Dependable Income Investing App Documentation - General Help

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started

1.1 Welcome

Welcome to the Dependable Income Investing App version 2.X – your comprehensive toolkit for building and managing a robust income-generating portfolio. Whether you’re a seasoned DIY investor or just starting your income investing journey, our app puts powerful research and analysis tools right at your fingertips.

Discover the perfect funds for your strategy with our intelligent fund picker that sorts income funds from best to worst based on your specific criteria. Make informed decisions with side-by-side fund comparisons, track performance across US and Canadian markets, and dive deep into detailed price charts and dividend payment histories. Connect with fellow investors through our discussion platform, manage multiple portfolios with our portfolio tracker, and stay ahead of the curve with weekly email alerts on dividend changes. Transform your income investing from guesswork into a data-driven strategy that works for you.

1.2 System Requirements

1.3 Creating Your Account

Getting Started: When you first arrive at the app or if you’re a free user, you’ll land on the Compare page. You can search for your first fund before logging in, but to complete the comparison process, you’ll need to create an account and/or login.

How to Create Your Account:

  1. Access the Login Page: Click the “Login” button in the top navigation menu at app.dependableincomeinvesting.com
  2. Choose Your Sign-Up Method:
    • Option A - Google Sign-In: Click “Sign in with Google” for quick account creation (no email verification required)
    • Option B - Manual Account Creation: Click “Create Account” at the bottom of the login form
  3. Complete Account Information (Manual Sign-Up Only):
    • Enter your email address
    • Optionally enter your name or initials
    • Create a secure password
    • Re-enter your password to verify it
    • Click “Create Account”
  4. Verify Your Email (Manual Sign-Up Only):
    • Check your email inbox for a one-time verification code
    • Enter the code when prompted to complete account verification
    • Note: This step is not required if you used Google Sign-In
  5. Set Up Your Account Preferences:
    • Click on your initials icon in the top right corner
    • Select “Account Settings” or “Settings”
    • Configure your preferences:
      • Preferred Currency: Choose USD or CAD
      • Timezone: Select your local timezone
      • Theme: Choose between Light and Dark mode
  6. Start Using the App: Your account is now ready! You can begin comparing funds and using all app features

Important Notes:

1.4 First Time Login

Accessing the Login Page:

  1. Navigate to the App: Go to app.dependableincomeinvesting.com
  2. Click Login: Click the “Login” button in the top right corner of the page
  3. Choose Login Method:
    • Google Account: Click “Sign in with Google” to use your Google credentials
    • Email/Password: Enter the email address and password you created during account setup

What to Expect After Login:

Free Account Features:

Premium Account Features:

Upgrading to Premium:

Getting Started:

2. Core Features

Why this search feature: The number of investment choices is overwhelming and investors fear not knowing about funds that are better than the ones they invest in. A complete and comprehensive shortlist of choices is a great starting point, but how do you research your initial list quickly and easily? The search feature nearly instantly finds any ETF listed in Canada and the US by unique search income oriented options not available anywhere else. Search by currency, dividend payment frequency, leverage amount, or combinations such as; “all weekly paying S&P500 index based income funds.”

What is it: The Fund Search tool is designed to help users efficiently locate and evaluate thousands of investment funds (ETFs, closed-end funds, trusts, REITs, and other investment vehicles) across North American markets. You can filter these funds using various criteria such as name, company, category, payment frequency, currency, and leverage.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Discover”, then select “Search” from the submenu. The search page will load with all available funds and filtering and sorting options.

Search Filters and Inputs

The comprehensive filtering options allow you to refine your search results.

Interactive Category Selection & Advanced Features

When certain categories are selected, sub-menus appear for highly granular, targeted searches.

Results Table & Sorting

The database contains over 6,700 funds.

Fund Cards: Features and Icons

Fund cards aggregate all critical information, plus direct provider links for robust due diligence.

Clear Filters

To remove active search criteria:

Reporting & Support
Tips for Effective Use

2.2 Fund Picker

Why use the fund picker: Properly evaluating funds is difficult and time-consuming for the average investor. Save time and money by quickly finding funds that meet your goals - avoid costly mistakes. Whereas the search feature is for broad based search, the fund picker focuses on the best income funds available on the market. It’s like having your own personal consultant. All funds have strengths and weaknesses, the fund-picker focuses on finding funds that are strong in the attributes the user most cares about.

What it does: The Fund Picker is an intelligent tool that helps you find the best income funds based on your specific investment priorities. It uses reviews created by an investment analyst to analyze funds and rank them from best to worst according to the criteria you select. This tool eliminates guesswork by providing data-driven recommendations tailored to your investment goals.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Discover,” then select “Fund Picker” from the submenu. The Fund Picker page will load with filtering options and priority selection tools.

Stock Exchange Selector

Users can filter the displayed funds by selecting the market exchange.

Fund Priorities Selection & Interactive Scoring

This section enables fund ranking based on up to three user-selected priority criteria, which aligns the fund results with specific investment goals.

Priority Selection:

Users can select up to three priorities from dropdown lists. The available options include:

Weighting and Controls:

The order matters. Priority 1 must be selected before Priority 2 and Priority 3 become active.

Utility buttons provided include:

Fund Results, Expanded Card View, & Star Ratings

Once priorities are set, the funds matching these criteria are returned and ranked using an internal scoring system. The tool displays funds in order from best to worst based on your selected priorities. A fund must be rated 3 out of 5 or better in all priority categories to be displayed.

Basic Results Display:

Results are initially displayed in a list format showing the Ticker, full fund name, and Fund type (e.g., Diversified, Sector-Based, Index-Based).

Expanded Viewing:

Controls and Utility Buttons

Controls help users navigate and perform deeper research.

Scoring System Explanation & Star Ratings

The scoring system is based on the weight and priority of the user’s selections.

