summary: create TradingView alerts on your edgeful algo indicators by configuring the webhook URL, enabling the webhook notification, and pasting the exact message format provided by edgeful. after any settings change, always delete and recreate the alert.
this article covers: TradingView alert configuration end-to-end — the webhook URL field, the webhook notification toggle, the message field, chart timeframe, recreating alerts after settings or script updates, multi-strategy setups, and contract rollover handling. for broker connection and strategy creation (the steps that generate the webhook URL in the first place) see using the algo dashboard. new to algo automation? start at the algo automation quickstart.
the webhook URL is the bridge that allows TradingView to communicate with your broker. when the indicator signals an entry, TradingView fires the alert, which sends the webhook to edgeful, which routes the order to your broker.
getting the alert set up correctly is one of the most common places things go wrong — this article walks you through the full setup, managing alerts after script updates, and the things that trip people up.
quick answers to common alert configuration questions
how do I create a TradingView alert for an edgeful algo?
add the edgeful algo indicator to your chart, then open the alert dialog by right-clicking the indicator → Add alert, or using the clock icon in the TradingView toolbar → Create alert. in the alert dialog, paste your edgeful webhook URL into the Webhook URL field, toggle the webhook notification on, and paste the exact message format from your edgeful algo automation dashboard. see the full walkthrough below.
my TradingView alert didn't fire — what should I check first?
most "didn't fire" issues trace back to one of four things: (1) the webhook notification is toggled off in the alert dialog even though the URL is pasted, (2) your chart timeframe doesn't match your algo's timeframe, (3) the indicator settings changed and you didn't recreate the alert, or (4) a script update needs a fresh alert. see TradingView alert didn't fire for the full diagnostic checklist.
do I need to recreate my alert after changing indicator settings?
yes — every time. the alert is tied to the indicator's settings at the time it was created. changes to session, ORB size, risk parameters, or any other indicator setting aren't picked up by the existing alert. update the indicator, delete the existing alert, and create a new one.
do I need to update my alerts after an edgeful script update?
it depends on the update. minor updates (backend fixes, reporting adjustments) don't require alert changes — your existing alerts keep working. major updates (new features, parameter changes, logic changes) need a fresh alert so it reflects the new script. we always communicate which type it is in the #new-features Discord channel and the update notes on the purple indicator update icon. see managing TradingView alerts after a script update.
if I'm running multiple strategies, do they each need their own alert?
yes. each algo indicator setup needs its own alert — ORB on MNQ and IB on ES means 2 separate indicators on 2 separate charts, each with its own alert. if both strategies route to the same broker account, they use the same webhook URL. if they route to different accounts (for example one SIM and one live), each alert needs the webhook URL for that specific account.
what chart timeframe should my alert use?
match your chart timeframe to the timeframe your algo is built for. TradingView fires alerts on the close of a bar, not in real time within the bar — so if you're running a 5-minute ORB algo but your chart is set to 30 minutes, the alert won't fire until the 30-minute bar closes. consistent delays between signal and alert are almost always a chart timeframe mismatch.
how the alert pipeline works
your algo runs on TradingView. when it signals an entry, TradingView fires the alert. the alert sends a webhook (a data packet) to edgeful's servers. edgeful reads the webhook, identifies which strategy it belongs to, and routes the order to your broker. your broker executes the trade.
each step depends on the previous one. if any link breaks — wrong webhook URL, webhook notification toggled off, message format wrong, stale alert after a settings change — the whole chain stops.
for the deeper reference on how exits are delivered and where slippage comes from, see how the algo automation chain works.
creating the alert
make sure your edgeful algo indicator is already added to your chart before creating the alert. then open the alert dialog using either method:
right-click the indicator on the chart → Add alert
clock icon in the TradingView toolbar → Create alert → select the edgeful indicator as the condition
both paths open the same alert dialog.
the 3 fields you must get right
1. webhook URL
this is the most critical field. find your webhook URL in the algo automation dashboard in edgeful and paste the full URL into the Webhook URL field in TradingView.
make sure you copy the entire URL — a truncated version won't work, and TradingView won't warn you that it's broken. for how to copy the URL correctly (use the copy button, not manual highlight), see using the algo dashboard.
