Field note · 12 June 2026

The Four Screenshots a Setup Journal Actually Needs

A screenshot checklist for technical analysis journals that records setup context, entry decisions, management, and outcome.

Several analytical charts arranged across a desk screen

One image cannot carry the whole trade

The usual journal screenshot is taken after exit, with arrows drawn onto a complete move. It is tidy but weak evidence. A useful sequence begins before the trade.

1. Context

Capture the higher timeframe with the relevant swing points and range boundaries. Keep enough history to show why the area matters.

2. Decision

Save the execution timeframe at the moment the trigger appears. Label the intended entry and invalidation without adding future candles.

3. Management

Record the chart when a planned management condition occurs. If you acted for another reason, write that plainly.

4. Outcome

The final image shows exit and subsequent structure. Its purpose is comparison, not proving the entry was good or bad.

Use identical zoom and simple labels where possible. Consistent evidence makes a sample easier to compare several weeks later.


Keep studying: Bring your own examples to a journal and setup review clinic.