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Portfolio Connection Troubleshooting

Fix common issues when connecting your investment portfolio to PoliStock - comprehensive troubleshooting guide for all major brokerages.

PoliStock
January 20, 2024

Portfolio Connection Troubleshooting

Having trouble connecting your investment portfolio to PoliStock? This guide will help you resolve the most common connection issues.

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Authentication Failed

Symptoms:

  • “Invalid credentials” error message
  • “Authentication failed” notification
  • Unable to complete the login process

Solutions:

Check Your Credentials

  1. Verify your username and password are correct
  2. Try logging into your brokerage account directly to confirm credentials
  3. If you’ve recently changed your password, update it in PoliStock

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Many brokerages require 2FA for third-party connections:

  1. Robinhood: Ensure 2FA is enabled in your account settings
  2. Fidelity: You may need to enable third-party data sharing in your Fidelity account settings
  3. Charles Schwab: Use your main Schwab login credentials

Session Timeout

If the connection process takes too long:

  1. Clear your browser cache and cookies
  2. Try connecting in an incognito/private window
  3. Disable browser extensions that might interfere

2. Connection Timeout

Symptoms:

  • “Connection timeout” error
  • Process hangs during authentication
  • “Unable to reach server” message

Troubleshooting Steps:

Network Issues

  1. Check Internet Connection

    • Test with other websites
    • Try switching networks (WiFi to mobile data)
    • Restart your router if necessary

  2. Firewall/VPN Issues

    • Temporarily disable VPN if using one
    • Check if corporate firewall is blocking the connection
    • Try connecting from a different network

  3. Browser Issues

    • Clear browser cache and cookies
    • Try a different browser
    • Disable ad blockers and privacy extensions

Brokerage-Specific Notes

Robinhood:

  • Ensure you’re not logged into Robinhood in another browser tab
  • Try connecting during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening)

Fidelity:

  • You may need to call Fidelity to enable third-party data sharing
  • Some accounts require additional authorization

3. Insufficient Permissions

Symptoms:

  • “Permission denied” error
  • “Unable to access portfolio data” message
  • Partial data sync (missing some holdings)

Resolution:

Review Permissions During Setup

When connecting your account, ensure you grant all necessary permissions:

  • ✅ Account Information: Basic account details
  • ✅ Portfolio Holdings: View your current positions
  • ✅ Transaction History: Access to trades and transactions
  • ✅ Market Data: Real-time quotes and pricing

Re-authorize Your Account

If you initially denied some permissions:

  1. Go to Settings → Connected Accounts
  2. Find your brokerage and click “Disconnect”
  3. Click “Connect” again
  4. Carefully review and accept all permissions

4. Data Sync Issues

Symptoms:

  • Portfolio data is outdated
  • Missing recent trades
  • Incorrect position sizes

Solutions:

Manual Refresh

  1. Go to Portfolio → Refresh Data
  2. Wait 5-10 minutes for sync to complete
  3. Check if data has updated

Sync Schedule

  • Most brokerages sync data every 15-30 minutes during market hours
  • Some brokerages only update once daily after market close
  • Weekend updates may be delayed

Data Discrepancies

If your PoliStock portfolio doesn’t match your brokerage:

  1. Check Sync Time: Note when data was last updated
  2. Account Types: Ensure all account types are connected (401k, IRA, taxable)
  3. Multiple Accounts: Connect all relevant accounts under the same brokerage

Brokerage-Specific Troubleshooting

Robinhood

  • Issue: “Account not eligible”
  • Solution: Robinhood accounts must be fully verified and have completed at least one trade

Fidelity

  • Issue: “Access restricted” error
  • Solution: Contact Fidelity support to enable third-party data sharing on your account

Charles Schwab

  • Issue: Slow connection or timeouts
  • Solution: Try connecting during off-peak hours; ensure your Schwab account is in good standing

Webull

  • Issue: Connection fails on mobile
  • Solution: Try connecting via desktop browser rather than the mobile app

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

Check Browser Compatibility

If you are having connection issues in a specific browser:

  1. Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  2. Disable browser extensions — ad blockers and privacy extensions can interfere with broker authentication flows
  3. Clear browser cookies and cache, then try again
  4. Try connecting in an incognito/private window to rule out extension issues

Browser Developer Tools

If the connection consistently fails, checking your browser’s developer tools can surface specific error codes:

  1. Open browser developer tools (F12 or right-click → Inspect)
  2. Click the Network tab
  3. Attempt the connection again
  4. Look for failed requests (shown in red) and note the error codes
  5. Include these error codes if you contact support

When to Contact Support

Contact the PoliStock team if you experience:

  • Repeated authentication failures after confirming your credentials are correct
  • Connection issues that persist across multiple browsers and networks
  • Data sync problems lasting more than 24 hours
  • Error messages not covered in this guide

How to Contact Support

Email: contact@polistock.app

The founding team personally reads every message. Include:

  • Your PoliStock account email
  • Which brokerage you are trying to connect
  • The specific error message you are seeing
  • Your browser and operating system
  • Screenshots of error screens if possible

Prevention Tips

Maintain Your Connection

  • Keep brokerage passwords up to date in PoliStock
  • Monitor connection status in your dashboard
  • Periodically re-authorize accounts (every 6-12 months)

Security Best Practices

  • Use strong, unique passwords for your brokerage accounts
  • Enable two-factor authentication when available
  • Monitor your accounts for unauthorized access
  • Log out of brokerage accounts before connecting to PoliStock

Still having trouble? Email us at contact@polistock.app and we will help you get connected.

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