Connecting to Schwab

To connect your Charles Schwab account to Option Alpha, go to Settings --> Trading Accounts and select 'Authorize on Schwab.com.'

You will be re-directed to their website to log in using your Schwab username and password.

Once your accounts are connected you can select your Schwab account when creating a new bot to trade live.

You can authorize one set of credentials (username/password) per broker. You can connect multiple accounts with the same username.

Schwab Manual Reauthorization

Charles Schwab requires all traders to manually reauthorize their broker connection every 7 days. This is a security measure enforced by Schwab, and failure to re-authorize will temporarily break the connection between your Option Alpha account and Schwab.

How to reauthorize?

1. Log in to your Option Alpha account.
2. Navigate to Settings > Trading Accounts.
3. Click Reauthorize next to the Schwab account.
4. Follow the prompts to log into Schwab and approve the connection.

What happens if I don't reauthorize?

• Your Option Alpha account will no longer communicate with Schwab until reauthorization is complete.
• Your bots will stop managing open positions and will not open new trades until the connection is restored.
• Tracking of Exit Options (profit targets, stop-losses, etc.) will stop until the connection is restored.

When do bots resume trading after reauthorization?

As soon as you successfully reauthorize your Schwab connection, your bots will immediately resume normal activities and begin monitoring, managing, and executing trades per your automation settings.

How will I be notified before my connection expires?

We'll send you email reminders prior to your connection expiring. You may also see a notification inside the OA homepage prior to your connection expiring. You can see when your current authorization expires in your Settings > Trading Accounts.

Best practices for Schwab trading

• Set a weekly reminder in your calendar to reauthorize.
• Reauthorize on the weekend to prevent disruptions during trading hours.
• Sign into Option Alpha daily to monitor bot activity and ensure the Schwab connection is working as planned for your strategies.
  

By staying proactive, you can maintain a seamless trading experience with Schwab and keep your bots running efficiently.