Use the DOM & Chart Together in Tradovate
A chart tells you where price has been and where it's likely headed. The DOM tells you what's happening right now. Run them side by side and you get both halves of the picture, here's how to set them up, link them, and save the layout.
A chart tells you where price has been and where it's likely headed. The DOM tells you what's happening right now, the resting bids and offers, and the exact tick your order will land on. Run them side by side and you get both halves of the picture: read the setup on the chart, then click the fill on the ladder.
Tradovate keeps the chart and the DOM as separate modules, so there's a little setup to get them working as a pair. Here's how to arrange them, keep them on the same contract, and save the layout so it's ready every morning.
Why Pair the DOM and the Chart?
Each panel is good at a different job. The chart is where you plan; the ladder is where you pull the trigger. Splitting the work like that keeps you from squinting at candles to guess a price when you could just click it.
| Panel | Best for |
|---|---|
| Chart | Trend, support and resistance, indicators, and timing your entry |
| DOM (SuperDOM) | Live bid/ask depth, exact-tick limit and stop orders, and fast exits |
Set Up the DOM and Chart Together: Step by Step
Open a Chart and a DOM
Start a fresh workspace and add both modules, a Chart and a DOM, so they're open at the same time. On the web and desktop apps you add a module from the top-left New (+) control and drop it into the window. If the ladder is new to you, the SuperDOM basics guide covers how orders sit on it.
Arrange Them Side by Side
Grab a module by its top bar and drop it next to the other. Most traders put the chart on the left (or give it the larger half) and keep the DOM narrow on the right. Drag the border between the two panels to size each one the way you like.
Put Both on the Same Contract
Click the symbol name at the top of each module and type the contract you want, say, the front-month E-mini S&P 500. Set the chart and the DOM to the exact same contract and month. A mismatched month is the classic slip-up: your chart reads one instrument while your orders route to another.
Link Them With a Color
Right next to the symbol name there's a small colored dot. Click it, pick a color, blue, for example, then set the DOM's dot to that same blue. Matching colors put the modules in one linked group; gray means linking is switched off. Tradovate gives you up to six colors, so you can run more than one linked set on a busy layout. One thing to know: symbol changes flow across linked modules most reliably when a linked Market Analyzer drives them. If you switch the contract in one panel and the other doesn't follow, just set it by hand, and confirm the current behavior in your own platform, since Tradovate tweaks this from time to time.
Read on the Chart, Execute on the DOM
This is the whole point of the pairing. Mark your levels on the chart, the trendline, the indicator cross, wherever you want in. When price comes to it, drop your order on the DOM at the precise tick by left- or right-clicking the price ladder. You can see the size stacked at each level, so you know whether there's real depth where you're trying to get filled. Prefer to work off the chart itself? Turn on chart trading and place and drag orders right on the price axis.
Save the Workspace
Once it's laid out the way you like, click the Tradovate logo at the top-left, open Workspaces, and hit Save. Your window positions, DOM settings, and chart layout all come back the next time you load it, no rebuilding the setup every session.
One Limitation Worth Knowing
Tradovate doesn't dock the ladder onto the chart's price axis the way a few other platforms do. The chart and the DOM stay as separate panels, side by side with a color link is as tight as the pairing gets. For most traders that's plenty: you still plan on one and execute on the other without hunting between windows. If your charts aren't dialed in yet, run through the charting basics first.
Automate the Execution with PickMyTrade
Reading the chart and clicking the ladder is great when you're at the desk. When you're not, PickMyTrade turns your TradingView alerts into live Tradovate orders automatically, so the trade fires the moment your setup triggers, no scrambling to the DOM at 3 a.m. Use the pairing to build and test your read, then let the automation handle the clicks.
Automate Your Tradovate Trades
Use the DOM and chart to build and test your read, then let PickMyTrade turn your TradingView alerts into live Tradovate orders automatically.
Start Your Free 5-Day TrialFrequently Asked Questions
Yes. Assign the same link color to both modules using the colored dot next to the symbol name. Matching colors group them; gray turns linking off. Symbol changes propagate most dependably when a linked Market Analyzer drives them, so confirm the behavior in your own platform.
No. Tradovate keeps the chart and DOM as separate modules rather than docking the ladder onto the chart. Arrange them side by side and link them by color instead.
Yes, if you save it. Click the Tradovate logo, open Workspaces, and click Save. Chart templates only store chart appearance, so save the workspace to keep the DOM and the window layout.
This guide is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Trading futures and other leveraged products carries a substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. PickMyTrade is an independent third-party automation platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Tradovate, Inc. "Tradovate" and all related names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Platform features and steps change over time, so always confirm the current process in the official Tradovate platform and documentation before acting.