Dependability Score Calculation:

The Dependability Score (shown as a percentage out of 100%) is based on a proprietary formula that measures how likely a fund is to be dependable over time. The score is calculated using weighted scoring (in points out of 5) of six key factors in order of priority:

  1. Yield Stability (96.25%)
  2. Yield (96.25%)
  3. Volatility (90%)
  4. Capital History (82.5%)
  5. Risk (78.75%)
  6. Underlying Assets (56.25%)
Best Practices & Workflow Tips

To maximize the use of the Fund Picker:

2.3 Review Funds

Why use the review funds feature: Most people are not fund anylysts and every fund has an overwhelming amount of information on its website to review and compare. With so much info and so many fund choices it is hard to narrow down the perfect one, particularly for funds that seem almost exactly the same (e.g. index based). The Review Funds Feature is great for quickly narrowing down your investment choices, picking the best fund, or validating your current holdings against alternatives in a simple to understand color coded format. Think of it like consumer reports reviews for income funds.

What it does: The Review Funds feature provides a side-by-side comparison tool that displays detailed analyst ratings for up to three funds simultaneously, allowing you to make informed investment decisions by comparing funds using comprehensive analyst reviews. Each fund is evaluated across multiple categories including Fund Attributes, Risk factors, Return metrics, and overall scores. This tool allows you to see detailed ratings across 13 key criteria, helping you understand each fund’s strengths and weaknesses at a glance. The tool uses color-coded ratings (1-5 scale) and provides detailed explanations for each rating, making it easy to compare funds and understand why certain funds may be better suited for your investment goals.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Discover,” then select “Review Funds” from the submenu. The Review Funds page will load with fund selection dropdowns and the comparison grid ready for use.

Stock Exchange Selector

Users can filter the reviews available by the market exchange where funds are listed.

The exchange selector appears at the top of the page and immediately filters the fund selection dropdowns to show only funds from the selected region.

Fund Selection & Comparison Setup

The Review Funds tool allows you to select and compare up to three funds simultaneously.

Fund Selection Dropdowns:

Fund Information Icons:

Ratings Review Help Icon:

Comparison Grid Structure & Categories

The comparison grid organizes fund ratings into four main categories, each containing specific attributes that are evaluated and displayed side-by-side.

Fund Attributes Section:

This section evaluates the structural and operational characteristics of each fund:

Risk Section:

This section analyzes various risk factors associated with each fund:

Return Section:

This section focuses on income generation and return characteristics:

Report Card Section:

This section provides summary scores and performance metrics:

Rating Display & Color Coding

Ratings are displayed using a color-coded 1-5 scale system that makes it easy to quickly assess fund performance across different attributes.

Rating Scale:

Visual Indicators:

Score Display:

Controls and Actions

Several controls and actions are available to help you navigate and interact with the comparison tool.

Reset Button:

Total Return Calculation:

Total Return Breakdown (Hover Feature):

Suggest a Fund for Review:

Best Practices & Tips

To maximize the effectiveness of the Review Funds comparison tool:

2.4 Performance

Why use the performance feature: Investors are rightly concerned with accurately calculating the total return of investments over time and not falling for the trap of thinking high yields equals high total return. It is also critical to understand the cost of purchasing shares, how often and how much a fund pays in dividends, and the historical perfomance of funds over specific time periods. Informed investment decisions come with accurate and easy to understand data.

What it does: The Performance feature provides in-depth analysis and visualization of fund performance data. It displays a detailed price chart, dividend payment history, yield calculations, and total return metrics over customizable time periods. The tool calculates returns both with and without dividend reinvestment, shows dividend yield trends over time, and provides a complete picture of how a fund has performed historically. This is perfect for researching funds before investing or tracking the performance of your current holdings. All data is automatically adjusted for stock splits to ensure accurate historical comparisons.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Discover,” then select “Performance” from the submenu. The Performance page will load with search controls and a help banner ready for you to enter a fund ticker symbol.

Search & Fund Selection

The Performance tool allows you to search for and analyze any income fund or stock by entering its ticker symbol.

Ticker Symbol Input:

Search Button:

Help Banner:

Reinvest Dividends Toggle

Control whether dividend payments are reinvested in performance calculations. Drip means Dividend Reinvestment Plan, it essentially means dividends are being invested back into the find by buying more shares. Use “Yes (DRIP)” setting when you are comparing multiple funds total return against each other so that you have an apples to apples comparision.

Options:

Impact:

Date Range Selection

Choose the time period for performance analysis to view historical data over different intervals.

Available Options:

Date Range Impact:

Results Display: Information Panels

After searching for a fund, comprehensive performance data is displayed in organized sections.

Fund Description/Info Panel:

When a fund has detailed information in the database, the panel displays:

For stocks or funds without detailed database descriptions, a simplified information panel is displayed showing:

Returns Information Box:

Dividend Information Box:

Search Period Display:

Corporate Action History:

Charts & Visualizations

Multiple interactive charts provide visual representation of fund performance and dividend data.

Investment Return Chart:

Dividend Yield History Chart:

Price History Chart:

Dividend History Table:

Data Accuracy & Adjustments

The Performance tool automatically adjusts data to ensure accurate historical comparisons.

Stock Split Adjustments:

Data Sources:

Limitations:

Report Wonky Data:

Best Practices & Tips

To maximize the effectiveness of the Performance tool:

2.5 Plan

Why use the Plan feature: Investing new cash is tedious when you are buying multiple investments and have to calculate projected income and number of sharess to purchase manually. The plan page streamlines and makes easy the process of creating a balanced portfolio plan and can save your allocations directly to your portfolio tracker for easy execution. New investors will benefit from pre-defined portfolio templates they can select and use as a basis for their own customized plan.

What it does: Planning a diversified income portfolio requires careful allocation across multiple funds, calculating exact share quantities, and understanding projected income. The Plan tool is a comprehensive portfolio planning calculator that helps you design and allocate investments across multiple funds, automatically calculating shares, total invested amounts, and projected monthly income based on your allocation percentages. It converts between USD and CAD currencies and provides an estimated annual yield for your entire plan. Once your plan is complete, you can optionally save it directly to a portfolio in the Portfolio Manager, making it easy to track and execute your investment strategy.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Discover,” then select “Plan” from the submenu. The Plan page will load with the investment amount field ready for you to begin planning your portfolio allocation.

Investment Amount & Currency Selection

Set the total amount you plan to invest and choose your preferred currency for the plan.

Amount to Invest:

Currency Selection:

Impact:

Portfolio Templates

Quickly start your plan by selecting a pre-configured portfolio template that automatically populates your plan table with ticker symbols and allocation percentages.

