Tips and Tricks
Last updated
Last updated
Tip: A quick way to enter the exact date and time in your Trade Log is via the application's menu.
Go to Table > Insert Current Time (this will enter both the date and the time down to the second).
Even quicker: hit Control - Shift - Command - T
⭐️ Pro Tip:
To simplify and accelerate things you can customize Numbers' shortcuts.
We recommend reassigning ⌘ - D to Insert Current Time to make entering the exact date and time in your Trade Log a breeze.
Consider reassigning ⌘ - V to Paste and Match Style (only in Numbers).
Most often when you paste data into the Portfolio Tracker, you want to match the destination cell's style rather than retain the provenance's formatting. If you find it cumbersome to use the default shortcut (Shift -Option- ⌘ - V), consider switching it simply to ⌘ - V only for Numbers. This will not affect other applications. To regular paste, you can then use the menu, or add a different shortcut.
This is done form the Keyboard tab inside Mac OS's System Settings.
Go into App Shortcuts, press the + sing at the bottom of the list and select Numbers instead of All Applications in the dialogue.
Tip: Keep the original zip file somewhere in case you need to reset the portfolio (e.g., if you accidentally deleted formulas and can't undo for some reason). You can easily copy and paste your trading data into a fresh copy of the Portfolio Tracker. If you need to, you can always re-download the latest version of the Portfolio Tracker from the smol compute store.
Add rows to a table: press Return while having a cell selected in the last available row.
Paste Formula Results: Shift - ⌘ - V
Paste and Match Style: Shift -Option- ⌘ - V
Insert Current Date & Time: Control - Shift - Command - T
Unlock an element: Option - ⌘ - L
Lock an element: ⌘ - L
Highlight the row and column for a cell: Press Option as you move over a cell
Numbers has shortcuts for just about anything.
Please note that you do not need to add rows to the Holdings table nor to the Portfolio Breakdown table. New rows will automatically appear in these tables when needed.
There might be time when you need to add some rows to the different tables of our tools.
The best way to add rows to a table with preserving the formulas is to simply select a cell in the last row, then press Return.
Example:
I need more rows in the Snapshots table. I select a cell in the last available row (excluding the footer), and simply hit enter.
Most often, when pasting values into the smol Portfolio Tracker, you will either want to Paste and Match Style or Paste Formula Results. We recommend you learn the shortcuts for both as it will speed things up for you.
When making a snapshot by copying and pasting the "Current Values" in the Snapshot table, you want to Paste Formula Results, since it is the values (the "results") you want to paste and not the formula itself.
If you just want to paste values you have copied either from a previous version of the smol Portfolio Tracker, or from some other source, using Paste and Match Style will paste these values while retaining the style defined by the color theme you have chosen.
For more active traders, we recommend archiving your Portfolio Tracker at and starting each new year with a fresh copy.
For each asset you still owned at EOY, enter a BUY entry in the new copy of the Portfolio Tracker, with the quantity you own and using your current "Cost / Unit" as the price.
Performing this reset can help keep things snappy and running smoothly if you have hundreds or thousands of trades in your accounts. It's also great records-keeping as each tax year will be neatly and conveniently archived and separated from others. The "Realized P&L" on the Dashboard and on the Top Line Stats of each account will then give you the realized profits and losses only for the ongoing tax year, while your total Portfolio's P&L will account for the whole appreciation or depreciation of your portfolio across years.
The Portfolio Tracker has a number of hidden columns performing important calculations in the background. These columns, though hidden by default, are generally bright purple and labeled "Plumbing", so you'll know right away if you've accidentally unhid some of them and you'll be able to easily identify them if you are making some customizations to the Tracker . You can keep them hidden, but beware that deleting them will affect the functionality of the Tracker!
