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Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with TradeTally in minutes.

First Run

1. Create Admin Account

  1. Navigate to http://localhost:5173
  2. Click "Sign Up" and create your account
  3. The first user automatically becomes admin
  4. If email is not configured, you'll be automatically verified

2. Configure Trading Profile (Optional)

Enhance AI recommendations by configuring your trading profile:

  1. Go to Settings → Trading Profile
  2. Select your trading strategies:
    • Breakouts
    • Momentum
    • Scalping
    • Mean reversion
    • And more...
  3. Choose your trading styles:
    • Day trading
    • Swing trading
    • Position trading
  4. Set your risk tolerance and experience level
  5. Configure preferred sectors and markets

3. Import Your First Trades

  1. Go to the Import tab
  2. Select your broker format:
    • Lightspeed
    • Charles Schwab
    • ThinkorSwim
    • Interactive Brokers
    • E*TRADE
    • Generic CSV
  3. Upload your CSV file
  4. Review the preview
  5. Click Import to confirm

4. View Your Analytics

Dashboard: - Overview of your trading performance - Real-time open positions with P&L - Recent trade activity - Quick statistics

Analytics: - Performance by hold time (< 1 min to 1+ months) - Performance by day of week - Performance by price ranges and volume - Sector performance analysis - AI-powered recommendations

Charts: - Interactive candlestick charts - Entry/exit markers - P&L visualization - Technical indicators

Key Features

Multi-Broker Support

TradeTally supports importing trades from various brokers. Each broker has specific CSV format requirements:

  • Lightspeed: Full FIFO trade matching, commission tracking
  • Charles Schwab: Uses calculated P&L, wash sale detection
  • ThinkorSwim: Standard CSV export
  • IBKR: Activity Statement CSV
  • E*TRADE: Transaction history CSV

CUSIP Resolution

If your broker uses CUSIP codes instead of ticker symbols:

  1. System automatically attempts to resolve CUSIPs during import
  2. Manual resolution available at Import → Resolve Unresolved CUSIPs
  3. Add custom CUSIP-to-ticker mappings
  4. Delete incorrect mappings

Real-time Market Data

With Finnhub API configured:

  • Live stock quotes for open positions
  • Unrealized P&L tracking
  • Real-time price updates
  • Market data integration

AI-Powered Recommendations

With AI provider configured:

  1. Navigate to Analytics
  2. Click AI Recommendations
  3. Get personalized insights based on:
    • Your trading profile
    • Historical performance
    • Sector analysis
    • Pattern recognition

Registration Control

TradeTally includes flexible registration modes for different deployment scenarios:

Open Registration (Default)

REGISTRATION_MODE=open
- Anyone can sign up immediately - Best for personal use or open communities

Admin Approval Required

REGISTRATION_MODE=approval
- Users register but need admin approval - Admins approve via command line:

cd backend
node scripts/approve-user.js [email protected]

Registration Disabled

REGISTRATION_MODE=disabled
- No new registrations allowed - Signup forms hidden

Common Workflows

Daily Trading Routine

  1. Morning: Check dashboard for open positions
  2. During Trading: Import new trades as they complete
  3. End of Day: Review performance metrics
  4. Weekly: Analyze patterns and get AI recommendations

Performance Analysis

  1. Filter by Date Range: Use date picker to focus on specific periods
  2. Analyze by Hold Time: Identify your optimal trade duration
  3. Check Day of Week: Find your most profitable days
  4. Review Sector Performance: Focus on best-performing sectors

Managing Trades

  • Edit Trades: Click any trade to edit details
  • Add Tags: Categorize trades by setup, strategy, etc.
  • Add Notes: Document your thought process
  • Attach Files: Upload screenshots or charts

Next Steps