Country Filter:

Template Dropdown:

Selecting a Template:

Template Description:

Template-Populated Rows:

Switching Templates:

Best Practices:

Portfolio Selection

Choose an existing portfolio to save your plan to, or create a new portfolio directly from the Plan tool.

Reset Button:

Fund Allocation Table

The allocation table is where you build your investment plan by adding funds, setting allocation percentages, and viewing calculated results.

Table Columns:

Summary Row & Totals

The summary row provides an overview of your entire plan.

Summary Information:

Workflow: Finish & Save Plan

Complete your plan and save it to your portfolio using the finish workflow.

Finishing Your Plan:

  1. Allocate 100%: Ensure all allocation percentages total exactly 100%
  2. Select Dividend Frequencies: Choose a dividend frequency for every fund in your plan
  3. Click “Finish”: When 100% is allocated, the “Add New” button changes to “Finish”
  4. Validation: The tool validates all ticker symbols and fetches missing price data
  5. Lock Plan: Once finished, the plan becomes locked (you can’t edit allocations or add/remove funds)
  6. Risk Indicators: Risk indicators (R) appear for reviewed funds showing their dependability scores

Editing a Finished Plan:

Portfolio Dropdown: (OPTIONAL STEP)

Add Portfolio Option:

Portfolio Tooltip:

Saving to Portfolio:

Purchase Confirmation:

Currency Conversion & Multi-Currency Support

The Plan tool automatically handles currency conversion when mixing US and Canadian funds.

Automatic Conversion:

How It Works:

Exchange Rates:

Best Practices & Tips

To maximize the effectiveness of the Plan tool:

2.6 Reinvest

Why use the Reinvest feature: Rebalancing a portfolio with multiple holdings and target allocations requires complex calculations to determine exactly how much to buy or sell of each holding. Manually calculating share quantities, buy amounts, and ensuring allocations match your goals is time-consuming and error-prone. The Reinvest tool automates this process by calculating optimal buy and sell orders to align your portfolio with your target allocations, using intelligent algorithms that can prioritize holdings trading below your cost basis or with higher yields.

What it does: The Reinvest tool is a comprehensive portfolio rebalancing calculator that helps you efficiently reinvest cash or rebalance your existing portfolio holdings. It calculates the exact number of shares to buy or sell for each holding to reach your target allocation percentages, automatically distributing available cash based on your preferences. The tool supports multiple calculation strategies including standard rebalancing (with sales), proportional buy-only distribution, and weighted strategies that prioritize holdings trading below cost basis or with higher yields. It displays real-time calculations showing shares to trade, buy/sell amounts, projected income changes, and remaining cash after transactions.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Discover,” then select “Reinvest” from the submenu. The Reinvest page will load with portfolio selection, amount to invest, and calculation controls ready for you to begin rebalancing your portfolio.

Portfolio Selection

Choose which portfolio to rebalance from your existing portfolios.

Portfolio Dropdown:

Portfolio Requirements:

Amount to Invest & Currency Selection

Set the total amount of cash available for reinvestment and choose your preferred currency.

Amount to Invest:

Currency Selection:

Impact:

Calculation Strategy Toggles

Control how the rebalancing algorithm calculates buy and sell orders using interactive toggles.

Allow Sales Toggle:

Consider Price Toggle (Priority Selection):

Consider Yield Toggle (Priority Selection):

No Priority Option:

Priority Level (When Consider Price or Consider Yield is Selected):

Match Currency Toggle:

Reset Button:

Holdings Table

The main table displays all holdings in your selected portfolio with comprehensive rebalancing information.

Table Columns:

Excluded Holdings:

Sorting:

Summary Footer & Totals

The footer below the table provides summary information and action buttons.

Footer Actions:

Summary Information:

Additional Information:

Goal Management & Normalization

The tool automatically manages goal percentages to ensure they sum to 100% when exclusions are used.

Goal Editing:

Automatic Normalization:

Goal Warning Dialog:

Weighted Overall Goals:

Calculation Routines

The tool uses different calculation algorithms based on your toggle settings.

Routine A: Standard Rebalancing (Allow Sales ON):

Routine B: Proportional Buy-Only (Allow Sales OFF, No Priority):

Routine C: Weighted Price Buy-Only (Allow Sales OFF, Consider Price ON):

Routine D: Weighted Yield Buy-Only (Allow Sales OFF, Consider Yield ON):

Sorting by Priority:

Currency Conversion & Multi-Currency Support

The Reinvest tool automatically handles currency conversion when mixing US and Canadian holdings.

Automatic Conversion:

Exchange Rates:

Match Currency Feature:

Native Currency Display:

State Persistence

The Reinvest tool remembers your settings and selections when you navigate away and return.

Persisted Settings:

Automatic Restoration:

Cache Management:

Best Practices & Tips

To maximize the effectiveness of the Reinvest tool:

2.7 News

Why use the News feature: Saves you time by organizing current income fund related news in one place. Staying informed about income fund news, fund company announcements, and market updates is crucial for making timely investment decisions. This centralized news hub helps you stay current with fund company announcements, dividend changes, fund launches, and investment insights without having to search multiple websites and sources.

What it does: The News feature provides a curated, sortable table of news articles and announcements related to income funds. It organizes news into four categories: US Funds, Canadian Funds, My Funds (personalized news based on your portfolio holdings), and Dependable Info (educational content and app updates). Each news item displays the publication date, fund company name, and headline. Headlines are clickable links that open the full article in a new browser tab. When you hover over a headline, a tooltip shows which funds (tickers) are mentioned in that article. The table is fully sortable by date, fund company, or headline, allowing you to organize news in the way that’s most useful for your research.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Discover,” then select “News” from the submenu. The News page will load with four filter tabs and a table displaying the latest news items.

News Category Tabs

Filter news articles by category using the four tab buttons at the top of the page.

US Funds Tab:

Canadian Funds Tab:

My Funds Tab:

Dependable Info Tab:

Tab Navigation:

News Table Structure

The news table displays articles in an organized, sortable format with three columns.

Date Column:

Fund Company Column:

Headline Column:

Table Features:

Sorting Functionality

Sort news articles by clicking on any column header to organize information in the way that’s most useful for you.

How Sorting Works:

Sortable Columns:

Sort Persistence:

Article Links & Navigation

Access full news articles by clicking on headlines in the table.

