Options
Options Trading Journal
Record complete option contracts, lots, execution prices and trade context without confusing a contract with its underlying index.
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Identify the contract completely
An underlying name alone does not identify an option trade. Keep the trading symbol, strike, call or put designation and expiry together. Also record the exchange or market, product and brokerage account used for the execution.
When searching for a symbol, confirm the selected contract against the broker tradebook. Similar strikes and expiries can look alike. Notes about the underlying market belong in the journal context, while the execution record should describe the contract actually traded.
Keep lots and units consistent
Lots and units are related by the applicable lot size. Use the contract and account settings relevant to that execution; do not assume that a remembered lot size is valid for every instrument or date.
Before saving or importing, compare the normalized quantity with the original tradebook. A quantity entered in lots should not be imported again as units. Review the mapping and preview before confirming a CSV or XLSX import.
- Check the unit used in the export.
- Confirm the contract lot size.
- Review normalized quantity before saving.
Retain the execution sequence
One position may include several entries and exits. Advanced fills let you retain their timestamps and quantities. Partial exits should leave the remaining position open, and a reversal should be reviewed as a closing quantity followed by a separate opposite-side opening quantity.
Do not assume that every buy is an entry or every sell is an exit. The direction and current position determine the role of a fill. Imported ambiguous sequences need review rather than an invented closed-trade result.