# Home MT5 trading journal with automated trade sync. Read the canonical HTML page: https://chartreporter.com Chart Reporter provides trading-journal and analytics software. It does not provide investment advice, recommendations, or performance guarantees. --- # Features Automated MT5 sync, replay, sessions, and strategy analytics. Read the canonical HTML page: https://chartreporter.com/features Chart Reporter provides trading-journal and analytics software. It does not provide investment advice, recommendations, or performance guarantees. --- # Pricing Free, Pro, and Sovereign plans for MT5 traders. Read the canonical HTML page: https://chartreporter.com/pricing Chart Reporter provides trading-journal and analytics software. It does not provide investment advice, recommendations, or performance guarantees. --- # MetaTrader 5 Marketplace Tools Chart Reporter publishes separate chart-native MetaTrader 5 Marketplace tools. They are not part of the Chart Reporter journaling product. ## Trade Projector Trade Projector is a chart-native workspace for planning a manual MT5 trade before placing an order. It supports an entry reference, stop-loss, take-profit, estimated risk and reward, and fixed or risk-based sizing. - Product page: https://chartreporter.com/tools/trade-projector - Documentation: https://docs.chartreporter.com/other-tools/trade-projector - MQL5 Marketplace: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/188379 ## PDHL PDHL displays the previous completed daily high and low from the active MT5 broker feed. It is a charting aid for reference levels, not a prediction or trade signal. - Product page: https://chartreporter.com/tools/pdhl - Documentation: https://docs.chartreporter.com/other-tools/pdhl - MQL5 Marketplace: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/189447 --- # Trade Projector Trade Projector is a MetaTrader 5 Expert Advisor for planning a manual trade directly on the chart. It makes the planned entry, stop-loss, take-profit, estimated risk and reward, and lot size visible before an order is placed. It is a planning aid, not a signal service, automated strategy, performance guarantee, or investment recommendation. ## Key capabilities - Draggable Entry, Stop Loss, and Take Profit levels. - Fixed-lot and risk-based position sizing. - Market and pending-order controls. - Optional risk and reward zones. ## Important use notes Check the symbol, broker conditions, margin, spread, volume limits, and final ticket details in MetaTrader 5 before submitting an order. ## Links - Documentation: https://docs.chartreporter.com/other-tools/trade-projector - MQL5 Marketplace: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/188379 --- # PDHL — Previous Day High and Low PDHL is a MetaTrader 5 indicator that displays the previous completed daily high and low from the active broker feed on the chart. It is a charting aid for reference levels, not a prediction, trade signal, or investment recommendation. ## Important use notes Daily candle boundaries, server time, weekend handling, and price feeds can differ between brokers. Use the same broker feed as the one you are analysing. ## Links - Documentation: https://docs.chartreporter.com/other-tools/pdhl - MQL5 Marketplace: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/189447 --- # MT5 Trading Journal That Writes Itself Chart Reporter records your MetaTrader 5 trades at the terminal and turns them into a journal you can review without rebuilding the day by hand. ## Most trading journals fail after the habit gets expensive Manual trading journals start with good intent and usually end with a missing week. Entries, exits, partial closes, commission, swap, screenshots, and notes become a second job after the market closes. For MT5 traders, the terminal already knows the core facts. Chart Reporter uses that source-of-truth record instead of asking you to type it back into a spreadsheet. ## Terminal capture beats memory The Chart Reporter Expert Advisor runs inside your own MT5 terminal and pushes trade data to your private dashboard. That means the journal is built from the same environment where the trades happened. You can review sessions, strategy tags, risk, drawdown, replay context, screenshots, and trade history without sharing investor passwords or broker API credentials. ## From execution to review without the spreadsheet tax Attach the EA, trade normally, and open Chart Reporter when you are ready to review. The dashboard gives you the record: trade list, statistics, strategy breakdowns, session performance, and replay tools. That changes the journal from a chore into an instrument panel. The work shifts from data entry to decision review. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Chart Reporter only for MetaTrader 5? The current marketing site is focused on MT5 because the Chart Reporter EA captures data from the MetaTrader 5 terminal. ### Do I need to enter trades manually? No. The EA records the trade facts from MT5 and pushes them to Chart Reporter automatically. ### Can I review algo strategies? Yes. Magic numbers can be mapped to strategies so automated systems can be reviewed separately. ### Does this replace risk management? No. Chart Reporter is a journaling and analytics tool. It does not provide investment advice or performance guarantees. ## Related pages - [MT5 Trade Sync](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trade-sync) — See how terminal-level sync captures trades without broker credentials. - [Automated MT5 Journal](https://chartreporter.com/automated-trading-journal-mt5) — Compare manual journaling with automatic terminal capture. - [MetaTrader API](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-api) — Understand why journaling does not require broker API access. - [Chart Reporter MCP vs MT5 Native MCP](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) — Compare terminal access with persistent journal review. --- # MT5 Trade Sync Without Broker Credentials Chart Reporter syncs MetaTrader 5 trade data from your terminal into a private trading journal without asking for broker login details. ## Your terminal sends the record The Chart Reporter EA runs inside MT5 and pushes trade data to your dashboard. Chart Reporter does not log into your broker account and does not need an investor password. That makes sync practical for traders who want automatic journaling but do not want to create another broker-side integration. ## The details traders usually forget to log Trade sync can include orders, entries, exits, partial closes, scale-outs, commission, swap, initial and exit SL/TP levels, and strategy metadata such as magic numbers. Where supported, the surrounding review context can include screenshots and candle data for replay. ## Automatic import changes the review habit Manual journals depend on your energy after the session. MT5 trade sync makes the record available before you start reviewing. That consistency is the difference between occasional notes and a real dataset about how you trade. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need a broker API key? No. Chart Reporter syncs journal data from the MT5 terminal through the EA. ### Do I need an investor password? No. Chart Reporter does not ask for investor passwords or broker credentials. ### Is this a trade copier? No. It is a journaling and analytics sync, not a copying or execution tool. ### Where should I start? Create an account, install the EA, and attach it to MT5. ## Related pages - [MT5 Trade Sync](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trade-sync) — See how terminal-level sync captures trades without broker credentials. - [Install the EA](https://chartreporter.com/install-chart-reporter-ea) — Set up the Chart Reporter Expert Advisor in MetaTrader 5. - [Pricing](https://chartreporter.com/pricing) — Start free and upgrade when you need more history and analytics. --- # Install the Chart Reporter MT5 Expert Advisor The Chart Reporter EA is the bridge between your MT5 terminal and your private trading journal. Install it once, then let the terminal send the record. ## Start from your Chart Reporter account Install the EA from the Chart Reporter MQL5 Marketplace listing first. Marketplace installation is the preferred route because MT5 can deliver EA updates through it; manual download from your Chart Reporter account remains available if needed. Attach the EA to a chart in your terminal and paste your Chart Reporter API key into its inputs. Chart Reporter is a reporting EA, so enabling Algo Trading is not required. ## Allow reporting, not broker control The EA needs permission to send journal data to Chart Reporter. In MT5, allow WebRequest for https://api.chartreporter.com. It does not need your broker credentials, investor password, broker API key, or Algo Trading permission. After setup, confirm the terminal heartbeat or first synced trade in the dashboard so you know the bridge is alive. ## If sync does not start Check that the EA is attached, MT5 allows the required outbound request, and the account API key from Chart Reporter is configured correctly. If the terminal is closed, the EA cannot report new activity. Keep MT5 running during the sessions you want to journal. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I install this inside MT5? Yes. The EA runs in your MetaTrader 5 terminal. ### Do I need to leave MT5 open? The terminal needs to be running for the EA to report new activity. ### Does the EA trade for me? No. It reports journal data to Chart Reporter. ### Can I use it with multiple brokers? The Pro plan supports multi-broker sync workflows. ## Related pages - [MT5 Trade Sync](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trade-sync) — See how terminal-level sync captures trades without broker credentials. - [MT5 Trading Journal](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trading-journal) — See the full journal workflow after the EA is connected. - [MetaTrader MCP Server](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) — Explore agent-readable journal workflows powered by your MT5 record. --- # Automated Trading Journal for MT5 Chart Reporter removes the manual logging step from trade review by capturing MT5 trade activity directly from the terminal. ## Automated means the record is created as you trade An automated trading journal should not mean a better spreadsheet template. It should mean the journal is already populated when you sit down to review. Chart Reporter captures entries, exits, partial closes, commissions, swap, stop and target levels, and strategy context from MT5 so your review starts with evidence instead of reconstruction. ## One journal for manual decisions and Expert Advisors Discretionary traders get a clean record of execution and session behavior. Algo traders get magic-number-aware strategy grouping without hand tagging every position. The same dashboard can show account-level performance, session behavior, drawdown, and strategy-specific results. ## Journal automation does not need broker control Chart Reporter does not need broker credentials to record a trading journal. The EA sends journal data outward from your own terminal. That boundary matters: automatic reporting is useful because it is narrow. It records and explains your trades without asking for authority over the account. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does automation place trades? No. Chart Reporter automates journaling and analytics, not trade execution. ### What data is captured? Trade records can include entries, exits, partials, commission, swap, SL/TP levels, and strategy context. ### Can I keep using my normal MT5 workflow? Yes. The EA is designed to run alongside normal MT5 trading. ### Is there a free plan? Yes. The Trader plan starts free with core automated MT5 capture. ## Related pages - [MT5 Trade Sync](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trade-sync) — See how terminal-level sync captures trades without broker credentials. - [Install the EA](https://chartreporter.com/install-chart-reporter-ea) — Set up the Chart Reporter Expert Advisor in MetaTrader 5. - [Pricing](https://chartreporter.com/pricing) — Start free and upgrade when you need more history and analytics. - [Chart Reporter MCP vs MT5 Native MCP](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) — See how terminal access and persistent review fit together. --- # MetaTrader API for Trade Journaling: What Traders Actually Need Searching for a MetaTrader API usually means you want data out of MT5. For journaling, Chart Reporter solves that with an EA bridge instead of broker credentials. ## MetaTrader API can mean several different things For retail traders, there is rarely one clean universal MetaTrader API that safely exposes everything you need. Access is usually broker-specific, terminal-based, or implemented through an Expert Advisor. That distinction matters. Trade execution access and journal reporting access are not the same problem. ## Journaling does not need the keys to your broker account Chart Reporter uses an EA bridge because MT5 already has the trading record inside the terminal. The EA can report that record to your journal without asking the broker to expose a separate API. The result is narrower and safer: automatic trade import, session analytics, strategy reporting, screenshots, and replay context without broker credentials. ## The useful API is the one your review workflow can trust Once trade data is in Chart Reporter, it can power analytics, reports, strategy reviews, and read-only MCP workflows for your preferred agent platform. That is the useful bridge for most traders: terminal data becomes structured review data, not a third-party system with authority over the account. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Chart Reporter a broker API? No. Chart Reporter is a journal and analytics platform that receives data from your MT5 terminal. ### Why not use an investor password? Chart Reporter does not need one because the EA reports the journal data directly. ### Can this place trades? No. The marketing workflow described here is for journaling and analytics, not execution. ### Does this work for reporting? Yes. The EA bridge is designed for automatic trade reporting into Chart Reporter. ## Related pages - [MT5 Trade Sync](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trade-sync) — See how terminal-level sync captures trades without broker credentials. - [MetaTrader MCP Server](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) — Connect your agent platform to read-only MT5 trade reporting data through Chart Reporter MCP. - [MT5 Trading Journal](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trading-journal) — Learn the full Chart Reporter journal workflow. --- # A Read-Only MCP Server for Your MT5 Journal MetaTrader 5 now has native MCP for terminal-level work. Chart Reporter adds a separate, persistent review layer: authenticated read-only access to the trading journal your terminal has built over time. ## Capability comparison | Capability | MT5 native MCP | Chart Reporter | |---|---|---| | Primary role | Work with the live MetaTrader terminal, market data, charts, strategies, code, and permitted operations. | Review a persistent journal assembled from terminal-reported trade records. | | Time horizon | The connected terminal and its current trading environment. | Historical trades and analytics retained in the user's Chart Reporter account. | | Execution boundary | MetaQuotes documents trading functionality; permissions and confirmations must be configured carefully. | Read-only MCP tools. They do not place or modify trades. | | Review context | Terminal data, charts, positions, history, code, logs, and tester workflows. | Net P&L, strategy links, tags, named sessions, patterns, and screenshot metadata attached to journal records. | | Screenshots and notes | Can analyze charts in the terminal environment. | The product retains screenshots and journal notes; current MCP tools expose screenshot metadata, not image bytes or journal-note text. | | Best fit | Live terminal analysis, development, testing, and carefully governed terminal actions. | Repeatable post-trade review and cross-session performance investigation. | ## Native MCP operates in MT5; Chart Reporter remembers the review record MetaQuotes' native MCP makes the terminal itself available to compatible agents. That is useful for current market data, charts, strategies, development, testing, and terminal operations. Chart Reporter MCP does not try to replace that surface. It gives an agent a stable reporting record across trades and sessions, with a deliberately narrower read-only boundary. ## EA capture first, agent review second The Chart Reporter EA pushes MT5 trade records to your private journal without an investor password or broker API key. Once captured, the record can include net P&L inputs, entries and exits, partials, stop and target levels, strategy links, tags, sessions, patterns, and screenshot metadata. Your MCP client connects through OAuth and receives only the authenticated user's scoped data. Revoking or disabling MCP cuts off subsequent access. ## Ask questions that need history, not just a live terminal An agent can group performance by symbol, direction, account, day, month, strategy, or session; compare net results; inspect individual trades; and locate related screenshot records and patterns. Use those tools to prepare weekly reviews, investigate drawdown, compare sessions, or find recurring strategy outcomes. Chart Reporter supplies evidence; the agent's interpretation still needs trader review. ## Truthful boundaries make agent integrations safer The MCP surface is read-only and does not place or modify trades. It lists screenshot metadata but does not return image bytes directly. Chart Reporter stores journal notes in the product, but note text is not currently exposed through an MCP tool. Those limits are intentional facts about the product today, not gaps hidden behind broad AI claims. ## Sources and further reading - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6060 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/512830) — MetaQuotes' announcement of native MCP and agentic AI support. - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6090 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/513579) — MetaQuotes' update describing additional terminal MCP methods. - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6140 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/514909) — MetaQuotes' latest published MCP and AI Assistant improvements. ## Frequently asked questions ### Why use Chart Reporter if MT5 has native MCP? Use Chart Reporter when the task depends on persistent journal context and historical review rather than only the connected terminal. ### Can Chart Reporter MCP execute trades? No. Its current tools are read-only. ### What can an agent review? Authenticated tools cover hubs, trades, aggregate performance, strategies, tags, sessions, patterns, and screenshot metadata. ### Does it need broker credentials? No. The EA pushes journal data from MT5, and MCP reads the resulting Chart Reporter account. ### Does MCP expose journal notes? Not currently. Notes remain part of the Chart Reporter product, but note text is not returned by the current MCP tools. ## Related pages - [Chart Reporter MCP vs MT5 native MCP](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) — Compare terminal access with persistent journal and review context. - [Install the EA](https://chartreporter.com/install-chart-reporter-ea) — Connect MT5 to the journal through the reporting EA. - [MT5 Trade Sync](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trade-sync) — See how trade data is pushed from the terminal. - [MetaTrader API](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-api) — Understand the reporting bridge and credential boundary. - [MT5 Trading Journal](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trading-journal) — See how Chart Reporter builds a review-ready MT5 record. --- # Chart Reporter MCP vs MT5 Native MCP MT5 native MCP gives an AI agent terminal-level market, chart, strategy, development, and trading capabilities. Chart Reporter MCP is a complementary read-only layer for reviewing the persistent journal created from your MT5 trade history. ## Capability comparison | Capability | MT5 native MCP | Chart Reporter | |---|---|---| | Primary role | Work with the live MetaTrader terminal, market data, charts, strategies, code, and permitted operations. | Review a persistent journal assembled from terminal-reported trade records. | | Time horizon | The connected terminal and its current trading environment. | Historical trades and analytics retained in the user's Chart Reporter account. | | Execution boundary | MetaQuotes documents trading functionality; permissions and confirmations must be configured carefully. | Read-only MCP tools. They do not place or modify trades. | | Review context | Terminal data, charts, positions, history, code, logs, and tester workflows. | Net P&L, strategy links, tags, named sessions, patterns, and screenshot metadata attached to journal records. | | Screenshots and notes | Can analyze charts in the terminal environment. | The product retains screenshots and journal notes; current MCP tools expose screenshot metadata, not image bytes or journal-note text. | | Best fit | Live terminal analysis, development, testing, and carefully governed terminal actions. | Repeatable post-trade review and cross-session performance investigation. | ## Native MCP works in the terminal; Chart Reporter works across the journal MetaQuotes introduced native MCP support in MetaTrader 5 Build 6060 and has continued expanding its methods. It is the direct choice when an agent needs to understand the live terminal environment, analyze markets and charts, work with strategies, or perform actions allowed by the trader's configuration. Chart Reporter starts from a different question: what can the full trading record teach you after execution? Its EA pushes trade facts into a persistent account, and its MCP tools let an authenticated agent read trades, hubs, aggregate performance, strategy links, tags, named sessions, patterns, and screenshot metadata without execution authority. ## The useful architecture is terminal plus memory Native MCP can be the live terminal surface while Chart Reporter becomes the durable review surface. An agent can use the terminal for current market or platform work and use Chart Reporter to compare that activity with previous trades, sessions, and strategies. That division also makes the security boundary easier to reason about. Chart Reporter MCP is deliberately read-only. Native terminal actions should use the permissions and confirmation controls provided by MetaTrader and the connected agent client. ## Know exactly what the current Chart Reporter MCP exposes Chart Reporter stores richer journal material than a trade-history export, including screenshots, tags, strategy assignments, session definitions, and notes. The current MCP surface exposes trade data, tags, strategies, session context, patterns, analytics, and screenshot metadata. Screenshot image bytes still require the secure-files path, and journal-note text is not currently returned by an MCP tool. This page describes those limits explicitly so roadmap ideas are never presented as shipped capabilities. ## Sources and further reading - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6060 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/512830) — MetaQuotes' announcement of native MCP and agentic AI support. - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6090 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/513579) — MetaQuotes' update describing additional terminal MCP methods. - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6140 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/514909) — MetaQuotes' latest published MCP and AI Assistant improvements. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Chart Reporter replace MT5 native MCP? No. Native MCP is the terminal-level surface; Chart Reporter is a complementary persistent journal and review surface. ### Can Chart Reporter MCP place trades? No. Its current tools are read-only and scoped to the authenticated user's Chart Reporter data. ### Can an agent read Chart Reporter screenshots? The current MCP tool lists screenshot metadata. Image bytes are retrieved separately through the secure-files path. ### Which should I connect? Use native MCP for live terminal work, Chart Reporter for historical journal review, or both when you need each layer. ## Related pages - [MetaTrader MCP Server](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) — Learn about Chart Reporter's read-only MCP reporting layer. - [MT5 Trading Journal](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trading-journal) — See how Chart Reporter builds a review-ready MT5 record. - [Safe MT5 Native MCP Use](https://chartreporter.com/use-mt5-native-mcp-safely) — Apply a practical permission and review checklist. --- # How to Use MT5 Native MCP Safely with an AI Assistant Treat an AI connection to MetaTrader 5 as an operational integration: begin with the least authority, confirm important actions, and keep journal review separate from trade execution. ## Define the job before granting capability Decide whether the agent needs market analysis, chart inspection, development help, strategy testing, or trading operations. Do not grant operational capability for a reporting-only task. Use a demo environment while learning the tool surface. Keep credentials and sensitive values out of prompts unless you understand exactly which provider and endpoint will process them. ## Keep a human checkpoint around consequential actions MetaQuotes describes native MCP as providing market data and trading functionality. Configure the terminal and client so trading actions are prohibited or require confirmation whenever that matches your risk boundary. Check symbols, volume, price, stop, target, account, and environment before approving an action. AI output can be incomplete or wrong even when the tool call succeeds. ## Move from action to evidence-based review A live terminal is good at showing the current environment. A persistent journal is better for comparing what happened with previous sessions and strategies. Use Chart Reporter's read-only MCP layer for historical questions and keep any execution-capable connection reserved for the narrower tasks that truly require it. ## Sources and further reading - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6060 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/512830) — MetaQuotes' announcement of native MCP and agentic AI support. - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6090 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/513579) — MetaQuotes' update describing additional terminal MCP methods. - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6140 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/514909) — MetaQuotes' latest published MCP and AI Assistant improvements. ## Frequently asked questions ### Should an AI agent be allowed to trade immediately? A safer starting point is analysis-only or mandatory confirmation, followed by testing in a demo environment. ### Is MCP itself a safety guarantee? No. MCP standardizes tool access; the actual permissions, tools, provider, and human review determine the operational boundary. ### Can Chart Reporter provide a read-only alternative? Yes, for journal and performance review. It is complementary to native terminal MCP rather than a replacement. ## Related pages - [Chart Reporter MCP vs MT5 native MCP](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) — Compare terminal access with persistent journal and review context. - [MetaTrader MCP Server](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) — Learn about Chart Reporter's read-only MCP reporting layer. - [Session Context for AI Review](https://chartreporter.com/session-context-ai-trade-review) — Structure review around named trading windows. --- # Why MT5 Terminal Access Is Not a Trading Journal An agent that can inspect MetaTrader 5 has powerful live context. A journal solves a different problem: preserving structured evidence so decisions can be compared after the market moves on. ## Terminal access explains the environment The terminal holds charts, market data, positions, history, strategies, and testing tools. Native MCP makes that environment available to an AI assistant for supported tasks. That context is essential for questions about the current platform state, but access alone does not create a consistent review practice. ## A journal preserves comparable evidence A useful journal keeps the same kinds of facts for every trade: execution, costs, stop and target context, session, strategy, tags, screenshots, notes, and results. Consistency turns individual observations into a dataset. You can compare London with New York, one strategy with another, or a recent drawdown with previous periods. ## Use the terminal to act and the journal to learn Native MCP and Chart Reporter do not need to compete for one role. The terminal can remain the operational surface; Chart Reporter can remain the read-only historical surface. Keeping those roles explicit makes prompts clearer and reduces the chance that a review request accidentally crosses into execution. ## Sources and further reading - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6060 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/512830) — MetaQuotes' announcement of native MCP and agentic AI support. - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6090 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/513579) — MetaQuotes' update describing additional terminal MCP methods. - [MetaTrader 5 Build 6140 release notes](https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/514909) — MetaQuotes' latest published MCP and AI Assistant improvements. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does MT5 trade history count as a journal? It is a valuable source record, but a journal adds structured review context such as strategy, session, tags, screenshots, notes, and comparative analytics. ### Can an AI analyze both? Yes. The two surfaces can be complementary when each connection is used within its actual permissions and data boundary. ### Does Chart Reporter control MT5? No. Its current MCP tools are read-only, and its EA reports journal data outward from the terminal. ## Related pages - [MT5 Trading Journal](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trading-journal) — See how Chart Reporter builds a review-ready MT5 record. - [Chart Reporter MCP vs MT5 native MCP](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) — Compare terminal access with persistent journal and review context. - [From History to AI-Readable Journal](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trade-history-ai-readable-journal) — See how structured capture changes review. --- # What AI Trade Review Learns from Screenshots, Tags and Notes A closed-trade row records the outcome. Screenshots, tags, strategy assignments, and notes help explain the setup, decision, and market context behind it. ## Preserve what the chart looked like Entry, management, and exit screenshots can anchor a review to the visual market structure that existed at the time. Chart Reporter MCP currently exposes screenshot metadata rather than image bytes. The secure-files path remains separate, so clients should not imply that an MCP response already contains the chart image. ## Turn repeated ideas into filterable groups Tags and strategy assignments let a trader compare the same setup across symbols, days, and sessions instead of relying on memory. Current Chart Reporter MCP trade tools can return tags and linked strategy names, giving an agent structured categories for performance questions. ## Keep the reasoning, but respect the current interface Notes can capture the reason for entry, rule deviations, emotions, and lessons that are not visible in price or P&L. Chart Reporter stores notes in the product today. Journal-note text is not currently exposed by an MCP tool, so an MCP-only workflow should not claim to analyze it until that capability ships. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can MCP return screenshot images? Not directly today. It returns screenshot metadata; image retrieval uses the secure-files path. ### Can MCP analyze my journal notes? Not through the current Chart Reporter MCP tools. Note text remains in the product interface. ### What context is available now? Trade facts, tags, linked strategies, named session context, patterns, performance aggregates, and screenshot metadata are available within the authenticated scope. ## Related pages - [MetaTrader MCP Server](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) — Learn about Chart Reporter's read-only MCP reporting layer. - [Chart Reporter MCP vs MT5 native MCP](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) — Compare terminal access with persistent journal and review context. - [Session Context for AI Review](https://chartreporter.com/session-context-ai-trade-review) — Add time-window context to the evidence. --- # Using Session Context for AI-Assisted Trade Review Session context turns a timestamp into a meaningful trading window, making it easier to compare how a strategy behaves during London, New York, Asia, or a custom routine. ## The same setup behaves differently across the day Liquidity, volatility, spreads, news flow, and trader attention change by time window. Grouping every trade together can hide those differences. Named sessions give an AI review a stable category for questions such as which window contributes most net P&L or where a strategy's losses concentrate. ## Group persistent results by named session Chart Reporter MCP can enrich trades with a derived session name and aggregate performance by session for the authenticated user. That supports repeatable review across historical trades rather than a one-off reading of the currently open chart. ## Timezones and sample sizes still matter Session definitions are user-configured time windows. Current server-side derivation uses stored times and should be interpreted with the account's timezone assumptions in mind. Treat a small sample as a question generator, not a conclusion. Compare trade count, net P&L, win rate, profit factor, and expectancy together. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a trading session in Chart Reporter? It is a user-defined named time window used to organize and analyze trades. ### Can MCP group analytics by session? Yes. Current tools support session enrichment and session-grouped performance aggregates. ### Does session performance prove an edge? No. It is descriptive evidence and must be interpreted with sample size, strategy, market regime, and risk context. ## Related pages - [MetaTrader MCP Server](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) — Learn about Chart Reporter's read-only MCP reporting layer. - [Chart Reporter MCP vs MT5 native MCP](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) — Compare terminal access with persistent journal and review context. - [AI Review Evidence](https://chartreporter.com/ai-trade-review-screenshots-tags-notes) — Combine session context with screenshots, tags, and notes. --- # From MT5 Trade History to a Persistent AI-Readable Journal MT5 trade history is the execution record. Chart Reporter turns that record into a persistent review dataset that an authenticated AI client can query without receiving trading authority. ## Start from the terminal's source record The Chart Reporter EA reports trades from MetaTrader 5 into the user's private account. It does not need an investor password or a broker API key. The resulting record can preserve entries, exits, partial closes, commission, swap, stop and target context, magic numbers, and other fields that manual journals often omit. ## Add the categories that make review useful Strategies, tags, patterns, session definitions, screenshots, and notes organize the raw history around the trader's actual process. Not every stored field is exposed through MCP today. The current read-only tools focus on trades, hubs, aggregates, strategies, tags, sessions, patterns, and screenshot metadata. ## Give agents questions with a stable evidence base Once the data is persistent, an agent can compare periods, accounts, symbols, directions, strategies, and sessions without asking the trader to reconstruct a spreadsheet first. That does not make the agent a financial adviser or turn correlations into causes. It makes the review reproducible and keeps the source data available for human verification. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is this a broker API integration? No. The reporting EA pushes journal data from the MT5 terminal. ### Is the MCP connection read-only? Yes. Current Chart Reporter MCP tools read authenticated journal and analytics data and do not execute trades. ### Why not just export a CSV? A persistent journal keeps structured relationships and review context available without producing and re-uploading a fresh file for every question. ## Related pages - [MT5 Trading Journal](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trading-journal) — See how Chart Reporter builds a review-ready MT5 record. - [MetaTrader MCP Server](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) — Learn about Chart Reporter's read-only MCP reporting layer. - [Chart Reporter MCP vs MT5 native MCP](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) — Compare terminal access with persistent journal and review context. --- # How to Compare MT5 Trading Journal Alternatives The best trading journal for an MT5 workflow depends on how data gets in, what you can review, and whether you need to hand over broker credentials. ## Start with how trades enter the journal A journal that depends on manual entry will always be limited by trader discipline after the session. A journal that captures from MT5 can produce a more complete record. Compare whether each tool uses manual logging, broker credentials, file imports, terminal integrations, or an EA bridge. ## Compare the review workflow, not just the trade list Useful criteria include automatic MT5 sync, broker credential requirements, replay context, screenshots, strategy grouping, session analytics, pricing, and data export. For Chart Reporter, the differentiator is automatic terminal-level journaling without broker credentials. ## Named competitor comparisons need review This page intentionally uses a neutral comparison framework until named competitor claims are reviewed and approved. That keeps the page useful without relying on stale or unsupported claims about other products. ## Frequently asked questions ### What should I compare first? Start with whether the journal captures MT5 trades automatically or depends on manual entry. ### Should I share broker credentials with a journal? Chart Reporter is designed so you do not need to share broker credentials for journaling. ### Does every journal support replay? No. Check whether the tool can reconstruct context around the trade, not just list closed orders. ### Why are competitors not named here yet? Named competitor claims should be reviewed before publication to keep the comparison fair and accurate. ## Related pages - [MT5 Trading Journal](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trading-journal) — See Chart Reporter as an MT5 journal workflow. - [MT5 Trade Sync](https://chartreporter.com/mt5-trade-sync) — See how terminal-level sync captures trades without broker credentials. - [Pricing](https://chartreporter.com/pricing) — Compare the free and paid Chart Reporter plans. --- # About Privacy-first MT5 trade journaling from Chart Reporter. Read the canonical HTML page: https://chartreporter.com/about Chart Reporter provides trading-journal and analytics software. It does not provide investment advice, recommendations, or performance guarantees. --- # Contact Contact Chart Reporter for support or feedback. Read the canonical HTML page: https://chartreporter.com/contact Chart Reporter provides trading-journal and analytics software. It does not provide investment advice, recommendations, or performance guarantees. --- # Privacy Policy Chart Reporter privacy policy. Read the canonical HTML page: https://chartreporter.com/privacy Chart Reporter provides trading-journal and analytics software. It does not provide investment advice, recommendations, or performance guarantees. --- # Terms of Service Chart Reporter terms of service. Read the canonical HTML page: https://chartreporter.com/terms Chart Reporter provides trading-journal and analytics software. It does not provide investment advice, recommendations, or performance guarantees. --- # Trading guides Practical answers about MT5 capture, trade data, performance metrics, review workflows and AI integrations. ## MT5 setup and capture Connect the reporter, understand terminal requirements, and diagnose missing journal data. Topic index: https://chartreporter.com/learn/topics/mt5-setup - [Is importing MT5 history the same as recording trades live?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/history-import-versus-live-capture) — Understand why completed trade records and captured chart context can have different coverage. - [Can I journal trades placed in the MT5 mobile app?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/journal-mobile-mt5-trades) — Understand why mobile MT5 trades need a connected desktop terminal or VPS for automatic journal capture. - [Why does an automatic MT5 journal need the terminal running?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/keep-mt5-running-for-journal) — Learn what stays active in the terminal-to-journal reporting model and how to distinguish capture from display. - [Is the MT5 Journal tab the same as a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-journal-log-versus-trading-journal) — Distinguish terminal diagnostic logs from a structured record used for trade review and performance analysis. - [What should I check when MT5 blocks the reporter's WebRequest?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-webrequest-allow-list) — Diagnose the allowed URL, terminal environment and logs before changing unrelated MT5 permissions. - [Does the Chart Reporter EA need Algo Trading enabled?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/reporting-ea-without-algo-trading) — Separate the permissions for reporting MT5 activity from permission to execute automated trades. - [What happens to MT5 reporting when I rotate my API key?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/rotate-reporter-key-safely) — Plan a reporter-key rotation across all connected terminals without confusing it with MCP authorisation. - [Why is my MT5 terminal online but my journal looks empty?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/terminal-online-but-trades-missing) — Use account, filter, access and trade-state checks to distinguish an empty view from a reporting failure. ## Trade data and reconciliation Understand fees, partial exits, account currency, and the scope of a journal record. Topic index: https://chartreporter.com/learn/topics/trade-data - [Why does a trade appear on different dates in Local and Broker time?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/broker-time-versus-local-trade-dates) — Understand calendar boundaries and timezone filters before comparing daily MT5 journal results. - [Can I add results from trading accounts with different currencies?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/combine-trading-account-currencies) — Keep account denominations, cent units and currency conversion separate when reviewing multiple MT5 hubs. - [Why does the initial stop differ from the stop shown at exit?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/initial-stop-versus-exit-stop) — Keep original risk separate from later stop changes when reviewing an MT5 trade and its R multiple. - [Why can a profitable MT5 trade show a negative net result?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/net-profit-commission-swap) — Work through profit, commission and swap with their recorded signs before comparing trading-journal totals. - [Why do older trades disappear when I change my journal view?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/old-trades-missing-history-access) — Check history entitlement, archive state and filters before treating an absent trade as deleted data. - [How should a journal count partial closes in MT5?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/partial-closes-trade-count) — Distinguish execution events from completed trade records so partial exits do not inflate count or P&L. - [Why does cumulative journal P&L differ from my broker balance?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/pnl-curve-versus-broker-balance) — Distinguish realised closed-trade results from account cash flows, floating P&L and live equity. - [How do I reconcile a trading journal with an MT5 statement?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/reconcile-journal-with-mt5-statement) — Use a small known sample and matching scope to locate disagreements between broker history and journal results. ## Performance metrics Read trading statistics with explicit formulas, worked examples, and sample limits. Topic index: https://chartreporter.com/learn/topics/performance-metrics - [What is the difference between expectancy in money and expectancy in R?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/expectancy-money-versus-r) — Keep account-unit averages and risk-normalised averages separate when comparing trading results. - [Why does candle resolution matter when reviewing MAE and MFE?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mae-mfe-candle-resolution) — Understand excursion coverage and intrabar uncertainty before drawing conclusions about stops or exits. - [What can a trading-journal Monte Carlo simulation actually tell me?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/monte-carlo-journal-simulation-limits) — Interpret resampled R sequences as a conditional model rather than a forecast or live equity simulation. - [Why can a trade's price R differ from its net R?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/price-r-versus-net-r) — Work through initial stop distance, signed price movement and costs without treating missing risk as zero. - [How should I calculate profit factor after trading costs?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/profit-factor-after-costs) — Calculate profit factor from net trade outcomes and interpret zero-loss and empty samples correctly. - [What does realised drawdown tell me about my trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/realised-drawdown-versus-equity-drawdown) — Interpret declines in cumulative closed-trade P&L without confusing them with live account equity risk. - [How much confidence should I place in a small trade sample?