Opening Articles:

Fund Mentions Tooltip:

External Links:

Loading & Error States

The News page displays different states depending on data availability and loading status.

Loading State:

Error State:

Empty State:

Data Caching:

Best Practices & Tips

To maximize the effectiveness of the News feature:

2.8 Compare

Why use the compare feature: Investors are often considering purchasing two or more funds and want to know which one has performed the best historically. The Compare tool makes it simple to compare funds head to head over specified time periods by comparing total returns which includes price appreciation and dividends. Informed investment decisions come with accurate and easy to understand data.

What it does: The Compare feature provides in-depth analysis and visualization of fund performance for two funds compared directly together. It displays total return metrics over customizable time periods. The tool calculates returns both with and without dividend reinvestment, and provides a complete picture of how two funds have performed historically. This is perfect for researching funds before investing or comparing the performance of your current holdings agains other funcds. All data is automatically adjusted for stock splits to ensure accurate historical comparisons.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Compare."" The Compare page will load with search controls and a help banner ready for you to enter a fund ticker symbol.

Search & Fund Selection

The Compare tool allows you to search for and analyze any income fund or stock by entering its ticker symbol.

Ticker Symbol Input:

Search Button:

Help Banner:

Reinvest Dividends Toggle

Control whether dividend payments are reinvested in performance calculations. Drip means Dividend Reinvestment Plan, it essentially means dividends are being invested back into the find by buying more shares. Use “Yes (DRIP)” setting when you are comparing multiple funds total return against each other so that you have an apples to apples comparision.

Options:

Impact:

Date Range Selection

Choose the time period for performance analysis to view historical data over different intervals.

Available Options:

Date Range Impact:

Results Display: Information Panels

After searching for a fund, comprehensive performance data is displayed in organized sections After comparing two funds, confetti is shown and a star is placed next to the fund that has better performance for that time period

Fund Description/Info Panel:

When a fund has detailed information in the database, the panel displays:

For stocks or funds without detailed database descriptions, a simplified information panel is displayed showing:

Returns Information Box:

Dividend Information Box:

Search Period Display:

Corporate Action History:

Charts & Visualizations

An interactive chart provides a visual representation of fund performance.

Investment Return Chart:

Data Accuracy & Adjustments

The Performance tool automatically adjusts data to ensure accurate historical comparisons.

Stock Split Adjustments:

Data Sources:

Limitations:

Report Wonky Data:

Best Practices & Tips

To maximize the effectiveness of the Compare tool:

2.9 Discuss

Why use the Discuss feature: Connecting with other income investors provides valuable opportunities to share strategies, learn from experienced investors, ask questions, and stay informed about fund performance and market developments. The Discuss feature provides a community forum where you can engage with fellow investors, discuss specific funds, share portfolio strategies, and get answers to your income investing questions.

What it does: The Discuss feature is an external community discussion forum powered by NodeBB Forum Software that is embedded directly within the app. It provides a platform for income investors to create topics, post questions, share insights, and engage in discussions about funds, strategies, tax optimization, and portfolio management. The forum is organized into categories for US funds, Canadian funds, general discussion, app help, and announcements. Premium users have full access to post, comment, and participate in all discussions, while free users can read discussions but cannot post or comment.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Discuss.” The forum will load in an embedded iframe, displaying the community discussion board with categories and recent topics.

Forum Categories

The forum is organized into several main categories to help you find relevant discussions:

Income Investing - US:

Income Investing - Canada:

General Discussion:

Announcements:

Dependable App Comments & Feedback:

Dependable App Help & Tips:

Navigation & Features

The forum includes standard forum navigation and features:

Main Navigation: Vertical bar with icons on the left side of the page

User Features: Vertical menu bar with icons on the right side of the page

Posting & Tagging:

Access Levels

Free Users:

Premium Users:

Best Practices & Tips

To get the most out of the Discuss forum:

2.10 Manage

Why use the Manage feature: Managing spreadsheets for multiple portfolios is a pain and they seldom automatically update with the latest ETF or Stock prices. Brokerage accounts usually don’t show current dividend yields and monthly income, nor do they allow you to create test portfolios for planning purposes. Some brokerage accounts don’t even display a combined view of multiple porfolios. Tracking your income portfolio across multiple accounts and currencies requires careful organization and accurate calculations. The Manage feature (Income Portfolio Manager) solves these problems by providing a comprehensive portfolio tracking system that allows you to organize holdings across multiple portfolios (e.g., 401k, TFSA, IRA, taxable accounts), track performance, and calculate monthly/yearly income projections. It automatically fetches current market prices and dividend data, calculates income across different currencies, and provides a unified view of all your income investments.

What it does: The Manage feature is a full-featured portfolio manager that tracks your income investments across multiple portfolios. It displays holdings in a detailed table showing ticker symbols, allocation percentages, share quantities, cost basis, current market values, price growth, dividend information, and projected income. You can create multiple portfolios to organize investments by account type (e.g., retirement accounts, taxable accounts), add holdings manually or from the Plan tool, track cash positions, and view either individual portfolios or a combined view of all portfolios. The tool automatically calculates monthly and annual income projections, portfolio allocation percentages, with automatic currency conversion between USD and CAD.

How to access it: Navigate to the main menu and click “Manage.” The Income Portfolio Manager page will load with your portfolios and holdings displayed in a comprehensive table.

Portfolio Selection

Choose which portfolio to view or view all portfolios combined.

Portfolio Dropdown:

Add / Edit Portfolios Button:

Currency Display & Exchange Rates

Control how currency values are displayed throughout the portfolio manager.

Currency Toggle:

Exchange Rate Display:

Currency Conversion:

Adding Holdings & Cash

Add new investments or cash positions to your portfolios.

Add Holding Button:

Add Cash Button:

Quick Edit:

Holdings Table

The main table displays all your holdings with comprehensive information.

Table Columns:

Sorting:

Editing Holdings:

Additional Information Displayed:

Portfolio Indicators:

Summary Totals

The bottom row of the table shows portfolio totals.

Total Row Displays:

Combined View Exclusions:

Best Practices & Tips

To maximize the effectiveness of the Portfolio Manager:

3. Common Tasks

These are step-by-step guides for tasks users frequently need to accomplish.