2. webhook notification enabled
in the alert dialog, under the notifications or actions section, make sure the Webhook URL notification type is toggled on. the alert won't send anything to edgeful unless this is active — even if you've pasted the URL.
3. notification message
the message field in the alert dialog must contain the exact message format provided by edgeful. you'll find this in the algo automation dashboard alongside your webhook URL — copy it exactly as shown and paste it into the message field.
edgeful uses this message to identify which strategy the alert belongs to. if it's wrong or missing, the alert will fire but the order won't route correctly.
chart timeframe and alert timing
TradingView fires alerts on the close of a bar — not in real time within the bar. this means your chart timeframe directly affects when the alert triggers.
if you're running a 5-minute ORB algo and your chart is set to 5 minutes, the alert fires when the 5-minute bar closes. if you accidentally leave the chart on a 30-minute timeframe, the alert won't fire until the end of that 30-minute bar — which could be 20+ minutes after the signal actually occurred.
set your chart to the timeframe you want your algo to execute on. if you're seeing consistent delays between the signal and the alert, check your chart timeframe first.
recreating alerts after settings changes
this is one of the most common causes of algo issues after an optimization. any time you change any setting in your edgeful algo indicator — session, ORB size, risk parameters, anything — you must delete your existing alert and create a new one.
the alert is tied to the indicator's settings at the time it was created. changes to the indicator aren't automatically picked up by the existing alert.
the process every time you update settings:
update the indicator settings in TradingView
delete the existing alert for that indicator
create a new alert following the same setup steps above
managing alerts after a script update
not every edgeful script update requires you to redo your alerts — it depends on the type of update.
minor updates (backend fixes, reporting adjustments): your alerts keep working. you don't need to touch anything. these updates don't change how the algo runs in real-time.
major updates (new features, parameter changes, logic changes): you'll want to update your alerts so they reflect the latest version of the script.
how do you know which type it is? we'll always communicate what changed — check the #new-features channel in Discord or the update notes when you see the purple update icon on your indicator.
how to update your alerts after a major script update:
open TradingView and load your chart with the edgeful indicator
if you see a purple circle with arrows on the indicator — click it to apply the latest version
delete your old alert for that indicator
create a new alert using the updated indicator
the new alert will use the updated script logic automatically.
running multiple strategies
each algo indicator setup needs its own alert. if you're running ORB on MNQ and IB on ES, that's 2 separate indicators on 2 separate charts — each needs its own alert.
for the webhook URL: if both strategies are routing to the same broker account, they use the same webhook URL. if they're routing to different accounts (e.g. one SIM, one live), each alert needs the webhook URL for that specific account.
the risk of mixing up webhooks: an alert from one strategy will trigger trades on the wrong account. double-check which webhook is in each alert before going live.
contract rollovers and alerts
futures contracts expire quarterly. when a contract rolls, the active contract symbol changes (e.g. MESU2025 → MESZ2025). if your TradingView chart is still pointing at the expired contract, you may see order rejections or missed trades.
when a contract rolls: update the symbol on your TradingView chart to the new active contract, then delete and recreate your alert. the alert is tied to a specific symbol — an alert built on an expired contract won't execute correctly on the new one.
for live trading, always use the current front-month contract symbol (like MNQH26) — not the continuous symbol (MNQ1!). continuous symbols are for backtesting only. the exception: Topstep / ProjectX accounts require continuous symbols for live trading — see my algo didn't trade — start here for the full platform-by-platform rule.
related articles
start here:
algo automation quickstart — start here — the hub
other spokes:
using the algo dashboard — broker connection and strategy creation
understanding the algo notification log — read the trade log
my algo didn't trade — start here — troubleshooting
how the algo automation chain works — under-the-hood reference
algo error message decoder — every common error string
alert deep dives: