Every July, the same thing happens. Tax time rolls around and you're staring at a pile of buy and sell confirmations trying to figure out your capital gains. If you use CommSec, there's a much faster way: download your entire transaction history as a CSV file and let software do the heavy lifting.
Here's exactly how to do it.
Why You Need Your Transaction History
Your broker is not going to calculate your CGT for you. CommSec sends you trade confirmations and an annual tax statement, but neither gives you the full picture. The tax statement shows dividends and franking credits, which is helpful. But for capital gains, you need every buy and sell, the dates, the prices, and the brokerage fees.
Without this, you're either paying an accountant to piece it together from contract notes (expensive) or doing it yourself in a spreadsheet (painful). Or you can export the CSV and import it into a portfolio tracker that does the maths automatically.
How to Export Your CommSec Transaction History
Step 1: Log In to CommSec
Go to commsec.com.au and log in with your client ID and password. If you have multiple accounts (e.g., a personal account and a joint account), make sure you select the right one.
Step 2: Go to Activity & History
From the main dashboard, click on Portfolio in the top navigation bar, then select Activity or Transactions from the dropdown. The exact wording changes occasionally when CommSec updates their interface, but it's always under the Portfolio section.
Step 3: Set Your Date Range
You'll see a date filter at the top. Set the start date to when you first started trading (or at least the start of the financial year you're reporting on). Set the end date to today or 30 June if you're doing end-of-year reporting.
Tip: Export everything, not just the current year. Your cost base for shares you still hold goes back to when you originally bought them. If you bought CBA in 2019 and sell it in 2026, you need the 2019 purchase record.
Step 4: Download the CSV
Click the Export or Download button. CommSec will generate a CSV file and your browser will download it. The file is usually named something like TransactionHistory.csv or CommSec_Transactions_20260324.csv.
Step 5: Check the File
Open the CSV in Excel or Google Sheets to make sure it looks right. You should see columns for date, type (buy/sell), stock code, quantity, price, brokerage, and net amount.
What the CommSec CSV Contains
A typical CommSec CSV export includes these columns:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | The trade date (contract date, not settlement) |
| Reference | CommSec's internal reference number |
| Type | B (buy) or S (sell) |
| Code | ASX ticker code (e.g., BHP, CBA) |
| Description | Company name |
| Quantity | Number of shares |
| Unit Price | Price per share |
| Brokerage | Brokerage fee for the trade |
| Net Amount | Total cost (buys) or total proceeds (sells) |
| GST | GST component of brokerage |
Some exports also include a settlement date column and a status column (confirmed/cancelled).
Common Issues with the CommSec Export
Missing Dividends
The transaction CSV typically only includes trades (buys and sells). Dividends are reported separately in your annual tax statement. If you need dividend data in your portfolio tracker, you'll usually need to enter those manually or use a tool that pulls dividend data from market sources.
Corporate Actions Not Showing
Things like demergers, share consolidations, and capital returns may not appear in the transaction history. For example, when BHP demerged Woodside Energy shares to BHP holders in 2022, this wouldn't show as a normal buy or sell. You may need to add these manually.
DRP Parcels Missing
Dividend Reinvestment Plan purchases sometimes appear in the transaction history and sometimes don't, depending on how CommSec records them. Check your DRP statements separately to make sure every reinvestment parcel is accounted for.
Old Trades Not Available
CommSec's online history may only go back a certain number of years. If you've been with CommSec for a long time, you might need to request older records by contacting their support team. Keep your old contract notes for this reason.
Cancelled or Amended Trades
Make sure the export doesn't include cancelled trades. Some exports include them with a status of "Cancelled." Remove these before importing, or your numbers will be off.
How to Import Into SavvyPortfolio
Once you have your CommSec CSV, importing it into SavvyPortfolio takes about 30 seconds.
Step 1: Upload the File
From your SavvyPortfolio dashboard, click Import Transactions and drag your CSV file into the upload area, or click to browse and select it.
Step 2: Auto-Detection
SavvyPortfolio automatically detects the CommSec CSV format and maps the columns. You'll see a preview of the first few transactions so you can confirm everything looks right. The system recognises CommSec's column headers and date format out of the box.
Step 3: Review and Confirm
Check the preview for any obvious issues. SavvyPortfolio flags potential problems like:
- Duplicate transactions (if you've imported the same file before)
- Missing data in required fields
- Unrecognised stock codes
Step 4: Import
Hit Confirm Import and your transactions are processed. SavvyPortfolio automatically:
- Calculates your cost base including brokerage
- Creates share parcels for each buy
- Matches sells to parcels using the FIFO method
- Calculates realised capital gains and losses
- Tracks the 50% CGT discount eligibility based on holding period
Your portfolio, holdings, and CGT summary update instantly.
What About Other Brokers?
SavvyPortfolio works with CSV exports from several Australian brokers. Here's a quick rundown:
Stake
Log in to your Stake account, go to Account > Transaction History, and download the CSV. Stake's format is slightly different from CommSec but SavvyPortfolio handles it.
SelfWealth
In SelfWealth, go to Reports > Trade History and export to CSV. SelfWealth uses a clean format that imports smoothly.
NABtrade
Log in to NABtrade, go to Portfolio > Transaction History, set your date range, and click Export. NABtrade's CSV format includes a few extra columns but the core data is the same.
Other Brokers
If your broker isn't directly supported, you can usually still import by mapping columns manually. SavvyPortfolio accepts a generic CSV format where you specify which column is the date, ticker, quantity, price, and so on.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back should I export?
As far as you can. If you still hold shares from 2018, you need the 2018 purchase record to calculate your cost base when you eventually sell. Export your full history, not just the current year.
Can I import multiple files?
Yes. If you have accounts with multiple brokers, or separate exports for different date ranges, you can import them one after another. SavvyPortfolio merges them and flags duplicates.
What if the CSV has errors?
If a row has missing or garbled data, SavvyPortfolio will skip it and show you a list of skipped transactions so you can fix them manually.
Do I need to re-import every year?
No. Once your historical transactions are in SavvyPortfolio, you only need to import new transactions. Export from where you left off and import just the new trades.
Will this be accepted by the ATO?
SavvyPortfolio calculates your CGT according to ATO rules (FIFO method, 50% discount for assets held over 12 months). The reports it generates are suitable for including in your tax return or handing to your accountant. That said, the ATO's source of truth is your broker records, so always keep your original contract notes and CSV files as backup.
Is my data secure?
SavvyPortfolio processes your CSV entirely in your browser. Your transaction data stays on your device and is stored in local storage. Nothing is uploaded to external servers.
Stop Wrestling with Spreadsheets
Tax time doesn't have to be a nightmare. Export your CommSec CSV, import it into SavvyPortfolio, and your CGT calculations are done. It takes less time than making a coffee.
Calculate Your CGT Automatically
Import your broker CSV and let SavvyPortfolio handle the FIFO calculations, 50% discount, and ATO-ready reports.