3.1 Task: Create a Portfolio and Add Your First Holding

  1. Navigate to Manage: Click “Manage” in the main navigation menu
  2. Create a Portfolio: Click the “add/edit portfolios” button next to the portfolio dropdown
  3. Add New Portfolio: In the portfolio management modal, click “Add Portfolio”
  4. Enter Portfolio Details:
    • Enter a portfolio name (e.g., “RRSP”, “TFSA”, “401K”)
    • Select the account type (US or Canada)
    • Choose the specific account type from the dropdown (e.g., RRSP, TFSA, IRA, 401K, Taxable)
    • Click “Save” to create the portfolio
  5. Add a Holding: Click the ”+ Holding” button
  6. Enter Holding Information:
    • Select the portfolio (if not already selected)
    • Enter the purchase date (defaults to today)
    • Enter or select the ticker symbol using the autocomplete
    • Select the dividend frequency from the dropdown
    • Enter the number of shares you own
    • Enter your average cost per share
    • Select the currency (USD or CAD)
    • Optionally check “Notify on Changes” to receive dividend change emails
    • Optionally add notes
  7. Save the Holding: Click “Save” to add the holding to your portfolio
  8. View Your Portfolio: Your holding will appear in the portfolio table with current market price and income calculations

3.2 Task: Compare Two Funds Side-by-Side

  1. Navigate to Compare: Click “Compare” in the main navigation menu
  2. Enter First Fund: Type the first fund’s ticker symbol in the search box (use autocomplete if available)
    • For Canadian funds on the Toronto Stock Exchange, include the .TO extension (e.g., HYLD.TO)
    • For US funds, no extension needed (e.g., SPYI)
  3. Search First Fund: Click the “Search” button to load the first fund’s data
  4. Enter Second Fund: Type the second fund’s ticker symbol in the “Enter second fund symbol” field
    • Alternatively, click a benchmark radio button (S&P 500, Nasdaq, etc.) to compare against an index
  5. Compare: Click the “Compare” button to see both funds side-by-side
  6. Review Results: Compare total returns, dividend returns, price returns, and other metrics
  7. Adjust Settings: Use the “Reinvest Dividends” toggle and date range selector to customize the comparison
  8. Identify Winner: The fund with better performance will have a star indicator next to it

3.3 Task: Find the Best Funds Using Fund Picker

  1. Navigate to Fund Picker: Click “Discover” in the main menu, then select “Fund Picker”
  2. Select Stock Exchange: Choose “All”, “Canada”, or “US” to filter by market
  3. Set Priority 1: Select your most important criterion from the Priority 1 dropdown (e.g., “Yield”, “Yield Stability”, “Distribution Frequency”)
  4. Set Priority 2: After Priority 1 is selected, choose your second priority from Priority 2 dropdown
  5. Set Priority 3: After Priority 2 is selected, choose your third priority from Priority 3 dropdown
  6. Review Results: Funds are automatically ranked from best to worst based on your priorities
  7. Look for Star Indicators: Funds with ★ (gold stars) score 4/5 or higher across all three priorities
  8. View Details: Click on any fund card to expand and see detailed ratings and information
  9. Get More Info: Click “Visit Website” to view the fund’s official page, or click “Performance Data” to see historical performance
  10. Add to Portfolio: Click “Add to Portfolio” to add a fund directly to one of your portfolios or a test portfolio

3.4 Task: Plan a Portfolio Allocation

  1. Navigate to Plan: Click “Discover” in the main menu, then select “Plan”
  2. Enter Investment Amount: Type the total amount you want to invest in the “Amount to Invest” field
  3. Select Currency: Choose USD or CAD from the currency dropdown
  4. Select Country Filter (Optional): If you want to use a portfolio template, select either US or Canada using the radio buttons next to “Portfolio Templates” (default is US)
  5. Select Template (Optional): If using a template, choose one from the “Portfolio Templates” dropdown - templates are filtered by the selected country
  6. Select Portfolio: Choose a portfolio from the dropdown (or create a new one by selecting ”➕ Add Portfolio”)
  7. Add First Fund:
    • Enter or select a ticker symbol in the first row
    • Enter the allocation percentage (e.g., 50 for 50%)
    • Select the dividend frequency from the dropdown
  8. Add More Funds: Click “Add New” to add additional funds and repeat step 7
  9. Allocate 100%: Continue adding funds until your allocations total 100%
  10. Review Calculations: Check the table to see calculated shares, total invested, and monthly income for each fund
  11. Finish the Plan: Click “Finish” when 100% is allocated and all dividend frequencies are selected
  12. Save to Portfolio: OPTIONAL: Click “Add investments to Portfolio” to save your plan as holdings in the selected portfolio

3.5 Task: View Detailed Fund Performance

  1. Navigate to Performance: Click “Discover” in the main menu, then select “Performance”
  2. Enter Ticker Symbol: Type the fund’s ticker symbol in the search box
    • Use autocomplete to find the correct ticker
    • For Canadian Toronto Stock Exchange funds, include .TO extension
  3. Search: Click the “Discover” button to load performance data
  4. Select Date Range: Choose “Last 52 weeks”, “Full History”, or “Custom Date Range”
  5. Set Dividend Reinvestment: Toggle “Reinvest Dividends” to “Yes (DRIP)” or “No” based on your preference
  6. Review Information Panels: Check the Returns box for total return, dividend return, and price return
  7. Analyze Charts: Review the Investment Return Chart, Dividend Yield History Chart, and Price History Chart
  8. Check Dividend History: Scroll to the Dividend History table to see all dividend payments and payment consistency
  9. Hover for Details: Hover over ticker symbols and return breakdowns to see additional tooltips
  10. Compare Periods: Change the date range to analyze different time periods

3.6 Task: Update Your Account Settings

  1. Open User Menu: Click on your initials (or profile icon) in the top right corner of the navigation bar
  2. Access Settings: Click “Settings - Currency” from the dropdown menu
  3. Update Name (Optional): Click the “edit” button next to your name and enter your name or initials
  4. Change Currency: Select your preferred currency (USD or CAD) from the “Preferred Currency” dropdown
  5. Set Timezone: Select your timezone from the “Timezone” dropdown menu
  6. Change Theme: Select “Light” or “Dark” from the “Theme” dropdown, or use the theme toggle button in the navigation bar
  7. Review Email Subscription: Check your email subscription status (unsubscribe via email link if needed)
  8. Save Changes: Click the “Save Changes” button at the bottom of the page
  9. Confirm: Wait for the success message “Profile udpated successfully” confirming your changes were saved

