A useful trading journal records the decision as well as the outcome. Start with the same fields for every trade so that a losing trade and a winning trade can be reviewed on equal terms. You can copy the template below into your own notes or spreadsheet, or use equivalent fields in a journal app. The example is fictional, not an account result or a trade recommendation.
Download the free trading journal template
Download the blank CSV to start your own journal, or open the separate fictional example to see how a completed row looks. Both files are free and require no account or email address.
Download the blank trading journal template (CSV)
Download the fictional completed example (CSV)
Open the CSV in your spreadsheet app and add one row per closed trade. If the file opens in one column, import it with a comma separator. Keep the time zone and currency explicit, use your broker’s actual fills and results, and preserve separate execution records for partial fills. The files contain plain fields, with no formulas or automatic calculations. A blank value means missing information; enter zero only when it is known to be zero. Keep the fictional example separate from your own results.
The minimum useful template
| Field | What to record | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Date and time zone | Entry and exit times in one consistent zone | 2026-10-19, 10:05–10:32, America/New_York |
| Account and instrument | Account label, symbol and asset type | Practice account; hypothetical XYZ stock |
| Direction and size | Long/short and units; use contract multipliers where applicable | Long; 10 shares |
| Entry and exit | Actual fill prices, including separate partial exits | $100 entry; all shares exited at $104 |
| Planned risk | Initial stop and dollar risk recorded before entry | $98 stop; $20 initial price risk |
| Costs and net P&L | Commissions and other trading fees, with one consistent convention | $2 total fees; $40 gross profit; $38 net profit |
| Setup and reason | A stable setup label and the observation behind the entry | Pullback; entry after a planned level held |
| Rules followed | Pass/fail for the rules written before the trade | Entry rule: pass; size rule: pass; exit rule: fail |
| Emotion and context | What you felt before entry, rather than after seeing P&L | Impatient; entered after missing an earlier move |
| Screenshot and review | Chart with fills, plus one specific lesson | Exited early without the planned trigger; review exit discipline |
Record intent before the result is known
Write the setup, invalidation and initial risk before entering whenever your workflow permits. After closing, add actual fills, fees and screenshots. Keep the original plan intact. If you move a stop, record the change separately instead of editing the original risk to make the trade look better. For multiple fills, keep the execution detail even if your journal groups them into one trade.
The fictional trade above made $38 after fees. Dividing that by its original $20 price risk gives a net result of 1.9R under this convention. Some traders include estimated fees in initial risk; that produces a different denominator. Label the convention and use it consistently. Futures, forex and options require the correct contract size, tick value or currency conversion; the stock example is not a universal P&L formula.
A profitable trade can still break your rules
The example was profitable but failed its exit rule. Record those two facts separately. Otherwise, a profitable mistake can look like evidence that a rule should be discarded. Likewise, a planned loss is not automatically a bad decision. Record process adherence before you write the conclusion, and preserve trades that feel embarrassing to review.
Keep labels small and consistent
- Use a short list of setup names. Treat ‘pullback’, ‘PB’ and ‘trend pullback’ consistently if they mean the same thing.
- Distinguish missing data from zero. A blank fee is not evidence of a commission-free trade.
- Mark deposits and withdrawals separately from trading P&L.
- For prop-firm accounts, record the applicable rule version and check the firm’s dashboard for authoritative limits.
- Use practice and live account labels so simulated results are not mixed into live performance.
Turn the template into a review habit
At the end of the week, reconcile the journal against your broker statement before comparing setups. Look at both the number of observations and the quality of the records. A detailed journal cannot make a handful of trades statistically reliable, but it can show which questions need more evidence. Choose one process issue to investigate next week and write down how you will measure it.
Keep a spreadsheet or move to a journal app?
Keep the CSV if entering trades and reviewing them in your spreadsheet fits your routine. If you want built-in reports or a different review workflow, compare the included features, free-plan limits and export options before moving your history. Keep a copy of your original records whichever tool you choose.