Trading Journal¶

Document your daily market outlook, trading plans, and post-session reflections.

Overview¶

The Trading Journal (also called Diary) is where you record your thoughts before, during, and after each trading session. Consistent journaling helps you identify patterns in your decision-making, track whether you followed your plan, and build discipline over time.

Navigate to Journal from the main sidebar to access the journal.

Views¶

The journal page offers four views, accessible from the toggle bar at the top:

Entry Types¶

Each journal entry has a type that categorizes its purpose:

• Diary -- General daily reflection and market notes. The default entry type.
• Playbook -- Structured plan entries tied to a specific trading strategy.

You can filter entries by type using the Type dropdown in the filter bar.

Creating a Journal Entry¶

1. Click the New Entry button in the top-right corner.
2. Optionally select a template to pre-fill the form (see Templates below).
3. Fill in the entry fields:

1. Click Save to create the entry.

Editing and Deleting Entries¶

• To edit an entry, click on it from the list or calendar view to open the detail page, then click Edit.
• To delete an entry, open it and click Delete. This action is permanent.

Image Attachments¶

You can upload images to any journal entry (e.g., chart screenshots, market analysis). Images are automatically compressed to WebP format to save storage space.

• Upload images from the entry detail page.
• Each image is stored privately and only accessible to the entry owner.
• Delete individual images from the attachment list.

Filtering and Search¶

The filter bar at the top of the list view provides several ways to narrow down entries:

Tag Search¶

Type # followed by a tag name in the search box to search by tag. As you type, matching tags from your existing entries will appear as suggestions.

Templates¶

Templates let you save pre-filled journal structures so you can start each entry from a consistent format.

Creating a Template¶

1. Switch to the Templates view from the toggle bar.
2. Click New Template.
3. Fill in the template fields:
   • Name -- a descriptive name (e.g., "Pre-Market Plan", "Post-Session Review")
   • Description -- optional summary of when to use this template
   • Entry Type -- Diary or Playbook
   • All other journal fields (title, content, market bias, key levels, watchlist, tags, etc.)
4. Optionally mark the template as Default for its entry type.
5. Click Save.

Using a Template¶

When creating a new journal entry, a "Use a Template" section appears at the top of the form. Click any template to pre-fill the form fields with the template's values. You can then modify any field before saving.

Managing Templates¶

• Edit -- Update any template from the Templates view.
• Duplicate -- Create a copy of an existing template with a new name.
• Set as Default -- The default template auto-loads when creating a new entry of that type. Only one default per entry type.
• Delete -- Remove a template permanently.

Templates track a use count that increments each time you apply them, helping you identify your most-used formats.

AI Analysis¶

The AI Analysis view uses your configured AI provider (Google Gemini or compatible) to analyze journal entries over a date range and provide actionable feedback.

Running an Analysis¶

1. Switch to the AI Analysis view from the toggle bar.
2. Select a Start Date and End Date for the analysis period.
3. Click Analyze.
4. The AI reviews all entries in the range and generates a report covering:
   • Summary of the trading period
   • Strengths identified in your journaling
   • Areas for improvement
   • Key insights about trading psychology and discipline
   • Actionable recommendations (3-5 specific steps)
   • Risk management assessment
   • Emotional discipline evaluation

Statistics¶

TradeTally tracks journal statistics including:

• Total entries by type
• Market bias distribution (bullish, bearish, neutral days)
• Plan adherence rate (percentage of entries where you followed your plan)

These statistics help you understand your journaling consistency and identify trends in your market outlook.

Best Practices¶

1. Write daily. Even on days you do not trade, documenting your market analysis builds the habit and creates a reference library.
2. Be specific. Instead of "market was choppy", note specific levels, catalysts, and how price reacted at key zones.
3. Record your plan before trading. Use the pre-market fields (market bias, key levels, watchlist) to commit to a plan before the session begins.
4. Review honestly. The "Followed Plan" and "Lessons Learned" fields are most valuable when you are candid about mistakes.
5. Use tags consistently. Tags like "overtraded", "revenge-trade", "a-plus-setup", or "earnings" make it easy to search for patterns later.
6. Use templates. Create templates for your common entry types so you spend less time formatting and more time reflecting.
7. Run AI analysis regularly. A weekly or monthly AI review can surface patterns you might not notice day-to-day.