Getting Started Guide

This guide is a good place to start if you have never used Pathfinder before. You can start from the beginning or skip to the section you're interested in.

Getting started video

Add a case

Log in to Pathfinder https://app.optimopathfinder.com.au/
1. For more help logging in, see How to log in to Optimo Pathfinder
Make sure you are on the Home page (if not, click the Home link on the top right)
Make sure your personal details are up to date, so the results documents will be filled in with the correct details, too. For more see Update your profile.
Click the Add new case button:
1. If you have a subscription (paid or free trial), or you have just purchased a single case, it will add a case.
2. If you have no subscription or pre-paid cases, you will be directed to a payment page where you can choose to buy a single case or start a subscription (if you have never subscribed before, you will be eligible for a free trial), and then pay online with a credit card. After you have you paid, you can add cases with the Add new case button
Once you have created a case, you will be at the Start step (top menu) you can choose buttons to either:
1. Fill the case with sample data (for more, see How to use the sample data in Pathfinder); or
2. Start with a blank case (for more, see Entering Data in Pathfinder); or

Every time you finish entering data in a field it will be saved automatically
You can log out of the case and come back to it later

Learn some handy tips for new users

Become familiar with how to navigate in a case

Understanding the navigation will help you know where to enter your data and what unique features Pathfinder has that you might not be aware of.

See How to navigate in a case

Make sure you name your items clearly

See Tips for naming items in your case

Become familiar with the series builder

See How to use the series builder

The series builder is a blue sparkline

that lets you change values over time for some fields (e.g. interest rates, property values, income).

Any field that uses the series builder will have an arrow ▼ on the right of the field, which opens a pop-up with more options. Note that the sparkline chart is only for the first 10 years, so if you want to see more years, open the pop-up.

Befriend the Robot button

If you click the robot button, then you are using Pathfinder’s powerful optimiser, which can help you make a high quality strategy quickly.

For more, see What does the 'Robot' button mean?

Enter the case details and the first scenario

At the Current situation step, enter personal details and existing assets, liabilities, superannuation and insurance.

See Entering Data in Pathfinder

At the Cash flows & Goals step you can:

Add income and expenses
Add instructions for existing items (e.g. sell property)
Add proposed items (e.g. buy property, new insurance)
Add details for retirement (e.g. retirement date, super contributions)

For information on what data to enter at each step, see Entering Data in Pathfinder
For your first scenario, it is recommended to do a simple 'Surplus cash' scenario, which allows you to check your data entry and have a baseline of comparison for future scenarios. For more details, see How to run a 'surplus cash' scenario
More tips:
- Tips for creating scenarios (Cashflows & Goals step)
- Suggested approach for modelling a case in Pathfinder

Get your results for your first scenario

Solve to get your results	Go to the Solve sub-step (under the Results step), review your data and click the Start solve button. For more details, see How to solve a scenario to get results
Review your results	See How to read the websolve results
Download a document	How to download results into a document (Strategy Paper, SOA (Statement of Advice) Foundation document, Strategy Comparison)
(Optional - if doing a trial) Clear the sample data and start a case from scratch	See How to reset your sample case

(optional) Add more scenarios for comparison

(Optional) Make another scenario for comparison	How to make another scenario for comparison
Compare scenarios	See Compare step

(optional) Submit your case to the Strategy Development Service (SDS)

Submit your case to the SDS if your case is outside the scope of the standard modelling

For more information see Optimo Financial SDS