Robot Panel: "Syncing with TradeLog..." and Error States

When your TradeLog robot (MT4/MT5 EA, cTrader cBot, or NinjaTrader robot) runs with Risk Source set to AUTO, its on-chart panel mirrors the risk settings from your TradeLog account. Until the robot has confirmed this account's own risk from the server, the panel shows a status instead of a risk figure — and position sizing is paused, so the robot can never size a trade off numbers that aren't yours.

"Syncing with TradeLog..."

Shown in amber, this means the robot is waiting for its first confirmed risk reply: the very first fetch is still in flight, or your trading account hasn't been linked or created in TradeLog yet (provisioning). It normally clears on its own — at the latest, right after the account's first sync.

Stuck on "Syncing..."?

1. 1Check the API key in the robot's inputs — it must match a key from your Connections page.
2. 2MT4/MT5: verify the WebRequest allow-list (Tools > Options > Expert Advisors > "Allow WebRequest for listed URL" must contain https://tradelog.cot-reports.com). This is a per-terminal setting — a second terminal needs it added again.
3. 3If this is a brand-new account, let the robot run: the account is created in TradeLog automatically on its first sync, and the risk arms right after.

Error States

A real error is shown in red with its exact cause — the panel never sits on "Syncing..." when it knows what is wrong:

• "API key invalid - check the key in the robot inputs" — the key is wrong, inactive, or was deleted. Copy a fresh one from the Connections page.
• "TradeLog AUTO needs an active plan" — your subscription doesn't currently include robot auto-risk. Renew the plan, or switch the robot's Risk Source to Manual.
• "Account not linked to TradeLog yet" — the key works, but no TradeLog account is linked to it yet. Check the key's linked account on the Connections page.
• "Connection error - will retry" — a network hiccup, a blocked WebRequest, or a temporary server issue. The robot keeps retrying by itself.

"{platform} robot is not reporting" — the Journal banner

The states above are what the robot shows YOU, on its own chart panel. There is a second warning that works the other way round: if your robot stops reporting while trades are still open, TradeLog cannot know whether those positions moved, so it says so rather than showing you figures it can no longer stand behind. A banner appears at the top of the Journal naming the account, how many trades are affected, and how long it has been since the last report.

• NinjaTrader -- check the robot is still on the chart: right-click it, choose Indicators..., and look for TradeLogSyncV3 in the list on the right. Unlike the older version, it is not a strategy, so NinjaTrader does not switch it off when you close a position from Chart Trader or use Flatten. If it is on the chart and the panel still shows a status, check the API key and your connection.
• MetaTrader 4 / 5 -- check the EA is still on the chart with AutoTrading enabled and the terminal is online. If it is running, re-check the WebRequest allowed-URLs list in the terminal options.
• cTrader -- check the TradeLog cBot is still running and the platform is online.

"Reconnecting to your data..."

This one is about TradeLog itself, not your robot, and it can appear on any page. It means the app cannot reach its database at that moment. Nothing you have saved is lost — anything already on screen may just be a few moments out of date. TradeLog retries on its own, and there is a "Try again now" button if you do not want to wait. If it persists for more than a few minutes, it is on our side, not yours.