Trackrecord is the recording of results. Recording results is necessary to ensure that the best possible action is taken in both the long and short term. By recording the results, it is possible to see over time the results achieved over different periods and the results achieved with different systems.
In order to act, it is important to have a clear idea of the operation to be carried out. Once the idea is defined, we can make sure that the records made by one system or another are homogeneous. This consistency allows us to make a standardized record of the operation used. “It is important to apply the rules used to perform the operations in good conditions”.
As we know that the trackrecord is only a trading tool and that it is necessary to have a clear idea of what we want to do, another aspect, IMPRESSIBLE, is to follow what our trading plan says.
Why is it important to follow our trading plan?
The track record is an important part of our trading plan for the following reasons:
- By being honest with ourselves, we can credibly evaluate our company’s performance.
- If we enter records into the system that do not match what our plan says, the information is not true.
- The advantage of our trading plan is that we know where we need to act to improve our performance. If we have several systems and we find that the results of one system are poor and cause us to lose the benefits of other systems, we can improve our results by stopping using that system (if the data is wrong, this solution may not help us). On the other hand, if we find that our activities are not performing as well at certain times of the year or on certain days, we can do something about it by identifying the problem.
- A graphical representation of the stations performed can help us to identify a posteriori whether the error on the records in question was due to the system or whether, on the contrary, it was due to the application of the same system. It is advisable not to evaluate the items immediately after the end of the session if we evaluate them one by one, which gives us time to clear our minds.
- A trading log is a record or log of all our positions, it can be done in an Excel spreadsheet (like the one you find in Traders’ Launcher), where we record at least: the type of contract, the system used, the profit or loss (P/G), the lot time and units entered for each order, the entry and exit price and the target and stop size. It is also advisable to take a picture of the session sheet showing our activity and some notes on psychotraining to help us evaluate or identify aspects that are not on the sheet.
It is recommended that traders keep a record of what they have won (profitability), what they have lost (maximum bet) and the variation of these gains and losses (volatility). The first is a measure of profit, while the other two are measures of risk. The track record, however, goes much further. It is a detailed record of each transaction.
Statistics
A detailed study of the results shows that there are many statistics. The most important of these are:
- Profitability: obtained by dividing the total net profit by the initial deposit and multiplying it by 100 to express it as a percentage.
- Profit multiplier: how many euros or dollars we earn for every euro or dollar we lose. Ideally, it should always be greater than 2.
- Maximum Drawdown: the maximum reduction in relation to our capital over the period studied.
- Reliability: this is a relevant statistic, but not a decisive factor. What really matters is how much money a trading platform makes when it succeeds and how much it loses when it fails.