Beginner Futures Trading Checklist
A practical checklist before acting on scanner alerts or using leverage.
Identify exactly what you are viewing
Confirm the symbol, perpetual contract, settlement asset and chart interval. Read the data timestamp. The scanner uses a specific RSI calculation, and not every charting platform uses the same smoothing method. A connection error can leave previously loaded values on screen.
Write a plan before acting
Record the condition you observed, the price level that would invalidate the idea, your loss budget and the estimated cost of fees. Use the position size calculator to connect the budget with stop distance. Decide how you will handle a missed entry.
Review the complete record
Keep losing and untraded observations as well as winners. Separate scanner activity from executed trades. The device-local history is a short activity record; it is not a complete performance database. Start with observation or simulation when learning the workflow.
Check one scenario end to end
Hypothetical worked example. Before using a hypothetical 200 USDT position, verify the contract, current data, intended entry, stop distance, quantity precision and fees. Then consider what happens if the stop fills worse than expected or the page loses its data connection. A complete checklist includes an explicit reason to skip a trade.
What if the scanner is empty?
Use the Academy or calculators independently. Refreshing a blank page does not create valid market information; verify exchange accessibility and never substitute a fabricated value for missing data.
Verify the assumptions
Check the input window, fees and data availability before applying this example. For the exact software behavior and coverage limits, read the scanner methodology. Examples explain arithmetic and interpretation; they are not historical performance claims.