summary: the shortest path from zero to your first test webhook — connect broker, create a strategy, paste the webhook into TradingView, fire a test alert on a SIM account.

this article covers: a 5-step speed run from broker connection to a verified SIM trade, ~10 minutes assuming your edgeful algo indicator is already on a TradingView chart. want the full hub with prereqs, the contract-symbol rule, and going-live guidance? see → algo automation quickstart — start here.

3 things need to be in place:

one more thing: backtest your algo in TradingView's Strategy Report (formerly the Strategy Tester) first. automation is the last step — not the first.

running on multiple accounts or a prop firm? the rule of thumb is 1 broker account = 1 strategy in edgeful = 1 webhook URL. for the full scenarios matrix (5 accounts, ORB+IB on one account, SIM+live, etc.), see → using edgeful algos with prop firms and multiple accounts. you can still follow this quickstart for your first strategy and add the others after.

before you build the alert, get the contract symbol on your TradingView chart right — it's the #1 silent failure cause:

full breakdown: → which broker accounts work with edgeful algo automation?

open the algo dashboard from algos & automation → dashboard in the left sidebar.

click connect Tradovate/NinjaTrader or connect ProjectX depending on your account. log into your broker through the secure popup, approve the connection, and you'll land back on edgeful. confirm the broker shows connected (green) in the connected accounts table.

in the same dashboard, click create strategy. fill in all 4 fields — name (e.g., "NQ ORB SIM"), description, broker account, and entry order type (market or limit). the create button stays disabled until every field is filled.

point this first strategy at a SIM/demo account — you're testing the chain, not your bankroll.

once created, the strategy appears in the table with status enabled (green) and a unique webhook URL. click the copy icon (the dual-box icon) next to "view webhook" to grab the full URL — never copy from the masked preview.

on TradingView, set contracts per trade = 1 in your edgeful algo indicator's input panel (this is the only place position size is set), then open the alert dialog by right-clicking the indicator → Add alert.

3 fields you must get right:

match your chart timeframe to your algo's timeframe. save the alert.

full walkthrough: → setting up TradingView alerts for algo automation

don't fake an alert — let the algo trigger naturally on its actual setup conditions. that's the only way to prove the real chain works end-to-end.

if you want to speed it up, loosen your filters temporarily so a signal is more likely on the next bar.

as soon as the alert fires, open edgeful.com/algos-automation/trade-notifications. you should see a row with your strategy name and status filled (green).

then check your SIM broker — the position should be open. when the trade exits (TP or SL), you'll see separate flatten rows in the log and the position will be closed at the broker.

if status shows failed, rejected, or nothing appears at all, jump to → algo error message decoder. for what each log status means, see → understanding the algo notification log.

only move to a live/funded account after the SIM chain runs end-to-end with status filled at least once.

to switch: create a new strategy pointed at your live account, copy its unique webhook URL, and update the TradingView alert with the new URL. don't reuse the SIM webhook — each strategy has its own, and the SIM webhook keeps routing to SIM.

start with 1 contract on the live strategy. confirm the first trade fills cleanly before scaling up.

start here:

spokes — full walkthroughs of each step:

troubleshooting:

reference: