When you first open Navexa, the next step is to add the investments you want this portfolio to track.
Start With The Right Portfolio
When you sign up, Navexa creates a default portfolio called Main Portfolio.
You can rename this at any time, but before you start importing anything, decide what this portfolio is meant to represent.
In Navexa, one portfolio should usually represent one legal or tax-paying entity. For example, one person, one SMSF, one trust, or one company. (See Key Concepts: Portfolio, Holding and Trade)
In this article, we’ll assume you’re setting up your own personal investments in one portfolio.
If you also want to track an SMSF, trust, company, or someone else’s investments, create a separate portfolio for that later.
Choose The Best Method
Most customers do not use just one method forever.
You might import your share history from a broker, connect a crypto exchange directly, and manually add a property or another unsupported asset in the same portfolio.
The best starting point depends on what you already have.
Use A Broker Or Exchange Import
If Navexa already supports your broker or exchange, start here.
This is usually the fastest and cleanest way to bring in your investment history.
Depending on the provider, this may involve a broker-specific CSV upload, a direct account link, or automated trade importing.
This is usually the best option when:
You use a supported broker or exchange.
You want to avoid manual data entry.
You want to keep future trades flowing into Navexa with less work.
As a general rule, import your history first, then set up any ongoing automation after that is complete.
For example:
If you use a broker like CommSec, start by importing your existing trade history.
If you use a supported crypto exchange, connect it using the exchange integration.
If you use Interactive Brokers, use the dedicated IBKR setup rather than the generic spreadsheet importer.
Use Import From Spreadsheet
Use Import From Spreadsheet when your provider is not supported, when you already have a trade history in Excel or CSV, or when you want to bulk upload many older trades at once.
This is often the best option when:
You have older closed holdings stored in a spreadsheet.
You are moving data from another platform.
You want to upload many trades in one go.
You need to import unsupported historical data in bulk.
Navexa lets you either:
Re-shape your file to match the Navexa template, or
Map your existing spreadsheet columns to the Navexa fields during import.
Spreadsheet import is often the best fallback when there is no dedicated broker or exchange workflow for your data.
Use Manual Entry
Use manual entry when you only have a few trades to add, when you are filling gaps in an otherwise complete portfolio, or when you are adding something that does not belong in a broker import.
Manual entry is useful when:
You only have a small number of trades.
You are adding a missing opening buy trade.
You are correcting older history that was not imported.
You want to add a cash account or another one-off item.
Manual entry gives you the most control, but it is usually not the fastest option for large trade histories.
Use A Custom Investment
Use a Custom Investment for assets that Navexa does not natively support with a live market feed.
This is usually the right option for assets such as:
Investment property
Private or unlisted investments
Art or collectibles
Other off-market assets you still want included in your overall portfolio tracking
A Custom Investment is manually maintained by you. That means you enter the trades, income, and valuation updates yourself.
After Your First Import
Once your first data is in Navexa, take a few minutes to review it before moving on.
Check these things first:
Make sure your holdings and quantities match your records.
Open any holding with a warning and fix missing or incorrect trade history.
Turn on DRP only for holdings where dividend reinvestment actually applies to you.
Add a cash account if you want to track portfolio cash movements alongside your holdings.
Set up ongoing automation for future trades only after your historical data looks right.
Starting with a clean setup makes your performance, income, and tax reporting much more reliable later.
Common Issues
Why Is A Holding Showing A Warning?
A warning usually means something in the trade history does not reconcile cleanly.
The most common cause is missing earlier trade history, especially an opening buy that happened before the rest of the imported trades.
If a holding shows a negative quantity or starts with a sell, go back and add the missing earlier history before relying on the reports.
Do I Need To Use Only One Method?
No.
Many customers use a mix of methods in the same portfolio.
For example, you might:
Import ASX shares from a broker file
Connect a crypto exchange directly
Add a property as a Custom Investment
Manually enter one missing historical trade
That is completely normal.