---
title: "How do I model group-level targets in the Rebalance dashboard?"
slug: "how-do-i-create-a-placeholder-instrument-for-reference-portfolios"
updated: 2025-10-10T11:36:51Z
published: 2025-10-10T11:36:51Z
canonical: "support.lusid.com/how-do-i-create-a-placeholder-instrument-for-reference-portfolios"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.lusid.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How do I model group-level targets in the Rebalance dashboard?

In the [Rebalance dashboard](/v1/docs/configuring-rebalancing-use-cases-in-the-rebalance-dashboard) you can designate a [reference portfolio](/v1/docs/what-is-a-reference-portfolio) instrument as a *placeholder* to represent a group-level model or benchmark weighting. This allows you to model group-level targets, for example 10% equities, using a reference portfolio instead of instrument-level targets.

Placeholder instruments contribute to group-level values, but are hidden from the dashboard itself.

To create or update placeholder instruments in your LUSID domain:

1. Sign in to the [LUSID web app](https://www.lusid.com/app) as a user with suitable permissions.
2. From the top left menu, navigate to **Data Management > Properties**.
3. Locate the property type with **Scope** `Override` and **Code** `IsPlaceholder`, and click **Edit**.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> There are two different *placeholder* property types:
> 
> - `Instrument/system/IsPlaceholder` - a derived property type used by the Rebalance dashboard; you cannot modify this property type.
> - `Instrument/Override/IsPlaceholder` - you can edit the derivation formula of this property type to define how LUSID designates placeholder instruments.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/d575ad81-c0ed-4980-bbd1-d59ac5c3de82/Images/Documentation/image(935).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-09T06%3A00%3A26Z&se=2026-11-09T07%3A00%3A26Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=k%2BKvJ2rCp4XT94BEuUSCxxulrTWKWhT5N732bZDLRS0%3D)
4. Specify a [derivation formula](/v1/docs/derivation-formulas-part-1-operations-and-allowed-values) for the instruments you wish to designate as placeholders. For example, you might specify the following formula to designate a particular [LUID](/v1/docs/what-is-a-lusid-instrument-id-or-luid) as a placeholder:

```plaintext
if (Identifiers[LusidInstrumentId] eq 'LUID_00003DT9') then true else null
```

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> To designate a group of instruments as placeholders, for example instruments you decorate with the property `Instrument/Finbourne-Examples/AssetClass`, you might use a formula such as the following:
> 
> ```plaintext
> if(properties[Instrument/Finbourne-Examples/AssetClass] eq 'Placeholder') then true else null
> ```
> 
> You must ensure your instrument data is appropriately populated to suit your formula.
> 
> Alternatively, you can choose to delete the derived property, and instead create a standard boolean property that you can decorate onto designated instruments; [see how](/v1/docs/how-do-i-replace-a-derived-property-type-with-a-standard-property-type-for-rebalance-configuration).

![](https://cdn.document360.io/d575ad81-c0ed-4980-bbd1-d59ac5c3de82/Images/Documentation/image(936).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-09T06%3A00%3A26Z&se=2026-11-09T07%3A00%3A26Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=k%2BKvJ2rCp4XT94BEuUSCxxulrTWKWhT5N732bZDLRS0%3D)
5. Click **Save changes**.

Once configured with the formula above, the instrument doesn’t appear in the Rebalance dashboard but *does* contribute to the model group-level values, such as **Model Weight**. For example, if you designate a reference portfolio constituent as a placeholder instrument named `Equities` with 60% weight:

- Model columns include the placeholder value in their group-level values.
- The Rebalance dashboard does not display a row for the instrument.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/d575ad81-c0ed-4980-bbd1-d59ac5c3de82/Images/Documentation/image(942).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-09T06%3A00%3A26Z&se=2026-11-09T07%3A00%3A26Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=k%2BKvJ2rCp4XT94BEuUSCxxulrTWKWhT5N732bZDLRS0%3D)

An instrument mastered in LUSID represents a financial asset you own or have exposure to. LUSID enables you to model a wide range of securities using instrument types.