Frequently asked questions

Answers to the questions we hear most. Can't find yours? Email support@iagjournal.com.

Video tutorials

Prefer to watch? We have two YouTube playlists that walk through the desktop app.

Getting started & setup →Onboarding, connecting your broker, and your first import.Using the Journal →Day-to-day features, reading your P&L, and getting the most out of the app.

Accounts & sync

I have multiple TastyTrade accounts — can I choose which ones to AutoSync?

Yes. You can sync a selection of your TastyTrade accounts, and the rest stay ready to sync if you decide to add them later. Settings → Utilities.

Can I add more than one trading account?

Yes — even a mix of AutoSync and manual CSV import, and a mix of brokers. (Only one broker can be set up to use AutoSync at this time.)

I transferred my account to another broker. Will that be two accounts in the Journal?

Yes. Import your prior broker's history first (if supported), preferably oldest to newest record, and then begin importing your new broker. The import modal will ask you whether you want to link the account to an existing Journal account. If the second account uses AutoSync, you can link it to the previous broker's account as well.

With Interactive Brokers (IBKR) AutoSync I often get an error message.

IBKR will often reply that a request limit has been hit. Wait 10–20 minutes and you should be able to sync. We're actively working on improving the AutoSync setup for IBKR.

I can't find the IBKR Flex Web Service section.

You may need to add it. In the search bar at the top of the IBKR website, search for “flex web services”, click the top result, then click Configure Flex Web Services.

How often does my broker data update?

TastyTrade and Interactive Brokers sync automatically in the background — no manual exports needed. IBKR posts a fresh statement about once a day, so that's how often it refreshes on its own.

Want it sooner? You can pull your latest data on demand any time by clicking the sync button — or the As of date — for a connected account. IBKR also has an optional near-real-time add-on that refreshes as often as every 15 minutes during market hours; turn it on from the Interactive Brokers row in Manage AutoSync. Your daily statement stays the source of record and reconciles everything automatically.

Can I sign out, or use the Journal on a shared computer?

Yes. Go to Settings → Utilities and sign out of your IAG Journal account. Your accounts, imports, and trade history stay on that machine — signing back in picks up right where you left off.

Imports & data

I followed the export instructions for Fidelity, but the Journal says invalid file format.

Most often this happens because All Accounts— which is selected by default — was left selected. If you don't select the single account you want to export, Fidelity gives you a multi-account file.

My broker has incorrect cost basis data. Can I correct it in the Journal?

Double-click the Open $cell in the trade list and you can overwrite your broker's data. Note that it will show as a manually entered value from then on.

Some of my trade activity didn't show up in the Journal.

We do our best to capture every possible activity and transaction type, but there are edge cases we have to see before we know how to capture them. If you have an example, go to Settings → Utilities, find that import under Recent Imports, and click Logs — it shows every row of your file and what happened to it. Click Reporton the problem row and it comes straight to us with everything we need (your account number is always removed, and you see exactly what's sent before you send it).

Something imported wrong — what should I send so you can fix it fast?

The fastest path is the in-app Report button: Settings → Utilities → Recent Imports → Logs on the bad import → Report on the bad row. It automatically attaches the details we need, with your account number removed. Note the issue number it gives you and mention it in any follow-up.

If you're emailing us instead, include:

Your broker, and whether the data came from a file you imported or from AutoSync.
Your app version (Settings → About) and operating system.
The specific symbol, date, and dollar amount — what you expected vs. what the Journal shows. “P&L looks wrong” is hard to chase; “my SPX 6/19 put shows −$1,240 but my broker says −$620” we can fix.
For file imports: the file's first line (the column headers) and the problem rows, with your account number deleted.
A screenshot of the screen where the number looks wrong.

My AutoSynced data looks wrong, but the import logs don't show it.

The per-import logs cover file imports; live-synced records don't appear there. For synced data, go to Settings → Utilities — if the Journal received records it couldn't fully account for, you'll see a notice there. Click Reportto send it straight to us (your account number is removed, and you see exactly what's sent), or Copy detailsto paste into an email. If there's no notice but a number still looks off, send us the symbol and date plus what your broker's own history page shows for that transaction, and we'll trace it.

Can I export trade files from my phone to use in the Journal?

Some brokers support this, and if you're tech-savvy enough to get the file over to your computer, go for it. Just make sure the file format matches.

P&L & calculations

Why monthly P&L, and not quarterly or weekly?

The Investing Against the Grain method believes whole-heartedly that the best way to stay focused and perform your best is to start each month as a completely clean slate — no taking bold risks just because you had a great month last month. You start over from zero, ready to chip away at a meaningful profit, and by the end of the month you're trading smart so you don't lose what you worked for.

My Calendar P&L doesn't match the total row on the Trades page.

A P&L attribution set to Strategywill book a different P&L than the Standard View on the Trades page. Standard View always represents RealizedP&L.

I placed a trade — why doesn't it show in my P&L?

Only closed legs — or the final leg, if your P&L attribution is set to Strategy — show in your P&L. The credit you collect is an open trade until it closes.

Do protection legs within a risk-defined trade count as a loss?

For P&L, yes. For win/loss totals they're excluded, because they're planned losses that protect the sold option. On the Trades page they show as Risk Definedin the P&L column — hover to see the value.

Why are equity sales sometimes included in the Journal's P&L?

Some equity purchases, sales, and assignments are part of your options trading — typically equities held less than six months. In the settings drawer you can choose which equity closings you want counted toward your options trading P&L.

Billing

I paid for the course — why are you charging for a Journal subscription?

First of all, thank you for enrolling in one of our IAG courses.

We believe the IAG Journal is an excellent tool, designed to reinforce what you learned and help you get the most out of your options trading. It is not, however, required to successfully implement the course material.

The IAG Journal was developed in partnership with Daniel Lemmon — a former Crash Course student and software developer — and Nicholas Gibbs. Building this highly requested tool takes a substantial investment of time, effort, and resources.

If you decide to use the Journal, we're confident you'll find it valuable. If not, the course itself is designed to deliver exceptional value on its own.

My payment isn't going through.

Your bank or card most likely requires an additional authorization — through their mobile app, a texted code, or another method. If you're paying on your phone and this happens, try again on a desktop computer.

Troubleshooting

The app won't open, or shows a “couldn't start” screen.

This usually means the app's local database was left in a bad state after an unexpected shutdown. That screen can now fix itself: click Repair & Retry to clear the stuck file and reopen the app, with Restore Last Backup as a fallback. Both keep all of your trades — nothing is deleted, and your broker re-syncs anything recent automatically.

If it still won't open, that same screen can open its log folder or copy the log to your desktop in one click — send that to support@iagjournal.com and we'll take it from there.

Can I hide my account number and balances when screen sharing?

Yes — turn on Privacy mode. It blurs sensitive values, including your account numbers and email address, so nothing sensitive is exposed when you share your screen or send a screenshot.

What's next

When will you add Wealthsimple?

In the coming one to two months. Message us directly if you'd like to be an early user.

Will the Journal be released as a mobile app?

For now we're focused on building the absolute latest, cutting-edge features into the desktop app. Mobile is on our radar, but it's likely at least 9–12 months out.

See also our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.