Free guide + download
Trading journal template: what to track and why
The 15 fields that turn a list of trades into a clear picture of your edge, a free spreadsheet template you can download right now, and the weekly review questions that make it pay off.
Works in Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers. Includes 3 example trades.
The 15 fields every trading journal needs
| Field | Example | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 2026-03-12 | Spot patterns by weekday and see your month at a glance. |
| Session | NY Open | Most traders have one session where they're clearly better. |
| Instrument | XAUUSD | Find the markets you should focus on, and the ones to drop. |
| Direction | LONG | Some traders are much better buyers than sellers, or the other way round. |
| Setup | Break and retest | The single most useful field: which setups actually pay you. |
| Entry / Stop / Target | 4012.5 / 4008.0 / 4021.5 | Lets you work out planned risk-reward and R. |
| Exit | 4021.5 | Shows whether you let winners run or cut them early. |
| Lot size | 0.40 | Check your size matches your risk rules. |
| P&L ($) | +360.00 | The result, in money. |
| R multiple | +2.0 | The result in units of risk: comparable across every market. |
| Rules followed? | Yes (4/4) | Compare results when you follow your plan vs when you don't. |
| Emotion | Calm | Tag fear, FOMO or revenge trading to see what they cost you. |
| Mistake | None | Name it. Your costliest mistake becomes obvious after a month. |
| Screenshot | link to chart | A picture of what you saw when you entered. |
| Notes | Waited for the retest, no chase. | One lesson per trade adds up fast. |
Your weekly review checklist
- What was my P&L and win rate, and did I stay inside my daily loss limit every day?
- Which setup made the most money? Which lost the most?
- What was my costliest mistake, and how much did it cost in total?
- Did I win more often when I followed every rule?
- Which session and which instrument suited me best?
- Pick one rule to focus on next week. Just one.
Tips that keep the habit going
- Log straight after the trade, while you still remember why you took it.
- Log the days you sit out too. Patience is a result worth tracking.
- Track R, not just dollars, so different markets and sizes compare fairly.
- Keep the notes short: one lesson per trade is enough.
Sizing a trade? Try the lot size calculator or the risk-reward calculator.
Skip the spreadsheet: every field above is built into TradeIQ
Dates are prefilled, P&L, R and lot size are calculated for you, and your weekly review is ready every Friday.