Startup
Open the Alera Dashboard and choose a workspace to store all your data. Make sure the workspace you choose is an empty folder that the software will be able to read/write to. If you are unsure, choose an empty folder in your documents.
Next click the + button to create an account which will handle your portfolio. Choose a descriptive name for your account without spaces, keeping in mind that it can't be changed in the future.
Next choose the broker your account will be with. For now, only Interactive Brokers is supported.
Interactive Brokers (IB) Setup
It's strongly suggested you use the IB Gateway (IBG) for placing orders instead of the Trader Workstation (TWS) because TWS will automatically shutdown everyday.
Note that you should try to use the stable version of IBG (the one that is linked) and not the latest (unstable) version
Once you download the IBG, login to your account. Make sure that the API type is set to IB API before you login. It is also suggested that, if this is your first time using the application, you set up your IB paper trading account first so that you can play around with strategy settings.
Next go to Configure -> Settings -> API -> Settings. You will see the window below. Setting the fields in the window the same as the ones below is all you need to get started.
The only two fields you may need to change in the future are the Socket Port and possibly the Trusted IPs.
![[Image: ibg_apisettings.png]](http://aleratrading.com/forum/images/documentation/ibg_apisettings.png)
Now we need to configure the IBG to automatically restart (otherwise it will shut off once a day).
Go to Configure -> Lock and Exit. Set the restart time to something outside of market hours and check Auto restart.
If you do not see this setting then you need to download a more recent version of the IB Gateway (975 or higher).
![[Image: ibg_lockexit.png]](http://aleratrading.com/forum/images/documentation/ibg_lockexit.png)
Now go back to APM to set up your broker. You can leave the IP Address as 127.0.0.1, unless you are hosting the IBG on a different computer than APM and changed the Trusted IPs in your settings. The Port should match the port you set in the IBG settings. The Client ID can be set to 0, unless you are planning on connecting to the same IBG with a different piece of software. Then you will have to be aware of what Client ID the other software uses and choose a different one. Lastly, set the Account ID to your IB account ID and click Save. Note that this is not the same as your login credentials. A paper trading account should start with 'DU' and a normal account should start with 'U', for example DU123456. This can usually be found at the top of the settings window from above, in TWS, or online.
![[Image: apm_accountsettings.png]](http://aleratrading.com/forum/images/documentation/apm_accountsettings.png)
Licenses
Note: Currently all paper-trading accounts will receive a free three month license without requiring sign up or credit card details. Leave the License Token as 117425.
Licenses for real accounts are paid, so we suggest you try APM with a free paper-trading account first. When you're ready to go live visit alerasubscriptions.com to purchase a license. If you have issues with PayPal then contact me at contact@aleratrading.com.
Once you've paid for your license (or if you're using a free one), you can click Start to connect to the IBG. If you successfully connect, then you can go ahead and start creating strategies. Otherwise, you will need to double check that your IBG settings are correct and that the ports match. The port you selected could already be taken by your computer, so try a different one (in the thousands) if you're certain your other settings are correct.
Strategies
There are various ways to approach creating strategies and an in depth explanation of the strategies page is posted elsewhere in the Documentation. If you'd like to get something setup that you can play around with, then you can select the Finviz Screener under Signal Provider Type. Select a screener from Finviz and paste the URL in the Buy URL text box. You can also changed the Max Dollar Value to 100,000 in order to make sure that your paper trading orders are actually placed. Leave the other settings as their default values and click Save.
Now you can click Order Preview to see the strategy run without actually placing orders. Check the Log tab to see extra information about what happened. You can also click the button beside Signal Processing Schedule to run the strategy and place orders. Now orders will be placed in IB and you can view them in the Portfolio tab.
Open the Alera Dashboard and choose a workspace to store all your data. Make sure the workspace you choose is an empty folder that the software will be able to read/write to. If you are unsure, choose an empty folder in your documents.
Next click the + button to create an account which will handle your portfolio. Choose a descriptive name for your account without spaces, keeping in mind that it can't be changed in the future.
Next choose the broker your account will be with. For now, only Interactive Brokers is supported.
Interactive Brokers (IB) Setup
It's strongly suggested you use the IB Gateway (IBG) for placing orders instead of the Trader Workstation (TWS) because TWS will automatically shutdown everyday.
Note that you should try to use the stable version of IBG (the one that is linked) and not the latest (unstable) version
Once you download the IBG, login to your account. Make sure that the API type is set to IB API before you login. It is also suggested that, if this is your first time using the application, you set up your IB paper trading account first so that you can play around with strategy settings.
Next go to Configure -> Settings -> API -> Settings. You will see the window below. Setting the fields in the window the same as the ones below is all you need to get started.
The only two fields you may need to change in the future are the Socket Port and possibly the Trusted IPs.
Now we need to configure the IBG to automatically restart (otherwise it will shut off once a day).
Go to Configure -> Lock and Exit. Set the restart time to something outside of market hours and check Auto restart.
If you do not see this setting then you need to download a more recent version of the IB Gateway (975 or higher).
Now go back to APM to set up your broker. You can leave the IP Address as 127.0.0.1, unless you are hosting the IBG on a different computer than APM and changed the Trusted IPs in your settings. The Port should match the port you set in the IBG settings. The Client ID can be set to 0, unless you are planning on connecting to the same IBG with a different piece of software. Then you will have to be aware of what Client ID the other software uses and choose a different one. Lastly, set the Account ID to your IB account ID and click Save. Note that this is not the same as your login credentials. A paper trading account should start with 'DU' and a normal account should start with 'U', for example DU123456. This can usually be found at the top of the settings window from above, in TWS, or online.
Licenses
Note: Currently all paper-trading accounts will receive a free three month license without requiring sign up or credit card details. Leave the License Token as 117425.
Licenses for real accounts are paid, so we suggest you try APM with a free paper-trading account first. When you're ready to go live visit alerasubscriptions.com to purchase a license. If you have issues with PayPal then contact me at contact@aleratrading.com.
Once you've paid for your license (or if you're using a free one), you can click Start to connect to the IBG. If you successfully connect, then you can go ahead and start creating strategies. Otherwise, you will need to double check that your IBG settings are correct and that the ports match. The port you selected could already be taken by your computer, so try a different one (in the thousands) if you're certain your other settings are correct.
Strategies
There are various ways to approach creating strategies and an in depth explanation of the strategies page is posted elsewhere in the Documentation. If you'd like to get something setup that you can play around with, then you can select the Finviz Screener under Signal Provider Type. Select a screener from Finviz and paste the URL in the Buy URL text box. You can also changed the Max Dollar Value to 100,000 in order to make sure that your paper trading orders are actually placed. Leave the other settings as their default values and click Save.
Now you can click Order Preview to see the strategy run without actually placing orders. Check the Log tab to see extra information about what happened. You can also click the button beside Signal Processing Schedule to run the strategy and place orders. Now orders will be placed in IB and you can view them in the Portfolio tab.