If you can’t see the whole portfolio, you can’t manage it. Performance tracking is less about fancy charts and more about honest totals.
What to track
| Metric | Why |
|---|---|
| Total value (one currency) | True size |
| Asset allocation % | Risk vs plan |
| Net contributions vs market gain | Separates saving skill from market luck |
| Fees (when visible) | Drag |
| Missing cost basis flags | Know when P/L is incomplete |
Time-weighted vs money-weighted (intuition)
- Money-weighted reflects your personal timing of deposits/withdrawals.
- Time-weighted approximates how the strategy performed regardless of cash flows.
You don’t need perfect math on day one — but don’t celebrate “+40%” if you only deposited before a bounce on a tiny balance.
Multi-broker reality
Each app shows its own return. One broker up 12% and another down 5% means nothing until merged. Unified tracking (what InvestPane aims to provide) answers: What is my real allocation and rough performance?
Cadence
- Monthly: glance at allocation + idle cash
- Yearly: deeper review, rebalance, contribution rate
Daily P/L theatre rarely improves outcomes.
Key takeaways
- One currency, one consolidated view.
- Separate contributions from market returns mentally.
- Incomplete cost basis → incomplete P/L — label it honestly.
Educational only — not personalised investment advice.