> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.scaleconnect.com.au/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.scaleconnect.com.au/scaleconnect-docs/support/faqs.md).
# FAQs
Quick answers to the most common questions about ScaleConnect, grouped by topic. Each answer links to the relevant documentation page for more detail.
***
## Getting Started
How do I add my first client?
Go to the **Add Clients** page from the sidebar. You have three options: create a client manually by filling in their profile, bulk-import your loan book from a CSV, or share an invite link so clients can connect via ScaleApp on their own. The fastest path for existing ScaleApp users is to link them by phone number — their portfolio data comes across automatically. See [Add Your Clients](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/add-your-clients.md) for a full walkthrough.
What's the difference between adding an existing client and inviting a new one?
**Add existing ScaleApp user** links a client who already has a ScaleApp account. You enter their mobile number and their profile, properties, and financial data import automatically. **Invite new client** creates a strategy from scratch — you walk through the full builder (profile, properties, goals, automations) manually. Use the first option when the client already uses ScaleApp; use the second when they're brand new.
How do I invite team members?
Navigate to **Settings → Team** and click **Invite Member**. Enter their email address, assign a role, and send the invite. They'll receive an email with a link to join your practice. Each team member gets their own login and can access the clients and strategies you share with them. See [Invite Your Team](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/invite-your-team.md).
How do I connect Google Calendar?
Go to **Settings → Integrations** and click the Google Calendar card. You'll be prompted to sign in with your Google account and grant ScaleConnect permission to read and write calendar events. Once connected, the sync is two-way — meetings booked in ScaleConnect appear on your Google Calendar, and vice versa. See [Google Calendar](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/google-calendar.md).
How do I set up automations for a client?
Automations are configured in the final step of the strategy builder, or from the client's strategy view under **Edit → Automations**. You choose a review frequency, set a meeting trigger based on a financial metric (e.g. LVR threshold, equity milestone), define lead time, and pick an action (auto-book or notify). See [Set Up Your Automations](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/set-up-your-automations.md).
***
## Simulator
What is a strategy?
A strategy is the core unit of simulation. It combines a client's personal profile, properties, loans, events, assumptions, and goals into a single projection of their financial position over time. Every client starts with a **Base Case** (their current reality), and you clone it to explore alternatives like refinancing, buying another property, or changing rates. See [Strategies](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/strategies.md).
How do I clone and compare strategies?
Open a client's strategy and click the **Clone** icon on the strategy card (or from the Simulator home page). Choose whether the clone is for you (private modelling) or for the client (shared). Once cloned, open either strategy and click the **Compare** button (arrows icon) in the top-right corner to select strategies for a side-by-side comparison. See [Compare Strategies](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/clone-and-compare.md).
How do I add a property to a strategy?
Inside the strategy builder (Edit → Properties), click **Add Property**. Search for an address using the PropTrack-powered search bar — it auto-fills location, specs, and land value. Then complete purchase details, ownership, acquisition costs, cashflows, loan details, and growth assumptions. You can also load a property template to pre-fill realistic defaults. See [Adding Properties](/scaleconnect-docs/simulator/adding-properties.md).
I'm getting a "search and select" error when adding a property. What do I do?
This usually means the PropTrack address lookup couldn't find a match. Try entering a more specific address (include unit number, street type, and postcode). If the property is very new or off-plan, it may not be in PropTrack's database yet — in that case, use manual entry to fill in the details yourself.
How do templates work?
Templates pre-fill forms with realistic defaults so you don't start from scratch. Property templates set up common scenarios (first home, investment, construction). Inside the strategy builder, click **Use Templates** to browse and apply them. You still need to enter the specific address and adjust values for your client. See [Templates](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/templates.md).
How does joint ownership work in the simulator?
When a client has a partner, you can toggle **Partner** on in the Client Profile step. This creates a joint strategy that combines both incomes, expenses, and tax positions. Properties can be held as Joint Tenants (equal split) or Tenants in Common (custom split). The ownership structure affects how rental income, capital gains, and tax deductions are allocated. See [Ownership Structures](/scaleconnect-docs/simulator/adding-properties.md).
***
## Events & Assumptions
What's the difference between an assumption and an event?
**Assumptions** are ongoing baseline values that run as continuous rows across the timeline — salary, living expenses, HECS balance, occupancy rate. They represent the default state. **Events** are one-off or scheduled changes placed at a specific point in time — a bonus payment, a rate change, a property sale. Assumptions set the baseline; events modify it. See [Personal Events](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/personal-events-1.md) and [Property Events](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/property-events-1.md).
What property events can I add?
Ten property event types are available: Add Loan, Refinance, Construction Loan, Rate Change, Sell, Move House, Renovation, Partial Rental, Granny Flat, and Land Tax Override. Each event modifies the property's cashflow and equity projections from the month it occurs. See [Property Events](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/property-events-1.md) for field-by-field details on each type.
What personal events can I add?
