Export Tradovate Trades to CSV for a Journal
If your journal keeps rejecting your Tradovate export, or it imports with every commission field blank, here's exactly how to fix it, step by step.
If your journal keeps rejecting your Tradovate export, or it imports with every commission field blank, the file itself is usually the problem. Two things fix it: pull your data from the Orders tab (not Performance), and append the Cash History report so the fees ride along with the trades. Do those in the right order and most journals read the file on the first try.
Quick answer: Export the Orders report as CSV for your date range, export Cash History for the exact same dates, then paste the Cash rows below the Orders rows and import that one combined file. Skip the Performance tab entirely.
Why the Performance Tab Breaks the Import
It's the most common reason a Tradovate import fails. The Performance report is built for reading on screen, so its columns and layout don't match what journal importers expect. The Orders report is the raw list of your orders and fills, and that's the shape the importers are written against. Grab the wrong one and you'll either get an error or a mangled import. So before anything else: Orders, not Performance.
Export Tradovate Trades to CSV: Step-by-Step
Open Account Reports
Sign in to the Tradovate platform. Click the dropdown next to your account name, then click the small gear icon beside it, that opens the Account Reports section, where you'll see tabs like Orders, Fills, Cash History, and Performance. If you run more than one account, double-check you've got the right account selected before you pull anything.
Open the Orders Tab and Set Your Dates
Click the Orders tab. Set a custom From and To date range that covers exactly the sessions you want in your journal. There are usually preset ranges like Today, This Week, and This Month too, but a custom range gives you cleaner control, especially if you only want to import a specific stretch. Take a second to confirm the list on screen is actually the trades you expect before you download.
Download the Orders Report as CSV
Choose CSV as the format (reports also export as PDF, which won't import), then download. Save it somewhere obvious and give it a name you'll recognize, like Orders.csv. If your journal accepts the Orders export as-is, you can stop here and import it now, and just live with blank commission fields. If you want your fees and net numbers to line up, keep going.
Export Cash History for the Same Dates
Here's the part people miss. The Orders export doesn't carry commissions or exchange fees, so a journal built only from it can't show your true net P&L. Switch to the Cash History tab, set the exact same date range you used for Orders, and download it as CSV. This report logs the cash movements, the trade-paired closes, commissions, and fees that the Orders file leaves out.
Merge the Two Files and Import
Open both CSVs. Copy every row from the Cash History file and paste it directly below the last row of the Orders file. Save that combined file and upload it to your journal as a single CSV. The importer reads the Orders rows for the trades and the Cash rows for the fees, and your commissions finally show up where they belong. Import order matters here, so don't paste Orders under Cash or split them into two uploads unless your journal specifically asks for that.
Which Tab Does What
| Report tab | Use it for | Journal import? |
|---|---|---|
| Orders | Your orders and fills, the core trade data | Yes, start here |
| Cash History | Commissions, fees, trade-paired closes | Yes, append to Orders |
| Performance | On-screen stats and P&L charts | No, breaks most importers |
Two Things That Trip People Up
First, gross vs net. If your journal's total doesn't match what Tradovate shows, remember the Orders file is gross. Compare gross to gross until the Cash History fees are folded in, then check net against net.
Second, timezone. Most journals ask for your local timezone on import so the fill times land on the correct trading day. Set it, or your last trades of the session can slide into the next day.
Automate This with PickMyTrade
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That's the whole trick. Orders for the trades, Cash History for the fees, same dates on both, and one merged file into your journal. Labels shift around as Tradovate updates the platform, so if a button reads slightly differently than described, look for the equivalent CSV download on each tab.
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Start Your Free 5-Day TrialThis 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.