Platform Features Release: Trade from the Chart, Price Slices, Reset Virtual Account Options
Announcing the latest Release of feature and functionality enhancements to the trading platform to improve the position evaluation process, trade submitting process as well as offer additional practice account settings:
Price Slices: Evaluate theoretical outcomes of option positions when using the Strategy Templates.
Trade from the Chart: Use the control box or lines on Chart to adjust the entry point, Target Price and/or Stop Price.
Reset Virtual Account – Add ‘funds’ to an existing account OR reset everything and start fresh. You decide.
Price Slices (Premium Feature)
The Button appears on the right side of the screen when using the Strategy Templates.
Select one of the 22 Option Strategy Templates.
Build the position.
Click the Price Slices button to start your evaluation
Change the Date (default ‘today’), Price levels and/or % Offset
Add IV to view how this affects the theoretical P/L
Click the Go Big icon to view additional Greek data
Trade from the Chart
The button appears at the top of the chart for any symbol – whether there is an existing position or not.
Clicking this button activates an Order Window on the Chart, like this:
Note: Buy, Profit and Stop Loss line colors will match those displayed on the chart itself.
The values in the Order Window can be manually adjusted by $ or %
The values can also be dynamically adjusted by moving the corresponding line(s) on the Chart itself.
The Quantity value default is “1” to show the ‘per share’ dollar and percentage estimated risk, reward, as well as Position Total.
Click “Trade” for the prefilled Order Ticket to display.
The Order Ticket can be further adjusted, Staged or Reviewed to ensure it’s completed to your satisfaction, then Submitted.
Note: The brokerage selected must support Bracket Orders if the Stop/Stop Limit values are selected on the Order Window
Reset Tradier Virtual Account – 2 options
Tradier’s Virtual Account gives you the ability to add more “Cash” to your practice account – OR – completely start over:
On the account summary page, click “Reset Virtual Account”
Select “Balance Reset Only” – to keep your existing trade activity, but add more “cash” to your virtual account.
Select “Complete Reset” – if you want to remove all prior transactions, including Journal Entries, Gains, Orders, Positions, etc. Note: This selection cannot be undone once it’s processed.
Type RESET in the box provided, then click the “Confirm” button
Enhancements
- ATM Option Strikes are bolded for easier identification
Change Log
- Adjusted theme contrast
- Corrected Order Type Limit price entry
- Snapshot functionality restored
Trade from the Chart
Trade from the Chart
The button appears at the top of the chart for any symbol – whether there is an existing position or not.
Clicking this button activates an Order Window on the Chart, like this:
Note: Buy, Profit and Stop Loss line colors will match those displayed on the chart itself.
The values in the Order Window can be manually adjusted by $ or %
The values can also be dynamically adjusted by moving the corresponding line(s) on the Chart itself.
The Quantity value default is “1” to show the ‘per share’ dollar and percentage estimated risk, reward, as well as Position Total.
Click “Trade” for the prefilled Order Ticket to display.
The Order Ticket can be further adjusted, Staged or Reviewed to ensure it’s completed to your satisfaction, then Submitted.
Note: The brokerage selected must support Bracket Orders if the Stop/Stop Limit values are selected on the Order Window
Position Notifications
When you Enable and Activate Account Notifications, you’ll receive emails on upcoming activity that may affect your existing positions.
- Upcoming Earnings – Monday Morning via Email
- Upcoming Dividends – Monday Morning via Email
- Option Position Expiring – Two days prior via Email
To begin, locate and click on the Envelope Icon at the top of the platform page, next to your Username:
Follow the steps as outlined and illustrated:
- Click on Notification Settings
- Add your email (Optional: Add 2nd email)
- Check/uncheck Categories
- Click “Save”
The settings can be updated at anytime by following the above steps.
Next:
For each account you want to receive notifications on, toggle the switch located on the Account Summary tab to the “On” position as shown in the graphic.
**Without this step, you won’t receive the notifications.**
Expiration Notifications will be emailed 2 days in advance.
Each Monday, prior to Market Open, an email will be sent where there’s an Earnings or Dividend for any of the positions in the account(s) you have activated.
The Notification Center will list what has been emailed to you for each account you have activated.
The Account Name and associated Color Tag will be displayed on each Notification and allows for quick identification.
Platform Feature Release: Screener
Feature Release Notes: Screener
Announcing the latest feature/function updates, additions or edits to the trading platform:
Screener – Trading styles are unique. Screener, the platform’s newest feature allows for customized opportunity searches. Differing from Scans, which are predefined, Screener offers over 120 data points for customize searches based on what the user’s goals are. Additional data points will be forthcoming.