Personal events fall into two categories. **Assumptions** (9 types): Gross Annual Salary, Living Expenses, HECS/HELP Loan, Side Hustle Income, Recurring Bonuses, Dependants, Personal Loans, PAYG Tax, and Misc Investment Cashflows. **Timeline events** (6 types): Bonus/Commission, One-Off Expense, Capital Gain/Loss, Personal Loan, Car Loan, and Offset Loans. See [Personal Events](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/personal-events-1.md).
What does the occupancy rate default to?
Occupancy defaults to approximately 90% for investment properties. This means the simulation assumes the property is tenanted for roughly 47 weeks of the year, accounting for vacancy between leases. You can override this by adjusting the occupancy rate in the property's cashflow settings during the strategy builder.
What is a deemed acquisition?
A deemed acquisition is when a property is treated as if it were acquired at its current market value at a specific point in time, rather than its original purchase price. This is used in scenarios like converting a main residence to an investment property — the CGT cost base resets to the market value at the date of conversion, rather than what you originally paid.
How do I model a rate change?
On the property's timeline, click the **+** button at the month you want the rate change to take effect, then select **Rate Change**. Enter the new interest rate and choose whether it applies to one loan or all loans on that property. The simulation recalculates interest costs from that month forward. See [Property Events](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/property-events-1.md).
***
## Cashflows & Projections
How are cashflows calculated?
The simulator projects cashflows across three layers. **Personal cashflows** track salary, living expenses, tax, HECS repayments, and personal debts. **Property cashflows** track rental income, operating costs, loan repayments, and tax benefits for each property. **Portfolio cashflows** combine both layers into a full financial trajectory. Each event and assumption feeds into these calculations, and the entire projection recalculates whenever you make a change. See [Cash Flow Projections](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/cash-flow-projections.md).
What is negative gearing and how does the simulator handle it?
Negative gearing occurs when the costs of owning an investment property (loan interest, operating costs, depreciation) exceed the rental income it generates. The resulting loss can be offset against the client's taxable income, reducing their tax bill. The simulator models this automatically — when a property is negatively geared, the tax benefit flows through to the personal cashflow as a reduction in tax payable.
What does "Equity Available at 80% LVR" mean?
This is the usable equity a client could access without exceeding an 80% loan-to-value ratio. The formula is: **(Property Value × 0.80) − Outstanding Loan Balance**. If the result is positive, the client has equity they could potentially use as a deposit for another property or other purposes — without triggering Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). The simulator shows this figure on the Overview tab and in the Cashflows view.
Does "cash savings" include the offset account?
Yes. In the simulator, cash savings includes all liquid funds available to the client, including offset account balances. The offset reduces the interest charged on the linked loan (since interest is only calculated on the loan balance minus the offset), and the full balance is counted towards the client's available cash position.
How do I read the charts?
The Charts tab shows six visual projections: Portfolio Value by Property, Debt vs Equity, Pre- vs Post-Investment Cashflow, Who's Paying (you / tenant / taxman), Operating Cashflow, and Cash & Wealth Impact. Use the time range filter to view 5 to 30 years. Hover over any data point for exact figures. When comparing strategies, charts overlay both scenarios for easy visual comparison. See [Charts & Reports](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/charts-and-reports.md).
***
## AI Features
What is Broker Brain?
Broker Brain is ScaleConnect's AI assistant for brokers. It has full context on your clients, strategies, and portfolio data. You can ask it natural-language questions like "Which of my clients could refinance right now?" or "What's the tax impact if Client X buys an IP in 2026?" Broker Brain draws on the simulation engine and your client data to give you answers with supporting numbers. See [Broker Brain](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/broker-brain.md).
What is Ask AI?
Ask AI is the conversational AI interface available in two modes. **Broker Brain** is the broker-facing assistant with access to your full client book and practice data. **Client Assistant** is the client-facing mode inside ScaleApp — it answers the client's questions about their own strategy and portfolio. Both modes are powered by the same AI engine but scoped to the appropriate data. See [Ask AI](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/product-docs/scaleconnect-docs/scaleai/ask-ai.md).
What are AI Reviews?
AI Reviews are automated portfolio assessments generated by ScaleAI at the frequency you configure (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Each review analyses the client's portfolio performance, loan competitiveness, cashflow position, rate sensitivity, tax optimisation, wealth trajectory, borrowing power, market opportunities, and goals alignment. Reviews can trigger meeting suggestions when configured with automations. See [AI Reviews](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/ai-reviews.md).
What data does the AI use?
ScaleAI uses the client's strategy data (profile, properties, loans, events, assumptions, goals), simulation outputs (cashflows, projections, charts), and your practice data (client list, strategy history). For Broker Brain, it also has access to your full client book for cross-portfolio queries. AI chat messages are processed via OpenAI — see [Data & Privacy](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/data-and-privacy.md) for details on third-party data sharing.
How do AI credits work?
