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Step 1: Open the playbooks section

  1. Click the Playbooks icon in the left-hand menu
  2. Click + New Playbook (or Create Playbook)
This opens the playbook builder.

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Step 2: Name your playbook

Give your playbook a clear, descriptive name that reflects the setup it represents. Good examples:
  • “Opening Range Breakout”
  • “VWAP Reclaim Long”
  • “Failed Breakdown Short”
Avoid generic names like “Strategy 1” — clarity helps during journaling and review.

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Step 3: Define entry criteria

Describe the conditions that must be present for this setup to be valid. Be specific. Consider including:
  • Market structure requirements (trend, range, breakout)
  • Key levels (support/resistance, VWAP, moving averages)
  • Time-of-day filters (session, opening range, etc.)
  • Confirmation signals
The more specific your entry criteria, the easier it becomes to evaluate whether you followed them.

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Step 4: Define risk rules

Specify how risk is managed for this playbook:
RuleDescription
Stop loss logicWhere does the trade become invalid?
Position sizing rulesHow is size determined?
Target logicWhere is the reward objective?
These rules feed directly into the execution evaluation during journaling.

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Step 5: Create execution rules

This is the most important step. Execution rules are the yes/no checklist that determines your TradeAlign Score. Each rule must be binary — it was either followed or it wasn’t. Examples:
  • “Entered only after confirmation candle closed”
  • “Stop loss placed at defined invalidation level”
  • “Position size within defined risk parameters”
  • “Did not add to a losing position”
  • “Exited at target or stop — no discretionary exits”
A rule that cannot be answered yes or no is not an execution rule. Rewrite it until it’s binary.

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Step 6: Save your playbook

Once all fields are complete, save the playbook. It will now appear in the playbook selector during trade journaling.

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Best practices

3 to 5 execution rules is a strong starting point. You can always add more as you refine your process.
Write rules that reflect how you should trade, not how you want to describe it.
Playbooks aren’t permanent. Refine them as your understanding deepens.
Don’t combine multiple strategies into a single playbook. Each playbook should represent one repeatable edge.
Your playbook is now ready. When journaling a trade, assign this playbook to evaluate your execution against these rules.