3.7 Task: Add Cash to a Portfolio

  1. Navigate to Manage: Click “Manage” in the main navigation menu
  2. Select Portfolio: Choose the portfolio where you want to add cash from the portfolio dropdown
  3. Add Cash: Click the ”+ CASH” button
  4. Enter Cash Amount: Type the cash amount in the amount field
  5. Select Currency: Choose USD or CAD from the currency dropdown
  6. Select Portfolio: Confirm the portfolio is selected (or choose a different one)
  7. Enter Amount: Enter the amount of cash in the portfolio
  8. Save: Click “Save” to add the cash holding
  9. Verify: The cash will appear in your portfolio table as “CASH.USD” or “CASH.CAD” and is included in your total market value

3.8 Task: Edit an Existing Holding

  1. Navigate to Manage: Click “Manage” in the main navigation menu
  2. Select Portfolio: Choose the portfolio containing the holding you want to edit
  3. Edit the Holding: Click the pencil icon at the end of the holding’s row
  4. Update Information: Modify any fields you need to change:
    • Purchase date
    • Number of shares
    • Average cost per share
    • Currency
    • Dividend frequency
    • Notification preference
    • Notes
  5. Save Changes: Click “Save” to update the holding
  6. Verify Updates: Check that the table reflects your changes, including updated calculations

3.9 Task: Upgrade to Premium

  1. Open User Menu: Click on your initials in the top right corner of the navigation bar
  2. Access Subscription: Click “Subscription” from the dropdown menu
  3. Review Plans: Compare the Free and Premium plan features on the Subscription page
  4. Choose Plan: Click either “Upgrade (Yearly Plan) to Premium” or “Upgrade (3 Month Plan) to Premium”
  5. Logout: You will get automatically logged out and redirected to buymeacoffee.com for payment processing
  6. Complete Payment: Follow the payment process to complete your subscription. IMPORTANT: USE THE SAME EMAIL ADDRESS FOR PAYMENT THAT YOU USE FOR THE APP
  7. Confirm Access: Once payment is processed, you’ll have immediate access to all Premium features AFTER YOU LOGOUT AND LOGIN
  8. Verify: Check that Premium features (like posting in Discuss, Fund Picker, etc.) are now available

3.10 Task: Search for Funds by Specific Criteria

  1. Navigate to Search: Click “Discover” in the main menu, then select “Search”
  2. Set Basic Filters: Use the filter options on the left:
    • Enter a fund name or ticker in the “Fund Name” field (optional)
    • Select a fund company from the dropdown (optional)
    • Choose a category (e.g., “Index Based Fund”, “Sector Based Fund”) (optional)
  3. Set Advanced Filters:
    • Check country listing boxes (US, Canada)
    • Select dividend payment frequencies (Monthly, Weekly, etc.)
    • Choose currencies (USD, CAD)
    • Select leverage options (Leveraged, Unleveraged)
  4. Use Subcategory Filters: If you selected “Index Based Fund” or “Single Stock Fund”, use the additional dropdowns that appear
  5. Review Results: Browse the fund cards in the results table
  6. Sort Results: Use the “Sort by” dropdown to organize results by name, company, ticker, or date
  7. View Details: Click the ”▼ Description” arrow to expand fund descriptions, or click the graph icon to view performance
  8. Clear Filters: Click “Clear All” or individual ”×” buttons to remove filters and start a new search

3.11 Task: Reinvest Money with Cash in Portfolio

  1. Navigate to Reinvest: Click “Discover” in the main menu, then select “Reinvest”
  2. Select Portfolio: Choose the portfolio you want to rebalance from the “Portfolio” dropdown menu
    • The tool will automatically load all holdings from the selected portfolio
    • Cash holdings (CASH.USD or CASH.CAD) in the portfolio will automatically populate the “Amount to Invest” field
  3. Review Amount to Invest: Check the “Amount to Invest” field
    • The amount is automatically set to your portfolio’s cash balance
    • Adjust this amount if you want to add additional cash or reserve some cash for other purposes
    • Select the currency (USD or CAD) from the dropdown if needed
  4. Set Calculation Strategy: Choose your rebalancing preferences using the toggles and priority options:
    • Allow Sales: Toggle ON if you want the tool to suggest selling over-allocated holdings to reach exact targets, or leave OFF to only buy shares
    • Priority Selection: Choose one of the radio buttons:
      • No Priority: Distributes cash based purely on allocation gap size
      • Consider Price: Prioritizes holdings trading below your cost basis (buy-low strategy)
      • Consider Yield: Prioritizes holdings with higher dividend yields
    • Priority Level: If you selected “Consider Price” or “Consider Yield”, choose Lower, Medium, or Higher to control how much weight price/yield has
    • Match Currency: Toggle ON if you want to exclude holdings that don’t match your selected currency (only appears if your portfolio has multiple currencies)
  5. Review Holdings Table: The table displays all holdings with calculated buy/sell orders:
    • Check the “Goal” column to verify target allocations (edit if needed by clicking in the field)
    • Review the ”% in Portfolio” column to see current allocations
    • Check the “Shares (+/-)” column to see how many shares to buy (positive) or sell (negative)
    • Review the “Buy/Sell Amount” column to see dollar amounts for each trade
    • Look for the target icon (🎯) next to prices to identify holdings trading below your cost basis
  6. Adjust Goals (Optional): Click in any “Goal” field to edit target allocation percentages
    • Changes are automatically saved when you click out of the field
    • Ensure goals sum to 100% for best results
    • When holdings are excluded, goals are automatically normalized to sum to 100%
  7. Exclude Holdings (Optional): Check the “Exclude” checkbox for any holdings you don’t want to include in rebalancing
    • Excluded holdings appear grayed out and receive no buy/sell orders
    • Cash is automatically redistributed to included holdings
    • A warning dialog may appear if goals don’t sum to 100% when excluding
  8. Sort the Table: Click the sort button (labeled “Sort by Buy Amount”, “Sort by Price Decline”, or “Sort by Yield” depending on your strategy) to organize holdings by priority
    • The button shows ”✓ Sorted by [strategy]” when already sorted
    • This helps you see the most important trades first
  9. Review Summary: Check the footer below the table:
    • Total Target: Should show 100% when all holdings are properly allocated
    • Rem. Cash: Shows remaining cash after all trades (aim for close to $0.00 for efficient cash use)
    • Additional Annual Income: Shows projected change in annual dividend income from the trades
  10. Add New Holdings (Optional): Click ”+ Add New” if you want to add a new holding to the portfolio before rebalancing
  11. Review Before Executing: Double-check all buy/sell amounts and share quantities before executing trades in your brokerage account
    • Note that actual execution prices may vary from calculated values
    • The tool provides guidance, but you execute trades in your brokerage account

