Trading journal guide
What to track in a trading journal
A trading journal is not a diary. It is a feedback system for finding patterns in your decisions, execution, and results.
Quick answer
Short version
Learn what to track in a trading journal, including entries, exits, setup tags, trade notes, execution mistakes, and performance metrics.
Quick takeaways
What this page covers
- 01A journal should capture facts, context, behavior, and outcome.
- 02Setup tags make strategy review possible.
- 03Behavior mistakes need separate tracking from normal losing trades.
- 04Candlune reduces journal friction by logging simulated replay trades automatically.
Workflow diagram
Trading journal guide flow
A quick visual pass through the core decisions before you try the workflow in replay.
- 01Start with the trade facts
Every journal needs the basics: market, date, timeframe, direction, entry, exit, stop-loss, take-profit, and final result. Without those fields, review becomes vague and emotional.
- 02Track the reason behind the trade
The most valuable journal field is usually the reason for entry. Was it a breakout, pullback, support bounce, liquidity sweep, trend continuation, or something else?
- 03Separate strategy losses from behavior mistakes
A good trade can lose and a bad trade can win. Your journal should make that distinction. Otherwise a lucky win teaches the wrong lesson, and a disciplined loss feels like failure.
- 04Review by pattern, not emotion
The dashboard view matters because individual trades are noisy. Review groups of trades by timeframe, setup, session, and day. Look for repeatable tendencies.
Start with the trade facts
Every journal needs the basics: market, date, timeframe, direction, entry, exit, stop-loss, take-profit, and final result. Without those fields, review becomes vague and emotional.
More detail
These facts should be captured as consistently as possible. If journaling depends on memory, the data will be incomplete exactly when you need it most.
Track the reason behind the trade
The most valuable journal field is usually the reason for entry. Was it a breakout, pullback, support bounce, liquidity sweep, trend continuation, or something else?
- Setup type.
- Market bias.
- Key level or zone.
- Confidence score.
- Whether the trade followed the plan.
More detail
Naming the setup lets you compare similar trades later. A simulated journal may look strong overall while one setup type quietly underperforms.
Separate strategy losses from behavior mistakes
A good trade can lose and a bad trade can win. Your journal should make that distinction. Otherwise a lucky win teaches the wrong lesson, and a disciplined loss feels like failure.
More detail
Tag behavior errors directly: chasing, revenge trading, early exit, late entry, moved stop, oversized risk, or trade taken outside the plan.
Review by pattern, not emotion
The dashboard view matters because individual trades are noisy. Review groups of trades by timeframe, setup, session, and day. Look for repeatable tendencies.
More detail
Candlune automatically saves replay trades to your journal and gives you performance breakdowns so the review starts from real data, not memory.
Free practice demo
Build the journal while you practice
Replay a session in Candlune, place simulated trades, and let the journal capture the trade details for review.
- Candle replay
- Simulated trades
- Journal capture
Open a session
Practice environment only. No broker connection, deposits, or live orders.