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/small-samples-trading-statistics) — Use sample size, coverage and selection discipline when interpreting journal statistics and subgroup rankings. - [Why is win rate an incomplete measure of trading performance?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/win-rate-with-payoff-and-costs) — Read winning-trade frequency alongside net payoff, costs and sample definitions. ## Trade review workflows Build repeatable reviews using notes, strategies, sessions, and captured chart context. Topic index: https://chartreporter.com/learn/topics/review-workflows - [How can I compare two trading periods without changing the question?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/compare-trading-periods-fairly) — Control date length, timezone, filters, units and sample coverage when reviewing previous-period changes. - [Why can a journaled trade have no replay candles?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/missing-replay-candles) — Diagnose absent, insufficient and partial candle history separately from the trade record. - [How should I define a trading session that crosses midnight?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/named-trading-sessions-and-midnight) — Use explicit session windows and timezones instead of relying on ambiguous calendar-day labels. - [How can I review a losing trade without rewriting the original decision?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/review-losing-trades-without-hindsight) — Separate the information available at entry from later outcomes when writing trade-review notes. - [Why does my saved journal view not appear on another device?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/saved-views-browser-and-device) — Understand which review settings are browser-local and which notes and tags are stored with your account. - [When should I use a screenshot instead of trade replay?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/screenshots-versus-candle-replay) — Compare a captured chart image with reconstructed broker-candle context and understand what each can establish. - [What is the difference between a strategy and a tag in a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/tags-versus-strategies-in-trade-journal) — Use stable strategy identity and descriptive tags without turning every observation into a new strategy. - [What should a repeatable weekly trade review include?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/weekly-trade-review-checklist) — Build a review around a complete sample, record checks, one question and a documented follow-up. ## AI and journal integrations Give an assistant useful trading context while checking permissions, evidence, and capability boundaries. Topic index: https://chartreporter.com/learn/topics/ai-trade-review - [Can an AI assistant read my Chart Reporter screenshots and notes?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/ai-screenshot-metadata-and-journal-notes) — Understand the difference between stored journal material and what the current MCP tools return. - [How can I check whether an AI trade-review report is inventing facts?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/audit-ai-trade-review-report) — Audit identity, sample coverage, arithmetic and provenance before relying on a generated journal summary. - [Is the reporter API key the same as an MCP access token?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/ea-api-key-versus-mcp-oauth) — Distinguish terminal reporting authentication from an assistant's journal-reading authorisation. - [What evidence should I ask for when evaluating an automatic MT5 journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/evaluate-automatic-mt5-journal) — Compare capture requirements, reconciliation, context, privacy boundaries and exportable evidence. - [Why use a persistent journal alongside a terminal AI connection?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/native-mt5-mcp-and-persistent-journal) — Separate live terminal tasks from historical journal review and verify each integration's permissions. - [What questions can an AI assistant answer from a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/questions-ai-can-answer-from-trade-journal) — Match review questions to available trade records, scope and evidence instead of expecting predictions from history. - [What does read-only MCP access to trading history actually permit?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/read-only-mcp-trading-history) — Understand the execution boundary and the sensitivity of account-scoped journal access. - [What should I include in a prompt for an AI journal review?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/structured-ai-journal-review-prompt) — Specify scope, definitions, evidence and output requirements so an assistant can produce an auditable review. --- # MT5 setup and capture Connect the reporter, understand terminal requirements, and diagnose missing journal data. - [Is importing MT5 history the same as recording trades live?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/history-import-versus-live-capture) — Understand why completed trade records and captured chart context can have different coverage. - [Can I journal trades placed in the MT5 mobile app?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/journal-mobile-mt5-trades) — Understand why mobile MT5 trades need a connected desktop terminal or VPS for automatic journal capture. - [Why does an automatic MT5 journal need the terminal running?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/keep-mt5-running-for-journal) — Learn what stays active in the terminal-to-journal reporting model and how to distinguish capture from display. - [Is the MT5 Journal tab the same as a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-journal-log-versus-trading-journal) — Distinguish terminal diagnostic logs from a structured record used for trade review and performance analysis. - [What should I check when MT5 blocks the reporter's WebRequest?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-webrequest-allow-list) — Diagnose the allowed URL, terminal environment and logs before changing unrelated MT5 permissions. - [Does the Chart Reporter EA need Algo Trading enabled?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/reporting-ea-without-algo-trading) — Separate the permissions for reporting MT5 activity from permission to execute automated trades. - [What happens to MT5 reporting when I rotate my API key?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/rotate-reporter-key-safely) — Plan a reporter-key rotation across all connected terminals without confusing it with MCP authorisation. - [Why is my MT5 terminal online but my journal looks empty?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/terminal-online-but-trades-missing) — Use account, filter, access and trade-state checks to distinguish an empty view from a reporting failure. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Trade data and reconciliation Understand fees, partial exits, account currency, and the scope of a journal record. - [Why does a trade appear on different dates in Local and Broker time?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/broker-time-versus-local-trade-dates) — Understand calendar boundaries and timezone filters before comparing daily MT5 journal results. - [Can I add results from trading accounts with different currencies?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/combine-trading-account-currencies) — Keep account denominations, cent units and currency conversion separate when reviewing multiple MT5 hubs. - [Why does the initial stop differ from the stop shown at exit?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/initial-stop-versus-exit-stop) — Keep original risk separate from later stop changes when reviewing an MT5 trade and its R multiple. - [Why can a profitable MT5 trade show a negative net result?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/net-profit-commission-swap) — Work through profit, commission and swap with their recorded signs before comparing trading-journal totals. - [Why do older trades disappear when I change my journal view?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/old-trades-missing-history-access) — Check history entitlement, archive state and filters before treating an absent trade as deleted data. - [How should a journal count partial closes in MT5?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/partial-closes-trade-count) — Distinguish execution events from completed trade records so partial exits do not inflate count or P&L. - [Why does cumulative journal P&L differ from my broker balance?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/pnl-curve-versus-broker-balance) — Distinguish realised closed-trade results from account cash flows, floating P&L and live equity. - [How do I reconcile a trading journal with an MT5 statement?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/reconcile-journal-with-mt5-statement) — Use a small known sample and matching scope to locate disagreements between broker history and journal results. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Performance metrics Read trading statistics with explicit formulas, worked examples, and sample limits. - [What is the difference between expectancy in money and expectancy in R?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/expectancy-money-versus-r) — Keep account-unit averages and risk-normalised averages separate when comparing trading results. - [Why does candle resolution matter when reviewing MAE and MFE?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mae-mfe-candle-resolution) — Understand excursion coverage and intrabar uncertainty before drawing conclusions about stops or exits. - [What can a trading-journal Monte Carlo simulation actually tell me?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/monte-carlo-journal-simulation-limits) — Interpret resampled R sequences as a conditional model rather than a forecast or live equity simulation. - [Why can a trade's price R differ from its net R?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/price-r-versus-net-r) — Work through initial stop distance, signed price movement and costs without treating missing risk as zero. - [How should I calculate profit factor after trading costs?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/profit-factor-after-costs) — Calculate profit factor from net trade outcomes and interpret zero-loss and empty samples correctly. - [What does realised drawdown tell me about my trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/realised-drawdown-versus-equity-drawdown) — Interpret declines in cumulative closed-trade P&L without confusing them with live account equity risk. - [How much confidence should I place in a small trade sample?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/small-samples-trading-statistics) — Use sample size, coverage and selection discipline when interpreting journal statistics and subgroup rankings. - [Why is win rate an incomplete measure of trading performance?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/win-rate-with-payoff-and-costs) — Read winning-trade frequency alongside net payoff, costs and sample definitions. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Trade review workflows Build repeatable reviews using notes, strategies, sessions, and captured chart context. - [How can I compare two trading periods without changing the question?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/compare-trading-periods-fairly) — Control date length, timezone, filters, units and sample coverage when reviewing previous-period changes. - [Why can a journaled trade have no replay candles?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/missing-replay-candles) — Diagnose absent, insufficient and partial candle history separately from the trade record. - [How should I define a trading session that crosses midnight?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/named-trading-sessions-and-midnight) — Use explicit session windows and timezones instead of relying on ambiguous calendar-day labels. - [How can I review a losing trade without rewriting the original decision?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/review-losing-trades-without-hindsight) — Separate the information available at entry from later outcomes when writing trade-review notes. - [Why does my saved journal view not appear on another device?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/saved-views-browser-and-device) — Understand which review settings are browser-local and which notes and tags are stored with your account. - [When should I use a screenshot instead of trade replay?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/screenshots-versus-candle-replay) — Compare a captured chart image with reconstructed broker-candle context and understand what each can establish. - [What is the difference between a strategy and a tag in a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/tags-versus-strategies-in-trade-journal) — Use stable strategy identity and descriptive tags without turning every observation into a new strategy. - [What should a repeatable weekly trade review include?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/weekly-trade-review-checklist) — Build a review around a complete sample, record checks, one question and a documented follow-up. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # AI and journal integrations Give an assistant useful trading context while checking permissions, evidence, and capability boundaries. - [Can an AI assistant read my Chart Reporter screenshots and notes?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/ai-screenshot-metadata-and-journal-notes) — Understand the difference between stored journal material and what the current MCP tools return. - [How can I check whether an AI trade-review report is inventing facts?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/audit-ai-trade-review-report) — Audit identity, sample coverage, arithmetic and provenance before relying on a generated journal summary. - [Is the reporter API key the same as an MCP access token?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/ea-api-key-versus-mcp-oauth) — Distinguish terminal reporting authentication from an assistant's journal-reading authorisation. - [What evidence should I ask for when evaluating an automatic MT5 journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/evaluate-automatic-mt5-journal) — Compare capture requirements, reconciliation, context, privacy boundaries and exportable evidence. - [Why use a persistent journal alongside a terminal AI connection?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/native-mt5-mcp-and-persistent-journal) — Separate live terminal tasks from historical journal review and verify each integration's permissions. - [What questions can an AI assistant answer from a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/questions-ai-can-answer-from-trade-journal) — Match review questions to available trade records, scope and evidence instead of expecting predictions from history. - [What does read-only MCP access to trading history actually permit?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/read-only-mcp-trading-history) — Understand the execution boundary and the sensitivity of account-scoped journal access. - [What should I include in a prompt for an AI journal review?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/structured-ai-journal-review-prompt) — Specify scope, definitions, evidence and output requirements so an assistant can produce an auditable review. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Can an AI assistant read my Chart Reporter screenshots and notes? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/ai-screenshot-metadata-and-journal-notes ## The short answer Chart Reporter stores screenshots and journal notes, but its current MCP tools return screenshot metadata rather than image bytes and do not return journal-note text. An assistant should not claim to have inspected an image or read a note merely because the journal contains one. ## An image record is not the image Screenshot metadata can identify an associated record, type or capture time. That can help an assistant establish that relevant media exists. It does not show the pixels, chart annotations or indicators the trader saw. If an assistant says the screenshot shows a particular pattern, ask which image it actually received and through which authorised path. A filename, storage key or metadata response is not sufficient visual evidence. Image retrieval is separate from the current screenshot-listing MCP tool. ## Storage and tool exposure are separate capabilities A note visible in the product can remain unavailable to an integration if the tool schema does not return it. That is the current journal-note boundary for Chart Reporter's MCP surface. Do not interpret an absent field as proof that there was no note or no entry plan. For example, a trade may have a saved explanation of an exit that the assistant cannot read. It can describe the reported exit event, but it should not replace the unseen explanation with an invented motive. The appropriate response is to identify the missing evidence and limit the conclusion. ## Provide additional context deliberately If you choose to attach a screenshot or quote a note through the assistant client's supported workflow, check that it belongs to the intended trade and does not expose credentials or unnecessary account information. State when it was captured and whether the annotation was added later. Ask the report to distinguish tool-returned trade facts from separately supplied media and your own retrospective explanation. That provenance makes disagreements easier to resolve. As integrations evolve, verify the current schema instead of assuming a capability from the product's general feature list. A journal can retain rich context while a particular connection exposes only a subset of it. ## Sources and further reading - [Chart Reporter MCP capabilities](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) - [Chart Reporter and MT5 native MCP comparison](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) - [Reporter keys and MCP permissions](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/connections-and-permissions) ## Related guides - [How can I check whether an AI trade-review report is inventing facts?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/audit-ai-trade-review-report) — Audit identity, sample coverage, arithmetic and provenance before relying on a generated journal summary. - [Why use a persistent journal alongside a terminal AI connection?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/native-mt5-mcp-and-persistent-journal) — Separate live terminal tasks from historical journal review and verify each integration's permissions. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # How can I check whether an AI trade-review report is inventing facts? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/audit-ai-trade-review-report ## The short answer Check whether each substantive claim traces to a returned record, calculation or explicitly supplied context. Require account scope, date bounds, timezone, sample coverage and units. Treat an explanation of unrecorded intent or unseen chart detail as unsupported until the evidence is provided. ## Check the sample before the story Confirm the account and hubs with the connection's identity tool. Then inspect the requested dates, timestamp basis and filters. Ask whether list results were paginated and whether history access or missing inputs reduced the sample. A confident report can still describe only the first page of records. The distinction between no results and a failed query is especially important. An error leaves the answer unknown. It should not become a zero in a performance table or a claim that a strategy never traded. Preserve errors and coverage gaps as part of the report. ## Reproduce a few key calculations Choose an example gain, loss and partial-close case where available. Verify the net formula, currency and observation unit. Check whether a reported R value uses an initial stop and whether a monetary total combines incompatible account units. For a grouped finding, ask for the group count and supporting trade identifiers. An average without its denominator or a profit factor without its gain and loss sums is difficult to audit. Reproducing a small set of important calculations is often more revealing than reading another page of fluent interpretation. ## Demand a boundary between facts and hypotheses An execution timestamp can support a timing observation. It cannot establish that the trader was anxious, distracted or following a particular motive unless appropriate evidence was supplied. Likewise, screenshot metadata cannot support a claim about visible chart patterns. Ask the assistant to label observations, possible explanations and missing evidence separately. Keep text from retrieved notes or other documents as material to analyse, not instructions to grant access or perform unrelated actions. Retain the report's source references and settings so another review can reproduce it. The test is traceability, not whether the prose sounds authoritative or agrees with your preferred explanation. ## Sources and further reading - [Chart Reporter MCP capabilities](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Reporter keys and MCP permissions](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/connections-and-permissions) ## Related guides - [Why use a persistent journal alongside a terminal AI connection?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/native-mt5-mcp-and-persistent-journal) — Separate live terminal tasks from historical journal review and verify each integration's permissions. - [What should I include in a prompt for an AI journal review?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/structured-ai-journal-review-prompt) — Specify scope, definitions, evidence and output requirements so an assistant can produce an auditable review. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why does a trade appear on different dates in Local and Broker time? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/broker-time-versus-local-trade-dates ## The short answer One instant can belong to different calendar days in different timezones. Chart Reporter's Local and Broker modes change the boundaries of the selected date window. A trade moving between daily groups after a timezone switch does not, by itself, indicate a changed execution timestamp. ## Separate an instant from its calendar label A timestamp identifies when an event occurred. A timezone determines which local clock and calendar date describe that instant. Around midnight, two legitimate views of the same event can show different dates. Daily journal totals inherit that choice. Suppose an exit is late on Monday in one timezone and early Tuesday in another. A Monday-only filter can include it in one view and exclude it in the other. The trade did not move in time; the selected calendar interval refers to a different range of instants. ## Make the comparison reproducible Before comparing two daily reports, record the account, selected timezone, date window and timestamp basis. Check whether the question concerns entries, exits or an explicit session. These are separate decisions, and matching the displayed date labels alone is not enough. Chart Reporter interprets inclusive calendar selections using the start of the first day and the start of the day after the last date in the chosen timezone. Daylight-saving changes can affect those boundaries. When diagnosing broker-time differences, select a single hub instead of combining accounts whose broker timezone settings differ. ## Use the same convention in notes and reviews If your trading session crosses midnight, name the session and its actual window rather than relying only on a date label. Include the timezone in a shared review or screenshot annotation. This reduces ambiguity when returning to the same trades from another device or location. When a total changes after switching modes, compare the records near the boundaries first. That is more informative than assuming a missing import or a duplicated trade. Retain the original execution times and explain the grouping convention. A clear timezone policy makes subsequent weekly and monthly comparisons easier to reproduce without changing the underlying history. