TD Ameritrade and strategy sync warning in help guide - what exactly does it mean?

[Calebg]

Hi - regarding TD Ameritrade and Ninjatrader peculiarities there is the following warning in the help guide:

Critical: * TD AMERITRADE Users * When starting a NinjaScript strategy, please be absolutely sure your strategy position is in sync with your account position. It is imperative that they are in sync for your NinjaScript strategy to run properly.

I've googled and searched the forums, but have not been able to find any additional explanation of what this warning actually means (e.g., in the context of consequences, ramifications to managing, things to do/avoid). Any help shedding some light here would be very welcome, thanks!

[Calebg]

In addition to general guidance, here is a very specific question - what are the implications for the various "Start behavior" parameters. Which of these is an absolute no-no with TDAmeritrade, and/or recommended:

Wait until flat
Wait until flat, synchronize account,
Immediately submit
Immediately submit, synchronize account
Adopt account position

[NinjaTrader_Kate]

Hello Calebg,

Thank you for your post.

I'd generally advise using Wait until Flat, Synchronize Account. You could also use immediately submit, synchronize account. Either way, you're going to want to make certain the account syncs.

When you add a strategy to a chart it will always have a strategy calculated position. When you use WaitUntilFlat what that means is that any strategy action that may come afterwards to handle that strategy position will be a virtual trade and not be submitted to your live account. Once the strategy position crosses a flat state it will then submit the next order action live to your account. The sync occurs at that point in time (provided you had your account position at flat the whole time).

Here's a link to our help guide that goes into depth about what each of the start behavior options mean:

https://ninjatrader.com/support/helpGuides/nt7/?syncing_account_positions.htm

The limitation is in place as a special order name tagging is needed for the TDA connection, i.e. if your account is long and you wanted to sell (exit) that position you would need to send the signal with a sell signal name, a sell short would not be accepted.

Please let us know if we may be of further assistance to you.

[Calebg]

Hi Kate, and thanks. Regarding this part of your response:

The limitation is in place as a special order name tagging is needed for the TDA connection, i.e. if your account is long and you wanted to sell (exit) that position you would need to send the signal with a sell signal name, a sell short would not be accepted.

...just want to be 100% clear that my understanding is correct here:

Are you saying that any order submitted to a TDA account *has* to have a signalName parameter (i.e., signalName is *not* an optional parameter for a TDA connection) and that any order which does not included a signalName will not execute for a TDA account/connection?

[NinjaTrader_Kate]

Hello Calebg,

Thank you for your reply.

No, this just refers to how the TD Ameritrade connection matches your entries and exits. You should be able to execute an order without a signal name set.