Getting Your Trading System To Trade - Autotrading

The first step is to make sure you understand about rules and values.

the second step is to make sure your trading system has the minimum required rules and values.

Now, most likely you are reading this article because even though you have read and implemented the above, your trading system refuses to make any trades in your account. So now we will focus on the possible causes. The first step is to diagnose where the problem exactly is.

And this is actually quite simple. Just backtest over a decent number of bars - enough so that at least a few trades should be taken. More is better. The backtest results will fall into one of 3 scenarios:

1. No trades are made at all.
2. Trades are made initially, but then stops.
3. Trades are made often, as you expect.

For the first 2 scenarios, the things to check are listed in the corresponding entry for getting a trading system to trade - backtesting.

Once you trading system does exactly as you expect while backtesting, come back here and finish this checklist.
 

Trades normally

If your backtest results show trades taken as you expected, then the problem is not with your trading system, but with some other setting related to connecting to your broker. Check these:

• Do you have an account yet? If no then read this.
• Is the trading system's status set to "Enabled"?
• Are all other settings on the "Auto-trading" tab set correctly? And the account balance is above the minimum setting there?
• With the account(s) you chose to trade in:
  • Make sure your account balance is enough to purchase the number of units that the system wants to buy.
  • Is the account number entered correctly?
  • Is the password for the user who owns that account entered correctly?
  • Have you installed the API for that broker?
• Is there a holiday attached that's preventing new orders?
• Are the settings on the "Frequency" tab set correctly?
• Have you set the frequency to stop after a certain number of checks, and that number has been reached?
• Are you sure that the entry rules have been true at some point after starting auto-trading?
• Scheduled processes on the Command Centre:
  • Have you started the price download and/or creation process? Is it working and new price bars are coming in? You can check this by using the Chart window or Price History Search window. If no then read this.
  • Have you started the auto-trading process?
  • Are the auto-trading tasks being processed without error? You can check this on the "Automated Trading Tasks" >> "Completed List" tab. Scroll to the right-side of the result grid. Anything in the "Error Text" field is bad.
• Did you accidentally set the trading system's "last bars used" dates or "last checked" date into the future? This will pause trading until those dates are reached.
• Is it possible that trades are being opened, but just ATM's trade and order information is out of date? Check your account through your broker's platform instead. If trading is taking place, then it's all good and read this.
   

Graphical representation of the checklist

Here's what it kind of looks like graphically:

If it still doesn't work

If your trading system still refuses to trade, you will need to seek advice in the forum. Give as much information as you can. An exported version of your trading system would be ideal. If you are worried about your privacy, then make a copy of your trading system. Edit the copy, delete the private stuff, and maybe make a generic version of your system that still displays the same problem but doesn't give away your special sauce. Export that one instead.

Screenshots are also good. We've found that glancing through these screenshots, it takes about 20 seconds to diagnose the problem. Without the screenshots or the exported system it takes a lot longer.