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) ## Related guides - [Can I add results from trading accounts with different currencies?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/combine-trading-account-currencies) — Keep account denominations, cent units and currency conversion separate when reviewing multiple MT5 hubs. - [How do I reconcile a trading journal with an MT5 statement?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/reconcile-journal-with-mt5-statement) — Use a small known sample and matching scope to locate disagreements between broker history and journal results. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Can I add results from trading accounts with different currencies? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/combine-trading-account-currencies ## The short answer Adding monetary P&L from different account currencies does not produce a meaningful converted total. Chart Reporter preserves confirmed account denominations and labels unknown amounts as unconverted units. Use one known currency for monetary comparisons unless an explicit, documented conversion is performed. ## A number needs its unit A gain of 100 in one account and a loss of 80 in another does not automatically mean a combined gain of 20. That arithmetic only has an economic interpretation if the units are compatible. Counts can be combined under a consistent definition; monetary amounts need a shared denomination. The same caution applies to broker-specific cent-account labels. A literal account unit such as USC is not automatically a USD amount. Do not divide values by 100 or relabel them based only on how familiar the symbol looks. Establish the actual denomination from the broker metadata. ## Unknown currency is not a default currency When confirmed currency metadata is missing, Chart Reporter uses unconverted account units instead of assuming dollars. Selecting one account does not make that missing metadata known. It narrows the sample but leaves the unit uncertainty intact. For example, an old account record may have complete trade prices and results yet lack a reported denomination. It can still support an operational reconciliation or eligible price-R review. It should not silently become a USD performance claim simply because a dashboard needs a symbol beside the number. ## Choose an honest multi-account comparison For money-based measures, select a compatible account scope. Confirmed mixed-currency selections suppress monetary totals and associated comparisons in the current product. Read the scope notice and eligible count rather than trying to force an account-wide sum. An external converted analysis needs a stated target currency, exchange-rate source, conversion date convention and handling for deposits, withdrawals and cent units. Those choices are additional analysis, not a property of the original journal numbers. If using R to compare records instead, confirm that each R value uses a compatible risk definition and that missing initial risk does not distort which trades are included. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) ## Related guides - [How do I reconcile a trading journal with an MT5 statement?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/reconcile-journal-with-mt5-statement) — Use a small known sample and matching scope to locate disagreements between broker history and journal results. - [Why does cumulative journal P&L differ from my broker balance?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/pnl-curve-versus-broker-balance) — Distinguish realised closed-trade results from account cash flows, floating P&L and live equity. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # How can I compare two trading periods without changing the question? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/compare-trading-periods-fairly ## The short answer Use equally sized calendar windows in the same timezone and preserve account, currency and filter scope. Compare counts and distributions as well as headline metrics. A better-looking second period does not by itself establish that a process change caused the difference. ## Define the comparison before viewing results Write down the question: perhaps whether a documented review process was followed more consistently, or whether a strategy's net outcome distribution changed. Choose the periods and filters before searching for a favourable answer. Retain the definition with the result. Calendar windows use the selected timezone, so matching dates in Local and Broker modes can represent different instants. Keep the same mode on both sides. If an explicit named session is selected, Chart Reporter's previous-period comparison is disabled until that session is cleared. ## Inspect access and eligibility on both sides History access can restrict one window more than the other. All history is also not a finite window with an equally sized preceding period. Select a finite range and read any incomplete-sample or access notices before using the comparison. The same issue applies to specialised analytics. If one period lacks initial stops or captured candles, its eligible R or excursion sample can be smaller. Compare the coverage and counts, not just the values. Avoid treating a missing result as a zero and thereby making the complete period look artificially better. ## Describe change without overstating causality Different trade counts, instruments, position sizes or market conditions can explain differences between periods. Money-based outcomes also need compatible currencies. Inspect concentration so a single large result does not stand in for a broad change. State what changed in the observed sample and what other inputs changed at the same time. A process intervention can be a useful hypothesis even when the data cannot isolate its effect. Keep the next check specific and repeatable. That produces a more useful review than repeatedly shifting the window until the chart supports the conclusion you wanted. ## Sources and further reading - [Guided review and saved views](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/guided-review) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) ## Related guides - [What should a repeatable weekly trade review include?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/weekly-trade-review-checklist) — Build a review around a complete sample, record checks, one question and a documented follow-up. - [How can I review a losing trade without rewriting the original decision?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/review-losing-trades-without-hindsight) — Separate the information available at entry from later outcomes when writing trade-review notes. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Is the reporter API key the same as an MCP access token? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/ea-api-key-versus-mcp-oauth ## The short answer The reporter API key and MCP OAuth authorisation serve different connections. The EA key authenticates terminal reporting; the assistant's MCP connection authorises account-scoped journal reads. Using one credential in the other's setup does not establish the intended access. ## Draw the two data directions The reporter runs in MT5 and sends journal data to Chart Reporter. Its configured API key identifies the reporting account. An assistant uses the MCP endpoint to request journal data already stored in that account after completing the supported authorisation flow. This distinction explains two common failures. A terminal with an outdated reporter key can stop reporting while an assistant still reads older journal history. An assistant with expired authorisation can fail even while the EA continues sending fresh records. Diagnose the affected connection rather than changing both indiscriminately. ## Use the correct recovery procedure For an EA authentication problem, verify the current key in the reporter inputs and update every terminal after rotation. Check the WebRequest allow-list and terminal status as separate requirements. Repeated key regeneration can make it harder to identify which terminal uses the active replacement. For MCP access, confirm the intended account, effective entitlement, enabled state and client authorisation. Reconnect through the browser consent flow when necessary. Pasting the EA key into an assistant conversation is not the documented way to solve an OAuth error and unnecessarily exposes a reporting credential. ## Keep secrets out of review material An operational note can record when a rotation or reconnection occurred without including the credential itself. A support report can include visible error text, terminal last-seen time and version information. Crop or redact screenshots that show keys, tokens or unrelated account details. Treat each connection as something with its own lifecycle: enabled, working, expired or revoked. Verify recovery using existing records and identity information before asking for a complex analysis. A clear separation makes it easier to identify a reporting gap, an access failure or a simple history-filter issue without granting broader access than the task needs. ## Sources and further reading - [Reporter keys and MCP permissions](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/connections-and-permissions) - [Install the Chart Reporter EA](https://docs.chartreporter.com/getting-started/install-the-ea) ## Related guides - [Can an AI assistant read my Chart Reporter screenshots and notes?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/ai-screenshot-metadata-and-journal-notes) — Understand the difference between stored journal material and what the current MCP tools return. - [How can I check whether an AI trade-review report is inventing facts?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/audit-ai-trade-review-report) — Audit identity, sample coverage, arithmetic and provenance before relying on a generated journal summary. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What evidence should I ask for when evaluating an automatic MT5 journal? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/evaluate-automatic-mt5-journal ## The short answer Evaluate an automatic journal by following a known trade through capture, reconciliation and review. Ask what must run, which records and costs are captured, how missing context is shown, what access is granted and how definitions are documented. A feature list alone does not answer those questions. ## Verify capture using your intended workflow If you trade from mobile, determine where any required reporter actually runs. If the system needs a desktop terminal or VPS, confirm the account match, network permissions and behaviour during disconnection. Automatic reporting still depends on its capture environment. Use a known completed record rather than placing a live order purely for evaluation. Compare its ticket, times, volume, costs and partial-close history. Ask how the journal defines one trade and whether its displayed total already includes the attached execution events. This establishes a concrete reconciliation task. ## Inspect definitions and missing-data behaviour Read the definitions of net P&L, expectancy, R and drawdown. Check currency handling and whether the curve represents realised trade results or actual account equity. A plausible-looking value is not enough if its units or eligible sample are unclear. Inspect a trade with incomplete replay history as well as an attractive demonstration. Determine whether the product exposes gaps, checks coarser intervals or implies detail it does not hold. A good evaluation includes limitations because they determine which review questions can be answered faithfully. ## Check access boundaries and usable proof Identify whether broker credentials are required, what the reporting key permits and what an AI integration can read or do. Verify each connection separately. Product storage, screenshot retrieval and MCP exposure are different capabilities, so ask about the actual returned fields rather than assuming that every feature reaches every integration. Prefer a reproducible demonstration, clear documentation and genuine customer evidence over unsupported claims about time saved or performance improvement. Record the plan's effective history and feature access when comparing options. The result should be a documented fit for your workflow, not an expectation that any journal can guarantee better trades or future returns. ## Sources and further reading - [Install the Chart Reporter EA](https://docs.chartreporter.com/getting-started/install-the-ea) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Chart Reporter MCP capabilities](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) - [Chart and replay reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/charts-and-replay) ## Related guides - [What questions can an AI assistant answer from a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/questions-ai-can-answer-from-trade-journal) — Match review questions to available trade records, scope and evidence instead of expecting predictions from history. - [What does read-only MCP access to trading history actually permit?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/read-only-mcp-trading-history) — Understand the execution boundary and the sensitivity of account-scoped journal access. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What is the difference between expectancy in money and expectancy in R? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/expectancy-money-versus-r ## The short answer Money expectancy is mean net P&L per completed trade. R expectancy averages eligible risk-normalised outcomes. They have different units and can include different samples. Chart Reporter's configurable Metric Cards use money expectancy; R-based analytics report their own eligible R definition. ## Read the unit before the value ```text Money expectancy = sum of net P&L / completed-trade count Example: (+30 - 20 + 50) / 3 = 20 account units per trade ``` The example is a historical average across three fictional outcomes. It does not say that the next trade will make 20 units. Position sizes, instruments and costs can vary across the sample, so the number needs its scope as well as its unit. An R average asks a different question: how large were outcomes relative to the risk reference used for each eligible trade? That normalisation can support a different comparison, but only when the risk inputs and calculation basis are understood. ## Check which records are eligible A completed trade can have a valid net monetary result while lacking a valid initial stop. It may contribute to money expectancy but be unavailable for price-R analysis. Comparing the two averages as if they described identical rows can hide that difference. Some Chart Reporter analytics use net money R where derivable and planned price R as a fallback. Those values can differ because fees and risk inference matter. Use the widget's definition and eligible count to understand the reported average rather than assuming that every R label means the same calculation. ## Use averages with distribution context An average can conceal a small number of large gains or losses. Inspect the distribution, concentration and date coverage before concluding that a typical trade resembles the mean. Break down the sample using a documented question rather than searching until an attractive subgroup appears. When recording a finding, write the unit, account scope, trade count and R basis where relevant. If one period has materially different position sizes, money expectancy and R expectancy may tell different stories for valid reasons. Neither measure alone establishes that a change in process caused an improvement or that the observed average will persist. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Performance analytics reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/performance-analytics) ## Related guides - [Why is win rate an incomplete measure of trading performance?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/win-rate-with-payoff-and-costs) — Read winning-trade frequency alongside net payoff, costs and sample definitions. - [Why can a trade's price R differ from its net R?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/price-r-versus-net-r) — Work through initial stop distance, signed price movement and costs without treating missing risk as zero. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Is importing MT5 history the same as recording trades live? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/history-import-versus-live-capture ## The short answer History import and live reporting can both contribute journal records, but they do not guarantee identical context. An old trade may have a usable execution record without screenshots or replay candles. Evaluate the coverage of each data type instead of treating import completion as complete reconstruction. ## Separate the record from its context A journal record describes the trade: account, instrument, times, direction, volume and recorded result. Review context adds information such as chart candles, screenshots, notes or captured conditions. The existence of one does not prove the availability of all the others. Consider a position closed before the reporter was installed. Broker history may provide facts needed for the trade record, but that does not establish that a contemporaneous screenshot exists. A screenshot created today would show a later observation, not necessarily what the trader saw when deciding to enter. ## Inspect replay coverage explicitly Chart Reporter replay uses broker candles captured through the EA. If an interval is unavailable, the app can check coarser supported intervals. A coarser view can provide context without supplying the detail of the originally requested resolution. This distinction matters when interpreting excursions or the sequence inside a candle. If only a larger interval is available, do not describe the view as a tick-perfect reconstruction. A gap notice is information about the evidence, not a cosmetic problem to hide. Completion of trade-history sync also does not prove that pending candle uploads have finished. ## Design your first review around available evidence Start with record reconciliation: check account, ticket, timestamps, final state and net result. Then identify which trades have sufficient chart context for the particular question you want to ask. Keep trades without that context visible in the overall record while excluding them from calculations that genuinely require it. If historical candles are pending, keep the reporter connected and follow the recovery guidance for the traded symbol and date range. Availability depends on broker history and the reporting environment, so no fixed completion time is promised. Notes should distinguish recorded facts from later recollections and from assumptions made to fill a gap. ## Sources and further reading - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) - [Chart and replay reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/charts-and-replay) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) ## Related guides - [Is the MT5 Journal tab the same as a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-journal-log-versus-trading-journal) — Distinguish terminal diagnostic logs from a structured record used for trade review and performance analysis. - [Can I journal trades placed in the MT5 mobile app?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/journal-mobile-mt5-trades) — Understand why mobile MT5 trades need a connected desktop terminal or VPS for automatic journal capture. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why does the initial stop differ from the stop shown at exit? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/initial-stop-versus-exit-stop ## The short answer The initial stop records the original risk reference; the exit stop records the stop setting near the end of the trade. Moving a stop changes management history, not the original risk decision. Using the final stop as the initial risk denominator can materially distort an R calculation. ## Preserve the decision made at entry Consider a fictional long trade entered at 100 with an initial stop at 98. Later the trader moves the stop to 100, then closes at 104. The original price risk was two points and the completed directional move was four points. On that original price basis the result is two R. Using the moved stop at 100 would create a zero-distance denominator. Using a later trailing stop could create a very small denominator and an implausibly large R. Neither describes the initial commitment. The sequence of changes belongs in the execution record alongside the original reference. ## Check what history actually contains Chart Reporter distinguishes initial and exit stop and target fields. Some historical displays can fall back to exit values when initial fields are unavailable for compatibility. A displayed level should therefore not be treated as proof that it was the original stop. For older trades, inspect the record and event history before calculating original risk. If the initial stop cannot be established, mark that risk-based result unavailable instead of reverse-engineering a favourable number from the final chart. A price move can still be described without inventing an initial-risk value. ## Separate management review from counterfactual certainty The timeline can help answer whether a stop was tightened, widened or removed. It cannot establish that a different stop would certainly have produced the same entry, exit, liquidity or behaviour. Treat alternative-management calculations as conditional scenarios using stated assumptions. Record both the initial plan and the observed changes when the evidence supports them. Then compare similar trades under the same R definition and coverage rules. Missing initial stops should remain visible as missing evidence, rather than disappearing into a zero-R bucket that changes the apparent distribution of outcomes. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Trade review reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/trade-review) ## Related guides - [Why does a trade appear on different dates in Local and Broker time?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/broker-time-versus-local-trade-dates) — Understand calendar boundaries and timezone filters before comparing daily MT5 journal results. - [Can I add results from trading accounts with different currencies?