Starter Options Journal | Simple Excel Options Trade Log & P&L Dashboard
Know exactly how your options trades are adding up — without building a spreadsheet from scratch.
The Starter Options Journal by The Finance Desk is a clean, one-trade-per-row Excel journal. Log the trade, add the exit and fees, and the workbook calculates your net profit and loss and rolls it into a performance dashboard.
It is built for one thing: helping you form a consistent review habit.
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WHAT YOU CAN TRACK
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• Open and close dates
• Ticker symbol
• Call or put, long or short
• Number of contracts
• Premium paid or received
• Exit value and fees
• Status: open, closed, or expired
• Trade notes
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WHAT THE DASHBOARD SHOWS
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• Total net P&L
• Wins, losses, and win rate
• Average winning and losing trade
• Largest winning and losing trade
• Monthly P&L
• Running P&L and account equity from your starting balance
Open trades are excluded from performance statistics until they close.
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WHAT YOU RECEIVE
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One Excel workbook (.xlsx) with three tabs:
• Instructions
• Trade Log (52 preformatted rows with formulas already in place)
• Dashboard
Illustrative sample trades are included so you can see how it works, plus instructions to clear them without breaking formulas.
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HOW IT WORKS
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1. Download and unzip the file.
2. Read the Instructions tab.
3. Clear the sample data as directed.
4. Enter your starting equity and your trades.
5. Update each trade when it closes, and review your Dashboard.
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WHO IT'S FOR
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Options traders who want a straightforward journal for single-leg trades. Trading spreads, iron condors, rolls, or the wheel? See Options Command Center in our shop.
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FORMAT & COMPATIBILITY
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• Digital Excel workbook (.xlsx), delivered in a ZIP folder
• Requires Microsoft Excel (not included)
• Google Sheets has not been tested; import at your own discretion
• Sample figures are illustrative, not real results
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PLEASE NOTE
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This is a digital download. No physical item will be shipped. Devices and props shown in photos are not included.
This workbook is a recordkeeping and educational tool, not investment advice or a trading signal service. Options trading involves risk, including loss of capital. Always reconcile entries with your brokerage statements.
