Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with Nagare in minutes. This guide covers everything you need to manage your portfolio, run forecasts, and create scenarios.

1. Getting Started

Sign Up

Visit nagare.com and choose a plan. We'll set up your organization within 24 hours and send you login credentials.

First Login

When you log in for the first time, you'll see an empty dashboard. Don't worry—we'll walk you through setting up your first fund.

Portfolio Configuration

Before adding funds, configure your portfolio settings:

  • Base Currency: The currency your funds use (e.g., USD)
  • Reporting Currency: The currency for reports (e.g., EUR if you report to European LPs)
  • Forecast Horizon: How many years to project (typically 10-15 years)

2. Key Concepts

Funds

A fund is any investment vehicle you track: PE funds, VC funds, real estate funds, credit funds, or even public market portfolios. Each fund has parameters (commitment, vintage year, expected return, etc.) that drive projections.

Actuals vs. Forecasts

Actuals: Real historical data from GP statements (capital calls, distributions, NAV). Always takes priority.

Forecasts: Projections for future quarters based on fund parameters and deployment curves.

Scenarios

A scenario is a "what-if" version of your portfolio. You can adjust assumptions (e.g., "assume 20% growth instead of 15%") and instantly see new projections without changing your baseline.

Snapshots

A snapshot captures the state of a calculation at a specific point in time. Use snapshots to compare "what we thought in Q3 2023" vs. "what we think now" for variance analysis.

3. Adding Funds

Click "Add Fund" and fill in the details:

Basic Info

  • Fund Name: "Sequoia Capital Fund XVIII"
  • Fund Type: Venture Capital, Growth Equity, Buyout, Real Estate, etc.
  • Vintage Year: The year the fund started investing (e.g., 2022)
  • Commitment: Your commitment amount (e.g., $50M)
  • Currency: USD, EUR, GBP, etc.

Forecast Parameters

  • Investment Period: How many years the fund deploys capital (typically 3-5 years)
  • Fund Life: Total fund duration (typically 10-12 years)
  • Expected TVPI: Target multiple (e.g., 2.5x = 150% net return)
  • Deployment Curve: How capital is called over time (linear, front-loaded, back-loaded)
  • Exit Curve: When distributions start (typically after year 3-4)

Pro Tip: Use Templates

If you don't have fund-specific parameters yet, use our industry templates (VC, Buyout, Real Estate, etc.) for reasonable defaults. You can always refine them later.

4. Uploading Actuals

Once you have funds, add actual historical data from GP statements. There are three ways to do this:

Option 1: Manual Entry

Click on a fund → "Add Transaction" → Enter capital calls, distributions, and NAV updates.

Best for: Small portfolios (<10 funds) or one-time data entry.

Option 2: CSV Upload

Export your existing spreadsheet as CSV → "Import Data" → Map columns → Upload.

Best for: Migrating from Excel or batch updates.

Option 3: AI Document Upload (Recommended)

Drag and drop GP statements (PDFs) → Our AI extracts capital calls, distributions, and NAV → Review and approve.

Best for: Regular quarterly updates (saves 95% of manual entry time).

Important: Actuals Override Forecasts

Once you upload actual data for a quarter, Nagare uses that instead of forecasts. This ensures your projections always start from real numbers.

5. Running Scenarios

Scenarios let you answer "what if?" questions without changing your baseline forecast.

Creating a Scenario

  1. Click "New Scenario"
  2. Give it a name (e.g., "Bear Case: 20% Slower Deployment")
  3. Choose which funds to include (or select "All Funds")
  4. Adjust assumptions:
    • Change expected returns (e.g., 15% → 12%)
    • Slow down deployment (e.g., stretch 3-year investment period to 4 years)
    • Delay exits (e.g., push exit curve back 2 quarters)
    • Adjust FX rates (e.g., "What if USD weakens 10%?")
  5. Click "Calculate" → Results appear in ~3 seconds

Example Use Cases

  • Liquidity Planning: "When do we hit peak capital calls?"
  • Downside Protection: "What if returns drop to 10th percentile?"
  • Pacing Analysis: "Can we commit to 3 new funds this year?"
  • Currency Risk: "What's our USD exposure if the dollar weakens?"