Screener searches may be saved and named for the user’s future use. In addition, System Screeners are available as starting point templates for the user to customize and save as personal Screeners.
Screener
Located under the Find Tab, the Advanced Screener is designed to allow the user to customize their own trade candidate searches. Over 125 criteria selections are available – with more to follow.
Screener is flexible – allowing you to create save as many Screen searches as you wish, edit as needed, even download results.
Screens are user-defined, 100% customized by the user’s specifications. They can be edited, saved and deleted.
Left Control Panel
New – Create a new screener
Saved – Previously created and saved screens. Saved screens can be edited for a single-use or saved as a new screen or overwriting the previously saved screen
System – Templates available for use as starting points for new screeners. While the System screens themselves cannot be modified, they can be used as a foundation for newly created screens that – can be modified for personal use and saved.
Select your Criteria
There are 3 Levels of Data. Currently Level 3 mirrors Level 2 – as more criteria will be added to this feature.
Level 1 offers Basic Information to select from. Level 2 expands upon what Level 1 offers.
After choosing your criteria, you’ll be able to set the parameters for each criteria selection on the next screen.
Click “Run Search”
Note: The order the criteria is selected, will be the order the selections are displayed on the next screen.
The Results
The criteria selected in this example were Price ($50-200), Optionable, Score (Green or Yellow for each Icon) and 10-day Average Volume (5M-293M) resulting in 17 candidates.
From here, using the Icon Toolbar, candidates can be selected and:
- Sent to Research for further analysis
- Sent to an existing Watch List
- Used to create a New list
- Can be download to a .csv file.
The Screen itself can be Saved (and named), further modified -either by
adjusting the existing criteria or adding new datapoints – or a New Screen
can be created.
Additional data is accessible by clicking on “Company”, “Technical”, etc
above the list of candidates.
System Screens are also available and new ones will be added.
The user can customize such screens and save to the platform just as any other
screen.
Candidates can be sent to Research, to a Watch List and/or
downloaded to a .csv file.
System Screens themselves cannot be modified and are designed to be
‘launching points’ for the user’s convenience if they wish to use them.
Note the colored bar graph of IV Range. It provides a ‘picture’ of where this
Stock/ETF is now for this datapoint.
Change Log
- TTM Squeeze Indicator added
- Option Chain column line up
- Double scroll bars appearing in Safari/Screener
- Split notification on Chart added
- Staged Order behavior -data loading resolved
- Trade Button appearance on Chart from Staged
- Industry Link responsive
- Mobile – corrected Stage Button function on Stock Order Ticket
- Mobile – updated “Save” Alert functionality
- Mobile – adding Indicator (Android) corrected
- Earnings < 7 days are noted in red
Screener (Premium Desktop Feature)
Screener
Located under the Find Tab, the Advanced Screener is designed to allow the user to customize their own trade candidate searches. Several hundred data points are available to select from, build your Screen, Save for future use and Edit as needed.
Screener is flexible – allowing you to create save as many Screen searches as you wish, edit as needed, even download results.
Screens are user-defined, and 100% customized to the user’s specifications. They can be edited, saved, and deleted.
Left Control Panel
New – Create a new screener
Saved – Previously created and saved screens. Saved screens can be edited for single use, saved as a new screen, or to overwrite the previously saved screen
System – Templates available for use as starting points for new screeners. While the System screens themselves cannot be modified, they can be used as a foundation for newly created screens that can be modified for personal use and saved.
Select your criteria
There are 3 Levels of Data.
Level 1 offers Basic Information to select from. Level 2 expands upon what Level 1 offers. Level 3 offers all available, in-depth selections.
After choosing your criteria, you’ll be able to set the parameters for each criteria selection on the next screen.
Click “Run Search”
Note: The order the criteria are selected, will be the order the selections are displayed on the next screen.
The Results
The criteria selected in this example were Price ($50-200), Optionable, Score (Green or Yellow for each Icon), and 10-day Average Volume (5M-293M) resulting in 17 candidates.
From here, using the Icon Toolbar, candidates can be selected and:
- Sent to Research for further analysis
- Sent to an existing Watch List
- Used to create a New list
- Can be downloaded to a .csv file.
The Screen itself can be Saved (and named), or further modified – either by
adjusting the existing criteria or adding new data points – or a New Screen
can be created.
Additional data is accessible by clicking on “Company”, “Technical”, etc
above the list of candidates.
