Trade Ideas Symbol Lists: create, import, and use an exclude list¶
Symbol Lists are the simplest “quality control” tool in Trade Ideas: they let you include a curated universe (watchlist) or exclude names you don’t want showing up in your scans.
This tutorial shows you a clean, repeatable approach you can reuse across Top Lists, Alert Windows, and Brokerage+.
What you’ll build¶
- A “Do Not Trade” symbol list (exclude list)
- An optional “Focus list” (include list)
- A pattern for using lists in:
- Top List Windows
- Alert Windows
- Brokerage+ strategies (indirectly, via the Alert Window they’re based on)
Disclosure: some links are affiliate links. Learn more.
Who this is for¶
- Beginners who are getting overwhelmed by “random names” in their scanners.
- Intermediate traders who want to remove repeat offenders (chop, low liquidity, weird behavior).
- Anyone building alerts/automation who wants fewer low-quality signals upstream.
Before you start¶
- A Symbol List is not a filter. Think of it as a universe control:
- “Only show me these” (include list)
- “Never show me these” (exclude list)
- Keep lists small and opinionated. If you dump 2,000 tickers into a list, you’ve recreated the entire market… with extra steps.
Step 1 — Create a new Symbol List¶
Open Tools and look for Symbol Lists, then create a new list.
Name it like you mean it: - DO_NOT_TRADE - NO_ETFS (optional; you can also filter ETFs via EPS, see below) - MY_FOCUS_LIST
Step 2 — Build your “Do Not Trade” list¶
Add one ticker per line.
What belongs here: - Names you’ve personally seen behave “weird” for your style - Thin/liquidity traps you keep accidentally clicking - “Always gapping” names you don’t want in your daily gap workflow
Practical tip: maintain 2 lists: - DO_NOT_TRADE (personal rules) - ALWAYS_GAPPING (workflow-specific exclusion)
Step 3 — Apply Symbol Lists inside a Top List or Alert Window¶
Open the window you care about and go to its Config screen.
You’re looking for a Symbol Lists tab/section where you can set: - Include (only scan this list) - Exclude (scan the market, minus this list)
If you’re building a daily gappers workflow, exclusion lists are usually the first win: you still see “the market”, but you cut out names you don’t want wasting attention.
Related: - Top List Window tutorial - Alert Window tutorial
Step 4 — Excluding ETFs (two approaches)¶
If your goal is “no ETFs”, you have two reliable patterns:
Option A: Exclude list (manual)¶
Add common ETFs you keep seeing to NO_ETFS and exclude it. This is straightforward but requires maintenance.
Option B: EPS trick (fast, usually good enough)¶
Many ETFs show EPS = 0.00. So you can add the EPS $ filter and set: - Min: 0.01 - Max: -0.01
This approach is fast, works across many workflows, and doesn’t require you to maintain a list.
Related: - Filters that matter (lane)
Step 5 — Share or reuse Symbol Lists across workflows¶
You can reuse a Symbol List across: - Top Lists (candidates) - Alerts (signals) - Automation (because Brokerage+ strategies are built from Alert Windows)
If you collaborate with others, also read: - Collaboration: copy/paste a window’s filters into another window
Troubleshooting¶
“My list isn’t doing anything”¶
- Make sure you actually selected it in the window config (and that it’s applied to the correct include/exclude box).
- Confirm the window is scanning a universe where your list matters (e.g., excluding a stock that never appears anyway won’t change output).
“My include list is too small”¶
That’s the point. If you need more candidates, build another list rather than bloating one.
FAQ¶
What is a Symbol List in Trade Ideas?¶
A Symbol List is a saved set of tickers you can include or exclude inside scanning windows, so you control which symbols are eligible before filters/alerts do their job.
Should I use Symbol Lists or filters?¶
Use both, but for different jobs: - Symbol Lists define the universe (“in” or “out”). - Filters define the lane/conditions inside that universe.
What’s the fastest way to remove ETFs from scanners?¶
Often: add EPS $ and set Min 0.01 and Max -0.01 to remove many EPS = 0.00 instruments.
Next¶
- Stocks Like This workflow: reverse-engineer your best setups
- Columns that matter: triage faster
- Troubleshooting: too many alerts
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.