4. Troubleshooting

4.1 Issue: App Appears Frozen or Pages Don’t Refresh Properly

Symptoms:

Solution:

  1. Log Out and Log Back In:

    • Click on your initials (or profile icon) in the top right corner of the navigation bar
    • Select “Sign out” from the dropdown menu
    • Wait for the logout to complete and you’re returned to the login page
    • Log back in using your usual method (Google Sign-In or email/password)
    • This should restore normal app functionality

  2. Alternative Approaches:

    • Refresh the Page: Try refreshing the browser page (F5 or Ctrl+R / Cmd+R) before logging out
    • Clear Browser Cache: If logging out and back in doesn’t work, try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then log back in
    • Close and Reopen Browser: Close the browser tab or window completely and open a new one, then navigate back to the app

  3. Prevention:

    • If you notice the app becoming slow or unresponsive, proactively log out and log back in to refresh your session
    • Regular logouts can help prevent this issue from occurring

  4. When to Contact Support:

    • If logging out and back in doesn’t resolve the issue
    • If the problem occurs immediately after logging in
    • If you experience persistent freezing or unresponsiveness even after refreshing your session
    • Contact support through the “Support / Billing” link in the footer for further assistance

4.2 Issue: After Payment I Don’t Have Premium Access

Symptoms:

Solution:

  1. Check Your Email Addresses:

    • Verify the email address you used for payment (check your payment confirmation email)
    • Verify the email address associated with your app account (check Account Settings)
    • If these email addresses are different, this is likely the cause of the issue

  2. Contact Support:

    • The backend upgrade process requires the payment email to match your account email
    • If you used a different email for payment, contact support immediately
    • Support will need to manually upgrade your account to Premium
    • Click the “Support / Billing” link in the footer to contact support

  3. Provide Information to Support:

    • Your app account email address
    • The email address you used for payment
    • Payment confirmation details (transaction ID, date, amount)
    • Screenshot of payment confirmation if available
    • This information helps support quickly identify and resolve the issue

  4. Prevention:

    • Always use the same email address for payment that you use for your app account
    • If you need to use a different email, contact support before making the payment to coordinate the upgrade
    • Check your account email in Account Settings before making a payment to ensure they match

4.3 Issue: Can’t Login to the App

Symptoms:

Solution:

  1. Verify Your Login Method:

    • Check how you created your account: Did you create your account using Google Sign-In or email/password?
    • If you used Google Sign-In: You must use the “Sign in with Google” button to log in - you cannot use email/password
    • If you used email/password: You must use the email and password fields - you cannot use Google Sign-In
    • Important: The login method must match how you originally created your account

  2. For Email/Password Accounts - Check Your Password:

    • Ensure you’re entering the correct password (check for typos, caps lock, or extra spaces)
    • Passwords are case-sensitive - verify capitalization
    • Make sure you’re not accidentally including extra characters or spaces

  3. Reset Your Password:

    • If you’re certain you’re using the correct email but the password isn’t working, use the password reset function
    • On the login page, look for a “Forgot / Reset Password” and click this link
    • Enter your email address to receive a password reset link
    • Check your email inbox (and spam folder) for the reset link
    • Follow the instructions in the email to create a new password
    • Try logging in again with your new password

  4. For Google Sign-In Accounts:

    • Click the “Sign in with Google” button
    • Make sure you’re signing in with the same Google account you used when creating your account
    • If you have multiple Google accounts, ensure you select the correct one
    • Check that you’re not blocking pop-ups or third-party cookies, which may prevent Google Sign-In from working

  5. Check Your Email Address:

    • Verify you’re using the exact email address associated with your account
    • Check for typos in the email address
    • Ensure you’re not using a different email address than the one you registered with

  6. Browser and Technical Issues:

    • Clear Browser Cache and Cookies: Clear your browser’s cache and cookies, then try logging in again
    • Try a Different Browser: If one browser doesn’t work, try logging in using a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
    • Disable Browser Extensions: Some browser extensions (ad blockers, privacy tools) may interfere with login - try disabling them temporarily
    • Check Internet Connection: Ensure you have a stable internet connection
    • Try Incognito/Private Mode: Open a new incognito or private browsing window and try logging in

  7. Account Status:

    • If you’ve been locked out after multiple failed login attempts, wait a few minutes before trying again
    • Some accounts may be temporarily locked for security reasons after repeated failed login attempts

  8. When to Contact Support:

    • If password reset emails are not being received (check spam folder first)
    • If you’re certain you’re using the correct login method and credentials but still can’t log in
    • If you’re unable to access your account after trying all the above steps
    • If you believe your account may have been compromised
    • Contact support through the “Support / Billing” link in the footer

4.4 Issue: Can’t Logout of the App

Symptoms:

Solution:

  1. Try Logging Out Again:

    • Click on your initials (or profile icon) in the top right corner
    • Select “Sign out” from the dropdown menu again
    • Wait a few seconds to see if the logout completes
    • Sometimes the logout process takes a moment to complete

  2. Clear Browser Session:

    • Close All Browser Tabs: Close all tabs/windows that have the app open
    • Clear Session Data: Clear your browser’s session storage and cookies for the app
    • Close Browser Completely: Close the entire browser application and reopen it
    • Navigate back to the app - you should be logged out

  3. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies:

    • Open your browser’s settings/preferences
    • Navigate to privacy/security settings
    • Clear browsing data, cookies, and cached images/files for the app’s domain
    • Close and reopen your browser
    • Navigate back to the app - you should be logged out