6. Monte Carlo Simulations

While scenarios test specific assumptions, Monte Carlo simulations test thousands of possible futures to give you a probability distribution of outcomes.

Running a Simulation

  1. Create a scenario (or use your baseline)
  2. Click "Run Monte Carlo"
  3. Configure:
    • Iterations: 1,000-10,000 (more = more accurate, but slower)
    • Variables to randomize: Returns, deployment timing, exit timing
    • Distribution type: Normal, lognormal, or beta
    • Correlations: Should funds move together or independently?
  4. Click "Simulate" → Results in ~30 seconds

Understanding Results

You'll see:

  • Percentiles: P10 (pessimistic), P50 (median), P90 (optimistic)
  • Distribution charts: Visual representation of possible outcomes
  • Confidence intervals: "80% chance portfolio TVPI is between 1.8x and 2.4x"
  • Downside risk: "5% chance of portfolio TVPI below 1.2x"

7. Variance Analysis

Variance analysis answers: "Why are we off track?"

How It Works

  1. Take a snapshot of your baseline forecast (e.g., "Q3 2023 Plan")
  2. As time passes, update actuals
  3. Compare current state vs. snapshot
  4. Nagare shows attribution:
    • Deployment variance: "We deployed $20M slower than planned"
    • Return variance: "Portfolio up 25% vs. 20% expected"
    • Exit variance: "3 more exits than expected"
    • FX variance: "USD weakened, adding $5M in reporting currency"

Why This Matters

Investment committees don't just want to know "we're behind plan"—they want to know why. Variance attribution gives you the narrative: "We're behind plan because deployment was slower, but returns are 20% higher, so we're actually in good shape."

8. AI Document Processing

Our AI can read GP capital statements and extract data automatically—no more copy-paste from PDFs.

How to Use It

  1. Go to "Documents" "Upload"
  2. Drag and drop GP statements (PDFs, Excel files)
  3. Nagare analyzes the document and extracts:
    • Capital calls
    • Distributions
    • NAV
    • Date ranges
    • Currency (if multi-currency fund)
  4. Review the extracted data (usually 99%+ accurate)
  5. Click "Approve" → Data is added to your fund

Strategic Value

AI document processing transforms quarterly data updates from a 40-hour manual project into 2 hours of review. More importantly, it ensures data accuracy and completeness for strategic decision-making across 30+ funds.

9. API Access

Nagare is API-first. Every feature in the UI is available via REST API for integration with your existing systems.

API Getting Started (Copy & Paste)

Generate a secret key in Settings → API Keys. Keys start with sk_...

Set environment variables
export API_URL="https://api.nagare.com/api/v1"
export API_KEY="sk_live_your_key_here"
1) Create a fund
curl -s -X POST "$API_URL/funds"   -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY"   -H "Content-Type: application/json"   -d '{
  "fundId": "FND-VC-2022-001",
  "name": "Sequoia Capital Fund XVIII",
  "parameters": {
    "fundType": "VENTURE_CAPITAL",
    "firmName": "Sequoia Capital",
    "fundName": "Fund XVIII",
    "currency": "USD",
    "vintageYear": 2022,
    "totalCommitment": 50000000,
    "durationYears": 12,
    "extensionYears": 2,
    "startDate": "2022-01-01",
    "expectedEndDate": "2036-12-31",
    "managementFeeCalledCapital": 0.015,
    "managementFeeHoldback": 0.02,
    "investmentLines": 15,
    "commitmentPeriodYears": 5,
    "distributionPeriodYears": 7,
    "targetGrossTVPI": 2.5,
    "hurdleRate": 0.08,
    "carriedInterest": 0.2,
    "deploymentCurve": {"year1":0.25,"year2":0.25,"year3":0.20,"year4":0.20,"year5":0.10},
    "exitCurve": {"shape":2.5,"scale":24,"exitVolatility":0.20}
  }
}'
2) Create a scenario and calculate
SCENARIO_ID=$(curl -s -X POST "$API_URL/scenarios"   -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY"   -H "Content-Type: application/json"   -d '{
  "name": "Baseline",
  "scenarioType": "CUSTOM",
  "isMainScenario": true,
  "fundIds": ["FND-VC-2022-001"]
}' | jq -r '.scenarioId')

