CSV Import

What is CSV Trade Import?

CSV import lets you upload historical trades in bulk from a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file instead of manually logging each trade one by one. If you have months or years of trading history in broker statements, spreadsheets, or other platforms, CSV import brings that data into your journal instantly.

Instead of spending hours manually entering 200 trades, upload a CSV file and import everything in seconds. Build a comprehensive trading database immediately, start analyzing patterns right away, and see insights from your full trading history—not just the trades you've manually logged since joining.

"I had 8 months of trading history sitting in spreadsheets. Was going to manually enter trades 'when I had time'—which meant never. CSV import brought in 347 trades in under 2 minutes. Immediately saw patterns I'd been missing for months."

Why CSV Import Matters

CSV Import Requirements

Plan Requirement: Member Plan

CSV import is a Member plan feature. Free plan users can manually log trades but cannot import via CSV. This ensures serious traders who need bulk import capability have access while maintaining platform sustainability.

Upgrade path: Free users can try the platform with manual trade logging, then upgrade to Member plan when ready to import historical data or manage multiple accounts.

File Format Requirements

Your CSV file must meet these basic requirements:

• File type: .csv (Comma-Separated Values)
• Encoding: UTF-8 (standard)
• Header row: First row should contain column names
• Data rows: One trade per row
• Required columns: Entry date/time, entry price, exit date/time, exit price, contract
• Optional columns: Strategy, account, notes, fees, quantity, setup types, emotions, mistakes

How CSV Import Works

Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File

Export trades from your broker, trading platform, or existing spreadsheet. Common sources:

• Broker statements - Most brokers allow CSV export of trade history
• Trading platforms - NinjaTrader, TradingView, ThinkerSwim, etc. can export trade data
• Spreadsheets - Export your Excel/Google Sheets trading log as CSV
• Other journals - Export from previous journal platforms

Step 2: Upload CSV File

Navigate to Imports page → Click "Import Trades" → Select your CSV file → Upload

Step 3: Map Columns

The system will display your CSV columns and ask you to map them to journal fields:

• Entry Date/Time → Which column contains when you entered the trade?
• Entry Price → Which column has your entry price?
• Exit Date/Time → Which column shows when you exited?
• Exit Price → Which column contains exit price?
• Contract → Which column specifies the contract (ES, NQ, etc.)?
• Optional fields → Map strategy, account, fees, quantity, notes if available

The system intelligently suggests mappings based on column names, but you can adjust manually if needed.

Step 4: Review & Confirm

Preview how the first few trades will be imported. Check that dates, prices, and contracts look correct. If mapping is wrong, go back and adjust. If everything looks good, proceed.

Step 5: Import

Click "Import Trades." The system processes your CSV file, creates trade records, and calculates P/L, sessions, and other metrics automatically. Progress bar shows import status.

Step 6: Review Imported Trades

Once complete, go to your Trades page and filter by import date to see newly imported trades. Verify everything imported correctly. Edit individual trades if any corrections are needed.

What Gets Imported vs What You Add Later

Automatically Imported

• Entry & exit dates/times - Fully imported from CSV
• Entry & exit prices - Fully imported from CSV
• Contract details - ES, NQ, specific contract months
• Quantity/position size - If available in CSV
• Fees/commissions - If available in CSV
• P/L calculations - Automatically calculated by system
• Trading sessions - Automatically determined based on entry time

Added Manually After Import (Optional)

• Trade notes - Context, reasoning, lessons learned
• Setup types - Breakout, pullback, reversal, etc.
• Emotional state - Confident, fearful, disciplined, etc.
• Mistakes - Early exit, late exit, rule breaks, etc.
• Chart screenshots - Visual documentation of setup/execution

Pro tip: Import the core data (dates, prices, P/L) via CSV, then enhance high-impact trades with notes, screenshots, and psychology tags. You don't need to fully annotate every imported trade—focus on your best wins and worst losses.

Common CSV Import Scenarios

Scenario 1: New User with Trading History

Situation: Just discovered the journal but have been trading for 8 months. 250+ trades in spreadsheet.

Solution: Export spreadsheet as CSV → Import all 250 trades in under 5 minutes → Immediately have 8 months of analytics showing your real edge, not gut feelings about your edge.

