Trading Journal Template: Free Fields and Checklists

A good trading journal template has three parts: a trade log with consistent fields, a short checklist for before, during, and after each trade, and a weekly review section. Copy the fields below into a spreadsheet, a notes app, or a journaling tool and start logging today.

This template is tool-agnostic. It works in Google Sheets, Excel, Notion, a paper notebook, or inside a dedicated journal. It is education, not financial advice.

How to use this template

You do not need every field on day one. Start with the core fields in the first table and add the optional ones when you feel the need. A template you fill in beats a perfect one you abandon.

Three rules keep it useful:

1. Fill in the plan fields before you enter the trade.
2. Fill in the result fields as soon as you exit.
3. Fill in the reflection fields the same day, while you remember.

The core trade log fields

Copy this as the header row of your spreadsheet, or as a list in your notes app.

The example row uses made-up numbers. Planned risk is 100 shares x $1.00 = $100. Gross profit is 100 x $2.00 = $200, less $2 in fees gives $198. Dividing $198 by $100 gives 1.98R.

Optional fields worth adding

Once the basics feel automatic, these fields answer more specific questions.

For options, add strike, expiry, and contracts. For futures, add contract and tick value. The options trading journal and futures trading journal guides cover those details.

The reflection fields

These are the fields that turn a log into a journal. Keep each answer to a sentence or two.

• Why I took this trade: The thesis in plain words.
• Did I follow my plan? (Yes / No / Partly): Be strict.
• Emotion at entry: Calm, anxious, bored, eager, revenge.
• Emotion at exit: Relieved, regretful, frustrated, neutral.
• What went well: One thing to repeat.
• What to change: One thing to fix next time.
• Grade (A to D): Grade your execution, not your profit. A good loss can be an A.

Grading process separately from outcome is one of the most useful habits you can build. A trade that follows your rules and loses is still a good trade. A trade that breaks your rules and wins is a bad one that got lucky.

Before-trade checklist

Run this in under a minute before you place the order.

• Is this one of my defined setups?
• Have I written my entry, stop, and target?
• Is my risk within my per-trade limit?
• Do I know the position size that fits that risk?
• Is there news or an event that changes the picture?
• Am I calm, rested, and not trying to win back a loss?
• Have I hit my daily loss limit or trade limit already?
• What would make me skip this trade?

If you tick "no" on any item that matters, wait. Skipping is a valid decision, and it belongs in your journal too.

During-trade checklist

Keep this short. The goal is to stop you from improvising.

• Is my stop in place?
• Am I leaving the stop where I set it, or am I tempted to widen it?
• Am I following my plan for adding, trimming, or trailing?
• Am I watching the trade because of my plan, or because I am anxious?
• Note any deviation immediately, in a few words.

Moving a stop further away is the single most common way a small planned loss becomes a large one. If you do it, write it down.

After-trade checklist

Complete this the same day, ideally within minutes of the exit.

• Enter the exit price, time, and fees.
• Calculate result in currency and in R.
• Mark whether the plan was followed.
• Write the emotion at entry and exit.
• Attach or link a chart screenshot.
• Add tags.
• Write one thing to repeat and one thing to change.
• Grade the execution.

Weekly review block

Add a short block at the bottom of your sheet or as a separate tab. Fill it in once a week.

For a full routine to go with this block, read how to review your trades.

Metrics you can compute from the template

Once you have 20 or more trades, this template gives you enough data to work out the numbers that matter.

• Win rate: winning trades divided by total trades.
• Average win and average loss: total profit divided by number of winners, and the same for losers.
• Expectancy: the average amount you make per trade. The trading expectancy formula explains it step by step.
• Profit factor: gross profit divided by gross loss. See win rate vs profit factor.

A quick example using made-up numbers: 20 trades, 9 winners totaling $1,350, and 11 losers totaling $825. Win rate is 9 / 20 = 45 percent. Net is $1,350 - $825 = $525, so expectancy is $525 / 20 = $26.25 per trade. Profit factor is $1,350 / $825, which is about 1.64. Small samples like this can mislead, so treat them as a rough guide only.

Spreadsheet or software

A spreadsheet template is a fine place to start. It is free and fully under your control. The downside is that you build and maintain every formula, import trades by hand, and rebuild charts yourself. Excel vs trading journal software compares the two, and free trading journal apps lists options that cost nothing.

If you would rather not manage formulas, Momentra's free plan already has these fields built in: manual trade entry, CSV import and export, trade analytics, and journal notes with a rich editor and tags. Pro adds broker auto sync through SnapTrade for supported brokers.

FAQ

What should a trading journal template include?

At minimum: date, instrument, direction, entry, stop, target, exit, size, fees, result, setup, and a short reason for the trade. Add reflection fields for plan adherence and emotions, since those explain your behavior.

Is there a free trading journal template I can copy?

Yes. The tables above are free to copy into any spreadsheet or notes app. Paste the first table as your header row, then add optional and reflection columns as you need them.

What is the best format for a trading journal template?

The best format is the one you will actually fill in. A spreadsheet suits people who like control, a notes app suits people who write more, and dedicated journal software suits those who want automatic calculations and charts.

How many fields are too many?

If entering one trade takes more than two or three minutes, you have too many. Cut optional fields until logging feels quick, and add them back only when you can name a question they answer.

Should I use a different template for options or futures?

Keep the same core structure and add instrument-specific fields. Options need strike, expiry, and contracts; futures need contract and tick value. The reflection and checklist sections stay the same.

Make it yours and keep it going

The template matters less than the habit. Fill in the plan before you trade, the result when you exit, and the reflection the same day, then review weekly. Adjust the fields every few months as you learn what you actually look at. This is general education and not financial advice.

To skip the spreadsheet setup, Try Momentra free and log your first trade in minutes.