Decision Checklist Builder
Type your own trading rules, one per line, and get a clean numbered checklist you can copy — your personal go/no-go criteria in one place.
Quick answer: The decision checklist builder turns a plain list of your own trading rules into a tidy, numbered checklist you can copy and reuse. Unlike a fixed pre-trade checklist, this one is entirely yours: the specific conditions your strategy requires — a particular pattern, a volume filter, a time-of-day rule, a risk cap. Writing your criteria down and consulting them before acting is a well-established way to reduce impulsive, bias-driven decisions, because it forces the slow, deliberate part of your mind to sign off before the fast, reactive part gets its way.
How to use it
Give the checklist a title and type one rule per line; blank lines are ignored and the numbered list updates as you type. Keep each rule binary — something you can clearly answer yes or no — so there is no room to rationalise a marginal trade. Copy the finished checklist into your journal or trading plan, and run through it before every entry. This builds the criteria; the discipline comes from actually consulting it.
Limitations of the Decision Checklist Builder
The builder only formats the rules you type into a numbered list; it does not test whether those rules are profitable, complete or internally consistent, and it cannot stop you overriding them. A personal checklist is only as good as the criteria behind it and the honesty with which you apply it. It offers no signals and no view on the market. It is a discipline aid, not trading advice or any assurance that following your own rules will make money.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the pre-trade checklist?
The pre-trade checklist is a fixed set of universal gates that apply to any trade. This builder is for your own strategy-specific rules — the exact conditions your setup requires. Most traders keep both: the universal gate plus their personal criteria.
What makes a good checklist item?
It should be objective and binary, answerable with a clear yes or no. Price is above the 20-EMA is checkable; the trend looks strong is not. Objective items leave no room to talk yourself into a trade that does not qualify.
How many rules should a checklist have?
Enough to define the setup, few enough to run through quickly — often five to ten. Too many rules make the checklist a chore you skip; too few let low-quality trades through. Trim anything that never actually filters a trade.
Why write rules down at all?
A written rule is a commitment made while calm that constrains you when emotional. Consulting it engages deliberate, System 2 thinking and interrupts the fast, impulsive reactions behind FOMO and revenge trades. The act of checking is the safeguard.
Can a checklist replace judgement?
No, it channels it. A checklist ensures your minimum conditions are met before judgement even comes into play; it filters out clearly poor trades so your discretion is spent on genuinely qualifying setups rather than on impulses.
Is my checklist stored anywhere?
No. It is generated in your browser and only leaves your device if you copy it. Nothing is uploaded or saved on a server.
Runs entirely in your browser — no data leaves your device. Illustrative and educational only; real-world charges and market conditions apply in practice.