Icon Tool Bar – Hover Cursor over Icon to view function
Select one or more symbols
Send selections to Research
Create a New Watchlist with Selected Candidates
Send Candidate to an Existing Watchlist
Download to .csv file
System Screens are also available and new ones will be added.
The user can customize such screens and save to the platform just as any other
screen.
Candidates can be sent to Research, to a Watch List and/or
downloaded to a .csv file.
System Screens themselves cannot be modified and are designed to be
‘launching points’ for the user’s convenience if they wish to use them.
Note the colored bar graph of IV Range. It provides a ‘picture’ of where this
Stock/ETF is now for this datapoint.
Edit Screeners
Edit current, Saved or System Screeners by adjusting parameters of existing criteria using the slide bars, entering values in boxes, etc.
A Screener Update notice will appear prompting you to select “Run Search” after adjustments are completed. Updated results will populate the left table.
From here, use the Icon Toolbar for further options: Select, Add to Watchlist, Research or Download.
Toggle Criteria
The Toggle feature gives you additional flexibility in your Screener searches.
The ON position includes the selected criteria in calculating results.
The OFF position for that criteria will not affect the results when used to filter results. However, that data column will still be displayed with the other points selected.
Alert Functionality (Premium Desktop Feature)
Alert Functionality
Alerts can greatly improve trading effectiveness by notifying you on a potential trade opportunity and help you decide when to manage, enter or exit a trade.
Set up Alert notifications based on Last Price, Volume, $ Change, % Change, or % Offset.
If you’ve logged into the platform with either Streaming Quotes or RealTime Quotes through a linked brokerage account *within the last 30 days* – Alerts will be Real Time.
Alert Icons
- Add (+) New Alert – This icon is located on the symbol Quote Box
- Hollow Bell – Active Alert, not triggered
- Shaking Bell – Triggered alert, not yet viewed
- Solid Bell – Alert triggered today, already viewed
- Paused (z) or Used Alert – located in Alert Management Page
Set Your Alert
Click the Alert Icon, located on the symbol Quote Box. The symbol, Score Icons, Last Price, $ and % Change automatically fill in. To complete the rest:
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- Select Method: 23 to choose from! See list below
- Select Operator: Above/Equal To or Below/Equal To
- Enter Value: $, % or Quantity (Quantity example: 11,000,000 or 11M)
- Select Expiration: Valid up to 6 months. Click on Calendar Icon to navigate months
- Add Notes, if desired
- Click Save
An Information notification appears: Alert Successfully Saved
-
Alert Management
Manage your Alerts by going to: Research Tab>Alerts.
From this page, you can modify or remove alerts, view unread triggered alerts in one location and view prior alerts.
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- Select Method: See List on right
- Select Operator: Above/Equal To or Below/Equal To
- Enter Value: $, % or Quantity (Quantity example: 11,000,000 or 11M)
- Select Expiration: Valid up to 6 months. Click on Calendar Icon to navigate months
- Add Notes, if desired
- Click Save
An Information notification appears: Alert Successfully Saved
-
Active Alerts
This table lists all active alerts including:
Trigger notification – A bell icon appears if alert was triggered
Delayed Alert icon, if applicable
Settings – Method, Operator, Value
Expiration Date – Alerts can be active for up to 6 months
Notes
Ability to modify or remove from list
Alert Notifications
In addition to platform notifications, as long as you allow notifications, alerts can be sent to your computer or mobile device even if you are not logged into the platform.
Hollow Bell
The Hollow Bell indicates this Alert is Active, but has not been Triggeredwill appear next to the symbol whether on the QuoteBox in Research or on a Watchlist .
Ringing Bell
The Ringing Bell icon indicates the alert has been triggered and notification sent out. The highlighted area on the Quote Box or where it appears on a Watch List allows you to access the alert notification by clicking on the bell.
This display will show until the alert is read either from a Watch List, Quote Box or the Alert History section of the Alert Page.
Solid Bell
Once an Alert is read or “Marked As Read” on the Alert Notification page, the icon becomes a Solid Bell.
Clicking on the icon will still display the triggered alert until the next Market Day.
Alert History
This section displays triggered alerts for the time period selected: Today or All. The highlighted entries are Unread Notifications – the notices were not clicked on from the platform.
Click “Mark All as Read” to update entries.
A note about Real-Time & Delayed Alerts
Note: There are two ways 15 minute Delayed Alert Notification applies with Alerts:
1. If it’s been more than 30 days since a linked brokerage account with RealTime Quotes has been logged into – OR – the platform does not have Streaming Quotes.