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/combine-trading-account-currencies) — Keep account denominations, cent units and currency conversion separate when reviewing multiple MT5 hubs. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Can I journal trades placed in the MT5 mobile app? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/journal-mobile-mt5-trades ## The short answer You can place trades on mobile and review them in Chart Reporter, but the reporting EA needs desktop MT5 or a suitable VPS connected to the same broker account. The mobile app does not run the reporter. Mobile execution and journal capture are separate parts of the workflow. ## Follow the account, not the device Imagine placing an order from your phone while the same broker account is open in desktop MT5. The order belongs to the account; it is not a separate mobile-only position. A running reporter on the desktop terminal can observe the account's activity and send the journal record onward. The phone remains your execution device. The account match is essential. A desktop terminal signed into a demo account will not capture an order placed in your live account. Check the broker server and account identity before diagnosing a sync problem. Do not send your broker password to Chart Reporter or to support to establish that match. ## Give capture a place to run The desktop or VPS terminal needs to remain connected, with the reporter attached and its WebRequest destination allowed. Closing a laptop or putting it to sleep can interrupt that environment. A VPS can provide a more persistent place to run MT5, but you should verify its terminal, network permissions and reporter setup yourself. A journal page open in a mobile browser is not a replacement for the running terminal. It displays data already reported to the service. Opening that page cannot make a stopped desktop EA resume. Conversely, you do not need to keep the dashboard tab open for a correctly configured terminal to report. ## Verify the handoff without placing a test trade Start by checking terminal last-seen status in Chart Reporter. Then inspect a known trade's account, ticket, time and final state under an unrestricted date window. This checks an existing record rather than creating financial exposure just to test a connection. If a trade appears but replay is unavailable, investigate candle coverage separately. Trade reporting and captured chart context can complete at different times. An online heartbeat demonstrates recent contact; it does not prove that every historical trade and candle has arrived. Keep the terminal connected and follow the missing-data guide for unresolved gaps. ## Sources and further reading - [Journal mobile MT5 trades](https://docs.chartreporter.com/getting-started/mobile-trading) - [Install the Chart Reporter EA](https://docs.chartreporter.com/getting-started/install-the-ea) ## Related guides - [Does the Chart Reporter EA need Algo Trading enabled?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/reporting-ea-without-algo-trading) — Separate the permissions for reporting MT5 activity from permission to execute automated trades. - [Why does an automatic MT5 journal need the terminal running?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/keep-mt5-running-for-journal) — Learn what stays active in the terminal-to-journal reporting model and how to distinguish capture from display. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why does an automatic MT5 journal need the terminal running? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/keep-mt5-running-for-journal ## The short answer Chart Reporter receives data pushed by its EA inside MT5. The terminal is therefore part of the capture system: if it is stopped or disconnected, current reporting can stop too. Keeping a dashboard open does not take over that responsibility. ## Trace the path of one event A trade is executed in the broker environment. The reporter running in your connected terminal observes relevant activity and sends journal data to Chart Reporter. Your browser then reads the resulting journal. These steps explain why a healthy website cannot compensate for an offline reporting terminal. This design avoids asking the journal service to sign into the broker using your investor or trading credentials. That boundary also creates an operational responsibility: you need a place for the reporter to run. Decide whether your usual desktop session is sufficient or whether a suitable hosted terminal better fits your hours. ## Recognise common interruptions Laptop sleep, a closed MT5 application, a disconnected broker session, a removed EA or a network problem can all interrupt the reporting environment. Look at the actual terminal state before treating a quiet journal as a product calculation error. For example, if you leave MT5 open on Friday and find it offline on Monday, first establish whether the computer slept or restarted. The relevant question is whether the reporter was active during the period, not whether the journal browser tab stayed open. Keep any restart or maintenance notes alongside the dates you are checking. ## Separate recovery from a guarantee Reconnecting the terminal is a sensible first step, but it is not a promise that every missing historical detail will be reconstructed. Broker history, captured candles and the reporter version influence what can be recovered. A trade-history import can finish while chart uploads are still pending. Use terminal last-seen status to establish current contact, then reconcile known trades under the correct date range and account. For replay gaps, check candle availability and the supported recovery guidance separately. Record the affected symbol, ticket, dates and EA version if you need support. Never create a new live trade solely to test whether the reporting connection has recovered. ## Sources and further reading - [Journal mobile MT5 trades](https://docs.chartreporter.com/getting-started/mobile-trading) - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) ## Related guides - [What should I check when MT5 blocks the reporter's WebRequest?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-webrequest-allow-list) — Diagnose the allowed URL, terminal environment and logs before changing unrelated MT5 permissions. - [Why is my MT5 terminal online but my journal looks empty?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/terminal-online-but-trades-missing) — Use account, filter, access and trade-state checks to distinguish an empty view from a reporting failure. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why does candle resolution matter when reviewing MAE and MFE? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/mae-mfe-candle-resolution ## The short answer MAE and MFE describe the largest adverse and favourable moves observed during a trade under the available data. Candle resolution and coverage determine what can be reconstructed. A candle's high and low do not establish the exact intrabar order of price movements. ## Define the observation window Maximum adverse excursion concerns the move against the position before exit; maximum favourable excursion concerns the move in its favour. Both need a defined entry, exit and price path. Check the selected instrument, trade direction and available capture before interpreting the numbers. A price continuing in your favour after you closed is a different observation from pre-exit MFE. Mixing the two can make an exit appear worse by using information outside the trade's actual holding window. Keep post-exit context explicitly labelled when discussing alternative management. ## Respect what a bar cannot reveal A candle can show that both a high and low occurred within its interval without telling you their exact order. If a stop and target lie inside that same bar, the bar alone does not settle which would have been reached first. Coarser intervals make this ambiguity more consequential. Chart Reporter replay uses captured broker candles and may show coarser supported history when finer data is unavailable. That provides useful context, but it does not create missing fine-grained observations. Read gap and coverage notices before assuming the reconstructed path is complete. ## Turn excursions into bounded review questions Ask what the available data supports: whether the position endured a substantial adverse move, how much favourable movement was observed before exit, or which trades lack enough evidence for the calculation. Preserve eligible counts rather than silently treating missing excursions as zero. Counterfactual stop or exit studies need assumptions about ordering, fills and behaviour. An observed later high does not prove you could or would have exited there. Use excursion patterns to develop a testable review hypothesis, document the resolution and sample, and avoid presenting a historical maximum as an attainable future trade outcome. ## Sources and further reading - [Performance analytics reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/performance-analytics) - [Chart and replay reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/charts-and-replay) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) ## Related guides - [How should I calculate profit factor after trading costs?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/profit-factor-after-costs) — Calculate profit factor from net trade outcomes and interpret zero-loss and empty samples correctly. - [What is the difference between expectancy in money and expectancy in R?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/expectancy-money-versus-r) — Keep account-unit averages and risk-normalised averages separate when comparing trading results. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why can a journaled trade have no replay candles? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/missing-replay-candles ## The short answer A valid trade record does not guarantee usable replay history. Chart Reporter needs captured broker candles for the traded symbol and time window. Missing history, fewer than two usable bars, partial coverage and a still-forming post-exit window are different conditions. ## Read the specific coverage state No captured history means the supported interval checks succeeded but did not find a usable window. Insufficient history means there are too few usable bars to draw a path. Partial coverage means some bars exist while gaps remain. An error means the request failed and availability is unknown. These distinctions tell you what to investigate next. A failed request should not be presented as an empty successful result. A single bar should not be stretched into a detailed path. A coverage percentage is an estimate under stated assumptions, not proof that a remote backfill job is progressing. ## Check the source and capture environment The reporter needs a connected terminal and broker history for the exact traded symbol and timeframe. Broker symbol suffixes and historical availability can matter. Keep the EA running and follow the current recovery guidance, including opening the relevant history in MT5 when appropriate. A completed trade-history import does not prove that its candle uploads are complete. Recent trades can also have post-exit context that has not yet formed. The displayed timing is conditional on capture and availability; it is not a guaranteed delivery schedule for every old trade. ## Review with bounded evidence Use Retry candles after checking the terminal and visible state. Avoid repeatedly refreshing through rate limits or treating every gap as a reason to reinstall the EA. If the issue persists, retain the symbol, interval, dates, EA version and terminal last-seen details for support. You can still reconcile execution facts and net results while replay is unavailable. Clearly separate those valid observations from any price-path inference the missing candles would have supported. Do not fill the gap with a different feed and describe it as the original broker context. Missing evidence should narrow the conclusion, not disappear from the review. ## Sources and further reading - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) - [Chart and replay reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/charts-and-replay) ## Related guides - [Why does my saved journal view not appear on another device?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/saved-views-browser-and-device) — Understand which review settings are browser-local and which notes and tags are stored with your account. - [How can I compare two trading periods without changing the question?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/compare-trading-periods-fairly) — Control date length, timezone, filters, units and sample coverage when reviewing previous-period changes. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What can a trading-journal Monte Carlo simulation actually tell me? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/monte-carlo-journal-simulation-limits ## The short answer A journal bootstrap simulation explores sequences built from observed eligible outcomes under stated assumptions. Chart Reporter's Monte Carlo simulator resamples eligible R values with replacement. Its model proportions describe those simulations, not guaranteed probabilities of future returns or broker-account survival. ## Understand the ingredients The current simulator runs 2,000 seeded bootstrap sequences from eligible observed R multiples. Sampling with replacement means an observed outcome can appear more than once in a simulated sequence while another does not appear. The seed supports reproducibility for the same inputs. That model explores the observed outcome distribution and its resampling assumptions. It cannot include a loss type, market regime or execution failure absent from the inputs simply because the chart looks comprehensive. A narrow historical sample remains a narrow foundation even when thousands of sequences are drawn from it. ## Keep the units and assumptions attached Reported drawdown is in R, not automatically a percentage of broker equity. Converting it into account risk would require a separate sizing and capital model. Also inspect which records supplied valid R and whether the calculation mixed net-money R with price-R fallback values. Resampling individual outcomes can break historical clustering and dependence. If losses tend to cluster around one market condition, a simple bootstrap may not preserve that mechanism. It is useful to ask what the model assumes about sequence and whether those assumptions fit the question being investigated. ## Use simulation to formulate checks The output can help you explore how a selected sample behaves under alternative resampled sequences. Compare that with the observed path and investigate which outcomes dominate the spread. Keep the input filters and eligible count with the result so it can be reproduced. Do not treat a favourable model proportion as permission to increase risk or as proof that a losing streak cannot exceed the modelled range. New conditions can produce new outcomes. A useful report states the model, sample, units and known omissions, then identifies what additional evidence would challenge its conclusions. ## Sources and further reading - [Performance analytics reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/performance-analytics) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) ## Related guides - [Why does candle resolution matter when reviewing MAE and MFE?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mae-mfe-candle-resolution) — Understand excursion coverage and intrabar uncertainty before drawing conclusions about stops or exits. - [How should I calculate profit factor after trading costs?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/profit-factor-after-costs) — Calculate profit factor from net trade outcomes and interpret zero-loss and empty samples correctly. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Is the MT5 Journal tab the same as a trading journal? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-journal-log-versus-trading-journal ## The short answer The MT5 Journal and Experts tabs help diagnose terminal and EA activity. A trading journal organises trade records and review context across a chosen sample. Both are useful, but a connection log is not a substitute for reconciled trade results, notes and performance definitions. ## Choose the tool that matches the question If the question is why an EA cannot report, terminal logs are an appropriate starting point. They can expose permission, network or authentication messages. If the question is how completed trades performed after costs, you need a structured trade sample and an explicit calculation. The names can create confusion because both use the word journal. Searching for an MT5 journal might mean finding a terminal log, reviewing account history or choosing a separate trading-journal application. Decide which outcome you need before following instructions for a different task. ## Use logs to establish operational evidence For a reporter issue, note the terminal instance, account, time and error message. Check the Experts and Journal tabs around the relevant period rather than collecting an unrelated day of output. Pair that with Chart Reporter's terminal last-seen status. A log entry showing a request attempt does not itself prove that every trade was stored successfully. Conversely, the absence of a new trade in a filtered dashboard does not establish a network failure. Trace a known record from its broker identity into the intended account and date window. That gives each system a specific role in the diagnosis. ## Use the trading journal for a repeatable review A review needs a defined sample, consistent net P&L, an account currency and a way to attach your observations. The execution record answers what was reported; notes explain what you believed or intended. Keeping these separate makes later review more useful than a collection of screenshots alone. When escalating a problem, send the relevant diagnostic context without passwords or reporting keys. When evaluating performance, preserve the filters and calculation definitions instead of quoting a terminal message as proof of an outcome. Connecting these two disciplines improves traceability without pretending that either tool answers every question. ## Sources and further reading - [Install the Chart Reporter EA](https://docs.chartreporter.com/getting-started/install-the-ea) - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) ## Related guides - [Can I journal trades placed in the MT5 mobile app?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/journal-mobile-mt5-trades) — Understand why mobile MT5 trades need a connected desktop terminal or VPS for automatic journal capture. - [Does the Chart Reporter EA need Algo Trading enabled?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/reporting-ea-without-algo-trading) — Separate the permissions for reporting MT5 activity from permission to execute automated trades. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What should I check when MT5 blocks the reporter's WebRequest? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-webrequest-allow-list ## The short answer Check the WebRequest allow-list in Tools → Options → Expert Advisors and add https://api.chartreporter.com exactly as documented. The reporter also needs a valid key and a connected terminal. A local permission error and a server authentication error require different fixes. ## Allow the intended destination MT5 requires you to allow destinations used by an EA's WebRequest calls. For Chart Reporter, use the documented API origin rather than inventing a trade-specific endpoint. Confirm the setting in the terminal instance that actually runs the reporter; a different MT5 installation may have a different configuration. The reporter installation guide calls out error 4014 as a reason to inspect this setup first. Follow its restart or reattachment guidance after changing permissions. Avoid adding a collection of guessed domains in the hope that one will work. A short, understood allow-list is easier to diagnose and maintain. ## Read the error at the right layer A blocked network function is different from a completed request that receives an authentication failure. In the first case, inspect the terminal's permission and execution environment. In the second, check the response and whether the reporter is using the current Chart Reporter key. A useful troubleshooting note says what you observed: the exact log message, the time, the terminal version and the EA version. Saying only that sync is broken leaves both permission and authentication possibilities open. Do not include the API key, broker password or a screenshot exposing those fields in a support request. ## Confirm the result through existing data Once the setting is corrected, keep the EA attached and watch for a recent heartbeat in Chart Reporter. Then compare a known record against the account and date filters. This establishes whether the connection works without asking you to trade for the sake of a test. If the heartbeat resumes but old replay remains missing, do not keep expanding network permissions. Candle history is a separate diagnostic path. Check the broker symbol and requested interval, then use the retry guidance if appropriate. Repeatedly changing unrelated options makes it harder to identify which correction resolved the original problem. ## Sources and further reading - [Install the Chart Reporter EA](https://docs.chartreporter.com/getting-started/install-the-ea) - [MetaQuotes: WebRequest](https://www.mql5.com/en/docs/network/webrequest) - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) ## Related guides - [Why is my MT5 terminal online but my journal looks empty?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/terminal-online-but-trades-missing) — Use account, filter, access and trade-state checks to distinguish an empty view from a reporting failure. - [What happens to MT5 reporting when I rotate my API key?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/rotate-reporter-key-safely) — Plan a reporter-key rotation across all connected terminals without confusing it with MCP authorisation. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # How should I define a trading session that crosses midnight? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/named-trading-sessions-and-midnight ## The short answer Define a session by its actual start, end and timezone. A session spanning midnight can include trades from two calendar dates, and Local versus Broker time can change how that window is displayed. Preserve those choices when comparing session results. ## A session is a window, not just a name Names such as evening or London are convenient shorthand, but they do not specify exact boundaries. Write down the start and end you intend and the timezone that gives those times meaning. A local session name can otherwise shift when daylight-saving rules or location change. For example, a fictional 22:00-to-02:00 window crosses a calendar boundary. Selecting only the first date in a general daily filter may not express that intended session. Check the actual records included rather than assuming that every view interprets the label identically. ## Inspect the timestamp basis A trade can open in one window and close in another. A question about entry timing and a question about realised closing results may therefore require different grouping rules. Read the view's scope note and retain the basis in your review. When comparing accounts, check their broker timezone settings separately. Use one hub when diagnosing boundary differences. A change in included records after switching Local and Broker time can be explained by calendar boundaries without implying that the recorded execution time was altered. ## Make session comparisons reproducible Keep account, currency, date coverage and strategy filters aligned across the sessions being compared. Record the count of included and eligible trades. If one session has a much smaller sample or incomplete capture, narrow the conclusion accordingly. For cross-midnight work, a saved description of the window is more useful than a screenshot with an unexplained date label. If you revise session boundaries retrospectively, document the change before drawing conclusions from the revised totals. A named-session comparison can reveal an association in recorded history, but it does not establish that the clock window caused an outcome or will produce the same distribution in future conditions. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Journals, sessions and media](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/journals-sessions-and-media) ## Related guides - [When should I use a screenshot instead of trade replay?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/screenshots-versus-candle-replay) — Compare a captured chart image with reconstructed broker-candle context and understand what each can establish. - [Why can a journaled trade have no replay candles?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/missing-replay-candles) — Diagnose absent, insufficient and partial candle history separately from the trade record. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why use a persistent journal alongside a terminal AI connection? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/native-mt5-mcp-and-persistent-journal ## The short answer A terminal connection and a persistent journal serve different review needs. The terminal provides its configured live environment; Chart Reporter retains reported trade history and offers a separate read-only MCP surface. Combining them can be useful when the task requires both, with each source and permission kept explicit. ## Identify where the answer should come from A question about the connected terminal's current state belongs with a tool that actually reads that environment. A comparison across journaled accounts, strategies or historical sessions belongs with the stored records and definitions that support it. Do not assume one connection automatically contains the other system's context. For example, an assistant can inspect a journal period without that proving a desktop terminal is currently reporting. Conversely, a live terminal observation does not establish that every historical screenshot, tag or account-stored context is available through that connection. Name the source for each part of the answer. ## Inspect capabilities individually Chart Reporter's current MCP surface is account-scoped and read-only. Native terminal methods can have different operational capabilities according to the terminal and client configuration. Check their current documentation, available tools and consent controls rather than inferring permissions from the shared MCP label. An assistant with access to multiple integrations should not treat a historical review request as authorisation to execute a terminal action. A useful report can remain descriptive even when other tools exist. Keep credentials and access lifecycles separate so revoking one connection is not mistaken for revoking them all. ## Reconcile before joining the evidence Align account identity, symbol, timestamps, timezone and relevant metric definitions before combining live and journal observations. If two sources differ, inspect the record and capture timing instead of averaging conflicting facts or silently choosing the more convenient number. A persistent journal adds value when the historical record is traceable and the comparison is reproducible. That does not mean it reconstructs every missing candle or exposes every stored note through MCP. State those limits and identify which additional evidence the task would require. Use the combination because the question needs both sources, not because connecting more tools automatically creates a better analysis. ## Sources and further reading - [Chart Reporter and MT5 native MCP comparison](https://chartreporter.com/chart-reporter-mcp-vs-mt5-native-mcp) - [Chart Reporter MCP capabilities](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) - [Reporter keys and MCP permissions](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/connections-and-permissions) ## Related guides - [What should I include in a prompt for an AI journal review?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/structured-ai-journal-review-prompt) — Specify scope, definitions, evidence and output requirements so an assistant can produce an auditable review. - [What evidence should I ask for when evaluating an automatic MT5 journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/evaluate-automatic-mt5-journal) — Compare capture requirements, reconciliation, context, privacy boundaries and exportable evidence. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why can a profitable MT5 trade show a negative net result? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/net-profit-commission-swap ## The short answer A trade's price profit can be positive while its net result is negative after costs. Chart Reporter calculates net P&L as profit plus commission plus swap, using the broker-supplied signs. Compare the same completed record and account currency before deciding that two displays disagree. ## Keep the components visible ```text Net P&L = profit + commission + swap Example: 12 + (-8) + (-6) = -2 account units ``` In this fictional example the trade made 12 units before the listed costs, yet lost two after them. Calling it a winner because the profit field is positive would misclassify the economic outcome. The example describes arithmetic, not expected fees for any broker or instrument. Do not subtract an already negative commission a second time. Adding signed values preserves the source record. A positive adjustment should likewise retain its sign instead of being forced into a cost simply because of its field name. ## A missing value is a data question Chart Reporter's calculation treats missing commission or swap as zero for the arithmetic. That convention does not establish that the broker charged nothing. If a result looks surprising, inspect the recorded components and reconcile them with the broker's relevant history. Some statement lines may represent account movements or charges outside the selected trade record. Keep those distinctions explicit rather than forcing a broker balance change to equal a sum of selected trades. Also check whether the broker view is displaying an open position's floating value while the journal statistic uses completed outcomes. ## Reconcile one trade before an entire month Choose a known completed trade and compare its account, ticket, final-close state, profit, commission and swap. Then confirm that both views use the same currency and date basis. Once the individual record agrees, expand to a larger sample under identical filters. The same habit improves review notes. Record the result after costs and retain the breakdown when fees materially affect it. A strategy built from many small gross gains can look very different after costs, but that observation needs the actual sample and its coverage. One illustrative trade cannot establish a strategy's profitability or a forecast of future results. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [MetaQuotes: deal properties](https://www.mql5.com/en/docs/constants/tradingconstants/dealproperties) ## Related guides - [How should a journal count partial closes in MT5?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/partial-closes-trade-count) — Distinguish execution events from completed trade records so partial exits do not inflate count or P&L. - [Why does the initial stop differ from the stop shown at exit?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/initial-stop-versus-exit-stop) — Keep original risk separate from later stop changes when reviewing an MT5 trade and its R multiple. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why do older trades disappear when I change my journal view? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/old-trades-missing-history-access ## The short answer A missing row can reflect the selected view rather than deletion. Chart Reporter's effective history access, account archive state, date range and filters all affect which records are returned. Selecting All history means all history currently accessible under the account's plan. ## Start with access and account scope Under the current plan definitions, the all-feature trial lasts seven days. Trader then has a three-day history window, Pro has 90 days and Sovereign has unlimited history. Check the effective subscription state rather than assuming a signup preference granted a particular entitlement. If a previously visible older trade falls outside the current access window, choosing its date in the calendar does not extend access. This is a scope boundary, not by itself evidence of failed capture. Use the account's subscription information and any access notice to interpret the result. ## Check archive state and restrictive filters Archived hubs are normally excluded from active-account views. A trade associated with one of those hubs can therefore be absent from the normal selection even when its underlying record has not been deleted. Confirm which accounts the view includes. Also clear symbol, strategy, tag, session and outcome restrictions when investigating. A recently changed strategy assignment or a different timezone can alter the visible sample. Compare a known ticket with a wide enough date interval, then restore the intended review scope once you understand the difference. ## Report the state without guessing at recovery Distinguish an empty successful result from an error or incomplete load. If the query failed, the result is unknown. If history access limited the sample, a larger-looking calendar range is not proof that all selected dates were fetched. For unresolved cases, retain the ticket, hub, selected period, timezone, subscription state and visible error or scope notice. Do not promise yourself that upgrading or reconnecting will reconstruct context that was never captured. Trade records, screenshot coverage and replay candles can have different availability. Establish what is missing and why before taking a more disruptive action such as reinstalling the reporter or rotating its key. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) ## Related guides - [Why can a profitable MT5 trade show a negative net result?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/net-profit-commission-swap) — Work through profit, commission and swap with their recorded signs before comparing trading-journal totals. - [How should a journal count partial closes in MT5?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/partial-closes-trade-count) — Distinguish execution events from completed trade records so partial exits do not inflate count or P&L. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # How should a journal count partial closes in MT5? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/partial-closes-trade-count ## The short answer A partial exit is an event within a position's history, not automatically a separate completed trade for every journal statistic. In Chart Reporter, review the final recorded trade alongside its execution events. Do not add partial-close proceeds to an already aggregated final result a second time. ## Decide what one observation represents Imagine a position opened at one size, reduced twice, and finally closed. It has several execution events, but a review organised around the complete trade can still have one observation. A deal-based export and a position-based journal may therefore show different row counts without either count being inherently wrong. Before comparing win rate or expectancy, identify the unit of observation. If one system counts closing deals and another counts complete positions, their denominators differ. Make that difference explicit rather than treating each partial exit as an independent decision with unrelated risk. ## Avoid counting the same money twice Inspect the trade's final recorded result and the timeline of attached events together. If the trade total already reflects the position's realised outcome, adding money shown in the event history again will inflate your calculation. A timeline explains how an outcome developed; it is not necessarily a second ledger to sum. For example, writing down two partial-exit results and then adding the final trade total can duplicate those earlier exits. Reconcile against the broker's position and deal identifiers and the journal's aggregation rule. Do not infer the rule from the number of rows visible in an expanded panel. ## Respect the final-close boundary A position can have realised partial proceeds while remaining open. Some completed-trade performance measures exclude it until final closure. That is different from saying that the partial execution never happened. The operational event view and the completed-outcome view answer different questions. When reporting a mismatch, include the ticket, event times, remaining volume and whether the position is finally closed. Compare the same account and timezone. Preserve the execution sequence in your notes so later analysis can distinguish position management from a data error. A consistent definition across all reviewed trades is more useful than a higher-looking trade count. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Trade review reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/trade-review) ## Related guides - [Why does the initial stop differ from the stop shown at exit?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/initial-stop-versus-exit-stop) — Keep original risk separate from later stop changes when reviewing an MT5 trade and its R multiple. - [Why does a trade appear on different dates in Local and Broker time?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/broker-time-versus-local-trade-dates) — Understand calendar boundaries and timezone filters before comparing daily MT5 journal results. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why does cumulative journal P&L differ from my broker balance? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/pnl-curve-versus-broker-balance ## The short answer Chart Reporter's cumulative net P&L plots recorded realised trade results from a zero starting point. Broker balance and equity can include opening capital, cash flows, adjustments and floating positions. Comparing those series without reconciling their components can create an apparent error. ## Define the series before reading the chart A cumulative P&L curve adds completed trade outcomes in sequence. Its zero is a reference for the selected sample, not a claim that the broker account began with no money. Changing the sample changes what is accumulated. A broker balance starts from an account's monetary history. Live equity also responds to open positions. Deposits and withdrawals can change account values without being trading outcomes. A journal curve based on completed records therefore should not be labelled a live balance or equity curve. ## Work through a simple fictional account Suppose an account starts with 1,000 units, receives a 500-unit deposit and realises 40 units of net trade profit. A selected closed-trade P&L curve can finish at 40 while the account balance is 1,540, ignoring other adjustments. An open position can then make live equity differ from that balance again. The 1,500-unit difference between those first two displays is not missing profit. It represents the starting money and deposit that the trade-results curve does not claim to track. Start with this component reconciliation before investigating rounding or capture errors. ## Carry the distinction into risk language A drawdown calculated from a realised P&L path describes declines in that path. It does not automatically measure the account's deepest live equity decline. Positions can experience adverse movement before closing, and cash flows can alter the equity base. When sharing a chart, label its scope, units and included records. Use the product's cumulative net P&L terminology and avoid turning it into an account-return percentage without trustworthy opening equity and cash-flow handling. If your goal is a broker-level equity reconciliation, gather those additional inputs explicitly instead of inferring them from selected closed trades alone. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Performance analytics reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/performance-analytics) ## Related guides - [Why do older trades disappear when I change my journal view?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/old-trades-missing-history-access) — Check history entitlement, archive state and filters before treating an absent trade as deleted data. - [Why can a profitable MT5 trade show a negative net result?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/net-profit-commission-swap) — Work through profit, commission and swap with their recorded signs before comparing trading-journal totals. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why can a trade's price R differ from its net R? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/price-r-versus-net-r ## The short answer Planned price R compares the directional entry-to-exit move with initial stop distance. Net money R relates net P&L to inferred monetary initial risk where that can be derived. Fees and available inputs can make the two values differ; missing initial risk should remain unavailable. ## Calculate the price-based reference ```text Long example: entry 100, initial stop 98, exit 104 Price R = (104 - 100) / (100 - 98) = 2 ``` This fictional example expresses a directional move relative to the original stop distance. A short trade needs the corresponding direction-aware calculation. Prices alone do not include commission or swap, and a price-grid label should not be presented as an after-cost monetary return. The stop used in the denominator matters. A stop moved to entry later in the trade does not erase the original two-point reference. Keep initial risk distinct from management changes and from the stop present near the final exit. ## Understand the monetary version Net money R uses the recorded net result relative to inferred monetary initial risk when the required information is available. Fees can lower that result compared with a price-only view. Monetary inference can also require more information than a simple price distance. Consequently, a widget using the best available R may use net money R for some records and fallback price R for others. Read its definition and evidence coverage before interpreting a difference as a calculation defect. A common R symbol is not enough to establish that two displays use identical inputs. ## Keep unavailable values visible A missing initial stop does not mean the trade had zero risk, and it should not automatically become a zero-R outcome. It means the selected risk-normalised calculation lacks a required reference. Money-based performance may still be available for that trade. When reviewing an R distribution, record both the full loaded count and the eligible count. Investigate whether excluded records share a strategy, period or management style. Otherwise the apparently cleaner R sample can represent only the trades whose history is easiest to measure. State those limits whenever sharing an average, distribution or simulated result based on R. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Trade review reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/trade-review) ## Related guides - [What does realised drawdown tell me about my trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/realised-drawdown-versus-equity-drawdown) — Interpret declines in cumulative closed-trade P&L without confusing them with live account equity risk. - [How much confidence should I place in a small trade sample?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/small-samples-trading-statistics) — Use sample size, coverage and selection discipline when interpreting journal statistics and subgroup rankings. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # How should I calculate profit factor after trading costs? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/profit-factor-after-costs ## The short answer Profit factor divides the sum of positive net trade outcomes by the absolute sum of negative net outcomes. Use the same account currency and completed-trade sample on both sides. A high value from a tiny sample, or a sample with no losses, does not establish a durable edge. ## Classify outcomes after costs ```text Profit factor = sum of positive net P&L / abs(sum of negative net P&L) Fictional outcomes: +60, +40, -50 → 100 / 50 = 2 ``` The sign of the net result determines which side receives the trade. A gross gain that becomes a net loss after commission and swap belongs in the loss sum. Applying costs after first calculating the ratio produces a different and potentially misleading measure. Profit factor is a money ratio, not the percentage of winning trades and not average R. Two samples with different win rates can have the same profit factor because the sizes of their gains and losses differ. ## Handle the denominator honestly Gains without any losses produce an unbounded ratio. That is not a finite score that should be capped at an attractive-looking number. A sample with no nonzero outcomes does not provide a meaningful ratio at all. For example, three small gains in a new strategy can create a no-loss sample. The missing loss denominator says that the sample has not observed a loss, not that the process is incapable of losing. Check the trade count, date coverage and the size of the largest gain before comparing it with a longer-established sample. ## Compare like with like Use the same net formula, currency and eligibility rules across strategies or periods. Combining incompatible account currencies can change the money sums without a legitimate conversion. Changing filters between the gain and loss calculation can invalidate the ratio entirely. Read profit factor alongside expectancy, concentration and realised drawdown. A single large winner can dominate it, and excluding open positions or trades with incomplete records changes the scope. Keep the underlying sample available for inspection so a reviewer can reproduce the numerator and denominator. The statistic describes recorded outcomes under those choices; it does not predict the next trade. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Performance analytics reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/performance-analytics) ## Related guides - [What is the difference between expectancy in money and expectancy in R?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/expectancy-money-versus-r) — Keep account-unit averages and risk-normalised averages separate when comparing trading results. - [Why is win rate an incomplete measure of trading performance?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/win-rate-with-payoff-and-costs) — Read winning-trade frequency alongside net payoff, costs and sample definitions. