Troubleshooting
Solutions to common issues with bots, API keys, backtesting, and more.
Bot Not Trading
If your bot is running but not placing trades, work through this checklist:
- Is the bot running? — Check the bot's status on the Dashboard. A paused bot will not trade. Resume it if needed.
- Is an API key assigned and active? — The bot needs an active API key to place orders. An inactive or unassigned key means no trades.
- Is a strategy template assigned? — A bot without a template has no trading logic. Assign one from the bot detail page.
- Are trading sessions configured? — If the strategy uses trading sessions, it will only enter positions during those UTC time windows. Check whether the current time falls within a configured session.
- Are filters or entry guards blocking? — Filters and entry guards can prevent entries when market conditions don't meet their criteria. Check the bot's activity feed for signal and filter outputs.
- Have risk limits been hit? — If the bot has reached its daily loss limit or maximum open positions, it will stop opening new trades until limits reset.
- Is the combination mode threshold too restrictive? — If your strategy uses Min Score or Min Signals combination mode, a threshold set too high relative to your active components can prevent any signals from qualifying. Try lowering the threshold or adding more signal components.
API Key Errors
Invalid or expired key
The API key may have been revoked or expired on the exchange side. Log in to your exchange, verify the key still exists and is active, and re-add it to plutarc if needed.
Insufficient permissions
The key needs Order permissions enabled on the exchange. Without this, the bot cannot place or cancel orders. See Exchanges for the required permission setup.
IP restriction blocked
If you enabled IP whitelisting on your exchange API key, make sure plutarc's infrastructure IPs are included in the allowlist.
Wrong market or contract type
The contract type (Linear/Inverse) selected in plutarc must match the instruments available under your API key on the exchange.
Testnet Issues
Testnet balance is zero or reset
Some exchanges periodically reset testnet balances. Log in to the exchange's testnet portal and request or claim new test funds.
Orders fill differently on testnet vs live
Testnet liquidity is synthetic. Order book depth, fill speed, and slippage do not reflect real market conditions. Use testnet for validating connectivity and bot behaviour, not for performance benchmarking.
Bot shows as testnet but I expected live
Check the assigned API key. If the key was created with testnet mode enabled, the bot connects to the testnet endpoint. Create a new API key without testnet mode for live trading.
Position Sync Issues
If the bot shows a different position than what you see on the exchange, possible causes include:
- Manual trades on the exchange — if you manually opened or closed a position on the exchange while a bot was running, the bot's internal state may diverge. Avoid manual trading on accounts connected to a bot.
- Network interruption — a brief connectivity issue between plutarc and the exchange may cause the bot to miss a fill confirmation. The bot will resync on the next polling cycle.
- Key reassignment — if you reassigned an API key from one bot to another while positions were open, the new bot may not be aware of the existing position.
If positions are out of sync, you can manually close them on the exchange. Then pause and resume the bot to force a clean resync.
Backtesting Failures
Insufficient historical data
Some symbol/exchange combinations may not have enough historical candle data for the date range you selected. Try reducing the "Days Back" parameter or choosing a different symbol.
Invalid parameter ranges
Check that your strategy component parameters are within valid ranges. For example, a lookback period of 0 or a negative weight will cause the backtest to fail.
Timeout on large date ranges
Very long backtests (many months of 1-minute candles) can take a while. If a backtest times out, try a shorter date range or a larger candle interval.
Template Assignment Problems
Cannot assign while positions are open
You cannot change a bot's strategy template while it has open positions. Close all positions first, then assign the new template. This prevents strategy logic conflicts mid-trade.
Template validation errors
A template must have at least one signal component and valid combination mode settings to be assigned to a bot. Check the Strategy Builder docs for requirements.
Strategy Not Performing as Expected
Differences between backtesting and live results are normal. Common causes include:
- Slippage — live orders fill at market price, which may differ from the simulated entry/exit price, especially in thin markets.
- Latency — the time between signal generation and order execution means the market can move before your order fills.
- Changing market conditions — a strategy that performed well in trending markets may underperform in ranging or volatile conditions.
- Combination mode thresholds — if your minimum score threshold is too high, valid signals may be filtered out. Review the signal outputs in the bot's activity feed and consider adjusting the threshold.
Use the Trades page to inspect individual trade execution metrics (MFE, MAE, slippage) and the Analytics page for broader performance trends.
Account & Billing Issues
Balance not reflecting after top-up
After topping up, your balance should update immediately. If it hasn't, try refreshing the page. If the issue persists, check the Account & Billing page for payment status.
Insufficient balance
If your balance reaches zero, running bots will be stopped after a 1-hour grace period. Top up your balance to resume operation. Your bot configurations and trade history are always preserved.
Still Have Questions?
For general product questions — how things work, what's included in each plan, and more — check the FAQ.