Spreadsheets and paper

I've decided to keep a paper record of my trading activity in addition to the electronic version. I have tried two spreadsheet options, Google docs (slow) and Star Office (need to keep updating a common file to access from elsewhere). Neither option has been ideal, both have their benefits and detriments but either are fine if I am not using them as a first line of entry, paper first then for tracking I'll use the spreadsheets.

The Google doc has a sheet for each stock to track each trade trigger, entry, dates stops and P/L etc. Then the first page references the first line of each stock page so all of the stocks have a single line on page one showing the current activity. This allows a quick scan to see what trades are to be placed when a trigger is up as well as active trades. I don't update them with EOD data, just when I make stop moves, order placements or close trades.

On the stock page when a trade is closed it will be replaced with a new line once a trigger is apparent and the reversal has started toward that trigger. They will also track completed trades, P/L per stock overall, commissions etc. The first page will pull all of the totals from the stock pages as well for an overall performance indication.

I will have two versions of this running, one for the actual trades and one for trades that I was unable to make, usually I expect this to be shorts missed as my margin account is still lacking funding for full blown short selling. I'll get around to adding to this as this trading plan moves along.

Jeff.