[thetatrader]

Does anyone have a good template for Microsoft Excel to keep a trading Journal.
I would like to start using excel to keep track of my trades but am having trouble setting up a good template. So hopefully someone might want to share their template or ideas.

Thanks

[Bear Mtn.]

I have an Excel book which I've created to record each trade (Date/Time/Market/Setup/LongShort/EntryPrice/Stop/Stake/ProfitLoss) then columns for Trade Management (moves to stops limits, etc), comments and various other stats - for every trade. This means I can also keep track of 'paper' trades and cash ones, whilst keeping results separate.

I then have a further sheet to summarize each traded day and then a 3rd one to summarise weeks. Keeping paper / cash separate also helps to establish how well I'm 'converting' setups into real trades when everything gets summarized.

I have the whole thing automated to do the summaries etc once I put in the basics of each trade and I find it very helpful to keep track of everything. This may not be what you are after (you may want more emphasis on written info and descriptions of trades and days rather than strict record keeping) but thinking through and drafting something like the above could be a good starting point for you...

[Tams]

most brokers have export function in their software...
you can export the trades directly into your Excel.

[sevensa]

Originally Posted by Bear Mtn. »

I have an Excel book which I've created to record each trade (Date/Time/Market/Setup/LongShort/EntryPrice/Stop/Stake/ProfitLoss) then columns for Trade Management (moves to stops limits, etc), comments and various other stats - for every trade. This means I can also keep track of 'paper' trades and cash ones, whilst keeping results separate.

I then have a further sheet to summarize each traded day and then a 3rd one to summarise weeks. Keeping paper / cash separate also helps to establish how well I'm 'converting' setups into real trades when everything gets summarized.

I have the whole thing automated to do the summaries etc once I put in the basics of each trade and I find it very helpful to keep track of everything. This may not be what you are after (you may want more emphasis on written info and descriptions of trades and days rather than strict record keeping) but thinking through and drafting something like the above could be a good starting point for you...

Would you be willing to share this? I have something more basic, but is not clever enough with Excel to automate everything and is doing everything by hand, which is kind of a pain to do.

[Bear Mtn.]

Sure, send me a message with your email address and I'll send a blank copy over... (that goes for anyone who wants it, though I'm sure plenty people are already working with better)

[jgreen]

Can you please post an attachment of your excel workesheet since I cant send you a message

[Bear Mtn.]

Template attached.

Hope it makes sense to everyone with a bit of playing around - just make sure to continue the formulas as you fill it in and everything should run smoothly. I just put 2 fictional trades on the tradesheet (one 'paper' one 'live') to give you an idea of how I personally fill it out.

Also, I have a few beta things going on on my own version but if anyone else has ideas on stats / info they'd like to add or see calculated then lets hear them! I'm no Excel expert but always happy to try and create solutions...

[thetatrader]

Thanks Bear,

I Think this will do fine. I will plug in some data that I have been keeping, over the weekend. If I need help adding any formulas I will post them.
I know a lot of software has back testing ext. but I would have thought more people would have responded or wanted a good excel template for their live or demo accounts. I guess its that 90% thing. Oh I mean 10% do 90% of the work thing.