Free Trading Journal Template for Sheets and Excel

Download a usable spreadsheet with trade fields, formulas, a completed example, and a weekly review workflow.

Free download. No account required.

A template is useful when it keeps the review simple. The goal is not to fill out a long form after every trade. The goal is to capture the facts and context you will need when you review several trades together.

Template method and limits

Reviewed July 22, 2026.

Download the CSV, import it into a spreadsheet, and duplicate the example-row formulas into each new row you add. CSV files do not automatically extend formulas when new rows are created. The template is a manual record, not a broker statement, and calculations depend on the data entered.

Download the spreadsheet template

The template includes one completed stock-trade example and formulas for risk per unit, planned risk, risk budget, net P&L, and realized R. Download the CSV for Excel or import it into Google Sheets.

Free download. No Madlytics account required.

Use the template as a review structure, not a diary

A basic trade log records what happened. A trading journal template should also capture why the trade was taken, what context mattered, and what you want to check later.

Start with the fields below. Remove anything you will not use consistently, and add only the context that helps the next review.

Trading journal template sections

1. Basic trade log

Use this section to keep the fixed trade facts consistent before you add any interpretation.

Market or ticker
Long or short direction
Open and close time
Entry, stop, target, and exit
Position size
Planned risk and final result

2. Trade idea

Write the reason for the trade before the result changes the story.

Setup name
Market condition
Why the trade was valid
What would invalidate the idea
Planned entry trigger
Planned management rule

3. Context and screenshots

Keep the visual context close to the trade so later review does not depend on memory.

Entry screenshot
Exit screenshot when useful
Key level or structure note
Session or market context
Important news or volatility context
Anything that would be hard to reconstruct later

4. Review tags

Use tags that make batches of trades easier to compare.

Setup tag
Execution tag
Risk tag
Mistake or friction tag
Follow-up needed
Clean execution

5. Weekly review

Review groups of trades instead of overreacting to one win or loss.

Best followed setup
Most common mistake
Risk drift pattern
Repeated context
One rule to keep
One rule to test next week

Spreadsheet columns and formulas

Use stable column names so filters, formulas, and weekly comparisons do not break when the journal grows. Columns A through L are trade inputs, M through Q calculate review metrics, and R through V hold tags and review notes.

date_openeddate_closedtickerdirectionaccount_balanceplanned_risk_pctentry_pricestop_pricetarget_priceexit_priceposition_sizefeesrisk_per_unitplanned_risk_amountrisk_budgetnet_pnlr_multiplesetup_tagmarket_contextexecution_tagreview_notefollow_up

M: Risk per unit

=ABS(G2-H2)

N: Planned risk amount

=M2*K2

O: Risk budget

=E2*F2

P: Net P&L after fees

=IF(D2="Long",(J2-G2)*K2-L2,(G2-J2)*K2-L2)

Q: Realized R multiple

=IFERROR(P2/N2,"")

The formulas use row 2, the worked example. Duplicate that row for each new trade, replace the input and review cells, and keep columns M through Q intact. Formatplanned_risk_pctas a percentage so 0.01displays as 1%.

Set it up in Google Sheets or Excel

Google Sheets

Download the CSV, then import it through File > Import > Upload.
Format columns E, G through J, and L through P as currency, and column F as a percentage.
Add a Long/Short dropdown to column D and freeze the header row.
Duplicate row 2 for each trade so the formulas carry forward.

Microsoft Excel

Download the CSV, open it in Excel, and save it as an .xlsx workbook.
Format the date, currency, number, and percentage columns.
Convert the range to a table if you want filters and formula fill-down.
Duplicate the example row, then replace only the trade inputs and review notes.

Worked trade example

The included example models a long stock trade: a $10,000 account, 1% risk budget, $50 entry, $48 stop, $53.50 exit, 50 shares, and $2 in fees.

Entry	Stop	Shares	Risk budget	Planned risk	Net P&L	Realized R
$50.00	$48.00	50	$100.00	$100.00	$173.00	1.73R

The example does not imply a trading result. It shows how the formulas turn a completed trade into consistent review fields.

Run a weekly review from the template

Filter date_closed to the week and fill any missing context while it is still useful.
Compare risk_budget withplanned_risk_amount to spot sizing drift.
Calculate average R with =AVERAGE(Q2:Q) in Google Sheets or =AVERAGE(Q2:Q1000) in Excel.
Group trades by setup_tag andexecution_tag; a pivot table is useful once you have enough rows to compare.
End with one specific follow-up for the next week instead of changing several rules from a small sample.

How this connects to pre-trade risk

The template should capture planned risk, but it should not replace pre-trade planning. Use a position size calculator before entry, then save the final plan with the trade record.

Later, your review can compare planned risk with what actually happened. That is where a template turns from a log into a review tool.

When to move beyond a template

Templates are good for deciding what to track. They become limiting when the evidence splits apart: screenshots in folders, notes in separate cells, tags that drift over time, and analytics rebuilt by hand.

Madlytics keeps the record, notes, screenshots, tags, and analytics in one workflow so review has less setup in front of it.

Insight

A template should make the next review easier.

If a field does not help you review decisions later, it is probably noise. Keep the structure small enough to use after a normal trading day.

Scenario

What the worked example shows

The included AAPL example risks $2 per share across 50 shares, so planned risk is $100. A $53.50 exit produces $175 before fees and $173 after the $2 fee entry, which is 1.73R against the planned risk.

The review note records that the entry followed the plan but the exit came before the target. The follow-up is deliberately narrow: compare early exits across similar setups before changing a rule.

Madlytics turns the template into a connected workflow

Madlytics keeps trade records, notes, screenshots, tags, and analytics connected when a spreadsheet and separate screenshot folders become harder to maintain.

Start a free trial with a structured journal

Frequently asked questions

What should a trading journal template include?

A useful trading journal template should include the fixed trade facts, the original trade idea, risk plan, notes, screenshots or chart context, tags, outcome, and one follow-up review action.

Is a trading journal template enough by itself?

A template is a good starting point, but it can become hard to maintain when screenshots, tags, notes, and analytics need to stay connected across many trades.

Can I use this template in a spreadsheet?

Yes. Download the CSV and open it in Excel or import it into Google Sheets. The included example row contains formulas you can duplicate for new trades.

Should every trade have long notes?

No. Keep notes short enough to repeat consistently. Capture the facts, the original idea, the useful context, and one follow-up action when needed.

Does a journal template improve trading results?

No template can guarantee trading results or remove market risk. A template helps organize review evidence so you can inspect patterns more clearly.

Related resources

Use the template, then keep the evidence connected

Madlytics gives the template structure a place to live with notes, screenshots, tags, and analytics attached to the same trade record.

Start free trial in Madlytics