2. OTC stocks will show as delayed, regardless of RealTime or Streaming Quotes
One of two notices will appear for each Alert
Following a Shared Account (Premium Desktop Feature)
Under Portfolio>Sharing, click on “Accounts I’m Following” on the left-hand panel.
The center panel, above the Account List has a section to enter the code for the Account to be shared on your platform. Enter the code, then click “Add“
On the bottom, right panel box under “Options“, make sure to check boxes:
Show in Journal
Show in Staged Orders
Alert me about this (Needs permission)
Your device’s settings need to be permissioned for Alerts.
Finally, for easy trade identification, select a color identifier from the dropdown box in the right corner of the Options box.
Link Trades in Journal
Trades can easily be linked in the Journal. This is helpful to keep related trades grouped together for easier tracking and analysis.
Some common applications include:
- Covered Calls – keeping stock and selling Calls with different Expirations
- Adjustment/Repair Trades
- Other previously Unmatched trades
This feature is best used in the Life of Trade View in the Journal.
The following steps will allow you to Link Trades:
1. After selecting your account and sorting by symbol, expand one of the trade tabs you want to link to another trade group or set.
Click the ‘Link Icon‘
2. A pop-up window will list the Selected (Expanded) Trade, any related trade and Available Trade Sets for that symbol in that account.
Note: You can link trade sets both prior to and following your current, selected trade.
Example: You want to link a May 2019 expired Call to April 2019 and June 2019 Covered Call trade set.
3. Click “Link To This Trade Set” for trade set(s) to link selected trade to, then click “Close“.
In this example, we linked an Expired May 10 2019 short call to an April and June Covered Call trade set.
After linking the trade, notice the total Profit (Loss) Amount updated, but the trade duration did not.
This is because the May Call falls in between the original April trade entry and the June expiration.
If you have more trade sets to link, repeat the previous steps as outlined.
Final note: If you link a trade in error, simply expand the same trade tab and ‘uncheck’ the Link This Trade Set box.
Adding an Account
Accessing a live account is easy. Currently Choice Trade, Tradier, Schwab, E*TRADE are offered through this platform. More brokerages will be added.
To add an Existing Brokerage Account or add a Virtual or Manual Account:
1. Clicking on the “+” icon will display the screen below
2. Select your Brokerage, Virtual or Manual Account from the drop-down
3. Read & Accept Terms and Conditions
4. Click “Continue”
Live Accounts will prompt you to enter your credentials on the next screen.
Virtual** and Manual Accounts will automatically activate.
To add a New Live Account, click on the “Open New Account” box on upper right of the above screen.
Select the account you want to add by clicking the selected brokerage.
Click the “Done” button.
You’ll be directed to the brokerage website to guide you through the process of completing an application.
**TradeStation requires a completed account application to create a Virtual Account.
Manual Account Overview
A Manual Account is versatile resource tool which can enhance your trading effectiveness. You can also use this to track trades from an outside brokerage account.
Use the Manual Account for educational purposes.
- It offers flexibility and control, while providing the Analytics and Journal to help you reinforce the “Learning to Earning” process. This allows you to focus on learning the strategies.
- Place trades any time of day or night – all get immediately executed at the price entered. No need for the market to be open.
- No Buying Power limits – no expensive spread margin requirements to adhere to, no limit on how much you can buy/sell
- Place trades in the past.
- Enter trades from Backtest Mode
Use to tracking external accounts
- Can be used to track trades placed at brokers not integrated into the platform
- You can enter the date and fill prices of your actual trades
- This enables portfolio management along with your other accounts
- You can use full Journal function for tracking your progress
Manual Accounts are identified by a narrow Red Bar and are, by default, Auto-Journaled.
Entering trades in a Manual Account takes only a few steps and is similar to a regular trade.
You can also bring up the ticket from any trade point. Simply start a trade and select the manual account just like you would select any other account.
(Bold indicates unique to Manual ticket):
1. Enter the Stock Symbol, or name of Company (Smart search will display potential matches)
2. If this is a past trade, use the calendar/date picker to select date
3. Click “Stock”, “Call” or “Put” to build trade, change quantity, Expiry and Strike (if applicable)
4. Bid/Ask will automatically populate if a specific price is not entered
5. Complete Order Type, Duration and Condition
6. Click “Review” to confirm information is correct, then ‘Submit” on next screen.
The order will appear in Order Status as “Executed” and operate the same way as other accounts.