown below this post, and select "Start an e-mail subscription to this blog" to be notified of new previews. We'd love to hear from you.

Thanks everyone,

M*_Darrin

Preview the new All Posts page!

2009-04-01T20:22:00Z

M*_Reina, the designer behind Discuss, posted a preview of the updated All Posts page we've been working on. Give it a look, and let us know what you think!

Preview the new All Posts page!

Thanks,

M*_Darrin

Real-Time Quotes

2009-03-10T15:30:00Z

Morningstar.com now has real-time quotes for stocks and ETFs integrated into our site, including our quote pages and popular Portfolio Manager. Let us know what you think of this new feature below.

Thanks,

M*_Darrin

Updated Home Page!

2009-03-19T22:06:00Z

We've updated our home page to fold in a number of your suggestions. You'll find clearer fonts, more contrasting colors, larger graphs, and faster load times. We've also made some usability changes, like lightly changing the color on articles you've already read.

Tell us what you think of the new format by clicking Reply below.

Thanks,

M*_Darrin