Scenario 2: Switching from Another Platform

Situation: Used a different trading journal for a year. Want to consolidate everything in one place.

Solution: Export trades from old platform → Import CSV here → Don't lose any historical data. Complete migration without starting from scratch.

Scenario 3: Broker Statement Import

Situation: Have 6 months of trades sitting in broker statements. Never logged them anywhere.

Solution: Request CSV export from broker → Clean up format if needed → Import → Turn raw broker data into analyzable insights instantly.

Scenario 4: Annual Review

Situation: Logged trades manually in spreadsheet all year. Want comprehensive year-end analytics.

Solution: Import entire year's trades via CSV → See full-year win rate, profit factor, session performance, best/worst months, and long-term trends impossible to see in spreadsheets.

CSV Format Tips & Best Practices

Date/Time Format

Accepted formats (most common ones work automatically):

• 2025-01-15 09:35:00 (ISO format, preferred)
• 01/15/2025 09:35 AM (US format)
• 15/01/2025 09:35 (International format)

System intelligently parses most date formats. If yours is non-standard, adjust before uploading.

Contract Names

Supported contracts: ES, NQ, YM, RTY, etc.

Specific contracts: ESH2025, NQM2025, etc.

If your CSV uses different naming (e.g., "E-mini S&P"), clean it up to match standard ticker symbols before import.

Position Size

System handles standard quantities (1, 2, 5, 10 contracts, etc.). If position size isn't in your CSV, system defaults to 1 contract.

Duplicate Detection

System checks for potential duplicates (same entry time, entry price, contract). If duplicates are detected, you'll be warned before finalizing import.

Common CSV Import Issues & Solutions

CSV Import Limits

Note: If you have more than 1,000 trades to import, split them into multiple CSV files and import sequentially.

After Import: What to Do Next

1. Verify Import Accuracy

Filter trades by import date → Spot-check 10-20 trades → Verify dates, prices, P/L calculations look correct → If issues found, delete import and re-upload corrected CSV.

2. Assign to Accounts (If Applicable)

If you have multiple accounts and the CSV didn't include account assignments, edit trades in bulk or individually to assign them to the correct account.

3. Add Context to Key Trades

You don't need to annotate every imported trade. Focus on:

• Your 10 biggest winners (what did you do right?)
• Your 10 biggest losers (what went wrong?)
• Any trades that taught you important lessons

Add notes, screenshots, emotions, and mistakes to these high-impact trades for future review.

4. Review Analytics Immediately

Go to Analytics & Reports → See your true win rate, profit factor, session performance, hourly patterns, and all other metrics based on complete historical data. These insights are why you imported in the first place.

5. Identify Patterns You Didn't Know Existed

With months of data now visible, look for:

• Which sessions are actually profitable (vs which you think are profitable)
• Time-of-day patterns (are afternoons really working?)
• Day-of-week trends (expensive Mondays? Strong Fridays?)
• Monthly consistency (getting better or stuck?)

Who Needs CSV Import?

CSV Import vs Manual Logging

Recommended approach: Import historical trades via CSV to build your database instantly. Log new trades manually (or via CSV periodically) to capture full context with notes and psychology while memory is fresh.

Privacy & Data Security

• CSV files are processed securely - Uploaded files are processed and immediately deleted after import
• No file retention - We don't store your CSV files, only the imported trade data
• Trade data is private - All imported trades are tied to your account and never shared
• Delete anytime - Imported trades can be deleted individually or in bulk if needed

Get Started with CSV Import

Stop letting historical trading data sit unused in spreadsheets or broker statements. Import it. Analyze it. Learn from it. Build a complete trading database that reveals patterns, validates your edge, and accelerates your improvement.

200 trades logged one by one = 6-10 hours of tedious work. 200 trades imported via CSV = 5 minutes. Your time is valuable. Use it to improve your trading, not copy-pasting data into forms.

Next Steps

• Trade Journal - Learn how to review and enhance imported trades
• Analytics & Reports - See what insights you'll unlock with imported data
• Multi-Account Management - Assign imported trades to different accounts
• Dashboard - View your complete trading stats after import