Trader's Log

[ant]

Thought I'd share a basic Excel spreadsheet for tracking trades and trading performance (created on Microsoft Excel 2002). This is intended to serve as a starting point for a Trader's Log and can be modified to suit a trader's needs. My goal was to keep it as simple as possible so that this part of a trader's job does not turn out to be too onerous. Note that there is a lot of room for improvement. For example, this log assumes that trades are opened/closed on the same day and it does not track all expenses, such as the cost of trading platform(s), computing needs, etc. I expect this log to evolve over time.

Trader's Log Worksheets:

1. Trades - Enter the details for each trade. The data entry for each trade is done in this worksheet.
2. Trade Analysis - Calculates the trader;s performance fo all, long, and short trades. No data entry required.
3. Account Summary - Summarizes the trader's monthly performance. The initial balance can be entered.
4. Monthly P&L - Charts the traders performance from the Account Summary worksheet.
5. Performance Summary - Provides additional details on monthly performance.
6. Strategy P&L - For traders that trade different strategies, this worksheets tracks the performance of each strategy.

Thought we could use this thread for discussing how traders handle this important part of trading and to get other ideas. Hope this is helpful to some.

P.S. Some of the worksheets have been protected to avoid making changes inadvertently to it. To unprotect the worksheet, click on Tools > Protection > Unprotect Sheet...

[Reaver]

Ant,

NICE! Thanks that is very neat. I suck at Excel, and was looking for something simple to help keep errors down from manually listing and calculating stats. Thanks man....

[fatdog1]

	Quote:	ant
	Thought I'd share a basic Excel spreadsheet for tracking trades and trading performance (created on Microsoft Excel 2002). This is intended to serve as a starting point for a Trader's Log and can be modified to suit a trader's needs. My goal was to keep it as simple as possible so that this part of a trader's job does not turn out to be too onerous. Note that there is a lot of room for improvement. For example, this log assumes that trades are opened/closed on the same day and it does not track all expenses, such as the cost of trading platform(s), computing needs, etc. I expect this log to evolve over time. Trader's Log Worksheets: Trades - Enter the details for each trade. The data entry for each trade is done in this worksheet. Trade Analysis - Calculates the trader;s performance fo all, long, and short trades. No data entry required. Account Summary - Summarizes the trader's monthly performance. The initial balance can be entered. Monthly P&L - Charts the traders performance from the Account Summary worksheet. Performance Summary - Provides additional details on monthly performance. Strategy P&L - For traders that trade different strategies, this worksheets tracks the performance of each strategy. Thought we could use this thread for discussing how traders handle this important part of trading and to get other ideas. Hope this is helpful to some. P.S. Some of the worksheets have been protected to avoid making changes inadvertently to it. To unprotect the worksheet, click on Tools > Protection > Unprotect Sheet...

Thanks Ant. I would suggest to anyone that does not use MS Excel that the free Sun Microsystems OpenOffice.Org program works well for me.
OpenOffice.org: Home

FD1

[fatdog1]

I am looking at the 180 minute @YM chart for today.
I am going to post the screen shot of the chart below.
There is going to be a economoc release later this morning which will complete this pattern one way or another. I have adapted the method that Stan Weinstein wrote about in his book Secrets For Profiting in Bull or Bear Markets.
In the book, Mr. Weinstein describes the 4 stages of the market.
Here is a screen shot of the 4 stages. In the book, Mr. Weinstein briefly mentions buying and shorting pullbacks to the breakout and breakdown areas, and the possibility of a continuation patterns.

That is the picture on the 180 @YM chart for today. There is a stage 1 or stage 3 trading range between 12,500 and 12,512. It will be a stage 1 if the Dow rallies past 512 and the 180 candle closes above 512. It will be a stage 3 if the Dow declines below 503 and the 180 candle closes below 503. The current candle closes at 6:15 Central and the economic data is released at 7:30 AM Central, so that will be the candle where the action takes place.
Even if the news is good, the party ends at 12,545 until the area of supply between 12,545 and 12,566 is absorbed. If there is a decline after a rally, the 12,512 area will produce a bounce the first time it is revisited, and my range for today is 12,512 to 12,545. If there is a decline and no rally, the 12,472 area may produce a bounce if it holds as the trading range bottom on a daily chart between 12472 and the old high, or the next area for a bounce is down near 12,437. On a daily chart, a push down to that area could be a long tail on today's chart if we close back near 12,475.
That's my contribution to the @YM group for today. Using the Market Profile
in addition to this information and the tape will be interesting to watch as to the possibility of range extension, failed breakouts, ect.
I would love to be able to code it and lay it on top of the Market Profile lines that Ant coded for you.
Merry Christmas,
FD1