Build Your Trading Dashboard

A spreadsheet dashboard gives you instant insight into your trading performance. Here's how to build one that updates automatically.

What Your Dashboard Needs

1. Performance summary (Total P&L, Win Rate, Avg RR, Profit Factor)
2. Equity curve (account balance over time)
3. Monthly breakdown (P&L by month)
4. Strategy performance (which setups work best)
5. Drawdown tracker (peak-to-trough analysis)

Step 1: Your Trade Data Structure

Step 2: Key Formulas

Win Rate

=COUNTIF(PnL_Range, ">0") / COUNTA(PnL_Range)

Profit Factor

=SUMIF(PnL_Range, ">0") / ABS(SUMIF(PnL_Range, "<0"))

Average RR

=AVERAGEIF(PnL_Range, ">0", RRR_Range)

Max Drawdown

=MIN(0, (Current_Balance / Peak_Balance) - 1)

Step 3: Equity Curve Chart

1. Create a running balance column

=Previous_Balance + Current_PnL

1. Insert a line chart
2. Add a horizontal line for starting balance
3. Green fill above the line, red below (customize in chart settings)

Step 4: Pivot Tables for Analysis

Create a pivot table to analyze by:

• Month — track monthly P&L trends
• Pair — which instruments you trade best
• Day of week — do you trade better on certain days?
• Setup type — which strategy works best
• Session — London vs New York session performance

Step 5: Automate It

The best dashboard connects directly to your trade data. A dedicated trading journal app can export CSV files that automatically refresh your spreadsheet. Or your journal can generate these metrics for you.

A dashboard is only useful if your data is accurate. Keep every trade logged without exception.