Each 100-client block includes 1,000 AI credits per month. Credits are consumed by AI chat messages, AI Reviews, and Calendar Agent actions. If you run out of credits mid-month, AI features are paused until the next billing cycle — your data and strategies are unaffected. You can add more credits by adding another 100-client block. See [Pricing & Policy](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/pricing-and-policy.md).
What is the Calendar Agent?
The Calendar Agent is an AI-powered scheduling assistant that monitors your client triggers and automatically manages meeting bookings. When a trigger fires (e.g. a client's LVR crosses a threshold), the Calendar Agent can auto-book a meeting on your Google Calendar and notify the client, or simply alert you to follow up manually. See [Calendar Agent](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/calendar-agent.md).
***
## Integrations
What integrations are available?
ScaleConnect integrates with Google Calendar (two-way sync), Google Meet (video links on meetings), Granola (meeting notes), Zapier (workflow automation), Microsoft Dynamics (CRM sync), Slack (notifications), and offers an Open API and MCP server for custom integrations. See the [Integrations](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/google-calendar.md) section for setup guides on each.
How do I disconnect an integration?
Go to **Settings → Integrations**, find the integration card, and click **Disconnect**. This revokes ScaleConnect's access to that service. Any data already synced remains in ScaleConnect, but no further data will be exchanged until you reconnect.
Is Google Calendar sync two-way?
Yes. Once connected, meetings created in ScaleConnect appear on your Google Calendar, and meetings created on your Google Calendar (that match your configured criteria) appear in ScaleConnect. Changes to meeting times, cancellations, and reschedules sync in both directions. See [Google Calendar](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/google-calendar.md).
How is my integration data kept secure?
All integration connections use OAuth 2.0 or API key authentication with encrypted storage. Data in transit is protected by TLS encryption. ScaleConnect only requests the minimum permissions required for each integration (e.g. calendar read/write for Google Calendar). You can revoke access at any time from Settings → Integrations. See [Data Security](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/data-security.md) for full security details.
***
## Billing & Account
How much does ScaleConnect cost?
ScaleConnect is priced at **$100 per month per 100-client block**, which works out to $1 per client per month. You scale in 100-client increments — so 200 clients costs $200/month, 300 clients costs $300/month, and so on. Each block includes full access to the simulator, client management, team collaboration, AI features, and 1,000 AI credits. See [Pricing & Policy](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/pricing-and-policy.md).
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Every new account starts with a **90-day free trial** on the first 100-client block. You get full access to all features during the trial — simulator, AI, integrations, team collaboration. No credit card is required to start. At the end of 90 days, you'll be prompted to enter billing details to continue.
How do I add more clients beyond 100?
Go to **Settings → Billing** and click **Manage Subscription** to open the Stripe Customer Portal. From there, add another 100-client block to your plan. Each additional block costs $100/month and includes another 1,000 AI credits. The change takes effect immediately.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Open **Settings → Billing** and click **Manage Subscription** to access the Stripe Customer Portal. From there, select **Cancel Subscription**. Your account remains active until the end of the current billing period. After cancellation, you can still view your data in read-only mode, but you cannot create new strategies or use AI features.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Your data is retained after cancellation. Client profiles, strategies, and simulation data remain stored securely. You can reactivate your subscription at any time to regain full access. If you want your data permanently deleted, contact support with a deletion request — see [Data & Privacy](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/help-centre/data-and-privacy.md) for details.
***
## Troubleshooting
"Client information is missing" — what does this mean?
This error appears when a required field in the client profile is incomplete. The most common causes are a missing date of birth, missing salary, or missing living expenses. Open the client's strategy, click **Edit**, and check the Client Profile step for any empty required fields. Fill in the missing data and save.
"No strategy found" — why am I seeing this?
This means the client doesn't have a Base Case strategy yet. This can happen if the client was imported via CSV but the strategy builder wasn't completed, or if there was an error during onboarding. Go to the client's profile and click **Create Strategy** to walk through the builder. If the issue persists, try refreshing the page and checking your internet connection.
"Authentication required" — how do I fix this?
Your session has expired or you've been logged out. Click the notification to return to the login screen and sign in again. If you're seeing this repeatedly, clear your browser cookies for ScaleConnect and try again. If the problem continues, check that your account hasn't been deactivated by your team admin.
"Failed to save draft" — what should I do?
This typically indicates a network issue or a temporary server problem. Check your internet connection and try saving again. If the error persists, copy any unsaved data to a local note, refresh the page, and re-enter it. If you continue to see this error, contact support with the time it occurred and the client you were working on.
"Complete goal name first" — what does this mean?
The Goals step in the strategy builder requires a goal name before you can proceed. This validation fires when you try to move to the next step or save without naming the goal. Enter a descriptive name (e.g. "First Home Purchase" or "Second Investment Property") and the error will clear.
{% hint style="info" %}
Can't find your answer here? Use **Broker Brain** to ask questions about your clients and strategies in natural language, or contact support via the help widget in the bottom-right corner of ScaleConnect.
{% endhint %}
---
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