The California instructions for Schedule D state that you need to use the form only if there is a difference between your California and federal capital gains and losses. Because California treats capital gains as ordinary income, TurboTax will generally transfer this information to the state return, where you can adjust specific items if needed.

The California Form 540 starts with your Federal Adjusted Gross Income and summarizes any differences between Federal and California on Schedule CA where the additions and subtractions are listed.

The California tax return Form 540 package will include a California Schedule D if you have any California capital gains and losses from the entries you make while completing the Federal return. 

TurboTax will ask questions in the California interview in order to capture any information needed to adjust the entries on the California Schedule D. In order to help ensure accurate calculations, answer the questions in the interview about any capital gains subject to California tax.

See these California FTB instructions for capital gains and losses for more information.

Thanks. I was asking about the interview that you mention at the end. The choices it gives are to simply enter the CA total which is what I want, or include transactions by date, or mark them one by one. I know my total and it's not according to dates, and I don't want to edit dozens of tiny imported. transactions. 

So after I select Total, it doesn't let me enter the total, but it uses some value that's off by a few hundred dollars. 

If you have any questions regarding US taxes, please reach out to the TurboTax Community US or get expert assistance by calling them at 1-800-4-INTUIT (1-800-446-8848).

Thanks! I just didn't see I had landed on the Canada forum!

No problem!