A trading journal that works

Write the decision before the order

Record the symbol, session, setup identifier, intended entry, invalidation level and exit plan. Add the reason the setup qualifies now and the conditions that would cancel it. Use concrete descriptions that can be checked against a screenshot. A sentence written before entry is better evidence than a polished explanation reconstructed after the outcome.

Add planned dollar risk, submitted volume, expected costs and related open positions. Note the distance to the daily and maximum-loss floors and any relevant release. These fields connect the trade to the account rather than treating it as an isolated chart pattern. They also expose a sizing error while there is still time to avoid sending the order.

Record what actually happened

Keep order and deal identifiers, opening and closing timestamps, fill prices, volume changes and charges. Attach a statement or export when available. Separate planned prices from actual execution so the review can identify slippage, late entries or manual changes. A result can differ from the plan without the original market idea being the cause.

For a hypothetical trade planned to risk $250, record a $280 realised loss as $280, not one clean unit of planned risk. Then explain the $30 difference using available evidence: costs, a different fill or a moved stop. If the cause is unknown, mark it unknown rather than selecting the explanation that makes the method look best.

Score process independently of P&L

Use a few observable checks: setup valid, size correct, exit rule followed and account rules respected. A yes-or-no process score is easier to compare than an emotional grade. Keep a place for deviations and record whether they were deliberate, accidental or caused by an operational fault.

A compliant loss belongs in the strategy sample. An unplanned win belongs in the deviation review as well as the financial statement. Do not delete either. Separating these groups helps answer whether the tested method has a problem, execution has drifted, or the account's rules do not fit the method's ordinary behaviour.

Review a group of comparable trades

At a scheduled interval, group trades by setup, session or market condition. Compare average net result, intended risk, execution difference and rule deviations. Use enough observations to avoid turning one unusual result into a system change, and label a small sample honestly. A journal is a record, not proof of a stable edge.

Look for a specific decision you can test: entries after a certain hour, repeated exposure to one driver or stops moved after the first loss. Avoid vague conclusions such as be more disciplined. A useful action changes an observable condition, and the next review should show whether the condition was followed and what effect it had.

Keep the template usable

A practical row can contain date, setup, planned risk, actual net result, hold seconds, rule-room snapshot, process checks and one review note. Screenshots and exports can hold the detail without making the row unreadable. Record time zone and strategy version once in the session header rather than repeating long explanations on every ticket.

Protect account identifiers and personal information when sharing a journal. If you publish examples, mark whether they are hypothetical, simulated or taken from an actual statement and ensure you have permission to share them. Clear evidence labels improve the review: a backtest, a practice account and a completed reward are different records, and one should not be presented as another.

Key takeaways

• Write the reason and risk before entry, then preserve the executed record.
• Score process separately from the financial outcome.
• Review comparable groups and test specific changes instead of vague intentions.

Sources and rule check

MultiFunded-specific details were checked against the programme configuration and rulebook on 23 October 2026. Read the conditions attached to your own account before trading; educational examples do not predict results.

• MultiFunded programme comparison — current phase targets and programme limits.
• MultiFunded trading rules and Terms — definitions, restrictions and reward conditions.