Journaling in TradeAlign is a post-execution process designed to capture decision quality, emotional state, and behavioral alignment — not to justify outcomes. Each journal entry follows a structured flow. Completing it honestly is what unlocks meaningful review and insight.
Step 1: Open a trade for journaling
- Navigate to the Trades Page
- Select the trade you want to journal
Step 2: Review trade overview
At the top of the journal, you’ll see a read-only summary of the trade:- Instrument and direction (Long / Short)
- Entry and exit times
- Duration
- Entry and exit prices
- Position size
- P&L
- Align Score
Step 3: Define trade construction
This section captures why the trade was taken. Context — Select the session or market context in which the trade occurred (e.g., AM Session). Setup / Strategy — Choose the setup or strategy that best describes the trade. These selections help group trades during review and pattern analysis.Step 4: Define risk and reward
Stop loss (Required) Enter the stop loss price. This defines where the trade is invalid. Reward target (Optional) Enter the intended target price, if applicable. Risk definition is mandatory because TradeAlign evaluates decision quality, not just outcomes.Step 5: Complete the post-trade audit
This section evaluates execution quality using objective questions. Answer each item honestly:- Followed predefined entry criteria
- Emotionally centered before entering
- Trade matched strategy
- Followed risk management plan
- Would you take this trade again?
Step 6: Identify mistakes (if any)
Select any mistakes that occurred during the trade:- Early or late entry
- FOMO entry
- Oversized position
- Exited too early or held too long
- Moved or ignored stop loss
- Overtrading
Step 7: Rate execution quality
Use the Execution Rating to score how well the trade was executed relative to your plan. This rating reflects process adherence, emotional control, and decision clarity — not P&L.Step 8: Log emotional state
Select all emotional states that were present during the trade. Emotions are grouped into:| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Stress / Threat | Anxiety, fear, frustration |
| Positive / Activation | Confidence, excitement, focus |
| Regulation / Focus | Calm, discipline, patience |
Step 9: Learning & adjustment
Core Reflection — Describe what behavior moved you closer to or further from becoming a long-term successful trader. Tomorrow’s Adjustment — State one specific change you will make based on this trade. Keep responses concise and behavior-focused.Step 10: Add screenshots and notes (optional)
Upload a chart screenshot if available, and add any additional notes or observations. This section supports context but is not required.Step 11: Mark trade as reviewed
Toggle Mark trade as reviewed to YES. This locks the journal entry and signals completion.Step 12: Save the journal
Click Save Journal. If the stop loss is not defined, saving will be disabled. Once saved, the trade becomes part of your review and analytics workflows.What journaling is (and isn’t)
Journaling IS
A behavioral snapshot. A decision audit. A self-coaching tool.
Journaling is NOT
A performance justification. A narrative recap. A hindsight exercise.