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Troubleshooting Imports

Fix common issues when importing trades into TradeLogist

5 min read

Troubleshooting Imports

Having issues importing trades? This guide covers common problems and solutions.

File Issues

File Won't Upload

Symptoms:

  • Upload button doesn't respond
  • Error message on upload
  • File appears to hang

Solutions:

  1. Check file size

    • Maximum file size: 10MB
    • Split large files if needed

  2. Verify file format

    • Must be .csv or .xlsx
    • Rename if extension is wrong
    • Save as correct format

  3. Browser issues

    • Try a different browser
    • Clear browser cache
    • Disable browser extensions

Garbled or Corrupted Text

Symptoms:

  • Strange characters in preview
  • Symbols instead of text
  • Missing characters

Solutions:

  1. Encoding issue

    • Open file in Excel
    • Save As > CSV UTF-8
    • Re-import

  2. Excel fix

    • Open Excel > Data > From Text/CSV
    • Select UTF-8 encoding
    • Complete import wizard
    • Save as new file

  3. Text editor

    • Open in Notepad++ or similar
    • Encoding > Convert to UTF-8
    • Save and re-import

Column Mapping Errors

Columns Not Detected

Symptoms:

  • "Required column missing"
  • Columns show as unmapped
  • Wrong column suggestions

Solutions:

  1. Check header row

    • Ensure first row is headers
    • Remove blank rows above headers
    • Use standard column names

  2. Rename columns

    • Use expected names: Symbol, Direction, Entry Date, Entry Price, Quantity
    • Avoid special characters
    • No spaces before/after names

  3. Manual mapping

    • Use dropdown to manually map
    • Match each column correctly
    • Skip unused columns

Wrong Data Types

Symptoms:

  • Numbers showing as text
  • Dates not recognized
  • Direction not mapping

Solutions:

  1. Number columns

    • Remove $ and other symbols
    • Remove thousand separators
    • Use decimal point, not comma

  2. Date columns

    • Use consistent format
    • Try YYYY-MM-DD
    • Ensure no mixed formats

  3. Direction values

    • Use: LONG, SHORT, BUY, SELL
    • Check for extra spaces
    • Case doesn't matter

Data Errors

Invalid Date Format

Symptoms:

  • "Invalid date" error
  • Dates showing wrong
  • Skipped rows with date issues

Solutions:

  1. Check format consistency

    • All dates same format
    • No text like "N/A"
    • No empty cells

  2. Convert in Excel

    • Select date column
    • Format Cells > Date
    • Choose YYYY-MM-DD
    • Copy/paste as values

  3. Common formats

    Accepted: 2024-12-15, 12/15/2024, 15/12/2024
Not accepted: Dec 15 2024, 15-Dec-24

Invalid Price/Quantity

Symptoms:

  • Prices not importing
  • Quantities showing as 0
  • Calculation errors

Solutions:

  1. Clean number columns

    Remove: $ € £
Remove: commas in thousands (1,000 → 1000)
Keep: decimal points (150.25)

  2. Check for text

    • Look for "N/A" or "-"
    • Replace with 0 or remove row
    • Ensure numeric only

  3. Negative numbers

    • Use minus sign: -100
    • Not parentheses: (100)
    • Check direction logic

Missing Required Fields

Symptoms:

  • "Required field empty"
  • Rows being skipped
  • Partial import

Solutions:

  1. Identify empty cells

    • Filter for blanks in Excel
    • Fill in missing data
    • Or remove incomplete rows

  2. Required fields

    • Symbol: Always required
    • Direction: Always required
    • Entry Date: Always required
    • Entry Price: Always required
    • Quantity: Always required

Import Behavior Issues

Trades Not Matching

Symptoms:

  • Opening trades without closes
  • Unmatched positions
  • Wrong trade pairs

Solutions:

  1. Check chronological order

    • Sort by date/time
    • Opens must come before closes
    • Check timestamp accuracy

  2. Symbol matching

    • Symbols must match exactly
    • Check for spaces
    • Verify option symbols

  3. Manual review

    • Import opens first
    • Then import closes
    • Match manually if needed

Duplicate Detection

Symptoms:

  • "Duplicate trade" warnings
  • Same trades appearing twice
  • Overlapping imports

Solutions:

  1. Use date filters

    • Don't overlap import ranges
    • Track last import date
    • Avoid re-importing

  2. Duplicate options

    • Skip: Ignore duplicates
    • Update: Overwrite existing
    • Create: Make new entry

  3. Clean up after

    • Delete true duplicates
    • Merge partial entries
    • Verify trade count

Wrong P/L Calculations

Symptoms:

  • P/L doesn't match broker
  • Calculations seem wrong
  • Missing fees

Solutions:

  1. Check entry/exit prices

    • Verify price accuracy
    • Check for fills vs averages
    • Compare to broker confirms

  2. Verify fees

    • Include all commissions
    • Add SEC/exchange fees
    • Check currency

  3. Direction issues

    • LONG: profit = exit - entry
    • SHORT: profit = entry - exit
    • Verify direction mapping

Broker-Specific Issues

Interactive Brokers

Common issues:

  • Flex Query format changes
  • Missing fields
  • Corporate actions included

Solutions:

  • Create fresh Flex Query
  • Include all required fields
  • Filter out non-trade entries

TD Ameritrade

Common issues:

  • Options formatting
  • Merged cells
  • Corporate actions

Solutions:

  • Use specific export type
  • Clean up in Excel first
  • Remove non-trade rows

Error Recovery

Partial Import Failed

What to do:

  1. Note which trades imported
  2. Check error report
  3. Fix source file
  4. Import remaining only
  5. Don't duplicate what worked

Undo Import

If you need to undo:

  1. Go to Trades list
  2. Filter by import date
  3. Select all imported trades
  4. Delete in bulk
  5. Re-import corrected file

Get Help

If nothing works:

  1. Export your source file
  2. Note specific error messages
  3. Contact [email protected]
  4. We'll help identify the issue

Prevention Tips

Before Every Import

  1. Open file and visually inspect
  2. Check column names
  3. Verify data types
  4. Count rows for verification
  5. Back up existing data

Regular Practices

  • Use consistent export settings
  • Import frequently (weekly)
  • Keep source files
  • Document any manual edits

Next Steps