Who this is for
Futures journaling is different because costs, tick size, and contract selection can decide profitability. This pillar is for traders who want a professional system that’s comparable across micros/minis and useful for weekly decisions.
Need session tagging and fast reviews (RTH/ETH, open/close behavior).
Day trading journalNeed net P&L, commission/slippage tracking, and reality-based performance.
Profit factorWhat should a futures journal include?
Futures journaling works when trades are comparable and reviewable. That requires tick-aware risk, net results after costs, and tags that let you segment by context.
| Category | Fields to track | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Contract Reality | Symbol, micro vs mini, exchange, contract month | Prevents mixing incomparable trades. |
| Execution + Risk | Entry/stop/target, stop distance (ticks), position size, planned risk | Compute realized R and evaluate setup quality. |
| Costs (Non-optional) | Commissions, slippage estimate, net P&L | Futures can “look profitable” until costs are applied. |
| Context Tags | Setup/strategy tag, session tag (RTH/ETH), notes | Enables segmentation: what works, when, and where. |
| Review Layer | Rule adherence, screenshot link, “repeat / avoid” | Turns logging into a feedback loop. |
If your stop is 8 ticks and your tick value is $5, risk per contract is 8 × 5 = $40. Track this so R-multiples stay consistent.
Gross P&L $120 minus commissions/slippage $18 = net P&L $102. Track net results or your stats drift away from reality.
Tag sessions (ex: RTH Open, Midday, Close) so you can see where your edge exists - and where you’re just donating liquidity.
How to journal futures trades
A workflow that actually improves performance is session-aware, cost-realistic, and review-driven. Don't just log; analyze.
Log contract details
Record symbol and whether it’s micro or mini so results remain comparable.
Track stop distance (ticks)
Store stop (price) and stop distance (ticks) so you can normalize performance by risk.
Log net P&L after costs
Costs can flip a strategy from “green” to “dead”. Don’t skip them.
Tag setup + session
One setup can work at the open and fail midday. Tags expose that.
Weekly review
Review by setup/session using profit factor and expectancy.
Common Mistakes in Futures Journaling
If you don’t journal costs, your strategy evaluation becomes fantasy.
Results become incomparable unless you normalize by planned risk / R.
Many edges are time-dependent. Without tags, you can’t see that.
Win rate alone lies. Use expectancy and profit factor to measure quality.
Futures Journal Templates
Metrics to Review
Futures edges are fragile. Use these metric hubs to audit your performance.
If it’s not net and risk-weighted, it’s not real.
Start with a futures template, then upgrade when you want automated review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a futures trading journal?
A futures trading journal tracks trades with tick-aware risk, costs, and session/setup tags, so you can measure true performance using net P&L, realized R, profit factor, expectancy, and drawdown.
How to journal futures trades?
Log the contract (micro/mini), capture stop distance in ticks and planned risk, record net P&L after costs, tag session + setup, and run a weekly review using profit factor and expectancy to make decisions.
What should a futures trading journal include?
Symbol/contract, micro vs mini, entry/stop/target, stop distance (ticks), size, costs (commissions + slippage), net P&L, realized R, setup tags, session tags, and short review notes.
Futures trading journal template
Use a futures template that tracks stop distance in ticks, costs, net P&L, and setup/session tags so your review is comparable. Start here: futures trading journal template.
Best trading journal for futures
The best trading journal for futures correctly accounts for costs and measures performance with risk-weighted metrics (R, expectancy, profit factor), segmented by setup and session. See the comparison page: best futures trading journal.