Guides

Welcome to the CandleLog guides section. These step-by-step tutorials help you get the most out of your trading journal, from initial setup to advanced workflows.

Getting Started

Setting Up Your First Strategy

New to CandleLog? This guide walks you through creating your first trading strategy from scratch or importing from a template. You'll learn how to:

• Create a trading account
• Build a strategy with rules
• Log your first trade
• Assign trades to strategies
• Review performance metrics

Core Workflows

Daily Trading Journal Routine

A recommended daily workflow:

1. Before Market Open

   • Review your strategy rules
   • Check economic calendar
   • Set alerts for your setups

2. During Market Hours

   • Execute trades according to your rules
   • Take screenshots of setups
   • Note your emotional state

3. After Market Close

   • Log all trades (manual or CSV import)
   • Add notes and screenshots
   • Assign to strategies
   • Log any missed trades

4. Evening Review

   • Review today's performance
   • Update strategy notes
   • Prepare for tomorrow

Weekly Performance Review

Schedule 30-60 minutes weekly:

1. Metrics Review

   • Check Net P&L for the week
   • Review Win Rate trend
   • Examine Rules Followed Rate

2. Trade Analysis

   • Review largest winner and loser
   • Check rule compliance patterns
   • Identify common mistakes

3. Missed Trades Review

   • Count missed opportunities
   • Calculate potential P&L left behind
   • Identify execution improvement areas

4. Strategy Refinement

   • Update rules based on findings
   • Document changes in notes
   • Set goals for next week

Monthly Strategy Audit

Monthly deep dive:

1. Comprehensive Metrics

   • Month-over-month P&L comparison
   • Profit Factor trends
   • Expectancy changes

2. Rule Effectiveness

   • Which rules correlate with wins?
   • Which rules are being skipped?
   • Are any rules obsolete?

3. Strategy Evolution

   • Review strategy notes history
   • Document major changes
   • Plan next month's focus

Feature-Specific Guides

CSV Import Workflow

1. Export from your broker
2. Upload to CandleLog
3. Verify format detection
4. Adjust timezone if needed
5. Preview and confirm
6. Import trades

Learn more about importing

Strategy Template Usage

1. Browse available templates
2. Preview template rules
3. Import to your account
4. Customize rules to your style
5. Trade and track compliance

Learn more about templates

Sharing Strategies

1. Open strategy settings
2. Enable public visibility
3. Generate share link
4. Send to other traders
5. They can view and import

Learn more about strategies

Best Practices

Consistency Over Perfection

• Log every trade, even small ones
• Don't skip days
• Imperfect data beats no data

Honest Documentation

• Record true reasons for actions
• Note your emotional state
• Document mistakes without judgment

Regular Review

• Daily: Quick trade logging
• Weekly: Performance review
• Monthly: Strategy audit

Continuous Improvement

• Make small rule adjustments
• Test changes over 20+ trades
• Document what works

Quick Tips

Trade Logging

• Add notes immediately after trades
• Include your thought process
• Attach screenshots when possible

Strategy Rules

• Start with fewer rules (5-10)
• Add complexity gradually
• Be specific, not vague

Performance Review

• Focus on trends, not single trades
• Compare metrics over time
• Look for patterns in data

Missed Trades

• Log them same day
• Be honest about reasons
• Use them for improvement

Troubleshooting

Trades Not Showing

• Check date range filters
• Verify trading account selection
• Confirm trade status (OPEN vs CLOSED)

Metrics Seem Wrong

• Ensure trades have P&L values
• Check trades are CLOSED status
• Verify date range includes all trades

Import Issues

• Verify broker format
• Check CSV structure
• Try downloading template

Next Steps

Start with the Setting Up Your First Strategy guide to build your foundation, then explore other features as you become comfortable with the basics.