Setting Up Your Account for Success

The time you invest in setting up the platform correctly pays off in cleaner data, better insights, and easier maintenance. Here's how to start right.

First Steps Checklist

1. Add Your Prop Firms

Before adding challenges or funded accounts, set up the prop firms you use:

  • Navigate to Settings → Prop Firms

  • Add each firm with its full name

  • This makes selection easy when adding challenges

2. Create Your Core Tags

Think about how you want to organize data:

  • By market (Forex, Futures, Crypto)

  • By strategy (Scalping, Swing)

  • By priority (Primary, Secondary)

  • By time period (Q1 2025, etc.)

Create these tags early so they're ready when you add items.

3. Decide on Naming Conventions

Consistent naming makes data easier to scan and search:

  • Challenges: "FTMO 100K January 2025" or "MyFundedFX 50K #2"

  • Funded Accounts: "FTMO 100K Main" or "TFT 200K Swing"

  • Transactions: "TradingView Pro - January" or "SMB Course"

Pick a format and stick with it.

4. Set Your Currency Preferences

If you trade primarily in one currency, note this for your filtering habits. If multi-currency, be prepared to check "All Currencies" often.

What to Add First

Currently Active Items

Start with what's happening now:

  1. Active challenges — Evaluations in progress

  2. Active funded accounts — Accounts generating payouts

  3. Active private accounts — Personal accounts you're trading

  4. Recent transactions — Last 30-90 days of income/expenses

Historical Data (Optional)

If you want accurate historical metrics:

  1. Past challenges (including failed ones)

  2. Historical payouts received

  3. Past expenses

Tip: Complete current data first, then backfill history when you have time.

Prop Firm Setup

For each prop firm you use, add it to your list with:

  • Full name (FTMO, MyFundedFX, etc.)

  • Any notes about their rules or processes

This creates a dropdown option you'll use repeatedly.

Tagging Strategy

A simple tagging system might include:

Market tags:

  • Forex

  • Futures

  • Indices

Strategy tags:

  • Scalping

  • Day Trading

  • Swing

Status tags:

  • Primary (main focus)

  • Testing (experimental)

  • Archive (old but keeping)

Don't over-tag early. Start simple and add tags as needed.

Organizing Challenges

When adding challenges:

  • Name them clearly with firm + size + date

  • Set the correct challenge type (1-step, 2-step, etc.)

  • Add the accurate cost

  • Tag for easy filtering later

Example naming pattern: [Firm] [Size] [Month Year] → "FTMO 100K January 2025"

Organizing Funded Accounts

When adding funded accounts:

  • Link to related challenge if applicable

  • Name clearly for identification

  • Set accurate start date

  • Tag to match related challenges

Example naming pattern: [Firm] [Size] [Purpose/Number] → "FTMO 100K Main" or "TFT 200K Account 2"

Setting Up Private Accounts

For each private trading account:

  • Get the exact current balance from your broker

  • Use this as the starting balance (it can't change later!)

  • Select the correct currency

  • Name clearly (include broker and purpose)

Example naming pattern: [Broker] [Purpose] → "IC Markets Live" or "Pepperstone Swing"

Transaction Categories

Review the available expense categories:

  • Tools & Software

  • Education & Coaching

  • Data & Research

  • Hardware

  • Other

Plan which category you'll use for common expenses. Consistency matters for useful reports.

Dashboard Review

After adding some data, visit your Dashboard:

  • Does the business health make sense?

  • Are KPIs showing expected numbers?

  • Can you see your recent activity?

If anything looks wrong, check your source data.

Quick Wins

Import Past Data Efficiently

If you have old records, dedicate an hour to add historical data. This gives you a baseline to improve from.

Set a Weekly Reminder

Schedule 15 minutes weekly to:

  • Add any new transactions

  • Update challenge status

  • Record payouts received

Bookmark Key Pages

Quick access to frequently used pages speeds up your workflow.

Common Setup Mistakes

Too Many Tags

Don't create 50 tags on day one. Start with 5-10 and add as needed.

Wrong Starting Balance

Double-check private account starting balances. They can't be changed.

Inconsistent Naming

"FTMO 100K Jan" and "FTMO 100K January" look different when scanning lists.

Skipping Historical Challenges

Failed challenges are data too. Add them for accurate cost tracking.

Success Looks Like

After proper setup:

  • Dashboard shows meaningful data

  • Items are easy to find with search/filters

  • Adding new data is quick and consistent

  • Reports reflect your actual business

Take time upfront—it saves time forever.

Next: Keeping Your Records Up to Date →