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What questions can an AI assistant answer from a trading journal? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/questions-ai-can-answer-from-trade-journal ## The short answer An assistant can help summarise and compare the journal data its tools actually return. Useful questions define an account, period, metric and grouping. Historical records can support descriptive review; they do not provide an automatic explanation of intent or a reliable prediction of the next trade. ## Start with a bounded descriptive question Ask for a specific sample and unit: completed trades from one account over a stated interval, grouped by a recorded strategy, symbol or session. Request counts and net results together so a large total is not mistaken for a broad pattern. For example, ask which recorded symbols contributed most to the selected period's net P&L, then inspect the trades behind the grouping. This is an aggregation task tied to identifiable records. Asking which symbol will make money tomorrow requires evidence and a forecasting model that a journal summary does not supply. ## Check the available fields Chart Reporter's current MCP exposes account-scoped read tools for trades and related review context. Not every field stored by the product is returned through that surface. Screenshot metadata is available, while screenshot bytes and journal-note text are not supplied by the current MCP tools. Before asking about the trader's intentions or visual chart details, establish whether the assistant actually received the relevant evidence. A linked image identifier is not the image. An absent note field is not evidence that the trader had no plan. Unsupported questions should produce an explanation of the missing input rather than a confident story. ## Require a traceable answer Ask the assistant to state account scope, dates, timezone, filters and eligible counts before its conclusion. Request trade identifiers for examples and the arithmetic behind any metric it calculates. Check currency compatibility and whether a list was fully paginated. Then separate observations, hypotheses and unanswered questions in the report. The most useful follow-up often concerns data coverage or an ambiguous classification. Preserve those limits when sharing the summary. A polished explanation does not strengthen incomplete evidence, and a useful historical comparison should not be promoted into an instruction to place or size a future trade. ## Sources and further reading - [Chart Reporter MCP capabilities](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Reporter keys and MCP permissions](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/connections-and-permissions) ## Related guides - [What does read-only MCP access to trading history actually permit?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/read-only-mcp-trading-history) — Understand the execution boundary and the sensitivity of account-scoped journal access. - [Is the reporter API key the same as an MCP access token?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/ea-api-key-versus-mcp-oauth) — Distinguish terminal reporting authentication from an assistant's journal-reading authorisation. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What does read-only MCP access to trading history actually permit? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/read-only-mcp-trading-history ## The short answer Chart Reporter's current MCP tools read the authenticated user's journal data and do not place or modify broker trades. Read-only describes the tool operations, not the sensitivity of the information. Trade history can still reveal accounts, strategies, timing and results. ## Verify the connection before the analysis Complete the client authorisation flow for the intended Chart Reporter account, then ask it to run whoami. Check the account and hub information before requesting detailed trades. A valid connection to the wrong account is still the wrong foundation for a review. The current connection uses the mcp:full scope rather than separate per-tool consent switches. Do not assume you selected only one analysis capability if the consent model does not offer that granularity. Review the actual displayed consent and the client receiving access. ## Keep read access distinct from execution The journal's current MCP tools investigate and report; they do not submit orders to the broker. That boundary is useful for historical review, but it applies to this connection. Another terminal integration available to the same assistant may expose different capabilities. For example, an assistant connected to both a journal and a terminal should identify which tool supplied a fact and which tool could perform an action. The presence of a read-only journal does not turn an unrelated execution-capable tool into a read-only one. Inspect permissions at the individual connection level. ## Manage disclosure and revocation Share only the history needed for the review and understand the connected client's handling of that data. Avoid placing credentials in prompts, notes or screenshots. Read access can expose commercially or personally sensitive patterns even if no order can be changed. If you no longer need access, disable MCP in Chart Reporter's Connections settings and disconnect it in the client. Expiry can require a fresh sign-in and consent flow. Keep a review's useful findings separate from its access tokens, and do not treat an assistant's inability to execute trades as a guarantee about the correctness or confidentiality of everything it says. ## Sources and further reading - [Reporter keys and MCP permissions](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/connections-and-permissions) - [Chart Reporter MCP capabilities](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) ## Related guides - [Is the reporter API key the same as an MCP access token?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/ea-api-key-versus-mcp-oauth) — Distinguish terminal reporting authentication from an assistant's journal-reading authorisation. - [Can an AI assistant read my Chart Reporter screenshots and notes?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/ai-screenshot-metadata-and-journal-notes) — Understand the difference between stored journal material and what the current MCP tools return. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What does realised drawdown tell me about my trading journal? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/realised-drawdown-versus-equity-drawdown ## The short answer Realised drawdown measures a decline from a prior peak in the recorded closed-trade P&L path. It describes that path and its ordering. It does not automatically capture intratrade floating losses, broker equity drawdown or a percentage of account capital. ## Follow the selected P&L path Take fictional cumulative outcomes of 0, 100, 70, 120 and 60 account units. The decline from the peak of 120 to 60 is a 60-unit realised drawdown. The result depends on the included outcomes and their chronological ordering. Chart Reporter's cumulative net P&L is a realised-results series rather than a broker balance. The starting zero is a reference for the selected sample. Deposits and withdrawals are not closed-trade gains or losses, so they do not make this series a complete account equity history. ## Identify what is outside the series An open position can experience a large adverse move and later close with a small loss or gain. A closed-trade curve will reflect its final recorded outcome, not every floating value along the way. That limitation matters when discussing maximum exposure or live risk. Likewise, converting a money drawdown into an account-equity percentage requires a trustworthy capital base and cash-flow convention. Dividing by a convenient current balance can misrepresent earlier conditions. Keep an unavailable equity percentage unavailable rather than manufacturing precision from missing history. ## Use drawdown as a review starting point Inspect the trades and periods that created the decline. Check whether one large result dominates it, whether different strategies overlap, and whether the selected history is complete. A date filter can start after an earlier peak, so a shorter-window drawdown may differ from the full-history figure. Preserve the account currency, sample window and calculation basis in any report. Compare a recorded realised drawdown with simulations only when units and definitions match. A historical maximum is an observation from that history; it is not a ceiling on future losses or proof that unseen floating drawdown was smaller. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Performance analytics reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/performance-analytics) ## Related guides - [How much confidence should I place in a small trade sample?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/small-samples-trading-statistics) — Use sample size, coverage and selection discipline when interpreting journal statistics and subgroup rankings. - [What can a trading-journal Monte Carlo simulation actually tell me?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/monte-carlo-journal-simulation-limits) — Interpret resampled R sequences as a conditional model rather than a forecast or live equity simulation. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # How do I reconcile a trading journal with an MT5 statement? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/reconcile-journal-with-mt5-statement ## The short answer Reconcile identity and scope before totals. Match the broker account, record identifiers, final state, date basis, timezone, currency and cost components. Start with a handful of known trades; only expand to a full period once the individual records agree. ## Write down the comparison contract A statement and a journal can each be correct while answering different questions. One might include open positions, balance adjustments or a different calendar boundary. Define the intended comparison: completed trade results, for one account and currency, over a specified interval. Choose several records with known tickets, including an ordinary close and a partial-close case if available. Record their opening and closing times and remaining volume. This makes a mismatch reproducible. A screenshot of two grand totals rarely reveals whether the difference comes from one missing record or a definition applied to every row. ## Inspect components before aggregation For each completed record, check profit, signed commission and swap. Chart Reporter's net formula adds those three components. Confirm whether the statement has other account-level lines outside that trade calculation. Do not force deposits or withdrawals into trading P&L to make an ending balance match. Then verify how the two systems group partial exits. Deal rows and complete trade records can have different counts. Inspect the execution sequence without adding event proceeds to a trade total that already includes them. If a position is still open, establish whether the selected performance view includes it at all. ## Expand the sample and preserve the finding Once the selected records agree, compare the period's included trade identifiers. Investigate boundary trades using the same timezone and timestamp basis. Check history access and archived-account state before assuming that older records were lost. Keep a short reconciliation note describing the scope, the source statement date and any known unresolved gaps. If a mismatch remains, provide support with tickets, times, filters and EA version, excluding credentials and unnecessary personal details. Reconciliation establishes confidence in the recorded sample; it does not establish future returns or prove that every form of broker equity movement is represented by the journal's closed-trade total. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) ## Related guides - [Why does cumulative journal P&L differ from my broker balance?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/pnl-curve-versus-broker-balance) — Distinguish realised closed-trade results from account cash flows, floating P&L and live equity. - [Why do older trades disappear when I change my journal view?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/old-trades-missing-history-access) — Check history entitlement, archive state and filters before treating an absent trade as deleted data. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Does the Chart Reporter EA need Algo Trading enabled? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/reporting-ea-without-algo-trading ## The short answer The Chart Reporter reporting EA does not need Algo Trading enabled. It reads account activity and sends journal data; it does not open, modify or close trades. WebRequest permission, a valid reporter key and a running terminal are the relevant setup checks. ## An Expert Advisor is a program type The term Expert Advisor can suggest a trading robot, but it also describes the type of MT5 program used for reporting. The program's actual responsibilities matter more than that label. Chart Reporter's EA provides a reporting connection between the terminal and your journal. It is useful to separate three permissions in your mental model: signing into the broker terminal, allowing an EA to contact a web destination, and allowing a program to trade. They are different capabilities. Enabling trade execution is not the documented remedy for a Chart Reporter reporting failure. ## Check the reporting requirements In desktop MT5, confirm that the reporter is attached to a chart for the intended account. Check that https://api.chartreporter.com is permitted in the terminal's WebRequest list and that the EA has the current Chart Reporter API key. The terminal must be running and connected. For example, a terminal can be logged into the correct account while the reporting key has become stale after rotation. Enabling Algo Trading would not repair that authentication mismatch. Update the key in the reporter's inputs, check the Experts and Journal logs, and look for a fresh terminal heartbeat in the dashboard. ## Keep other programs outside this conclusion This permission guidance applies to the Chart Reporter reporting EA. Other EAs on your terminal may place orders and have different requirements. Do not generalise the reporting setup into a claim that every EA can function without execution permissions. Likewise, a separate AI tool connected directly to terminal trading functions may have authority that Chart Reporter does not expose. Review each connection individually. A reporting-only journal is still sensitive because trade history can reveal positions and strategy behaviour. Protect its key, use the intended account, and revoke connections you no longer need. ## Sources and further reading - [Install the Chart Reporter EA](https://docs.chartreporter.com/getting-started/install-the-ea) - [Reporter keys and MCP permissions](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/connections-and-permissions) ## Related guides - [Why does an automatic MT5 journal need the terminal running?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/keep-mt5-running-for-journal) — Learn what stays active in the terminal-to-journal reporting model and how to distinguish capture from display. - [What should I check when MT5 blocks the reporter's WebRequest?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-webrequest-allow-list) — Diagnose the allowed URL, terminal environment and logs before changing unrelated MT5 permissions. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # How can I review a losing trade without rewriting the original decision? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/review-losing-trades-without-hindsight ## The short answer Keep the original decision, recorded execution and later interpretation distinct. A losing result does not by itself prove that the entry process was wrong, and a winning result does not prove it was sound. Review the evidence available at the time and document uncertainty. ## Preserve the original context Start with any note or chart capture made around entry. Identify the stated setup, initial stop, planned target and account context when those facts are available. Do not replace a missing original plan with a persuasive explanation written after seeing the result. If you are reconstructing intent from memory, label it as retrospective. The execution record can establish reported times and levels, but it cannot establish an unrecorded belief. Keeping those categories separate makes later comparisons of process more credible. ## Read management events in sequence Inspect changes to stops, targets, size and the final exit where the record supports them. Distinguish the initial risk reference from the levels present near the close. A moved stop can explain management behaviour without changing what was originally planned. Replay provides captured broker-candle context, not a complete recording of every intrabar event or the trader's attention. If a coarser interval or a gap limits the view, state that limitation. A price level reached later does not prove that an alternative fill was available or that you would have taken it. ## Make the review testable Write a concrete observation rather than a character judgement. For example, identify whether a documented rule was followed and cite the record that supports the classification. If the rule itself is unclear, that is a documentation problem to resolve before comparing outcomes. Apply the same review method to gains and losses so the outcome does not decide how strictly you judge the process. Track a hypothesis over an appropriately defined later sample instead of changing the story around one memorable loss. Save the note, confirm it persisted, and explicitly mark the review complete when finished. The resulting record supports learning about your process without claiming certainty about what a different decision would have earned. ## Sources and further reading - [Trade review reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/trade-review) - [Guided review and saved views](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/guided-review) - [Chart and replay reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/charts-and-replay) ## Related guides - [What is the difference between a strategy and a tag in a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/tags-versus-strategies-in-trade-journal) — Use stable strategy identity and descriptive tags without turning every observation into a new strategy. - [How should I define a trading session that crosses midnight?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/named-trading-sessions-and-midnight) — Use explicit session windows and timezones instead of relying on ambiguous calendar-day labels. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What happens to MT5 reporting when I rotate my API key? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/rotate-reporter-key-safely ## The short answer Regenerating the Chart Reporter API key replaces the old reporting key. Every MT5 terminal using that account must be updated. Rotation can interrupt reporting until those inputs are corrected, and it does not repair or replace an MCP OAuth connection. ## List the terminals that depend on the key Before rotating, identify every desktop or VPS terminal reporting to the same Chart Reporter account. A forgotten second installation is a common source of confusing behaviour: one terminal resumes while another continues sending requests with the replaced key. Choose a time when you can update those terminals and inspect their status. The task is not complete when you copy the new value from the settings page. It is complete when each intended reporter uses it and contact is verified. Keep the replacement in a suitable private credential store rather than a shared note or article draft. ## Verify one terminal at a time Enter the replacement in the reporter EA inputs, leave the EA attached and check the terminal logs for authentication errors. Then inspect last-seen status in the dashboard. Repeat for the other reporting environments so you can associate each observation with the terminal you just changed. If a terminal remains quiet, first check for an old key or an unsaved input. Generating another replacement immediately can invalidate the value you just installed elsewhere and create a moving target. Work through connection, allow-list and account checks before repeating the rotation. ## Keep reporting and assistant access separate The EA key authenticates reporting requests. MCP uses a separate authorisation flow for an assistant to read your journal. Rotating the EA key does not mean the assistant's access has been revoked, and reconnecting an assistant does not repair an EA using an obsolete key. Record the rotation time if you later investigate a gap. Resuming contact does not guarantee reconstruction of every historical detail during the interruption. Avoid sharing either key or bearer token with support; the visible status, terminal version and error message are enough to begin diagnosis without exposing access credentials. ## Sources and further reading - [Reporter keys and MCP permissions](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/connections-and-permissions) - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) ## Related guides - [Is importing MT5 history the same as recording trades live?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/history-import-versus-live-capture) — Understand why completed trade records and captured chart context can have different coverage. - [Is the MT5 Journal tab the same as a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mt5-journal-log-versus-trading-journal) — Distinguish terminal diagnostic logs from a structured record used for trade review and performance analysis. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why does my saved journal view not appear on another device? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/saved-views-browser-and-device ## The short answer Chart Reporter's named views, queue membership and reviewed state are saved in the current browser, separately for each signed-in account. They do not sync between devices. Notes and tags are account trade data, so their persistence has a different scope. ## Separate the two kinds of persistence A saved view captures review context such as shared filters and the available saved arrangement. It is a convenience for returning to that setup in this browser. It is not a cloud bookmark guaranteed to appear in every browser where you sign in. A note saved to a trade is different. It belongs to the account's trade data rather than only to the browser's saved-view collection. Understanding that distinction prevents a missing local preset from being mistaken for a loss of the trade or its account-stored notes. ## Know what can remove or block local state Clearing site data, using a different browser profile or moving to another device can remove access to the original local views. Browser storage restrictions can also prevent review completion from being recorded. Read the visible error instead of assuming the save succeeded. The current review persistence uses Web Locks to coordinate writes. If another tab changes the stored review state while a note is saving, progression can stop with retry rather than overwrite the newer state. Browsers without the required support report persistence as unavailable instead of using an unsafe overwrite fallback. ## Preserve a portable review description If you need to reproduce a review elsewhere, record its account, date window, timezone, strategy and other filters in a suitable written note. Recreate the view on the other device and confirm the sample before comparing findings. Avoid sharing private account information unnecessarily. Before saving a named view, save any active layout edits. Restoring a view still respects the plan's layout permissions; it does not create customisation access or replace an administrator's global default. Keep the distinction between a browser convenience and durable account evidence visible in your process, especially when moving between desktop and mobile review. ## Sources and further reading - [Guided review and saved views](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/guided-review) ## Related guides - [How can I compare two trading periods without changing the question?