The Proactive Pension Manager

Proactive Portfolio Starter Workbook

Turn your portfolio into a clearer role-based structure

The Proactive Portfolio Starter Workbook helps self-directed investors begin applying the Proactive Long-Term Portfolio Methodology to an existing portfolio.

It provides a structured way to record holdings, clarify the reason for holding each position, receive an automatically derived Segment, and view the portfolio by role rather than as a collection of unrelated investments.

The workbook is designed as a practical starting point for portfolio organization and review. It supports the investor’s decisions but does not provide personalized advice, recommendations, or automatic buy or sell instructions.

Make a Google Sheets Copy Download Excel

Who the workbook is for

The Proactive Portfolio Starter Workbook is designed for self-directed investors who already hold a portfolio and want a clearer framework for understanding its structure.

It is intended for investors who want to:

  • Clarify why each position is held
  • Define the role each position plays
  • Organize holdings into the six approved Segments
  • View portfolio allocation by Segment
  • Create a clearer basis for future portfolio review
  • Manage the portfolio through a more deliberate and consistent process

Who the workbook is not for

The workbook is not designed for investors looking for:

  • Stock recommendations
  • Trading signals
  • Automatic buy or sell instructions
  • Personalized allocation guidance
  • A determination that any investment is suitable
  • Real-time prices or automated portfolio monitoring
  • A substitute for professional financial, tax, or legal advice

It does not evaluate whether the portfolio is personally appropriate and does not make investment decisions for the user.

How the workbook works

The workbook follows a clear sequence:

  1. Choose the portfolio analysis currency

    Select the currency in which you want the portfolio to be viewed and summarized.

  2. Enter holding data

    Add the relevant details for each position in the portfolio.

  3. Enter the investment intent

    Clarify the main reason the position is held.

  4. Select the reason for holding the position

    Choose the reason that most closely reflects the position’s intended role.

  5. Receive an automatically derived Segment

    The workbook uses the selected reason to assign the position to one of the six approved Segments.

  6. View the Dashboard

    Review the portfolio structure and allocation by Segment.

The workflow is designed to make the role of each position more explicit and to help the investor view the portfolio as one organized structure.

What the workbook includes

Portfolio currency selection

A setting that determines the currency used to summarize and compare portfolio values.

Holding data entry

A structured table for recording the main information about each position.

Investment intent and reason selection

Fields that help the investor clarify why each position is held.

Automatically derived Segment

A Segment assigned according to the selected reason for holding the position.

The six approved Segments

Core, Volatility Harvester, Event / Tactical, Asymmetric Optionality, Low Attention, and Cash.

Portfolio allocation by Segment

A view of how the portfolio is distributed across its intended roles.

Segment Dashboard

A visual summary of portfolio value, position count, and allocation by Segment.

Basic position notes

Space for recording information that may support future review and management.

Workbook guidance

Instructions that explain how to complete and interpret the workbook.

The workbook provides an initial structure for classification and portfolio review. It is not intended to replace the investor’s full research, thesis documentation, or ongoing review process.

Get the Starter Workbook

Choose the format that best fits how you prefer to work.

Google Sheets

Create your own copy of the Starter Workbook in Google Drive.

Your copy remains under your control, subject to your Google account settings and sharing permissions.

Make a Google Sheets Copy

Excel

Download the Starter Workbook as an Excel file and store it wherever you choose.

The file remains under your control and can be managed locally or through your preferred storage service.

Download Excel

Before you begin

Before using either version:

  • Review the workbook instructions
  • Choose the portfolio analysis currency
  • Prepare the relevant holding information
  • Confirm that prices and foreign-exchange rates are current
  • Remember that the automatically derived Segment depends on the reason selected for each position

The workbook is provided as an educational portfolio-organization tool and does not assess whether any investment, Segment, or allocation is personally appropriate.

