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Data freshness explained

Tendrill uses different data sources with different update frequencies. Understanding this helps you interpret the information you receive and know when to expect updates.

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Data sources and timing

Data TypeUpdate FrequencySource
Stock pricesReal-time (during market hours)Market data providers
Portfolio holdingsDaily (overnight sync)Plaid connection
News & eventsContinuous (24/7)Multiple news sources
Earnings dataAs releasedCompany filings, news
Analyst ratingsAs releasedResearch providers
SEC filingsAs filedSEC EDGAR

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Real-time data

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Stock prices

During market hours (9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET), Tendrill uses real-time stock prices:
  • Alerts: Price movement alerts use live data
  • Questions: “What’s AAPL trading at?” gives you the current price
  • Impact calculations: Your position value updates continuously
Extended hours: Pre-market (4:00-9:30 AM) and after-hours (4:00-8:00 PM) pricing is available but may be less reliable due to lower volume.

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News and events

News monitoring runs 24/7:
  • Breaking news is processed within minutes
  • Earnings results are analyzed immediately after release
  • Overnight news is captured for morning briefings

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Delayed/daily data

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Portfolio holdings (via Plaid)

Your holdings data syncs from your brokerage accounts daily:
ActionWhen It Appears in Tendrill
You buy a stock at 10 AMNext day after overnight sync
You sell a stockNext day after overnight sync
Dividend is paid1-2 days after payment
Stock splitUsually same-day or next day
Manual refresh: Text “refresh my portfolio” to trigger an on-demand sync. This may pull more recent data, but some brokerages still have delays.

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Cost basis and transactions

Transaction history and cost basis update daily:
  • Recent trades appear in your transaction list
  • Cost basis calculations update after trades settle (T+1 or T+2)
  • Dividend reinvestments show after processing

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How this affects your experience

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Scenario: You buy a stock

10:00 AM - You buy 10 shares of AAPL in your Robinhood app

10:05 AM - You ask Tendrill "What do I own?"
Tendrill shows your portfolio WITHOUT the new AAPL shares
(The data hasn't synced yet)

Next morning - Data syncs overnight
Now Tendrill shows the AAPL shares and starts monitoring them

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Scenario: Intraday price alerts

9:30 AM - Market opens, NVDA at $890

11:00 AM - NVDA drops to $845 (-5%)
Tendrill immediately texts you: "NVDA down 5%..."

The alert uses real-time price data, not the
daily synced data.

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Scenario: Evening question

6:00 PM - You text "How did I do today?"

Tendrill responds with:
- Real-time closing prices (from 4 PM close)
- Your share counts (from last overnight sync)
- Calculated gains/losses (prices × shares)

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Data timing indicators

Tendrill tells you when data might be stale:
Your Portfolio Total: $131,200 (as of 4:00 PM ET) Holdings synced: Today 5:30 AM Note: Any trades made today will appear after tonight’s sync.

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Why isn’t everything real-time?

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Brokerage limitations

Brokerages don’t provide instant APIs for all data:
  • Most brokerages update Plaid connections daily, not continuously
  • Some data (cost basis, transactions) has processing delays
  • This is an industry-wide limitation, not specific to Tendrill

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What we optimize

Given these constraints, Tendrill prioritizes:
  1. Real-time prices - What matters most for alerts
  2. Fast news - Breaking information that affects decisions
  3. Accurate holdings - Daily sync ensures completeness

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Interpreting data in alerts

When you see portfolio impact numbers: 
"NVDA up 5% - Your position: +$2,225"
This calculation uses:
  • Price change: Real-time (accurate to the minute)
  • Share count: From last sync (may be up to 24 hours old)
  • Impact: Real-time price × synced shares
If you traded that stock today, the impact calculation may be off until the next sync. The price is correct; the share count may be outdated.

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Manual refresh options

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Force a portfolio sync

You: Refresh my portfolio

Tendrill: Refreshing now... 🔄

Done! Your portfolio data has been updated.
• Last sync: Just now
• Holdings: 15 positions
• Total value: $131,450

Note: Some brokerages have delays even with 
manual refresh. If recent trades don't appear,
they should show up by tomorrow.

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Check data freshness

You: When was my data last updated?

Tendrill: 📊 Data Freshness Report

Portfolio holdings: Synced today at 5:32 AM ET
Stock prices: Real-time (as of 2:34 PM ET)
Last news check: 2 minutes ago

Your holdings data is up to date as of this morning.
Any trades made today will sync tonight.

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Tips for best experience

Trade in the morning?

Data syncs overnight, so morning trades appear next day

Need today's trades reflected?

Use manual refresh, but expect some delay

Price alerts

These use real-time data - always accurate to the minute

Portfolio summaries

Best viewed after overnight sync for full accuracy

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FAQ

Common reasons:
  1. Timing: Your brokerage may show real-time; Tendrill uses last sync for shares
  2. Price source: Slight differences in quote timing
  3. Pending transactions: Your brokerage may include unsettled items
Differences are usually small and resolve after the next sync.
Currently, Plaid connections update daily. We’re working with data providers to improve this, but it’s an industry-wide limitation.
  • Market data: Always Eastern Time (ET)
  • Your updates: Delivered in your registered time zone
  • Sync times: Typically overnight in Eastern Time

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Next steps

Data Sync Details

Full details on sync frequency

Portfolio Impact

How impact calculations work