For context, let’s assume you have already created a session, if you have, you will see your sessions similar to the below:
If not, follow this support article to get started with our Backtesting feature.
Video Overview:
Step-by-Step Breakdown:
Under “my sessions” click on the “3 dots” on the backtesting session you would like to review.
2. Then, click “Play”
3. This will now direct you to this “Backtesting Window” within TradeZella
We will now breakdown the different features and sections of the backtesting window.
Navigating through your backtesting Chart
Starting off, we have the main chart, which you can see above. This represents the symbol that you’ve defined while creating the session that you want to backtest.
You will see that the candle will start on the start date you predefined while creating the session.
Now, the first thing you’re going to do is click “Play” here:
You will now see that the candles are formulating as if you were trading this in real time. This is allowing you to go back in time to this particular trading day that you predefined and see the candle price action either second by second or minute by minute as if it was real time.
2. Click "Pause"
3. You can also use these two buttons to go forwards or backwards, this allows you to navigate seamlessly through this backtesting session.
Hitting the forward button will skip ahead one candle and similarly hitting the backwards button will go back a candle.
4. You can also use the “Calendar” here, which allows you to select dates within your session and skip ahead or backwards if needed.
If you now click “Play” again on the main chart you will see that it skips ahead or back to the date you selected.
5. Another way to do something similar is to use the sliding bar here:
This is a slider of the full backtesting session, it tells you where you are in the session. You can slide this forward to a date and the chart will follow. Similarly, going backwards also does the same.
6. On the left-hand side to your play button you will see the “1x sliding bar”. This controls the speed of the backtesting session. E.g How quickly do you want the chart to move?
For example: If you change from 1x to 2x you’ll see that the chart is moving slightly quicker. If you try 10x you will see the chart is now moving at a very quick pace.
7. Now on the right-hand side of your play button, you have a time drop-down. This allows you to jump forward in certain increments, whatever is selected, the candles will generate to match.
For example: If you’re on 11:59am and you select “1h” then click play. You will see the candles will generate forward to 12:59pm.
8. Again, looking at timeframes. If you click “1m” here:
This allows you to review specific timeframes of the chart.
For example: if you click “1h” this allows you to review the hourly chart of your session and you’ll see in the chart the hourly candles generated for review.
Placing an order on the backtesting window
On the right-hand side navigation, click “Order”
You will see, this place order section:
There are 3 options to choose: Market, Limit and Stop.
Market Orders
Market Order = Execute this order at the current market price.
Choose a position
This means quantity. What’s the quantity of lots you want to buy?
2. Click “Buy”
You will see that the order was created successfully and executed at the current price which you can see here:
You will also be able to see all orders placed within this positions section here and their status
3. If you decide to exit this trade, you need to click on “- icon” here:
4. Then click “Confirm”
You will now see your entry and exit on the chart like this:
And you will also see your realized P&L and Status for this order here:
5. Now, let’s go back to our right-hand side navigation and click “details”
6. You will see this section appears:
7. You will then see your realized P&L here:
This combines all the trades that you took within this backtesting session and shows you the realized P&L.
8. You will also see within this section, “Playbook”
This is showing you the playbook you have linked this backtesting session to.
9. You will see your “current balance”
This means after your realized P&L what is your balance, at this current point.
For example:
We started with an initial balance of $10,000.00
We then closed a session with a loss of -$795.00
This leaves us with $9,205.00 left in our current balance
10. Now, on the same right-hand side navigation, click “Calendar”
This refers to an economic calendar which most traders use as a resource to understand any important economic event that may occur in the coming days.
For example: If you’re on January 2nd, you will see in the calendar it shows all the upcoming economic events and displays them here for that time period.
You can also filter and adjust which countries you would like to apply to the calendar by clicking here and selecting:
On the same navigation, we also have “Orders”
This is currently in development so unavailable at this time.
12. Now let’s go back to “Order” here and place another Market order.
13. Enter your position here:
14. Now, we can also define our profit targets here:
This means what price do you want to exit this trade and collect profit at?
15. Then, we need to add a stop loss here:
This means if this trade were to go against you, what price should your trade be cancelled and closed at?
Need further support? Reach out to our Customer Service team at support@tradezella.com