Automated trading through Excel

Have you tried TradeBolt? I use it to automate my systems on TradeStation. Most of my clients who have systems on TradeStation do the same. You can sign up for a 30day free demo to see if it works for you http://www.tradingindex.com/platforms/TradBolt.html

Please contact me if you have any questions.

 

To my experience a strategy with excel cannot do half the things an automated strategy could do. The languages I would recommend is C/C++/Perl but definitely NOT easylanguage code (done by Tradestation users).
The differences are very simple, easy language is obsolete, the engine of this programming languate is way behind the engine of programming languages I have spoken about and the slippage caused by such coding and implemented on TS could be extreme.

If I was you, I'd open google and search for "strategy development process" "c++" "futures".

HTH, Emini_Expert

 

I have read the responses. I know genesis offers a way to do automation through excel. I do not code, so I am looking for alternatives. What is an easy solution to automating a simple strategy. If ameritrade now has point and click trade triggers and partial automation for retail, there has to be something out there for the rest of us.

I was considering using AnalyzerXL, and then have the results trigger trades, would that work?

I would like to automate, but I also would like to keep it as simple as possible.

Thanks in advance,

 

Sierra Charts has an excel integrated with the charts. If you are going to use Excel that might be the way to go. If super speed is not important you should be able to get the job done with Tradestation and Tradebolt. Tradebolt requires no programming, it reads a text file outputted by Tradestation. You still have to have your strategy coded and running in TS already, don't know how you are going to do that if you don't program. Have you considered learning to program? A couple of years at a community college can get you up to speed.

Max

 

As others have stated, trading through excel is not ideal. I have used 3 spreadsheets every day for the last 2 years and have not had a major problem, but other methods can compute and handle data much better. I'm currently paying someone to transfer all my stuff to C+.

 

I have considered it, I just need to find the time to take the classes. Thanks for the mentioning sierra charts, and tradebolt. I will check out those as possible solutions. My approach is very simple, and thats how I would like to keep it, but I do believe in modernization of its implementation. Just am not sure if I want to put off the oppurtunity cost of automation for 2 years to learn how to code.

There must be some company out there working on,or has a solution to simplify the proccess of automating trading strategies.

I think for me checking out TS and tradebolt for now would be the way to go. Hopefully easylanguage is actually easy lol.

 

What would be the cost of such a project?

I have seen services that take your written logical statements and conditions and turn them into code.

I was never inclined to do so because cost of renting programers varies so much, and the quality, and even the possibility of them never being completed. Then if you want to change something or tweak, don't you have to pay it all over again, or do you have them build you an interface to tweak variables?

I am very curious about costs.

 

Unless you are super-secret with your trading methodology you may want to consider just asking around here at ET. I've noticed there are no lack of programmers here and I'm sure some would probably be willing to code your system for free with the understanding that they could use it to trade themselves as well. In that sort of arrangement I would imagine you could get as much tweaking done as you want since it would benefit both players to improve the system.

Learning to programming is not trivial and if you don't have an desire to learn it is not something I would recommend. Just my 2 cents...

 

Do you know of any such members? I would consider asking nitro, but I saw in another thread he does not assist in programing anymore.

If anyone knows someone interested and trustworthy in such an arrangement, please feel free to PM me.

 

don't deal with someone you don't know or someone not recommended by someone you know.

I mean, unless your method, edge is so powerful it won't be disrupted by having several traders using it..
well, only a matter of time until too many people are using the method.

when you commission someone serious, you will sign a non disclosure document to protect yourself.

what some people do, when the project is large enough or sensitive enough, they contract the different parts to different people or firms, so noone knows the entire method.

also, make sure to use parameters and try to keep these parameters confidential. with many methods, the edge is in the details. keep as many as possible to yourself.

I must say that for serious ATS projects, you need a very good cooperation with your programmer(s), and need to give away many details if not all.
therefore, you need to find someone trustworthy and that can be very very hard.
and that's why, it's better to use someone recommended, someone who already worked for another trader or firm for instance, showing they can be trustworthy and keep confidentiality.

I am sorry to say that on ET, I would be careful to deal with most because they are many people simply trying to become profitable. Therefore, getting free (even paid to them) access to a proven edge (yours) is a deal made in heaven.
I would rather trust an already profitable trader or someone recommended by one.

the ideal situation is to have you build your own software. whenever possible, do that. however, for systems where speed is critical, as others said, excel is not ideal for several reasons.
a dedicated application, in C++ ideally, with a very direct connection to the Broker's API is better than Excel. Way better.

if you don't know C++, don't think about learning it. then Excel with it's embedded Visual Basic, although not great, is easier to learn and you may be able to do everything yourself (or easily find someone to do it for you).

BTW, a serious programmer for trader, may offer you free updates for a period of time (because the broker's API changes etc) and small fee for small changes.

Think of this as an important business relationship. to be successful you need a good infrastructure and efficient software because others competing for your orders will get these.
Being able to have your methods well programmed and maintained in the future is worth a lot.. take the time to find a good trustworthy programmer.

start by asking traders using automation how they did it, who did it for them. if they can recommend you someone (not themselves of course!) then that's interesting. asking a programmer who is advertising to find clients, I would not trust as much. imho.

and back to the topic : an excel solution is a 3rd rate solution. use it only if you have no other choice. again, those competing for the same limited volatility out there will often use better tools, better brokers, faster ISP etc...
and all these things are not edges, but they are eroding others edges