What the workbook does not include

The Proactive Portfolio Starter Workbook does not include:

  • Real-time market prices
  • Automatic price updates
  • Automatic foreign-exchange updates
  • Broker or portfolio-account connections
  • Portfolio uploads to the website
  • Personalized investment advice
  • Stock recommendations
  • Trading signals
  • Automatic buy, sell, add, reduce, or exit instructions
  • Prescribed allocation percentages
  • A determination that any investment, Segment, or allocation is suitable for the user
  • Automatic thesis validation
  • A complete ongoing portfolio-review process

The workbook depends on information entered and maintained by the user.

Its purpose is to help organize the portfolio, clarify the role of each position, and display portfolio structure by Segment. It does not make investment decisions or replace independent research, professional advice, or the investor’s ongoing review process.

The Starter Workbook provides the initial classification and portfolio-structure layer. More advanced review and portfolio-management capabilities are outside the scope of this workbook.

How to use the workbook

  1. Create your own copy of the Google Sheets version or download the Excel version.
  2. Choose the portfolio analysis currency.
  3. Enter each holding and its relevant data.
  4. Clarify the investment intent for each position.
  5. Select the reason that best reflects why the position is held.
  6. Review the automatically derived Segment.
  7. Check the Dashboard to view portfolio structure and allocation by Segment.
  8. Add or update notes where relevant.
  9. Review the workbook periodically and update information when holdings, prices, exchange rates, reasons, or roles change.

The quality of the workbook’s output depends on the accuracy and consistency of the information entered by the user.

Manual prices and foreign-exchange responsibility

The workbook does not retrieve or update market prices or foreign-exchange rates automatically.

The user is responsible for entering and maintaining:

  • Current holding prices
  • Relevant exchange rates
  • Position quantities and values
  • Any other information required for the Dashboard calculations

Outdated or incorrect inputs may cause the workbook to display an inaccurate portfolio value or allocation by Segment.

The workbook should therefore be updated whenever the user wants the Dashboard to reflect the current portfolio structure.

The workbook provides a calculation and organization framework only. It does not verify the accuracy, timing, or completeness of user-entered market data.

Privacy and ownership of the workbook

The website does not ask the user to upload portfolio data or enter personal holdings into Proactive Pension Manager.

When the user creates a Google Sheets copy or downloads the Excel version, the workbook is controlled by the user.

Portfolio information entered into that copy is not stored, processed, or analyzed by the Proactive Pension Manager website.

The user is responsible for:

  • Controlling access to the workbook
  • Managing sharing permissions
  • Choosing where the file is stored
  • Protecting any personal or financial information entered into it
  • Maintaining backups where appropriate

The Google Sheets version is subject to the user’s own Google account settings and Google’s services. The Excel version is stored wherever the user chooses to save it.

Proactive Pension Manager does not request access to the user’s completed workbook or personal portfolio information.

Google Sheets or Excel

The Starter Workbook is available in two formats. Both versions support the same core portfolio-classification workflow, but they differ in how the file is accessed and managed.

Google Sheets

Choose the Google Sheets version when you want to:

  • Create a copy in your own Google Drive
  • Access the workbook from different devices
  • Work directly in a browser
  • Use Google’s sharing and version-history features
  • Keep the workbook linked to your Google account

The user controls the copied workbook and its sharing permissions.

Excel

Choose the Excel version when you want to:

  • Download and store the workbook locally
  • Work in Microsoft Excel
  • Manage the file outside Google Drive
  • Keep local or independently managed backups
  • Use the workbook without relying on browser-based access

The user controls where the downloaded file is stored and who can access it.

Neither format provides automatic prices, foreign-exchange updates, personalized advice, or automated portfolio management.

Frequently asked questions

Does the workbook provide investment advice?

No. The workbook is an educational portfolio-organization tool. It does not recommend investments, determine suitability, or provide automatic buy or sell instructions.

Does the workbook update prices automatically?

No. Prices, exchange rates, quantities, and other required inputs must be entered and maintained by the user.

Can I use both Google Sheets and Excel?

Yes. Choose the format that best fits how you prefer to work. Both versions support the same core classification workflow.

Continue exploring

Explore the Methodology

Understand the role-based framework behind the Starter Workbook and the six approved Segments.

Explore the Methodology

Use the Calculators

Explore planning tools that support long-term financial decisions without determining portfolio structure or allocation.

Explore the Calculators