# `portfolio.srf` reference

Your portfolio is a plain-text [SRF](https://git.lerch.org/lobo/srf)
file with **one lot per line**. A lot is a batch of shares of one
security bought on one date in one account. Positions are aggregated
from lots automatically.

zfin looks for `portfolio.srf` in `ZFIN_HOME` (or the current
directory). You can split holdings across several `portfolio_*.srf`
files; zfin union-merges every match (see
[Build your portfolio](../../guides/set-up-your-portfolio.md) for the
multi-file workflow).

## File format

Every SRF line is a comma-separated list of `key::value` pairs. Typed
values use a type tag:

- `key::value` -- string
- `key:num:value` -- number
- `key:bool:value` -- boolean (`true` / `false`)

The first line must be the version header `#!srfv1`. Lines beginning
with `#` are comments.

```srf
#!srfv1
# A stock/ETF lot
symbol::VTI,shares:num:100,open_date::2024-01-15,open_price:num:220.50,account::Brokerage
```

## Lot fields

| Field           | Type   | Required | Description                                                                           |
|-----------------|--------|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `symbol`        | string | Yes\*    | Ticker or CUSIP. \*Optional for `cash` lots.                                          |
| `shares`        | number | Yes      | Share count (or face value for cash/CDs). Negative for short option positions.        |
| `open_date`     | string | Yes\*\*  | Purchase date `YYYY-MM-DD`. \*\*Not required for `cash`/`watch`.                      |
| `open_price`    | number | Yes\*\*  | Purchase price per share. \*\*Not required for `cash`/`watch`.                        |
| `close_date`    | string | No       | Sale date. Omit for an open lot.                                                      |
| `close_price`   | number | No       | Sale price per share.                                                                 |
| `security_type` | string | No       | `stock` (default), `option`, `cd`, `cash`, `illiquid`, `watch`.                       |
| `account`       | string | No       | Account name. Should match an `account::` entry in [`accounts.srf`](accounts-srf.md). |
| `note`          | string | No       | Free-text note (shown in cash/CD/illiquid tables).                                    |
| `ticker`        | string | No       | Ticker alias used for price fetching when `symbol` is a CUSIP.                        |
| `price`         | number | No       | Manual price override (for securities the providers don't cover).                     |
| `price_date`    | string | No       | Date of the manual price (`YYYY-MM-DD`), for staleness display.                       |
| `drip`          | bool   | No       | `true` if the lot is from dividend reinvestment (summarized as ST/LT groups).         |
| `maturity_date` | string | No       | CD maturity or option expiry date (`YYYY-MM-DD`).                                     |
| `rate`          | number | No       | CD interest rate (e.g. `5.25` = 5.25%).                                               |

## Security types

| Type              | Meaning                                                                                        |
|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `stock` (default) | Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds. Priced from Tiingo (Yahoo fallback), aggregated by symbol.         |
| `option`          | Option contracts. Shown separately; `shares` is the contract count (negative = written/short). |
| `cd`              | Certificates of deposit. Shown by maturity with rate and face value.                           |
| `cash`            | Cash, money-market, settlement balances. Grouped by account.                                   |
| `illiquid`        | Real estate, vehicles, etc. Excluded from the liquid total; included in Net Worth.             |
| `watch`           | Watchlist item: tracks price only, no position. See [`watchlist.srf`](watchlist-srf.md).       |

