TL;DR: Ensure you upload your oldest trades and orders first so that the position always matches up and no past orders are missing.
This error appears during import when trade quantities don't align with your existing open positions. Here's what it means and how to fix it quickly.
What the Error Means
Typical example:
- You bought 100 shares earlier (open long position).
- A sell order for 200 shares comes in.
This sell should:
- Close the existing 100-share long, then
- Open a new 100-share short.
If the original buy isn't already in the journal, the numbers don't balance → error triggered.
Why We Reject It (Instead of Auto-Splitting)
Brokers and exchanges export opening and closing orders separately and explicitly.
If we automatically split trades (e.g., force-close 100 and open short 100), it risks:
- Wrong timestamps
- Incorrect strategy / tag assignment
- Distorted PnL, win rate, and other metrics
We enforce clean open/close pairing from your files to keep your data accurate and your analytics trustworthy.
Most Common Cause
Newer trades imported before older ones (99% of cases).
Example scenario:
- You traded in October → some positions still open at month-end.
- You import November first → November file contains closes for those October positions.
Without October opens present, the system reads those November sells as new opens → quantities don't match → error.
How to Fix It
Upload in chronological order - oldest data first.
Quick resolution steps:
- New journal: Import your full all-time history before adding recent trades.
- Already imported newer files?
- Go to journal settings
- Delete the problematic (newer) import batch
- Re-import starting with the oldest files, then move forward in time - Make sure your broker export includes both opens and closes for the full period.
- After correct-order import, positions should reconcile automatically.
Prevention Tips
- Always import oldest files first
- Set up new journals with complete historical data before recent activity
- For very large histories, import in smaller chronological batches and check each step
- Broker not supported yet? Send us an export sample - we usually add support within 24–48 hours (often faster)
If the error remains after re-importing in order, or you need help with your files, reach out to support. Reply to your welcome email, use in-app chat, or email teamt@traderinsight.pro with your export - we respond quickly and can usually fix import issues right away.
