---
title: "Key Concepts"
description: "You can export your algorithm's trading signals to a custom endpoint."
canonical: https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/live-trading/signal-exports/key-concepts
markdown: https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/live-trading/signal-exports/key-concepts.md
language: python
source: https://github.com/QuantConnect/Documentation/tree/master/03%20Writing%20Algorithms/40%20Live%20Trading/99%20Signal%20Exports/01%20Key%20Concepts
modified: 2026-10-29
index: https://www.quantconnect.com/llms.txt
---

# Key Concepts

[Documentation](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2.md) > [Writing Algorithms](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms.md) > [Live Trading](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/live-trading.md) > [Signal Exports](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/live-trading/signal-exports.md) > Key Concepts

> Code examples are shown in Python. Append `?lang=csharp` to this URL for the C# version of this page.

## Introduction

QuantConnect Signal Exports allows you to transmit the state of an algorithm's trading and portfolio positions to your fund or a third-party service. QuantConnect implements two signal services out of the box: [Collective2](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/live-trading/signal-exports/collective2.md) and [Numerai](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/live-trading/signal-exports/numerai.md). To send portfolio targets to your fund, you need to create a [custom](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/live-trading/signal-exports/key-concepts.md#04-Custom-Signal-Exports) Signal Export implementation.

## Add Providers

To export signals to a signal provider, during [initialization](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/initialization.md), add a signal export provider.

```python
self.signal_export.add_signal_export_provider(CustomSignalExport())
```

You can add multiple signal export providers to a single algorithm.

## Send Portfolio Targets

The signal export manager automatically sends signals when your portfolio holdings change to your fund or a third-party service. By default, it waits five seconds after an order is filled to aggregate all the state changes into a single post. Set the `automatic_export_time_span` property to change the waiting time.

```python
self.signal_export.automatic_export_time_span = timedelta(seconds=1)
```

To send targets that aren't based on your portfolio holdings, see [Manual Exports](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/live-trading/signal-exports/key-concepts.md#05-Manual-Exports).

To disable automatic exports, set the `automatic_export_time_span` property to `None`.

```python
self.signal_export.automatic_export_time_span = None
```

## Custom Signal Exports

Signal export providers must implement the `ISignalExportTarget` interface. Extensions of the `ISignalExportTarget` interface must define the `send` and the `dispose` methods.

The `send` receives a `SignalExportTargetParameters` object with a list of `PortfolioTarget` objects you can use to create the API request payload.

The `dispose` method is called when the algorithm is disposed. You can use this method to release unmanaged resources such as HTTP Clients.

```python
class CustomSignalExportExampleAlgorithm(QCAlgorithm):
    def initialize(self) -> None:
        # In the Initialize method, set the custom signal export provider
        self.add_equity("SPY")
        self.signal_export.add_signal_export_providers(CustomSignalExport())

    def on_data(self, slice: Slice) -> None:
        # Buy the SPY ETF when the algorithm is not invested
        if not self.portfolio.invested:
            self.set_holdings("SPY", 0.1)

# Define the custom signal export provider
from requests import post
class CustomSignalExport:
    def send(self, parameters: SignalExportTargetParameters) -> bool:
        # Create the request payload using the PortfolioTarget objects in the parameters
        # You can use the PortfolioTarget.Percent to calculate the target quantity
        # from the target percentage
        # The Tag property can be used to send additional information about the target
        # It's only available when you create the PortfolioTarget object with the tag parameter
        # See the Manual Exports documentation for more information
        targets = [PortfolioTarget.percent(parameters.algorithm, x.symbol, x.quantity, x.tag)
           for x in parameters.targets]
        data = [ {'symbol' : x.symbol.value, 'quantity': x.quantity, 'tag': x.tag} for x in targets ]

        # Send the request to your custom endpoint
        request_uri = "https://your-custom-endpoint.com/api/signal-export"
        response = post(request_uri, json = data)
        result = response.json()

        # Log the result of the request for debugging purposes
        success = result.get('success', False)
        parameters.algorithm.log(f"Send #{len(parameters.targets)} targets. Success: {success}")
        return success

    def dispose(self) -> None:
        pass
```

## Manual Exports

In some cases, you may need to send signals to your fund or a third-party manually. For example, the signal export manager sends signals after a fill event and you need to submit signals when the market is closed or your signals aren't based on your portfolio holdings.

To do this, pass a `PortfolioTarget` object or a list of `PortfolioTarget` objects to the `set_target_portfolio` method. The method returns a boolean that represents if the targets were successfully sent to its destination. In this situation, the number you pass to the `PortfolioTarget` constructor represents the portfolio weight. Don't use the `PortfolioTarget.percent` method.

```python
target = PortfolioTarget(self._symbol, weight, tag="My tag")
success = self.signal_export.set_target_portfolio(target)
```

If you use a margin account, you can send your current portfolio holdings by calling the `set_target_portfolio_from_portfolio` method.

```python
success = self.signal_export.set_target_portfolio_from_portfolio()
```