In the process of getting to know any new system, there’ll inevitably be some questions along the way.

The same goes for Platform Analyser, which is why we thought it’d be helpful to put the questions we get asked the most in one place (with the answers too, obviously).

We’ve split this into two sections depending on where you’re at with Analyser just now: the questions we get asked ahead of sign-up, and the ones we get asked by those who sign up and/or subscribe to premium Analyser access.

If you have a question that isn’t answered here, we’re always happy to help – you can contact us via the ‘get in touch’ button at the bottom of your screen within Analyser, or by email on support@langcatfinancial.com

So, to the questions…

Before sign-up

Where do I sign up for the seven-day free trial?

There’s a couple of routes to access the free trial, depending on where you’re starting from. The first is through the Platform Analyser log in page.

Click the ‘sign up’ button underneath where it says ‘Don’t have an account?’ Here you can create an account, where you’ll then be taken to the ‘choose package’ section. Choose the premium package, which includes the seven-day free trial. Follow the steps from there.

The second route is here, which you may come across if you started via the lang cat’s main website.

This section has a handy table which shows you everything you can get with a premium subscription, and what the free service gets you.

As and when you’re ready to give the free trial a go, click ‘7 day free trial’ underneath ‘ready to get started?’ Then follow the steps as above.

While we do ask for card details at this stage, there’s no obligation – just cancel within seven days if you find Analyser isn’t for you.

Where do I sign up for a premium subscription?

The process is pretty much the same as for the free trial – go to the Platform Analyser log in page, create an account and choose the premium package.

If you’ve already got a free account, you can upgrade to premium access by logging in, scrolling below the platform directory and clicking on any premium content (as shown by the padlock). If you can’t see a padlock, click ‘see more’ first.

When you click the padlocked content, a message will pop up. Select ‘go premium’ and follow the steps.

Can I use one set of login details for my whole firm?

Yes. For most small to medium-sized firms, one licence will be fine.

You can share logins, but only one user can be logged in at a time. We haven’t built firm-level licences where you can have multiple users with shared access to different things yet, but we will if subscribers tell us they want it.

I’m seeing a message about disposable email addresses. What does this mean?

When you go to create an account, you may have seen a message that says: “Sorry, we don’t allow signups from disposable email addresses. Please try a different email account.”

A disposable email address is one that isn’t tied to a company, such as Hotmail or Gmail. In this case, we need your work email address rather than a personal one.

It’s generally also better from a security perspective to use company email addresses for work purposes.

Can I pay by an alternative payment method?

Yes, but only where you’re taking out an annual subscription rather than choosing to pay monthly. Email us on support@langcatfinancial.com and we'll provide an invoice for payment.

After sign-up: Questions from users and premium subscribers

How do I upgrade from a free account to premium?

Log in to Platform Analyser, scroll to below the platform directory and click on any premium content (as shown by the padlock). If you can’t see a padlock, click ‘see more’ first.

When you click the padlocked content, a message will pop up. Select ‘go premium’ and follow the steps.

Can I get a copy of my invoice?

Of course. Both monthly and annual invoices are emailed to you as standard.

You can ask us for a copy of an invoice at any time using the 'get in touch' button.

How do I reset (i.e. change) my password?

Log in to Platform Analyser then navigate to ‘Account’ and ‘Account settings’ and click the ‘Change password’ link.

If you’ve forgotten your password, go to the Analyser log in page and click ‘Forgotten your password?’ button under the sign up button.

Do you provide ‘how to’ videos or demos?

Yes to both. For our how to video series, which covers an overview of the premium and free versions of Analyser, premium functionality and the price comparison engine, visit our resources section.

We also run free 45-minute live demos so you can see how Platform Analyser can help you and as a chance for you to ask any questions to the team behind the software.

To register for our next demo, email thelangcat@langcatfinancial.com.

How do I set up a custom pricing deal?

Once logged in, go to ‘my firm’ in the top menu and then ‘my pricing’. From here you can view, add, edit and archive pricing deals you’ve created.

The data initially held is the standard headline pricing published by the platform; we give you the ability to edit part of this.

If you find something you can’t edit which you need to amend, get in touch via support@langcatfinancial.com and we’ll do it for you. Pricing deals entered here will appear in both the comparisons you run and in your due diligence reports.

I have a pricing calculation question – what should I do?

Email us at support@langcatfinancial.com and we’ll look into the terms for you.

Is there a features list?

We don’t hold one, but this can be easily generated yourself within the Comparisons tab.

Can I ask for a feature be added to the Platform Directory?

Email us at support@langcatfinancial.com with your suggestion and as long as it's something platforms do, we'll do our best to add it. If there’s some reason why we can’t add your chosen feature, we’ll let you know.

When it comes to ad hoc switches within the due diligence journey, does the buy and sell trade count as one or two?

The buy/sell trades are separate transactions, so this should be added as two entries.

How do I cancel my subscription?

We believe an Analyser subscription packs in a whole lot of value. But if you’ve decided it’s not for you, that’s fair enough. Log in to Analyser, go to account, account settings, scroll to the bottom and select 'cancel subscription'. And if you change your mind, you know where we are.

Can I get a hard copy of State of the Platform Nation report?

Unfortunately not, we didn’t produce hard copies of State of the Platform Nation in 2020 due to Covid. The sames goes for our latest State of the Adviser Nation report - this will be available in PDF only.

As always, if you have any suggestions for features you'd like to see on Analyser, just let us know at support@langcatfinancial.com. There's also the 'get in touch' button which you can also use for any queries, suggestions or other general Analyser-related comments.