---
title: "Strategies"
description: "What a Fincanva strategy is and where each part lives on its Settings page, from asset selection and allocation to risk, exits and the Combined."
canonical_url: "https://fincanva.com/docs/strategies"
last_updated: "2026-10-10"
md_url: "https://fincanva.com/docs/strategies.md"
---

# Strategies

A [strategy](/glossary/strategy) is a saved set of instruments together with the rules that decide how much each one weighs and when that changes — the unit you [backtest](/glossary/backtest), keep in your library and follow over time. In the app you build it on its **Settings** page, with these cards: touch one.

Strategies in the app: Strategy type, Rebalance, Position exits, Asset selection, Allocation, Risk — each is a group below.

## Create a new strategy

Start one, save and run it, change its settings, star it.

- [Create a strategy and choose its instruments](/docs/strategies/create-a-strategy-and-choose-its-instruments): You create a strategy by picking its strategy type in the Create new popup, adding its instruments, setting what the type requires, and running its first backtest.
- [Build a strategy step by step](/docs/strategies/build-a-strategy-step-by-step): In Step by step you build a strategy one chapter at a time from a map, then run its backtest from the Summary — or from the header, whenever the strategy can run.
- [Edit a strategy's settings](/docs/strategies/edit-a-strategy-s-settings): You change an existing strategy on its Settings page — the keys in the strip at the top and the cards below them — then save it and run a new backtest.
- [Save, run and copy a strategy](/docs/strategies/save-run-and-copy-a-strategy): One button in a strategy's header saves and runs it — Save while you have unsaved changes, Backtest once they are saved — and Duplicate or Copy to Mine makes a copy.
- [Resolve a strategy's alerts](/docs/strategies/resolve-a-strategy-s-alerts): A strategy's alerts show in the section strip of its header and in the footers of its cards: fix the setting each one names, or leave one to review as is.
- [Star strategies and screeners](/docs/strategies/star-strategies-and-screeners): You make a strategy or a screener a favourite by selecting its star, and the Favourites filter then lists only the items you have starred.

Key terms: [Strategy](/glossary/strategy), [Strategy type](/glossary/strategy-type), [Run status](/glossary/run-status).

[All 11 terms](/glossary?subject=strategies&group=create-a-new-strategy)

## Strategy type

The first key on the Settings strip, and the shape you pick when you create the strategy: it decides what the strategy must contain, and you can change it later.

- [Change a strategy's type](/docs/strategies/change-a-strategy-s-type): You change a strategy's strategy type from its Type key or its Strategy type chapter; a confirmation says what will change, and nothing is removed until you save.

Key terms: [Direction: Long-only, Long/short, Short-only](/glossary/direction-long-only-long-short-short-only), [Single-asset simplification](/glossary/single-asset-simplification).

[All 2 terms](/glossary?subject=strategies&group=strategy-type)

## Rebalance

A key on the Settings strip: how often, in months, the strategy resets its holdings to their target weights.

Key terms: [Rebalance](/glossary/rebalance), [Weight drift](/glossary/weight-drift).

[All 2 terms](/glossary?subject=strategies&group=rebalance)

## Asset selection

The first card below the strip: which instruments the strategy may hold — named by you, picked by a [screener](/glossary/screener), or both.

- [Choose the instruments a strategy holds](/docs/strategies/choose-the-instruments-a-strategy-holds): You set what a strategy may hold on its Asset selection card: instruments and lists you add by hand, a screener that picks by rule, or both.
- [Attach a screener to a strategy](/docs/strategies/attach-a-screener-to-a-strategy): You attach a screener on a strategy's Asset selection card, so that a rule rather than a hand-picked list decides which instruments it may hold.
- [Bring a strategy within your plan](/docs/strategies/bring-a-strategy-within-your-plan): Four blocking alerts on the Asset selection card say a strategy holds more than your plan includes — a screener on Free, or too many instruments, screeners or positions; remove the excess or move to the plan they name.
- [Fix the Asset selection alerts](/docs/strategies/fix-the-asset-selection-alerts): The Asset selection card raises one blocking alert — nothing to choose from — and five to review about how screeners and Max positions fill the positions; each says what clears it.

Key terms: [Asset-selection modes](/glossary/asset-selection-modes), [Seed universe](/glossary/seed-universe), [Max positions](/glossary/max-positions), [Screener attach](/glossary/screener-attach).

[All 9 terms](/glossary?subject=strategies&group=asset-selection)

## Allocation

The card beside Asset selection: how the capital is split among the instruments — the method that turns the list into weights.

[Equal weights](/glossary/equal-weights) splits evenly, [Risk parity](/glossary/risk-parity) gives the more volatile instruments less, [MPT (Markowitz)](/glossary/mpt-markowitz) concentrates where expected return per unit of risk is highest.

