Trading Journal for Structured Review

What belongs in a trading journal?

Capture the instrument, direction, timezone, entry and exit time, size, initial risk and net result. Add a short setup tag and the condition that would invalidate the trade. These fields let you compare like-for-like trades instead of grouping every outcome into a single average.

Keep planned values separate from actual values. A revised stop is not the same as the initial risk, and a note written after the move is not the same as the original reasoning. Screenshots and concise notes help preserve that distinction.

Review process and outcome separately

Tag whether the entry, sizing and exit followed the written rules. A winning trade can violate the process, while a losing trade can follow it correctly. Compare both groups before changing a strategy. Use analytics to examine outcomes by setup and session, then return to the original notes to understand the context.

Avoid creating so many tags that every trade becomes its own category. Small groups can look exceptional by chance and are difficult to compare.

Start with a practical template

The trading journal template guide explains each field and includes a CSV download. Use it for simulated or historical exercises without uploading account credentials.

1. Record the plan before or at entry.
2. Add the actual exit and costs after the trade.
3. Mark rule adherence using consistent tags.
4. Review recurring errors and select one change to test in the next sample.

Questions about this topic