Free Template
Forex Trading Journal Template
The simple, no-nonsense trade journal used by disciplined traders. 18 columns. CSV or spreadsheet. Zero fluff. Designed to force you to confront every losing trade instead of forgetting it.
Why journal every trade?
Losing traders remember their winners and forget their losers. Winning traders do the opposite — they study losses relentlessly and treat winners as data points to confirm their edge. A trading journal is the single cheapest tool that separates the two groups.
The template below is deliberately simple. It fits on one spreadsheet, tracks 18 essential fields, and forces you to categorise every trade by setup and emotional state — the two columns you will refer to most often when reviewing your performance each Sunday.
Live preview
Three sample trades showing how a typical week looks in the journal.
| # | Date | Symbol | Dir | Entry | Exit | Lots | P/L | R | Setup | Emotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | 2026-01-15 | EUR/USD | Long | 1.0842 | 1.0888 | 0.50 | +$230 | +2.09R | London breakout | Calm |
| 002 | 2026-01-15 | GBP/USD | Short | 1.2710 | 1.2738 | 0.50 | -$140 | -1.12R | Range fade | FOMO |
| 003 | 2026-01-16 | XAU/USD | Long | 2032.50 | 2044.20 | 0.20 | +$234 | +2.60R | Trend pullback | Calm |
CSV Template
Copy the text below and save it as journal.csv. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, or any text editor.
Trade #,Date,Instrument,Direction,Entry,Stop Loss,Take Profit,Exit,Lots,Risk $,P/L $,Pips,R-Multiple,Setup,Session,Emotion,Notes,Screenshot 001,2026-01-15,EUR/USD,Long,1.0842,1.0820,1.0890,1.0888,0.50,110,230,46,2.09,London breakout,London,Calm,"Clean break above yesterday's high", 002,2026-01-15,GBP/USD,Short,1.2710,1.2735,1.2650,1.2738,0.50,125,-140,-28,-1.12,Range fade,NY,FOMO,"Should have waited for confirmation", 003,2026-01-16,XAU/USD,Long,2032.50,2028.00,2045.00,2044.20,0.20,90,234,1170,2.60,Trend pullback,London,Calm,"Textbook entry at 20 EMA",
Tip: paste into Google Sheets using File → Import → Upload with comma as the separator. All formulas for R-multiple and running P/L can be added with =K2/J2.
Column reference
What each column tracks and why it matters.
Trade #
Sequential trade ID for the month.
Date
Entry date (YYYY-MM-DD).
Instrument
Currency pair, index, or CFD traded.
Direction
Long or Short.
Entry
Entry price.
Stop Loss
Initial stop price.
Take Profit
Initial take-profit price (if set).
Exit
Actual closing price.
Lots
Position size in standard lots.
Risk $
Dollar amount at risk on entry.
P/L $
Dollar profit or loss after fees.
Pips
Net pips gained or lost.
R-Multiple
Result divided by initial risk (R).
Setup
Strategy or pattern (e.g. "London breakout").
Session
Asian / London / NY / Overlap.
Emotion
Calm / FOMO / Revenge / Overconfident.
Notes
Free-text review of the trade.
Screenshot
Link to chart snapshot (optional).
Weekly review checklist
Every Sunday, sit down with your journal and answer these six questions.
- 1
What was my win rate this week, and how does it compare to my 30-day average?
- 2
What was my average R-multiple on winners? On losers?
- 3
Which setup generated the most R-multiple this week?
- 4
Which emotional state preceded my biggest losing trade?
- 5
Did I violate my risk rules on any trade? If yes, why?
- 6
What one thing will I do differently next week?