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Training & Support FirstAlert FAQs

Q: How do I install FirstAlert?

A: For complete FirstAlert installation instructions, please click Training & Support on the menu to the left, click FirstAlert under the Training & Support heading, and then click Installation once the FirstAlert Training & Support section appears.

Q: I am trying to install FirstAlert. When I attempt to run the installer, it gives me a "Java Virtual Machine" error and won’t let me continue. What should I do?

A: If you have received the aforementioned message, please contact Neovest's Account Services Center at (801) 375-6850.

Q: When I try to logon to FirstAlert, I am prompted to enter a "User [Name]," a "Password," and a "Domain." Where do obtain this information?

A: You must have an active account with Neovest in order to logon to FirstAlert. Upon activating an account with Neovest, you will be given a user name, a password, and a domain. Your Neovest Sales representative or your Neovest Account Services manager will also be able to provide you with your account information. If you need further assistance, please contact Neovest's Account Services Center at (801) 375-6850.

Q: When I try to logon to FirstAlert, I receive a warning that says "Invalid Password." I am sure that I am entering my password correctly. What am I doing incorrectly?

A:The preceding warning will appear whenever FirstAlert's authentication server cannot match your user name, password, and domain with the information you have entered. If any of the three criteria do not match, the server will display the "Invalid Password" warning. Keep in mind that your password is case sensitive, so make sure the Caps Lock button is not on and that you enter your user name and password correctly to log on successfully. Another common problem you may encounter may result from you trying to log on to the wrong domain. Your user name and password may both be correct, but if you are trying to log on to the wrong domain, you will receive the "Invalid Password" warning. If this occurs, verify that you are using the correct domain, and please try logging on again. If you need further assistance, please contact Neovest's Account Services Center at (801) 375-6850.

Q: What is a remote filter?

A: FirstAlert provides a broad range of remote filters that search the NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX for stocks that meet specific price, volume, trade size, trend, moving average, and other important criteria. Remote Filters are calculated on Neovest's remote filter servers. The results of FirstAlert's remote filters are then ranked, and the top 75-150 stocks are displayed in FirstAlert's Remote Filter window. If you wish to read specific information concerning a particular remote filter, click Open | Remote Filter in your FirstAlert system. Once the "Select Remote Filter" box appears, click on the remote filter for which you would like to read a definition. Next, check the "Remote Filter Description" box.



Once you check the "Remote Filter Description" box, a separate window will appear with a description of the selected remote filter. Once the "Remote Filter Description" box is checked, you may click on any other remote filter to view its description.

Q: How do I use a remote filter?

A: Once you select and run a FirstAlert remote filter, you may then select from the located symbols those you would most like to trade. You may utilize remote filters solely to locate symbols, or you may use specific remote filters and their unique criteria as elements in creating unique filters of your own. Additionally, you may customize remote filters to show only results from the NYSE, NASDAQ, or AMEX. For more information regarding FirstAlert's remote filtering capabilities, please contact Neovest's Account Services Center at (801) 375-6850.

Q: How does the “Must Also Be In Group” feature work?

A: FirstAlert's "Must Also Be In Group" feature in the "Properties For Remote Filter" box lets you select an additional group of symbols, which may be the located symbols of a separate remote filter or a group of symbols that you have previously created, to limit the number of displayed symbols from a particular remote filter. For example, if you selected and ran the "10DayChangeDn" remote filter and you wished to see if any of the located symbols matched the symbols in a personal group of symbols you created called "My20Stocks," then you would choose "My20Stocks" as the "Must Also Be In Group" selection. FirstAlert would then compare the 20 symbols in your personal group against the located symbols from the "10DayChangeDn" remote filter and display only those symbols that are common between the two. For more information regarding FirstAlert's remote filtering capabilities, please contact Neovest's Account Services Center at (801) 375-6850.

Q: How do I filter on the entire NYSE or NASDAQ?

A: FirstAlert does not allow you to filter on large groups of symbols like the NYSE or NASDAQ. However, you may filter on groups of stocks that are pre-installed in your FirstAlert system, such as the remote filter groups, or you may create custom groups of symbols. If you need assistance creating a large group of symbols, please contact Neovest's Account Services Center at (801) 375-6850.

Q: I am using a custom group of symbols saved in a GroupWatch window as an input group for a filter. After running the filter, I am not seeing any symbols appear in the filter window. I have checked the filter rules, and filter should have located some of the symbols in my input group. What am I doing wrong?

A: Whenever you use a custom group of symbols saved in a Groupwatch window as an input group for a filter, the GroupWatch window must be open to collect data on the symbols.

Q: Are there any GroupWatch windows in FirstAlert that do not need to be open to collect symbol data for filtering?

A: Yes. The "MyStocks" GroupWatch group of symbols will collect symbol data regardless if it is open or closed. If you wish to use this group for filtering, it does not need to be open for your filter(s) to work correctly.

Q: What is the maximum number of symbols a remote filter will locate and display in a Remote Filter window?

A: The number of located symbols you may see in a Remote Filter window after you have run a particular remote filter depends on how restrictive the remote filter's criteria are and how active the market is on any given day. The maximum number of symbols that a Remote Filter window may display at one time is 150. You may increase the number of symbols that you may view in a Remote Filter window via the properties of the Remoter Filter window. If you increase the number of symbols that you may view and you are still only seeing a fraction of the maximum number that you entered, then the remote filter you are currently running may be restricted by its criteria.

Q: Do you have any sector groups like the Dow Jones Industrial inside your system?

A: Yes, you may access FirstAlert's available list of sector groups filters by clicking Open | Remote Filter in your FirstAlert system.



Once the "Select Remote Filter" box appears, click on "S" in the list of remote filters. All of FirstAlert's sector groups will appear with an "S_" prefix. For example, "S_DJI_X." If you would like information on each available sector, check the "Remote Filter Description" box. Once you check the "Remote Filter Description" box, a separate window will appear with a description of the sector group. Once the "Remote Filter Description" box is checked, you may click on any other sector group to view its description.

Q: Why are some of my symbols not updating with current data?

A: If some of your symbols are not updating with real-time data, you may be experiencing one of three problems:

  1. You are not subscribed to the exchange(s) upon which the symbols are trading. FirstAlert is designed to be initially subscribed to major stock exchanges like the NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ. There are exchanges such as the CME, CBOT, and OPRA that require exchange fees and are not enabled unless a user requests them. For instance, if you attempt to obtain quotes on S&P 500 futures, you would need the CME exchange enabled. If you would like to request additional subscriptions to additional exchanges, please contact Neovest's Account Services Center at (801) 375-6850.
  2. You have exceeded your 1000 symbol limit. FirstAlert limits the number of symbols on which you may receive symbol data to 1000. If you wish to view the number of symbols to which you are subscribed, click Open | GroupWatch in your FirstAlert system.
    Once the "GroupWatch" box appears, double-click on Subscribed GroupWatch in the list. This group will display the number of the symbols to which you are currently subscribed or to which you are currently trying to subscribe. If the number exceeds 1000, this is likely the cause of your stopped or non-updating quotes, and you will need to enter a number that is less than 1000.
  3. You have lost connectivity to the Internet. Any data that is broadcast over the Internet is subject to outages or temporary interruptions. If you are experiencing an Internet outage, FirstAlert is not enabled to receive quotes. This symptom would most likely result in a complete stoppage of quotes and would not be limited to a few symbols.

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