Custom Import Schemas

If your broker isn't in our supported list, you can create a custom import schema to import trades from any CSV file. This feature lets you map your CSV columns to the fields Tradavity needs.

When to Use Custom Schemas

Create a custom schema when:

• Your broker isn't in the supported broker list
• You have a custom trading journal export
• You're migrating from another journaling platform
• Your broker's format has changed and built-in support doesn't work

Before You Start

Before creating a schema, you'll need:

1. A sample CSV file - Export a few trades from your broker
2. Understanding of your CSV structure - Know what each column contains
3. The date format - How dates/times are formatted in your export
4. The delimiter - What separates columns (comma, semicolon, tab)

Understanding Your CSV File

Before creating a schema, open your CSV file in a text editor (like Notepad) to understand its structure.

Finding the Delimiter

The delimiter is the character that separates columns. Common delimiters:

Delimiter	Example Line
Comma (,)	ES,Buy,5,5125.50,2025-01-15 09:30:00
Semicolon (;)	ES;Buy;5;5125.50;2025-01-15 09:30:00
Tab	ES Buy 5 5125.50 (wide spacing)
Pipe (|)	ES|Buy|5|5125.50|2025-01-15 09:30:00

Finding the Date Format

Look at a date/time in your CSV and identify the format:

Format	Example	Description
YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss	2025-01-15 09:30:45	ISO format (most common)
MM/DD/YYYY HH:mm:ss	01/15/2025 09:30:45	US format
DD/MM/YYYY HH:mm:ss	15/01/2025 09:30:45	European format
DD.MM.YYYY HH:mm:ss	15.01.2025 09:30:45	European with dots
M/D/YYYY H:mm:ss A	1/15/2025 9:30:45 AM	US 12-hour format

Finding the Number Format

Check how numbers are formatted:

• US format: 1,234.56 (comma for thousands, dot for decimal)
• European format: 1.234,56 (dot for thousands, comma for decimal)

Creating a Custom Schema

Step 1: Open Schema Creation

1. Go to Settings > Imports
2. Click New Schema

Step 2: Basic Information

Fill in the basic settings:

• Schema Name - A descriptive name (e.g., "My Broker Orders")
• Import Type - Choose Orders or Trades (see below)
• Delimiter - Select what separates columns in your CSV
• Number Format - US or European
• Date Format - Select or enter the format matching your CSV
• Export Timezone - The timezone of timestamps in your CSV

Orders vs Trades

Type	Use When	Required Fields
Orders	Your CSV has individual buy/sell orders that need to be grouped into trades	Symbol, Side, Quantity, Price, Date/Time
Trades	Your CSV has complete trades with entry and exit prices already matched	Symbol, Direction, Quantity, Entry Price, Entry Time

Not sure? Look at your CSV:

• If each row is a single Buy or Sell order: Choose Orders
• If each row has both Entry Price and Exit Price: Choose Trades

Step 3: Upload Sample CSV

Upload a sample of your CSV file. This lets Tradavity:

• Detect your column headers automatically
• Show you a preview of the data
• Help you map columns correctly

The sample is stored with your schema so you can reference it later.

Step 4: Map Columns

This is the most important step. Match each column in your CSV to a Tradavity field.

Required Fields for Orders

Field	Description
Symbol	The instrument traded (ES, AAPL, EURUSD, etc.)
Side (Buy/Sell)	Whether it was a buy or sell order
Quantity	Number of contracts or shares
Price	The fill/execution price
Date & Time	When the order was executed

Required Fields for Trades

Field	Description
Symbol	The instrument traded
Direction (Long/Short)	Whether it was a long or short trade
Quantity	Number of contracts or shares
Entry Price	The price you entered the trade
Entry Time	When you entered the trade

Optional Fields

Map these if your CSV includes them:

• Exit Price - The price you exited
• Exit Time - When you exited
• Fees / Commission - Trading costs
• Gross P&L - Profit/loss before fees
• Net P&L - Profit/loss after fees
• Order ID - For grouping related orders
• Status - To filter only filled orders
• Stop Loss / Take Profit - SL/TP levels

Skipping Columns

If your CSV has columns you don't need (like Account ID, Notes, etc.), map them to Skip Column to ignore them.

Step 5: Configure Direction Values

Tell Tradavity what values in your CSV mean "buy" and "sell":

• Long / Buy values: Common values: Buy, Long, B, Bid, 1
• Short / Sell values: Common values: Sell, Short, S, Ask, -1

Enter multiple values separated by commas.

Step 6: Configure Status Filter (Optional)

If your CSV includes cancelled or pending orders, you can filter them out:

Enter values that mean "filled" or "executed" (e.g., Filled, Complete, Executed, Done)

Only rows with matching status will be imported.

Step 7: Review and Save

Review your configuration:

• Check all required fields are mapped
• Verify the preview shows correct data
• Click Create Schema to save

Using Your Custom Schema

Once created, your schema appears in the broker list when importing:

1. Click Add Trade in the sidebar
2. Select your asset type
3. Click Import CSV
4. Your custom schema appears under "Custom Schemas"
5. Select it and upload your CSV

Editing a Schema

1. Go to Settings > Imports
2. Find your schema in the list
3. Click the edit icon
4. Make your changes
5. Click Save Changes

Troubleshooting

"No trades found" after import

Possible causes:

• Wrong delimiter selected - check your CSV in a text editor
• Status filter is excluding all rows - check status values
• Date format doesn't match - verify dates are parsing correctly

Dates are parsing incorrectly

Solution: Use the "Detect" button to auto-detect the date format from your sample, or manually check your CSV for the exact format.

Common issues:

• MM/DD vs DD/MM confusion - US vs European format
• 12-hour vs 24-hour time - check if your CSV has AM/PM
• Timezone in the date string - select a format with "Z" if your dates include timezone

Numbers have wrong values

Cause: Wrong number format (US vs EU).

Solution:

• If your CSV shows 1.234,56: Select European number format
• If your CSV shows 1,234.56: Select US number format

Direction is always wrong (Long shows as Short)

Cause: The direction values don't match your CSV.

Solution: Check what your CSV actually says for buy/sell and enter those exact values in the direction configuration.

Orders not grouping into trades correctly

Solution:

• Map the Order ID field if your CSV has one
• Check your grouping settings in Settings > Grouping
• Use manual merge in the import preview

Import fails completely

Checklist:

1. Open CSV in text editor - is it actually comma-separated?
2. Check for special characters in headers
3. Verify the file isn't corrupted or incomplete
4. Try re-exporting from your broker

Tips for Success

• Start simple - Map only required fields first, add optional fields later
• Test with a small file - Use a few trades to verify before importing large files
• Keep your sample CSV - It helps when troubleshooting
• Document your format - Note down your broker's export settings for future reference

Limits

• Maximum 10 custom schemas per account
• Logo files: Max 500KB, square images recommended
• Sample CSV files: Max 1MB