## Examples

Each line below is valid on its own. These mirror the bundled
[`examples/`](../../../examples/) portfolios.

```srf
#!srfv1
# Stocks / ETFs (multiple lots of the same symbol aggregate)
symbol::VTI,shares:num:1100,open_date::2018-06-15,open_price:num:140.00,account::Pat 401k
symbol::VTI,shares:num:240,open_date::2015-01-08,open_price:num:103.40,account::Pat Roth

# Cash (no symbol, no open_date/open_price needed)
security_type::cash,shares:num:48000.00,open_date::2026-04-30,open_price:num:1.00,account::Joint taxable

# Closed (sold) lot
symbol::AMZN,shares:num:10,open_date::2022-03-15,open_price:num:150.25,close_date::2024-01-15,close_price:num:185.50

# DRIP lot (dividend reinvestment; summarized as ST/LT groups)
symbol::VTI,shares:num:0.234,open_date::2024-06-15,open_price:num:267.50,drip:bool:true,account::Brokerage

# CUSIP with a ticker alias for pricing (e.g. a 401k CIT share class)
symbol::02315N600,shares:num:1200,open_date::2022-01-01,open_price:num:140.00,ticker::VTTHX,account::Fidelity 401k,note::VANGUARD TARGET 2035

# Manual price override (security with no provider coverage)
symbol::NON40OR52,shares:num:500,open_date::2023-01-01,open_price:num:155.00,price:num:163.636,price_date::2026-02-27,account::Fidelity 401k

# Option: a written (short) call. Negative shares = contracts sold.
security_type::option,symbol::AAPL 06/20/2025 200.00 C,shares:num:-2,open_date::2025-01-15,open_price:num:12.50,option_type::call,underlying::AAPL,strike:num:200,maturity_date::2025-06-20,account::Brokerage

# CD
security_type::cd,symbol::912797KR0,shares:num:10000,open_date::2024-06-01,open_price:num:10000,maturity_date::2025-06-01,rate:num:5.25,account::Brokerage,note::6-Month T-Bill

# Illiquid asset (net worth only)
security_type::illiquid,symbol::HOME,shares:num:450000,open_date::2020-06-01,open_price:num:350000,note::Primary residence
```

## Price resolution

For stock lots, the displayed price is resolved in this order:

1. **Live API** -- latest close from cached candles (Tiingo, Yahoo fallback).
2. **Manual price** -- the lot's `price` field, for securities without coverage.
3. **Average cost** -- the position's `open_price`, as a last resort.

Manual-priced rows render in warning color so you know they may be
stale; `price_date` tracks when you last updated them.

## Ticker aliases and CUSIPs

Some securities (notably 401k CIT share classes) are identified by
CUSIP but have a retail-ticker equivalent for pricing. Use `ticker::`
so `symbol::` stays the display identifier while the alias drives API
calls:

```srf
symbol::02315N600,ticker::VTTHX,...
```

If the CUSIP and retail ticker have different NAVs (common for CIT vs.
retail funds), use a manual `price::` instead of `ticker::`. To resolve
a CUSIP to a ticker, use [`zfin lookup`](../cli/lookup.md).

## Advanced and option fields

These are less common but parse on any lot:

| Field           | Type   | Applies to    | Description                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|-----------------|--------|---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `price_ratio`   | number | share classes | Multiplier applied to the fetched (alias) price to get the institutional NAV. E.g. if the retail class is $27.78 and the institutional class trades at $144.04, set `price_ratio:num:5.185`. |
| `underlying`    | string | options       | Underlying stock symbol (e.g. `AMZN`).                                                                                                                                                       |
| `strike`        | number | options       | Strike price.                                                                                                                                                                                |
| `maturity_date` | string | options       | Expiration date (`YYYY-MM-DD`).                                                                                                                                                              |
| `multiplier`    | number | options       | Shares per contract (default `100`).                                                                                                                                                         |
| `option_type`   | string | options       | `call` (default) or `put`.                                                                                                                                                                   |

An option lot is defined by these explicit fields, not by decoding the
symbol -- `symbol` is just a display label, so set it to whatever your
brokerage shows (e.g. `AAPL 06/20/2025 200.00 C`). For a worked
two-lot example, see the covered call in
[Build your portfolio](../../guides/set-up-your-portfolio.md#example-a-covered-call).

## DRIP lots

Lots marked `drip:bool:true` are collapsed into short-term (ST) and
long-term (LT) groups in the position detail view (split on the
1-year capital-gains threshold) rather than listed individually.

## See also

- [Build your portfolio](../../guides/set-up-your-portfolio.md) -- the task-oriented walkthrough.
- [`accounts.srf`](accounts-srf.md) -- give each `account::` a tax type.
- [`metadata.srf`](metadata-srf.md) -- classify each `symbol::` for analysis.
- [`zfin portfolio`](../cli/portfolio.md) and [`zfin import`](../cli/import.md).

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