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Trade Ideas columns that matter (so you can decide fast)

Most people lose time in Trade Ideas because their windows are unreadable: - too many columns - the wrong columns - no consistent order

This page gives you a “default column stack” you can reuse across: - Top List Windows (scanners) - Alert Windows (signals)

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The 80/20 column stack (works for most intraday workflows)

If you trade intraday, these tend to do the heavy lifting: - Last (price) - Gap % - Dollar Volume - Volume Today and/or Average Daily Volume - Relative Volume (or a similar “vs normal” column) - Float

Goal: answer “is this name liquid and in my lane?” in one glance.

Example: alert history with a clean set of triage columns

Example: the same idea in a tighter, minimal view

How I organize columns (order matters)

Left-to-right is a story: 1. Identity: symbol, last 2. Why it’s here: gap %, relative volume 3. Can it trade?: dollar volume, average daily volume 4. Behavior regime: float (optional), price range 5. Strategy-specific: the alert condition’s related columns

Example: Top List + Alert/History + Chart in one workflow

Top List vs Alert Window: what changes?

Top List Window

Top List is more about ranking: - prioritize “why it’s moving” and “is it tradable” - you can add ranking columns (relative volume, gap, etc.)

Alert Window

Alert Window is more about context: - what triggered - what lane it’s in - whether it’s worth a chart glance

See: - Top List tutorial - Alert Window tutorial

What to avoid (clutter traps)

  • columns you never look at
  • columns that duplicate information
  • fundamentals-heavy columns if you’re trading short-term (they can distract more than help)

If you want fundamentals, use them intentionally—don’t let them bloat your window.

FAQ

What are the best Trade Ideas columns for day trading?

Last, Gap %, Dollar Volume, Volume Today/ADV, Relative Volume, and (optionally) Float are a strong starting stack for most intraday workflows.

How many columns should I use?

Enough to decide quickly, not enough to feel “complete”. Start with 6–10, then add only what you can justify.

Next




Next step

Turn this into a repeatable workflow

If you only do one thing next, tighten your lane and reduce noise. That's how Trade Ideas becomes usable.


David
Written by
Updated 2026-01-07 Last tested 2026-01-07
Mentor-style Trade Ideas tutorials focused on workflow, clarity, and repeatable process.