curl -s -X POST "$API_URL/scenarios/$SCENARIO_ID/calculate"   -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY"
3) Fetch portfolio cashflow
curl -s "$API_URL/scenarios/$SCENARIO_ID/cashflow?period=quarter"   -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" | jq '.[:8]'
4) Run a fund analysis
curl -s -X POST "$API_URL/analysis/funds/FND-VC-2022-001"   -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY"   -H "Content-Type: application/json"   -d '{"includeDocuments": true}'

curl -s "$API_URL/analysis/funds/FND-VC-2022-001/reports/latest"   -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" | jq '{overallGrade, overallScore, analysisDate}'
TypeScript (Node/Next.js) example
const API_URL = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL ?? 'https://api.nagare.com/api/v1';
const API_KEY = process.env.NAGARE_API_KEY!; // set in .env.local

async function request(path: string, init: RequestInit = {}) {
  const res = await fetch(
    
    `${API_URL}${path}`,
    {
      ...init,
      headers: {
        'Authorization': `Bearer ${API_KEY}`,
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
        ...(init.headers || {}),
      },
      cache: 'no-store',
    }
  );
  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(await res.text());
  return res.json();
}

// 1) List funds
request('/funds').then(console.log);

// 2) Create a fund
request('/funds', {
  method: 'POST',
  body: JSON.stringify({
    fundId: 'FND-VC-2022-001',
    name: 'Sequoia Capital Fund XVIII',
    parameters: {
      fundType: 'VENTURE_CAPITAL',
      firmName: 'Sequoia Capital',
      fundName: 'Fund XVIII',
      currency: 'USD',
      vintageYear: 2022,
      totalCommitment: 50000000,
      durationYears: 12,
      extensionYears: 2,
      startDate: '2022-01-01',
      expectedEndDate: '2036-12-31',
      managementFeeCalledCapital: 0.015,
      managementFeeHoldback: 0.02,
      investmentLines: 15,
      commitmentPeriodYears: 5,
      distributionPeriodYears: 7,
      targetGrossTVPI: 2.5,
      hurdleRate: 0.08,
      carriedInterest: 0.2,
      deploymentCurve: {year1:0.25,year2:0.25,year3:0.20,year4:0.20,year5:0.10},
      exitCurve: {shape:2.5,scale:24,exitVolatility:0.20}
    }
  })
});

// 3) Create scenario then calculate
async function createAndCalculate() {
  const scenario = await request('/scenarios', {
    method: 'POST',
    body: JSON.stringify({ name: 'Baseline', scenarioType: 'CUSTOM', isMainScenario: true, fundIds: ['FND-VC-2022-001'] })
  });
  await request(`/scenarios/${scenario.scenarioId}/calculate`, { method: 'POST' });
  const cashflow = await request(`/scenarios/${scenario.scenarioId}/cashflow?period=quarter`);
  console.log(cashflow.slice(0, 8));
}
createAndCalculate();

Common API Use Cases

  • Automated reporting: Pull projections into Excel/PowerPoint for IC decks
  • Integration with accounting systems: Sync transactions with QuickBooks/Xero
  • Bulk scenario creation: Run 100+ scenarios programmatically
  • Webhooks: Get notified when new data arrives or calculations complete

Full API Documentation

See our complete API reference:

View API Documentation

10. Pro Tips

Start Simple, Add Complexity Later

Don't try to model every edge case on day one. Start with basic fund parameters, get comfortable with the platform, then refine assumptions as you learn what matters most for your portfolio.

Use Scenarios for IC Meetings

Before your next IC meeting, create 3 scenarios: Base Case, Bull Case, Bear Case. When someone asks "what if...?", you can answer in seconds instead of saying "I'll get back to you."

Snapshot Quarterly

At the start of each quarter, take a snapshot of your baseline forecast. This lets you track forecast drift and answer "how accurate were our Q1 predictions?" in Q4.

Trust the AI, But Verify

Our AI document extraction is 99%+ accurate, but always review extracted data before approving. It only takes 30 seconds per fund and catches the occasional edge case (like a GP using non-standard formatting).

Use Currency Hedging Scenarios

If you have significant FX exposure, create scenarios with ±10% currency movements. This helps you quantify FX risk and decide whether to hedge.

Need Help?

Our team is here to help you get the most out of Nagare.