How to Log Trades in the Financial Tech Wiz (FTW) Trading Journal

Consistently logging your trades is one of the most important habits for improving as a trader. Without accurate trade data, it is almost impossible to know what strategies are actually working, where mistakes are happening, or how your performance is changing over time.

The Financial Tech Wiz (FTW) Trading Journal App is designed to make trade logging simple while still giving you deep performance analytics once your data is inside the system.

Trades can be logged in two ways:

• Manually inside the FTW Trading Journal App
• In bulk using the free Financial Tech Wiz Google Sheets trading journal

Both methods feed into the same analytics engine, charts, calendar, and dashboard. Whether you enter trades one by one or import them all at once, the end result is the same: clear insights into your trading performance.

Method 1: How to Log Trades Manually in the FTW Trading Journal

Manual trade entry is ideal if you place a small number of trades per week or want full control over each trade as it happens.

Step 1: Open the Trades Tab

• Log into the FTW Trading Journal App
• Navigate to the Trades tab
• Click the Add Trade button

This opens the trade entry form where you can log all details of your position.

Step 2: Enter Basic Trade Details

Start by filling out the core information about the trade:

• Select the date opened
• Enter the symbol or ticker
• Choose the asset type:
  • Stock
  • Option
  • Crypto
  • Forex
  • Futures
• Select position type:
  • Long
  • Short

This information helps the journal categorize your trades correctly for filtering and analysis later.

Step 3: Enter Entry Information

Next, add your entry details:

• Enter entry quantity (shares, contracts, or units)
• Enter entry price
• Enter any fees or commissions

Including fees ensures your profit and loss calculations reflect your true performance.

Step 4: Set Risk and Notes (Optional but Recommended)

If the trade is still open, you can set a stop loss price. While optional, this unlocks powerful risk metrics inside the dashboard.

You can also add notes such as:

• Trade thesis
• Setup type or strategy name
• Emotions, execution mistakes, or confirmations

Notes are especially useful because the FTW Trading Journal allows you to search your trades. If you type a strategy name or keyword in your notes, you can later filter your trade history to review only those specific setups.

Step 5: Save Open Trades

• Save the trade if it is still open

Open trades can be edited at any time. You do not need to wait until the trade is closed to log it.

Step 6: Closing a Trade

Once the trade is exited, update the existing trade with the exit details:

• Exit quantity (usually the same as entry)
• Exit price
• Exit fees if applicable
• Update notes if needed

Save the trade to automatically calculate closed profit and loss, win or loss status, and performance metrics.

Method 2: How to Bulk Import Trades From the FTW Google Sheets Template

Bulk importing trades is ideal if you already track trades in spreadsheets or want to migrate historical trades into the FTW Trading Journal.

Step 1: Open the Free FTW Trading Journal Template

• Open your Financial Tech Wiz Google Sheets trading journal
• Navigate to the trades section of the sheet

Step 2: Copy the Required Data

• Select all trade rows starting from the first entry date
• Copy columns A through V, from Entry Date through Notes
• Do not include the header row

Only the trade data itself should be copied.

Step 3: Import Into the FTW Trading Journal App

• Open the FTW Trading Journal App
• Navigate to the Trades tab
• Click Bulk Import
• Paste the copied data into the import field
• Click Import

The journal will automatically process and map the trades.

Step 4: Confirm Import

• Verify that trades were imported correctly
• Confirm that open and closed trades appear as expected

Once imported, the trades behave exactly like manually entered trades and can be edited, analyzed, and filtered.

What Happens After You Log Your Trades

Once your trades are logged, the real value of the FTW Trading Journal becomes visible.

Analyze Trades in the Calendar Tab

• View trades by day, week, or month
• Identify streaks, clusters, and trading frequency
• Spot periods of overtrading or undertrading

Review Performance in the Charts Tab

• Track closed trade profit and loss over time
• Visualize your equity curve
• See performance swings and drawdowns clearly

Monitor Metrics in the Dashboard Tab

The dashboard automatically calculates key performance metrics, including:

• Win rate
• Average win and loss (dollar and percent)
• Reward-to-risk ratio
• Profit factor
• Average days in trade
• Total stop loss risk
• Portfolio allocation and exposure
• Overall profit and loss including open and closed trades

These metrics help turn raw trade data into actionable insights.

Common Trade Logging Mistakes to Avoid

• Forgetting to add fees or commissions
• Using the wrong quantity for options contracts
• Leaving exit data blank on closed trades
• Not setting stop losses, which limits risk analytics
• Mixing asset types without notes or tags

Avoiding these mistakes ensures your analytics remain accurate and useful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit trades after saving them?

Yes. Trades can be edited at any time, whether they are open or closed.

Do I need to add a stop loss?

No, adding a stop loss is optional. However, stop losses unlock risk metrics and portfolio exposure insights in the dashboard.

Can I track options, stocks, and crypto together?

Yes. The FTW Trading Journal supports multiple asset types in a single dashboard.

Can I import trades more than once?

Yes. Bulk imports can be done anytime. To avoid duplicate trades, it is recommended to clear your current trades under the Settings tab before importing all trades again. If you are only importing new trades, there is no need to clear existing data.

Get Started Logging Trades

You can start logging trades directly inside the FTW Trading Journal App and begin analyzing your performance immediately.

If you prefer spreadsheets, you can also download the free Financial Tech Wiz Google Sheets trading journal. Access to the free template requires an email.

Either way, the goal is the same: turn raw trade data into clear, actionable performance insights that help you trade smarter over time.