  4. Manual Session Clear:

    • For Chrome/Edge: Press F12 to open Developer Tools, go to Application tab, click Storage (on the left) then the clear site data button.
    • For Firefox: Press F12, go to Storage tab, clear Cookies and Local Storage
    • For Safari: Enable Developer menu, then use Storage Inspector to clear data
    • After clearing, refresh the page - you should be logged out

  5. Check for Multiple Tabs:

    • Ensure you don’t have multiple browser tabs open with the app
    • Close all tabs with the app open
    • Open a fresh tab and navigate to the app
    • You should be logged out

  6. Browser Extensions:

    • Some browser extensions (password managers, session managers) may interfere with logout
    • Try disabling browser extensions temporarily and attempt to log out again
    • If logout works with extensions disabled, re-enable them one by one to identify the problematic extension

  7. When to Contact Support:

    • If none of the above solutions work
    • If you’re concerned about account security and need immediate logout
    • If you need to log out from a shared or public computer
    • Contact support through the “Support / Billing” link in the footer for assistance

  8. Security Note:

    • If you’re on a shared or public computer and can’t log out, clearing browser data (step 3) will effectively log you out
    • For security, always ensure you’re logged out when using shared devices
    • Consider using incognito/private mode when accessing the app on shared computers

4.5 General Tips

5. Account & Settings

5.1 Profile Management

Access and manage your account settings through the user menu in the top navigation bar.

Accessing Account Settings:

  1. Click on your user icon (initials within the circle icon) in the top right corner of the navigation bar
  2. Select “Settings - Currency” from the dropdown menu
  3. The Account Settings page will load with all your profile options

Profile Information:

Name or Initials:

Preferred Currency:

Timezone:

Theme:

Email Updates:

Saving Changes:

Quick Theme Toggle:

5.2 Security

Signing Out:

Session Management:

Password Management:

5.3 Notifications

Email Subscription Settings:

Unsubscribing from Email Updates:

Dividend Notifications:

In-App Notifications:

5.4 Privacy & Data

Privacy Policy:

User Menu Options:

Payments Page:

Subscription Page:

Data Management:

Account Deletion:

6. FAQs

Q: Why can’t I log in to my account?
A: The most common reason is using the wrong login method. If you created your account with Google Sign-In, you must use the “Sign in with Google” button - you cannot use email/password. If you created your account with email/password, you must use the email and password fields - you cannot use Google Sign-In. The login method must match how you originally created your account. If you’re still having trouble, try resetting your password or contact support. For more detailed troubleshooting, see section 4.3 “Can’t Login to the App.”

Q: Why do Canadian funds require a .TO extension?
A: Canadian funds listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange require the .TO extension to distinguish them from US-listed funds with the same ticker symbol. For example, HYLD.TO is the Canadian fund, while HYLD would be a US fund. This extension is required in the Performance, Compare, Plan, and Portfolio Manager tools. Funds listed on the CBOE-NEO exchange use a .NE extension, but these funds are not supported for performance calculations (though they can be added to your portfolio). For more information, see sections 2.4 Performance, 2.7 Compare, and 2.5 Plan.

Q: What’s the difference between Free and Premium accounts?
A: Free accounts can compare funds, read community discussions (read-only), and view basic fund data. Premium accounts ($119 USD/year or $59 USD/3 months) get full access to all features including: posting and commenting in the community forum, detailed performance charts with dividend history, the Fund Picker tool with dependability scoring, side-by-side fund comparisons based on comprehensive reviews, Portfolio Manager for tracking multiple portfolios, weekly dividend change notifications, and the advanced search tool with filtering. For a complete comparison, see section 1.4 “First Time Login” or visit the Subscription page in your account settings.

Q: How does currency conversion work in the Portfolio Manager?
A: The Portfolio Manager automatically converts between USD and CAD using current exchange rates. You can toggle between viewing all values in your account’s preferred currency (USD or CAD) or viewing each holding in its native currency. Exchange rates are updated daily and displayed at the top of the Portfolio Manager page. When you add holdings, you specify the currency of purchase, and the tool automatically handles conversions for display and calculations. Cash can be tracked separately as CASH.USD or CASH.CAD. For more details, see section 2.9 Manage.

Q: Can I create multiple portfolios?
A: Yes! You can create up to 20 portfolios to organize your investments by account type (e.g., RRSP, TFSA, IRA, 401K, taxable accounts). Each portfolio can have its own holdings and cash positions. You can view individual portfolios or use the “Combined View” to see all holdings aggregated together. You can also exclude certain portfolios from the combined view (useful for test portfolios or planning portfolios). To create a new portfolio, click “add/edit portfolios” in the Portfolio Manager. For step-by-step instructions, see section 3.1 “Create a Portfolio and Add Your First Holding.”

Q: How do dividend notifications work?
A: Dividend notifications are a Premium feature that sends weekly email alerts about dividend changes for funds in your portfolio. To enable notifications for a specific holding, check the “Notify on Changes (weekly)” checkbox when adding or editing a holding in the Portfolio Manager. Notifications are separate from general email subscriptions and will continue even if you unsubscribe from general emails. You can enable or disable notifications for each holding individually. For more information, see section 5.3 Notifications.

Q: How often is the data updated?
A: Market prices and dividend data are updated daily, typically after market close. Exchange rates are also updated daily. Historical performance data is sourced from reliable financial data providers and is updated regularly. News articles are cached for 5 minutes to improve performance, then fresh data is fetched. Portfolio Manager prices reflect the most recent end-of-day prices. For the most current information, refresh the page.

Q: What happens if I pay for Premium but use a different email address?
A: The backend upgrade process requires the payment email to match your app account email. If you pay using a different email address (e.g., a different email on buymeacoffee.com), your account won’t automatically upgrade to Premium. In this case, you’ll need to contact support with both email addresses and payment confirmation details, and support will manually upgrade your account. To avoid this issue, always use the same email address for payment that you use for your app account. For more information, see section 4.2 “After Payment I Don’t Have Premium Access.”

7. Contact & Support

Getting Help

Support Form:

What to Include in Support Requests:

Response Time:

Accessing Support from the App:

Providing Feedback

Feedback Form:

Types of Feedback:

What to Include in Feedback:

Alternative Feedback Methods:

Community

Discussion Forum:

Community Categories:

Social Media:

Getting Community Help:

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