Main Topics in this Article:
Which Creation Method is Best for Me?
Choosing the right method depends on how much control you want over your portfolio and how detailed you'd like your returns analysis to be. By choosing the method that best suits your investing needs, you’ll be able to create a portfolio that gives you the perfect balance of control, automation, and insight.
You have 3 main options:
- Linking your brokerage account
- Manually creating a Transactional Portfolio
- Manually creating a Holdings Portfolio
Here's a guide to help you decide:
1. Linking a Brokerage
Best for:
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Investors who want automatic portfolio updates with minimal manual input.
Key Benefits:
- Automatic daily updates: Your portfolio stays current with no effort.
- Extensive broker coverage: We cover most US and Canadian brokers, with some international brokers available and more being added soon.
- Detailed returns (coming soon): Track unrealised, realised, dividend, and currency gains automatically. This feature depends on your broker providing transaction history, but soon you’ll be able to manually upload your history as well.
What You Need:
- Correct login credentials (some brokers require credentials different from your usual email/password—please follow the instructions during setup).
Things to Know:
- We use secure providers (Plaid and Snaptrade) to link your brokerage. Connections are encrypted, and no trades can be made on your behalf. Simply Wall St does not store your credentials.
- Daily updates keep your portfolio synced.
- Brokers provide varying amounts of transaction history (e.g., 2 years, 90 days, or none).
- Manual upload support for transaction histories will be available soon.
If your broker is supported, this is the easiest and most automated way to manage your portfolio.
See Linking Your Broker to Simply Wall St for more comprehensive guide and information.
2. Manually Creating a Transactional Portfolio
Best for:
- Investors who want full control over their transactions and don’t mind manual entry.
- Those seeking an accurate, comprehensive returns analysis, even without brokerage support.
Key Benefits:
- Complete control: Enter transactions using an intuitive, spreadsheet-like table.
- Detailed returns (coming soon): Precisely track unrealised, realised, dividend, and currency gains.
- Easy import (coming soon): Upload your transaction history from any broker for quicker setup.
What You Need:
- Your transaction history, including stock ticker, transaction type, date, price, and number of shares.
Things to Know:
- This feature is new and improving. Expect more updates with enhanced returns analysis soon.
If your broker isn’t supported or you prefer manual control, this option provides detailed performance insights based on your entries.
3. Manually Creating a Holdings Portfolio
Best for:
- Investors looking for a quick and simple setup without detailed performance tracking.
- Those who prefer simplicity and only need to track unrealised gains.
Key Benefits:
- Minimal input: Enter stock ticker, average price, and number of shares.
- Quick setup: Get started in minutes with basic, easy-to-understand data.
What You Need:
- Details of your holdings, including stock ticker, number of shares, and average price.
Things to Know:
- This option only tracks unrealised gains and offers a less detailed returns analysis.
If you’re just getting started or prefer a low-effort setup, this is a great way to track your holdings quickly.
What Do I Get After Creating a Portfolio?
Once your portfolio is set up, you’ll gain access to the following features:
- Comprehensive Portfolio Analysis
- Important Daily Updates and Event Notifications
- Weekly Report Email
- Narratives and Stock Valuations
1. Comprehensive Portfolio Analysis
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Performance & Overview: Visualize your portfolio’s performance with key charts and metrics:
- Performance vs Market Chart
- Portfolio Snowflake
- Returns over specific time periods
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Benchmarks and key metrics based on your holdings
- Detailed returns analysis (coming soon): Track unrealised, realised, dividend, and currency gains with precision.
- Valuation, Growth & Financial Health: Assess your portfolio’s fundamental strength with insights into valuation, growth potential, past performance, and financial health.
- Dividends: Stay informed about the dividend performance of your investments.
- Diversification: See how your portfolio is diversified across industries, holdings, and geographies.
For more information, visit our article on Understanding Portfolio Calculations & Analysis.
2. Important Daily Updates and Event Notifications
Receive daily updates on key events affecting the companies in your portfolio, such as earnings reports, dividend updates, insider transactions, and more.
3. Weekly Report Email
Each week, you’ll receive an email summarising:
- All of your portfolios performance
- Latest updates for your stocks
4. Narratives and Valuations for Your Stocks
Create and track investment narratives for each stock in your portfolio while keeping an eye on their valuations. For every stock you hold, you can choose from narratives and valuations created by our community, or you can craft your own to suit your investment thesis. This feature allows you to:
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Personalize your investment journey: Write and refine your own narratives based on the latest market developments or long-term strategies.
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Leverage community insights: Explore narratives and valuations shared by other investors to gain new perspectives and ideas.
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Track stock valuation: Keep tabs on the valuation metrics that matter most to you, ensuring that your portfolio aligns with your goals over time.
With this feature, you can stay updated on the stories behind your investments, ensuring you're always informed and proactive in your decision-making.
How to Link a Portfolio?
Follow these steps to link your portfolio:
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Log in to your Simply Wall St account.
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Navigate to the Portfolios tab and select either the option to link your brokerage or create a manual portfolio.
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Use the search field to find your broker. You can also go directly to the linking page.
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Review the security reminders and click Continue to proceed.
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Enter your credentials to complete the linking process.