Using Access database now. I formerly used combination of Excel and One note. Access allows to combine pros of both programs. Table data which can be filtered, and filter through multiple tables, and you can have ton of comments and screens there. Also possibility of export it into pdf. report is neat
That's great. I have some experience with Access and databases and figured it would be good to record all my trades and be able to look at scenarios of how well I follow my plan and also figure out modifications to plans based on performance and all the various parameters that are captured. Using a DB is much stronger than trying to do it via excel. Right now I export out of NT all my trades into a spreadsheet and then do calculations. As a jump start in designing a DB I'm looking to see if anyone wants to share their schema. If you are willing, then please post.
I started with something more complicated. Problem is that if you have too much data to fill, you start skipping it. You will be too overwhelmed. My bet is that you will overshoot it on your first attempt, so don't be afraid to trim it down.
Also I'm not Access expert, but what i have works for me
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Thanks SadPraetor for sharing. I just recently noticed the huge possibilities that access has to offer. Have been using Excel for 2 years now.
I am wondering if there are more people that use MS Access for their journaling / record keeping, and if they could tell use some more about how they apply it!
I don't use it for a journal but I do use it track positions and PnL.
My trading software is TTs XTrader which generates .mdb audit trails. The audit trail includes every message/order/fill sent to or received back from the exchange. On a daily basis I load the audit trails into an MS Access database. I then have queries that calculate message/fill ratio's etc. I also have a make table query that filters out all the fills and creates a daily fill table that is saved in the database. Every evening I upload a settlements file into the database which when applied to the combined fill tables gives me me PnL numbers which I then compare to my brokerage statement. I also have a lot of additional reports that allow me to drill down and see PnL, Volume etc by Strategy, Commodity, Month, Time of Day, etc etc. I also have queries that generate reports that I can export for directly uploading into CME's & ICE's SPAN systems.