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/compare-trading-periods-fairly) — Control date length, timezone, filters, units and sample coverage when reviewing previous-period changes. - [What should a repeatable weekly trade review include?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/weekly-trade-review-checklist) — Build a review around a complete sample, record checks, one question and a documented follow-up. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # When should I use a screenshot instead of trade replay? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/screenshots-versus-candle-replay ## The short answer A screenshot preserves a particular visual observation; replay explores available broker candles over time. They answer overlapping but different questions. Neither should be used to claim detail that was not captured, and a later image should not be labelled as the trader's original entry view. ## Use screenshots for observed visual context A contemporaneous screenshot can preserve annotations, indicator presentation or a layout that helps explain a decision. Record its capture time and relationship to the trade. An image without that context can be easy to interpret as evidence of something it did not actually show. Screenshots also have limits. A still image does not expose every subsequent price movement, and visible annotations do not prove they existed before the order. Distinguish a captured original from a review image marked up later. Label fictional demonstration images clearly when using them to explain the product. ## Use replay for available price-path context Chart Reporter replay reads broker candles captured through the EA. It can reveal the available sequence of bars around a trade and help situate entries and exits. It does not blend in a second market feed to create missing detail. If the requested resolution is unavailable, a coarser supported interval may provide context. That should remain a coarser reconstruction, not an implied tick-by-tick recording. A candle high and low do not establish the exact order of intrabar events, and a gap is a limit on the evidence. ## Combine them with the execution record For a review of a stop change, start with the recorded change event. Use the screenshot to explain the visible decision context and replay to explore the available surrounding bars. Keep the original stop distinct from the final level. When sources disagree or coverage is incomplete, write that uncertainty into the note rather than forcing a single confident narrative. A journal is more useful when it preserves the difference between execution facts, captured images and retrospective interpretation. Adding more media does not remove the need to verify account, symbol, timeframe and capture date. ## Sources and further reading - [Chart and replay reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/charts-and-replay) - [Journals, sessions and media](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/journals-sessions-and-media) - [Trade review reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/trade-review) ## Related guides - [Why can a journaled trade have no replay candles?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/missing-replay-candles) — Diagnose absent, insufficient and partial candle history separately from the trade record. - [Why does my saved journal view not appear on another device?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/saved-views-browser-and-device) — Understand which review settings are browser-local and which notes and tags are stored with your account. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # How much confidence should I place in a small trade sample? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/small-samples-trading-statistics ## The short answer A small sample can describe what happened without establishing a stable trading tendency. Count eligible observations, inspect concentration and preserve how the sample was selected. Repeatedly changing filters until a strong-looking result appears can make an accidental pattern look convincing. ## Look beyond the percentage A displayed 75% can mean three successes from four observations or 300 from 400. Those samples provide very different amounts of information even though the headline percentage matches. The time period and dependence between observations matter as well as the count. Trading records are not automatically independent experiments. Several positions can share the same instrument, session or market event. Treating every related outcome as wholly new evidence can exaggerate confidence. A journal makes those groupings visible, but it does not remove the underlying dependence. ## Inspect what the calculation omitted Some analyses require initial stops, excursion data or sufficient candle history. Their eligible count can be smaller than the total trade count. A clean-looking result may therefore describe a subset with unusually complete capture rather than the intended strategy as a whole. For example, if recent trades have replay context and older trades do not, an excursion analysis may mainly reflect the recent environment. Record that coverage difference before comparing periods. Missing data should lead to a narrower claim, not an assumption that excluded trades behaved like included ones. ## Write the question before filtering Choose a specific comparison and preserve its filters before examining the result. If you discover a promising subgroup during exploration, label it as a hypothesis and check it against a later or otherwise held-out sample. Looking at many combinations raises the chance of finding an impressive accident. Report absolute counts and outcome sizes alongside averages. Explain whether a few trades dominate the result and whether the same definitions were used across groups. There is no universal trade-count threshold that turns a descriptive statistic into certainty. Better documentation makes a limited finding useful without promoting it into a guarantee about the next session. ## Sources and further reading - [Performance analytics reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/performance-analytics) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) ## Related guides - [What can a trading-journal Monte Carlo simulation actually tell me?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/monte-carlo-journal-simulation-limits) — Interpret resampled R sequences as a conditional model rather than a forecast or live equity simulation. - [Why does candle resolution matter when reviewing MAE and MFE?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/mae-mfe-candle-resolution) — Understand excursion coverage and intrabar uncertainty before drawing conclusions about stops or exits. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What should I include in a prompt for an AI journal review? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/structured-ai-journal-review-prompt ## The short answer Give the assistant a bounded review task: verify account identity, define dates and timezone, state the metric and units, check sample completeness, and separate observations from hypotheses. Ask for supporting records and missing-data notices. Keep credentials and unnecessary private history out of the prompt. ## Specify the question and its scope A useful prompt describes the intended account or hub, date interval, timezone, completed-trade basis and the grouping to compare. Use account labels carefully and have the assistant verify identity through the authorised connection. Do not supply a broker password or reporting key in ordinary chat. For example: review completed trades for the selected hub over a named calendar window, grouped by symbol, using net P&L in the confirmed account currency. Ask for counts and component sums. That defines a descriptive task without asking the assistant to choose a future trade or infer your intentions. ## Add evidence requirements Tell the assistant to check pagination and report the loaded and eligible counts. Ask it to preserve unavailable metrics rather than replacing them with zero. Require it to identify the timestamp basis of the tool filters and state any mismatch with the requested calendar convention. For every main finding, request supporting trade identifiers and a short explanation of the calculation. If chart context or notes are needed, first verify that the current tools expose them. Chart Reporter MCP does not currently provide screenshot bytes or journal-note text, so the assistant must not claim to have inspected those automatically. ## Ask for a useful report structure Request five parts: scope and coverage, descriptive findings, supporting examples, uncertainties, and a specific follow-up question. Keep observed facts distinct from possible explanations. If a query fails or the data cannot answer the question, ask for a clear account of that limitation. Save the prompt and tool settings with the report so the review can be repeated on a later sample. A more elaborate prompt cannot repair missing history, incompatible currencies or an ambiguous definition of R. Those are evidence and scope problems to resolve explicitly before expecting a reliable comparison. ## Sources and further reading - [Chart Reporter MCP capabilities](https://chartreporter.com/metatrader-mcp-server) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Reporter keys and MCP permissions](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/connections-and-permissions) ## Related guides - [What evidence should I ask for when evaluating an automatic MT5 journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/evaluate-automatic-mt5-journal) — Compare capture requirements, reconciliation, context, privacy boundaries and exportable evidence. - [What questions can an AI assistant answer from a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/questions-ai-can-answer-from-trade-journal) — Match review questions to available trade records, scope and evidence instead of expecting predictions from history. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What is the difference between a strategy and a tag in a trading journal? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/tags-versus-strategies-in-trade-journal ## The short answer A strategy identifies the process you intend to evaluate; a tag describes an attribute or review observation. Clear definitions help keep comparisons consistent. Chart Reporter supports strategy assignment rules using MT5 magic numbers or entry comments, while tags provide additional review context. ## Give each label a defined job Imagine a named strategy used across several instruments and sessions. Its identity should stay stable enough for you to review the same process over time. Tags can then describe features such as a planned news restriction or a review category without fragmenting that identity. Write a short definition for each important tag and the evidence required to apply it. A label that means one thing in April and another in May does not create a comparable history. Likewise, a tag added after seeing the result should not masquerade as information available before entry. ## Understand automatic strategy assignment In Chart Reporter, strategy rules can match a magic number or an entry comment. Matching is case-sensitive and applies to the complete value, with question-mark and asterisk wildcards available. When both rules exist, either matching rule can assign the trade. Test a narrow rule against known examples before applying a broad wildcard. If you choose to sync historical matching trades, review the affected sample afterward. An automatic classification is an operational rule, not independent evidence that the trades followed the intended strategy. The underlying entry process still needs inspection. ## Keep analysis separate from relabelling Changing classification after inspecting results can change a strategy's reported history. Record meaningful definition changes and avoid moving inconvenient losses out of a group just to improve its statistics. Include unclassified records in your coverage checks. For a useful comparison, keep date, account, currency and remaining filters consistent while varying the intended strategy or tag. Report the group counts and eligibility limits alongside the headline metric. If a classification save fails during a guided review, resolve it before progressing so the written finding and stored record do not silently diverge. ## Sources and further reading - [Performance analytics reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/performance-analytics) - [Guided review and saved views](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/guided-review) ## Related guides - [How should I define a trading session that crosses midnight?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/named-trading-sessions-and-midnight) — Use explicit session windows and timezones instead of relying on ambiguous calendar-day labels. - [When should I use a screenshot instead of trade replay?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/screenshots-versus-candle-replay) — Compare a captured chart image with reconstructed broker-candle context and understand what each can establish. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why is my MT5 terminal online but my journal looks empty? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/terminal-online-but-trades-missing ## The short answer An online terminal shows recent heartbeat contact. It does not prove that the selected journal view contains every expected trade. Check the account, date range, timezone, filters, history access and final-close state before concluding that capture failed. ## Establish what the empty view means First distinguish a successful request with no matching records from a request that failed. Loading, empty and error are different states. A failed request leaves the result unknown; it is not evidence that your trade history contains zero trades. Then confirm that the selected hub belongs to the broker account where the trade occurred. Clear symbol, strategy, tag and session restrictions temporarily. A perfectly healthy reporter can populate one account while you are looking at another, or while a narrow filter excludes the record you expect. ## Use a known trade as a reference Pick an existing trade with a known ticket and opening time. Widen the date window enough to cover timezone differences, then compare its state with the view's eligibility rules. A performance widget based on completed trades may legitimately exclude an open position. For example, a position partially closed yesterday but still open today should not automatically be treated as a fully completed trade in every statistic. Similarly, changing from Local to Broker time can move a record across a calendar boundary. Reconcile the record itself before comparing account-wide totals or assuming a duplicate. ## Check history access before reconnecting Your plan's effective history window can limit what the app returns. Selecting an older calendar range does not create permission to see it. Archived hubs are also excluded from ordinary active-account views. Check these boundaries before rotating keys or reinstalling the reporter. If the intended record is still missing, collect the hub, ticket, symbol, dates, timezone, EA version and terminal last-seen state. Keep credentials out of that report. There is no need to place a live test order: an existing broker record gives support a safer and more precise reconciliation target. ## Sources and further reading - [Troubleshoot missing or delayed data](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/troubleshooting) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) ## Related guides - [What happens to MT5 reporting when I rotate my API key?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/rotate-reporter-key-safely) — Plan a reporter-key rotation across all connected terminals without confusing it with MCP authorisation. - [Is importing MT5 history the same as recording trades live?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/history-import-versus-live-capture) — Understand why completed trade records and captured chart context can have different coverage. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # What should a repeatable weekly trade review include? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/weekly-trade-review-checklist ## The short answer A repeatable review starts with a defined sample and verified records, then examines a specific question. Preserve the account, dates, timezone, currency and filters. Record what the evidence shows, what is missing and what you will check in a later sample. ## Freeze the sample before judging it Choose the week using an explicit timezone and decide which accounts, strategies and symbols belong in scope. Wait for the complete accessible sample to load. If history access or a request failure limits coverage, record that limitation before ranking any results. Check several known trades against their execution records. Confirm final-close status and net costs, and look for unintended filters or archived accounts. This first pass is about the reliability of the review material. A detailed narrative built on an incomplete sample is still incomplete. ## Ask one question and inspect the relevant trades A useful question might concern differences between two named sessions, unusually large losses or a recurring tag. Read the corresponding trade records and notes instead of relying only on the summary statistic. Include counterexamples that do not fit the pattern. Separate what was observable at entry from what became obvious after exit. Captured chart context can help, but missing candles or screenshots should remain missing evidence. Write down which conclusion comes from the execution record, which comes from a contemporaneous note and which is a later interpretation. ## Finish with a reproducible finding Summarise the sample count, units, selected question and the records supporting the observation. A small group can justify a hypothesis to investigate without proving that a strategy or behaviour has changed. Identify what additional evidence would overturn your current interpretation. Chart Reporter's review queue can help you move through closed trades deliberately. Notes and tags do not automatically mark a trade reviewed; completion is explicit. Review state and saved views are browser-local, so retain an appropriate written finding if you need to revisit it elsewhere. The goal is a traceable review process, not a promise that reviewing a week will improve its financial outcome. ## Sources and further reading - [Guided review and saved views](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/guided-review) - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) ## Related guides - [How can I review a losing trade without rewriting the original decision?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/review-losing-trades-without-hindsight) — Separate the information available at entry from later outcomes when writing trade-review notes. - [What is the difference between a strategy and a tag in a trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/tags-versus-strategies-in-trade-journal) — Use stable strategy identity and descriptive tags without turning every observation into a new strategy. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn) --- # Why is win rate an incomplete measure of trading performance? By Chart Reporter · Reviewed 2026-10-23 Canonical: https://chartreporter.com/learn/win-rate-with-payoff-and-costs ## The short answer Win rate describes how often a defined sample produces winning outcomes. It does not describe the size of those gains or losses. Use net outcomes after costs and check the treatment of breakeven records before comparing win rates between tools or periods. ## Frequency does not contain payoff Consider ten fictional trades: nine gain one unit each and one loses 20. Nine winners do not prevent the total from being negative. Reversing the payoff pattern can produce a positive total with fewer winning trades. The frequency alone does not determine the money result. That is why a journal review should examine average gains, average losses and the net distribution alongside win rate. The question is not whether a high win rate is inherently good or bad. It is what outcomes, costs and sample choices produced the displayed percentage. ## Define a win and the denominator A trade can be positive before costs and negative afterward. Decide whether the statistic uses gross or net outcomes, and preserve that convention across comparisons. For Chart Reporter performance review, inspect the net result including signed commission and swap. Breakeven records also need an explicit rule: are they included in the denominator, excluded, or reported separately? Read the particular widget's definition rather than assuming all applications handle them identically. Partial-close events should not be counted as independent completed trades simply to produce a larger sample. ## Test a specific review question Instead of asking which strategy has the biggest percentage, ask whether a defined group has a different distribution under the same account, currency, date window and eligibility rules. Check whether the difference persists outside the small sample that first drew your attention. A short winning streak can move a small sample dramatically. Record the number of observations and inspect losses as carefully as gains. When sharing a result, state the timeframe and definition so someone else can reproduce it. Win rate can be a useful descriptive statistic, but it cannot establish future profitability, execution quality or the causal effect of a rule change by itself. ## Sources and further reading - [Metrics, currencies and filter scope](https://docs.chartreporter.com/guides/metrics-and-scope) - [Performance analytics reference](https://docs.chartreporter.com/widget-library/performance-analytics) ## Related guides - [Why can a trade's price R differ from its net R?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/price-r-versus-net-r) — Work through initial stop distance, signed price movement and costs without treating missing risk as zero. - [What does realised drawdown tell me about my trading journal?](https://chartreporter.com/learn/realised-drawdown-versus-equity-drawdown) — Interpret declines in cumulative closed-trade P&L without confusing them with live account equity risk. [All trading guides](https://chartreporter.com/learn)