- [Choose an allocation method](/docs/strategies/choose-an-allocation-method): The allocation method is chosen on the Allocation card of a strategy, or of a Combined, from a picker that lists every method that level offers.
- [Limit MPT's weights](/docs/strategies/limit-mpt-s-weights): MPT (Markowitz) can be held to a direction, a minimum and maximum weight per instrument, and forced diversification, all set on the method in the strategy's Allocation card.
- [Choose how a method estimates risk](/docs/strategies/choose-how-a-method-estimates-risk): Methods built on volatilities and correlations read them through an estimate you choose on the method, in the strategy's Allocation card: the Covariance matrix, or the Correlation matrix on Min correlation.
- [Fix the Allocation alerts](/docs/strategies/fix-the-allocation-alerts): The Allocation card raises two blocking alerts — an in-sample period or fixed weights the engine cannot run — and three to review about capital left in cash; each says what clears it.

Key terms: [Allocation and allocation method](/glossary/allocation-and-allocation-method), [Equal weights](/glossary/equal-weights), [Risk parity](/glossary/risk-parity), [Inverse volatility](/glossary/inverse-volatility), [Calculation window](/glossary/calculation-window), [MPT (Markowitz)](/glossary/mpt-markowitz).

[All 26 terms](/glossary?subject=strategies&group=allocation)

## Risk

A card you add only if you want it: a market rule that switches the strategy to its defensive Risk-Off allocation, and back.

_Optional in the app._

- [Set up a risk condition](/docs/strategies/set-up-a-risk-condition): A risk condition is a market rule that switches your strategy to Risk-Off when it triggers and back to Risk-On when it clears; you add it on the Risk card.
- [Tune how a risk condition reacts](/docs/strategies/tune-how-a-risk-condition-reacts): A risk condition switches a strategy between its Risk-On and Risk-Off allocations; Confirmation delay (weeks) and Auto-rebalance decide how fast and how often that switch reaches your holdings.
- [Fix the Risk and Exits alerts](/docs/strategies/fix-the-risk-and-exits-alerts): The Risk section raises one blocking alert — no Risk-Off to switch to — and three to review about rules that change nothing, act late or keep flipping; the Exits card raises three to review about positions that never rotate or come straight back.

Key terms: [Risk condition](/glossary/risk-condition), [Risk-On and Risk-Off](/glossary/risk-on-and-risk-off), [Condition types](/glossary/condition-types), [Confirmation delay](/glossary/confirmation-delay), [Whipsaw](/glossary/whipsaw), [Auto-rebalance on flip](/glossary/auto-rebalance-on-flip).

[All 19 terms](/glossary?subject=strategies&group=risk)

## Position exits

A key on the Settings strip that you add only if you want it: rules that close a single position — a [take profit](/glossary/take-profit) or a [stop loss](/glossary/stop-loss), for example.

_Optional in the app._

- [Set up position exits](/docs/strategies/set-up-position-exits): Position exits close one position at a time: Take profit and Stop loss are set from the strip's Exits key, Max hold and Reinvest delay under a screener's Selection rules.

Key terms: [Stop loss](/glossary/stop-loss), [Take profit](/glossary/take-profit), [Max hold months](/glossary/max-hold-months), [Reinvest delay](/glossary/reinvest-delay), [Exit reason](/glossary/exit-reason).

[All 7 terms](/glossary?subject=strategies&group=position-exits)

## Combined

A [Combined](/glossary/combined) holds strategies instead of instruments: it is built from your other strategies, with one more allocation layer above them.

- [Build a Combined step by step](/docs/strategies/build-a-combined-step-by-step): A Combined's Step by step walks five chapters that act on the Combined itself — Sub-strategies, Allocation, Rebalance, Risk and Summary — while each member strategy keeps a walk of its own.

Key terms: [Combined](/glossary/combined), [Combined weighting](/glossary/combined-weighting), [Per-strategy risk layer](/glossary/per-strategy-risk-layer), [Sub-strategy](/glossary/sub-strategy).

[All 4 terms](/glossary?subject=strategies&group=combined)

## Frequent questions

- [Why was my run refused?](/docs/strategies/save-run-and-copy-a-strategy#why-was-my-run-refused)
- [Why is Backtest disabled on a Combined?](/docs/strategies/save-run-and-copy-a-strategy#why-is-backtest-disabled-on-a-combined)
- [Why can't I save my changes?](/docs/strategies/edit-a-strategy-s-settings#why-cant-i-save-my-changes)
- [Can I see previous versions of a strategy?](/docs/strategies/save-run-and-copy-a-strategy#can-i-see-previous-versions-of-a-strategy)
- [How many favourites can I have?](/docs/strategies/star-strategies-and-screeners#how-many-favourites-can-i-have)

Fincanva is for education and illustration only. It is not personalised financial advice, and past or simulated results do not predict future ones. [Read the Terms Addendum](https://fincanva.com/terms/addendum#section-3)