Why keep a trading journal
A journal turns trades into data. Without one, it is hard to know which setups actually pay, whether losses come from the strategy or from execution, or how your results change with the time of day. A simple, consistent log reviewed every week does more for most traders than another indicator.
How to use this template
The table works in your browser, with no account or download needed. Each row is one trade: date, symbol, direction, entry and exit price, size, profit or loss, the setup name and free-form notes. Add rows as you trade and remove mistakes with the cross. The summary updates as you type: number of trades, win rate, total P&L, average win and loss, and profit factor.
Your entries are saved in this browser only, in local storage — they are not sent to Edgoro or anyone else. Clearing your browser data deletes them, so use Export CSV regularly: the file opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers or LibreOffice for deeper analysis.
What to record
- Setup: use a short, fixed list of names ("London breakout", "pullback to 50%") so you can filter and compare later.
- P&L in money: enter the realised result after commission so the totals match your statement.
- Notes: what you saw, why you entered, how you managed the trade and how you felt. One honest sentence is enough.
Many traders also log the planned stop and target, the risk in R, a screenshot link and a grade for execution. Add those columns in your spreadsheet after exporting.
The summary formulas
win rate = winning trades ÷ trades with a P&L
total P&L = sum of all P&L values
profit factor = gross profit ÷ gross loss
average/trade = total P&L ÷ trades with a P&L
A trade with a P&L of exactly zero counts as a trade but not as a win.
Worked example
The template opens with three sample trades: a EUR/USD long that made $225, a gold short that lost $150 and a Nasdaq long that made $310. That is 2 wins from 3 trades — a 66.7% win rate — with a total P&L of $385 and a profit factor of 535 ÷ 150 ≈ 3.57. Replace them with your own trades.
After 50 or more entries, sort by setup and compare: one setup often carries most of the profit while another quietly loses. Feed each setup's numbers into the expectancy calculator to see what it is worth per trade.
Common mistakes
- Logging only the winners. A journal that skips bad trades confirms biases instead of revealing them.
- Writing it up later. Record each trade the same day, while you still remember the reasons.
- Never reviewing. Set a weekly time to read the log and write down one change you will make.
- Tracking too much. A journal you abandon after a week is worse than a short one you keep.