Understanding Your Balance History
Balance history tracks your account value over time. Each snapshot records what your balance was at a specific point, creating a timeline of your account's growth or decline.
What Is Balance History?
Balance history is a series of snapshots:
Each entry records your balance at that moment. Together, they show how your account has changed.
How Balance Snapshots Work
Starting Balance
When you create an account, your starting balance becomes the first snapshot.
Subsequent Snapshots
New snapshots are added through the CSV import in the Transactions tab. Each import includes a balance update row that records your current balance as of that import's date.
Point-in-Time Values
Each snapshot is independent. They're not cumulative calculations, they're actual recorded balances at specific moments.
The Balance History Chart
The account drawer shows a balance history chart:
X-axis: Time (dates of your snapshots)
Y-axis: Balance value
Line: Connects your balance points
This visual shows trends:
Upward slope: Account growing
Downward slope: Account shrinking
Flat: Account stable
How to Update Your Balance
All balance updates happen through the CSV import in the Transactions tab of each Private Account. Manual balance edits inside the account are not available, every new snapshot comes from an import.
The import is a single file that covers everything for the period:
Any new deposits
Any new withdrawals
The latest balance as of the import date
For the full step by step, see Importing Historical Transactions for a Private Account (CSV).
When to Update
Update your balance through a fresh import on a regular cadence:
Minimum: Monthly
Better: Every two weeks
Best: After any significant trading event or capital movement
More frequent imports create a more detailed history and keep your Dashboard numbers fresh.
Balance vs. P&L
Balance tells you how much money is in the account. P&L tells you how much your trading made or lost.
They're related but not the same:
Balance changes reflect both trading AND capital movements. P&L isolates just the trading component.
Reading Your Balance History
Healthy Patterns
Steady upward trend
Consistent growth over time
Recoveries after drawdowns
Warning Patterns
Continuous decline
Sharp drops
Erratic swings
What the Pattern Suggests
Smooth upward: Consistent profitable trading
Jagged upward: Profitable but volatile
Flat: Breaking even
Downward: Losing over time
Balance Consistency Check
The platform can verify balance consistency:
Expected Balance = Starting Balance + Total Deposits − Total Withdrawals + Net Trading P&L
If your current balance ≠ expected balance, something might be wrong:
Missing deposit or withdrawal
Incorrect balance entry
Import error
The platform may flag mismatches so you can investigate.
Periods and Performance
You can view balance history by period:
1 Week: Recent short-term changes
1 Month: Monthly performance
3 Months: Quarterly view
All Time: Complete history
Different periods reveal different patterns. A bad week might look terrible, while the 3-month view shows overall progress.
Using Balance History for Analysis
Track Your Equity Curve
Your balance history is essentially your equity curve. Use it to see:
Long-term direction
Volatility of returns
Recovery patterns
Identify Drawdowns
When balance dips from a peak, that's a drawdown. Track:
How deep do drawdowns get?
How long do they last?
How quickly do you recover?
Compare Periods
Was Q1 better than Q2? Compare balance changes between periods to see when you performed best.
Gaps in History
If you have gaps (missing snapshots), P&L calculations still work but the chart may look incomplete.
To fill gaps:
Find old statements with balances
Include those balance dates in a CSV import to backfill
The history becomes more complete
Historical data helps you understand your full trading journey.
Best Practices
Regular Imports
Run a CSV import at least monthly. Every two weeks is better for active accounts.
Use Actual Broker Balance
Don't estimate. Log into your broker and use the exact balance shown in your statement or platform.
Date Accuracy
Record the date the balance was actually true, not the date you ran the import.
Keep It Current
Before important reviews (tax time, quarterly planning), make sure your latest import is recent enough that the balance reflects your true current position.
Common Questions
Can I manually update my balance from inside the account? No. All balance updates go through the CSV import in the Transactions tab.
What if I just want to record a new balance without any deposits or withdrawals? Still use the import. Upload a CSV with just a balance update row for the current date.
How does the import know which date to use for the balance snapshot? Each import has a balance update row with its own date. That date becomes the new snapshot.
Next: Calculating Net Trading P&L →