Everything that has happened on your account is in the History tab of the MetaTrader 5 Toolbox. It can be shown three ways: positions, which group each trade from opening to closing; orders, which show the instructions you sent; and deals, which show each individual execution. Choosing the right view, and knowing what the swap and commission columns mean, is what turns the history into a usable record.
Key takeaways
- Open it with Ctrl+T, then the History tab.
- Right-click to switch between Positions, Orders and Deals and to choose a period.
- Profit in the history is net of the deal itself, but swap and commission are separate columns.
- A single position can contain several deals if it was partially closed.
- Right-click › Report exports the history, which is the starting point for a trading journal.
| Where | Toolbox (Ctrl+T) › History |
|---|---|
| Positions view | One row per trade, open to close |
| Orders view | The instructions, including cancelled ones |
| Deals view | Each execution, including partial closes |
| Period | Right-click › Last 3 months, or a custom range |
| Export | Right-click › Report |
Positions, orders and deals
| View | Shows | Use it to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Positions | Each trade from opening to closing | “What did this trade make or lose?” |
| Orders | Every instruction sent, filled or not | “Did my pending order ever trigger?” |
| Deals | Every execution, including partial closes | “At exactly what price and time was this filled?” |
What the columns mean
| Column | Meaning | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Server time, not your local time | Match it to the economic calendar with the right offset |
| Type | buy, sell, or the pending order type | A stop-out appears as a normal close |
| Volume | Lots executed | Two rows for one trade after a partial close |
| Price | The executed price | Compare with the order price to see slippage |
| Swap | Overnight financing on that position | Accumulates nightly; see where to find swap rates |
| Commission | Charged per trade where it applies | Currency trades carry no commission at Marketsall, so this column shows zero for them |
| Profit | Result of the trade itself | Add swap and commission for the true result |
That last row is the one people misread. A trade shown with a profit of $40, a swap of −$12 and a commission of −$6 made $22. The totals line at the bottom of the tab adds up each column for the period selected.
Choosing a period and exporting
- Right-click inside the History tab. Choose Last 3 months, Last month, or Custom Period.
- Set the dates for a custom period. Use the same period each month so reports are comparable.
- Sort by column. Click a column header to sort, for example by symbol or by profit.
- Export a report. Right-click › Report, then choose the file format offered by your build.
- Save it somewhere permanent. Platform history can be limited by the server’s retention period.
Turning history into a journal
The export gives you what happened; a journal records why. Adding a reason for entry, the planned stop and target, and a note on how you felt turns a list of trades into something you can learn from. Patterns that show up quickly include trades taken outside your plan, positions held over the weekend and losses that are much larger than the average. The method is covered in how to keep a trading journal, and the numbers to track in what drawdown is and risk-reward ratio.
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Average loss vs average win | Shows whether one bad trade undoes many good ones |
| Total swap paid | Reveals how much long holds are costing |
| Trades by symbol | Concentration is easy to miss in the moment |
| Trades by time of day | Thin hours often produce the worst fills |
| Number of trades | A rising count can be a sign of overtrading |
Common mistakes to avoid
Reading profit alone. Swap and commission change the result.
Confusing server time with local time. Match the offset before drawing conclusions about timing.
Relying on the platform to keep old history. Export and store your own copy.
Judging a strategy on too few trades. A handful of results says little.
Risk warning. Trading CFDs carries a high level of risk since leverage can work both to your advantage and disadvantage. As a result, the products offered on this website may not be suitable for all investors because of the risk of losing all of your invested capital. You should never invest money that you cannot afford to lose, and never trade with borrowed money.
Frequently asked questions
Where is trade history in MT5?
In the Toolbox. Press Ctrl+T and open the History tab. Right-click inside it to switch between positions, orders and deals and to choose the period shown.
What is the difference between orders, deals and positions in MT5?
An order is an instruction you sent, a deal is an execution of that instruction, and a position is the resulting trade from opening to closing. One position can contain several deals, for example after a partial close.
How do I export a statement from MT5?
Right-click inside the History tab and choose Report, then select the format offered by your build. Save the file; platform history may not be kept indefinitely.
Why is my profit different from what I expected?
The profit column shows the result of the trade itself. Swap and commission are in separate columns and must be added to get the net result of a position.
Does MT5 show commission and swap separately?
Yes. Both have their own columns in the History tab, and the totals line at the bottom sums them for the period you have selected.
Related reading
Write the rules before reviewing
Which rows in your export broke your own rules? Answering that needs rules written down first, so set a maximum risk per trade and a daily loss limit with a trading risk management plan, then mark each trade against them.
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