Who is it for?
Traders who want a defined process before entry Users seeking to reduce rushed or emotional decisions
Trade Planning
Setup Builder
Define context, trigger, invalidation, entry, stop, target and required/advisory criteria for a repeatable trading setup.
FreeNo installationEducational & analytical
Free with a TupTrader account
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Tool guide
What makes a trading setup repeatable?
A repeatable setup needs explicit context, trigger, invalidation and entry/stop/target rules. Without observable criteria, different trades can be mislabeled as the same setup.
Logic / formula
Mandatory criteria determine whether the setup is complete or still missing required rules.
Read the output
Review completeness and missing rules before using the setup consistently in a journal.
TT-FT-014 · versioned engine setup-checklist@2.0.0 · educational/analytical use; not investment advice.
Full guide, examples, and sources
When should you not rely on it?
Using it as a signal or guaranteed permission to trade Completing steps superficially without following the process
Logic, formula and methodology
A repeatable setup needs explicit context, trigger, invalidation and entry/stop/target rules. Without observable criteria, different trades can be mislabeled as the same setup. Mandatory criteria determine whether the setup is complete or still missing required rules.
Required and optional setup checks, trigger lifecycle, context freshness, minimum versus planned R:R, plan risk limit, setup score, and entry blockers.
Worked example
Example
Context and level are valid but the trigger is not complete
Valid context without the trigger means the setup is not active yet; the correct state is waiting or partial, not entry.
Valid context without the trigger means the setup is not active yet; the correct state is waiting or partial, not entry.
How to read the result
The output reflects process quality, not a certain trade result. A warning means something should be corrected before proceeding.
Read Pass/Partial/Fail together with missing required items. A setup can have valid context while the trigger is still absent, so it is not ready for entry. Evidence and screenshot references reduce hindsight rewriting.
What the TupTrader version adds
The value of this version is not cosmetic; the result, assumptions and workflow are connected to the practical capabilities below.
- Context / Trigger / Invalidation / Entry / Stop / Target sections
- Required vs Advisory criteria
- MTF requirements
- Session/news requirements
- Evidence attachment references
- Pass/Partial/Fail
- Missing-condition explanation
- Clone template
Turn the result into a workflow
Related tool →Resolve the warning. Check risk and setup with related tools. Record the decision and outcome in the journal.
Common mistakes and limitations
- Using the tool after entry
- Changing answers to obtain a preferred result
- Ignoring plan limits
- A setup checklist does not prove statistical edge or market-data quality; it depends on precise criterion definitions.
Frequently asked questions
What if context is valid but the trigger is missing?
The background conditions exist but activation has not occurred; the setup should remain waiting or partial.
How do I separate required and advisory criteria?
Required criteria define the setup’s identity; advisory criteria improve quality but are not essential to the definition.
Is invalidation the same as the stop?
Not always. Invalidation is the logic that makes the premise wrong; the stop is the execution or risk rule used to exit.
Sources and research method
This guide combines the tool’s versioned specification, the earlier TupTrader educational page and the authoritative sources below. External sources are used for definitions and scientific boundaries, not for signals.
- CME Group — Risk Management and Your Trade PlanDefining per-trade risk, simultaneous positions, maximum loss and exposure in a trade plan.
This tool is for education, scenario analysis and process control. It is not investment advice, a buy/sell signal or a guarantee of future performance.